13 Aug 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

August 13th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Organic Farming
2. Offshore Patrol Vessel ‘Sarthak’
3. Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO)
4. Nasha Mukt Bharat Campaign
5. Fit India Freedom Run

1. Organic Farming

Context:

Organic farming in India.

Details:

• India ranks first in the number of organic farmers and ninth in terms of the area under organic farming.
• Sikkim became the first state in the world to become fully organic. Read more about Sikkim’s organic farming success story here.
• Uttarakhand and Tripura are also setting similar targets in organic farming.
• North East India has traditionally been organic and the consumption of chemicals is far less than the rest of the country.
• The tribal areas and the islands are also being nurtured for organic farming.
• The major organic exports from India are flax seeds, sesame, soybean, tea, medicinal plants, rice and pulses, which were instrumental in driving an increase of nearly 50% in organic exports in 2018-19, touching Rs 5151 crore.
• To encourage organic chemical-free farming, the government launched two schemes in 2015.
  • Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
  • Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD)
    • It is a Central Sector Scheme, a sub-mission under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
    • It is launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
    • It is for implementation in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
    • The scheme aims at the development of certified organic production in a value chain mode to link growers with consumers and to support the development of the entire value chain starting from inputs, seeds, certification, to the creation of facilities for collection, aggregation, processing, marketing and brand building initiative.
• Natural farming is not a new concept in India, with farmers having tilled their land without the use of chemicals – largely relying on organic residues, cow dung, composts, etc. since time immemorial.
• Organic farming is in sync with Sustainable Development Goal #2, which is, ‘end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture’.

Also read: Gist of Kurukshetra May 2019 – Organic Farming

2. Offshore Patrol Vessel ‘Sarthak’

Context:

Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel ‘Sarthak’ launched.

About Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Sarthak:

• OPV Sarthak is the 4^th in the series of five OPVs.
  • The other five classes of OPVs are: Vikram, Samarth, Vishwast, Sankalp and Samar.
• It has been designed & built indigenously by M/s Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in line with ‘Make in India’.
• The ship is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, sensor and machinery.
• Specifications of OPV Sarthak:
  • Length – 105 m
  • Weight – 2350 tons
  • Propelled by – two 9100 KW diesel engines
  • Maximum speed – 26 knots
  • Endurance – 6000 nautical miles
• The ship is designed to embark and carry a twin-engine helicopter, four high-speed boats and one inflatable boat for swift boarding and Search & Rescue operations.
• The ship is also capable of carrying limited pollution response equipment to undertake oil spill pollution response at sea.
• The ship will be deployed extensively for EEZ surveillance, coastal security and other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard charter of duties, to safeguard the maritime interests of the nation.

Know more about the Indian Coast Guard in PIB dated June 30, 2019.

Also read about Indian Coast Guard ships in the linked article.

3. Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO)

Context:

Defence Minister launches the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO).

About Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO):

• The NIIO has been launched to boost self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector.
• This naval organisation will put in place dedicated structures for the end-users to interact with the academia and the industry to foster innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence, in keeping with the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
• The NIIO is a three-tiered organisation.
  • Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC) will bring together the twin aspects of innovation and indigenisation and provide apex level directives.
  • A working group under the N-TAC will implement the projects.
  • A Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) has also been created for the induction of emerging disruptive technology in an accelerated time frame.
• The Indian Navy already has a functional Directorate of Indigenisation (DoI).

4. Nasha Mukt Bharat Campaign

Know all about Nasha Mukt Bharat Campaign in PIB dated June 26, 2020.

About National Institute of Social Defence (NISD):

• It is the nodal training and research institute in the field of social defence.
• It focuses on human resource development for drug abuse prevention, welfare of senior citizens and transgenders, beggary prevention, and other social defence issues.
• It provides inputs for the social defence programmes to the Government of India and also conducts training and research in the field, apart from ensuring the implementation of various programmes under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction and National Action Plan for Senior Citizens.
• It became an autonomous body in 2002.

Context:

Union Minister for Social Justice addressed a webcast of District Collectors, State Secretaries and all officers involved in the Nasha Mukt Bharat Campaign.

He also inaugurated a new building of the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) in New Delhi.

5. Fit India Freedom Run

Context:

Fit India Freedom Run to be held from August 15 to October 2.

About the Fit India Freedom Run:

• Under this, participants are encouraged to run at their own pace anywhere and at any time of their convenience.
• The motto of the ‘Freedom Run’ is to encourage fitness and help citizens to get freedom from obesity, laziness, stress, anxiety and other diseases.

Know more about the Fit India Movement in PIB dated 29^th August 2019.

Read previous PIB here.

August 13th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here