13 February 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

Read the daily PIB update and stay up-to-date on current affairs for the UPSC exam.

February 13th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI)
2. National Organic Festival
3. Apiary on Wheels
4. Arth-Ganga
5. EK Bharat Shrestha Bharat

1. Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI)

Context:

DGGI busts firm for making bogus input tax credit invoices of more than Rs 268 crore.

About the DGGI:

• The Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI) is an office under the Central Board of Indirect Tax and Customs, Dept. of Revenue, Finance Ministry, GOI.
• DGGI was formerly known as the Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence (DGCEI).
• It is an apex intelligence organization entrusted with the task of collection, collation and dissemination of intelligence relating to evasion of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on an all India basis.
• It was established in the year 1979 (then named Directorate General of Anti-Evasion) as an independent wing under the control of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
• It became a full-fledged Directorate in 1983, headed by a Director. In 1988, the Directorate was upgraded to Directorate General under a Director General with four Zonal Units located at Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, headed by Additional Director Generals.
• It develops intelligence, especially in new areas of tax evasion through its intelligence network across the country and disseminates such information, by issuing Modus Operandi Circulars and Alert Circulars to sensitize the field formations about the latest trends in duty evasion.
• Wherever found necessary, this Directorate General, on its own or in coordination with field formations, organizes operations to unearth evasion of GST, Central Excise Duty and Service Tax.

To know more about the Central Board of Indirect Taxes, check PIB dated Nov 7, 2019 under the heading DIN System of CBIC.

2. National Organic Festival

Context:

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is organising a National Organic Festival with a special focus on women entrepreneurs.

Details:

• More than 150 women entrepreneurs and Self Help Groups (SHGs) from all over the country will be exhibiting their organic products in various segments such as fruit & vegetables, ready to eat products, spices and condiments, honey, cereals, dry fruits, etc. in the 3-day food festival.
• The chief idea behind organising such a festival is to boost organic products and promote women entrepreneurship in the area of production and processing of organic products.
• The festival-cum-exhibition has the theme: “Unleashing India’s Organic Market Potential”.
• Apart from showcasing organic products, the event will focus on facilitating business linkages and empowering women entrepreneurs through pre-arranged B2B and B2G meetings.
• Other softer elements of the exhibition will include organic food quiz, live culinary sessions, chef speaks, cultural events, nukkad natak, etc.
• The Ministry of Food Processing Industries and the Ministry of Women and Child Development have recently signed an MoU to help women entrepreneurs get connected with government financial schemes like MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency), Startup India and also meet the compliance needed for being competitive in the global market.
• Skill development capacity building training programs for women entrepreneurs and SHGs will be organized to facilitate post-harvest management, value addition and new innovations towards enhancing production efficiency as well to impart comprehensive knowledge about various aspects of the supply chain of organic products.
• Training on packaging, marketing and innovations on renewable energy will also be imparted to help the producers cater to a broader consumer base.
• Training on organic certification and FSSAI regulations will be organized as well to familiarize producers with the regulatory processes.
• Awareness sessions for consumers on the benefits of incorporating organic in daily diet will be held.

India’s Organic Market Potential

• India has the world’s 9^th-largest organic agricultural land.
• India also has the largest number of organic producers (2.9 million in 2017) according to IFOAM Organics International.
• This translates into a vast potential in the organic segment.
• India produced around 1.70 million MT (2017-18) of certified organic products which include all varieties of food products namely oil seeds, sugar cane, cereals & millets, cotton, pulses, medicinal plants, tea, fruits, spices, dry fruits, vegetables, coffee, etc.
• On the demand side, increasing disposable incomes, increasing awareness around health and wellness and increasing acceptability are driving the growth in the organic food segment which is expected to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 10% during the period 2016-21.
• At the same time, the demand for Indian organic food products is on a constant increase worldwide with India exporting organic products worth $ 515 million in 2017-18.
• Organic products are exported to countries like the USA, the EU countries, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Israel, South Korea, Vietnam, Japan, New Zealand, etc.

Also read: Sikkim: India’s First Organic State: RSTV – In Depth

3. Apiary on Wheels

Context:

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) flagged off ‘Apiary on Wheels’.

Apiary is a place in which a colony or colonies of bees are kept, as a stand or shed for beehives or a bee house containing a number of beehives.

About ‘Apiary on Wheels’:

• This a unique concept designed by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for the easy upkeep and migration of Bee Boxes having live bee colonies.
• ‘Apiary on Wheels’ is a holistic approach to address the challenges faced by beekeepers. It is designed so as to reduce the labour and cost of maintaining and upkeeping Bee Boxes and live bee colonies across India.
• It is a platform that can carry 20 Bee Boxes from one place to another without any difficulty.
• Two large wheels on either side of the Apiary on Wheels and 4 separate compartments with independent doors, having 5 bee boxes each help the platform to remain intact without disturbing the live bee colonies.
• The Apiary on Wheels is also connected with a solar panel system which automatically triggers a fan inside the compartment as soon as the temperature reaches 35 degree centigrade or above.
• Not only this, the Apiary on Wheels also has sugar drips which help to feed the bees in the summer season.
• The Apiary on Wheels is like an attachment that can be easily connected with a tractor or a trolley and may be pulled to any suitable destination.
• Especially in summers, the beekeepers usually adopted crude methods to feed the bees and many bees used to die in the process. This concept of migration, cooling with the help of solar panels and sugar drips with zero risk to the lives of bees, will prevent any damages to the bee boxes or bee colonies and help produce quality honey.

About the Honey Mission:

• Under the Honey Mission, KVIC distributes bee-boxes among farmers and unemployed youths across the country to increase honey production and farmers’ income.
• Under this, KVIC provides training, awareness and also bee boxes along with bee colonies to farmers.
• It was launched in 2017.

To know more about the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, check PIB dated Oct 22, 2019.

4. Arth-Ganga

Context:

During the first meeting of the National Ganga Council, the Prime Minister had mentioned the Arth Ganga model. He said that ‘Namami Gange’ should gradually evolve into ‘Arth Ganga’.

Details:

• Almost half of the Indian population lives around the Ganga river belt. Almost 1/5^th of all India’s freight originates and 1/3^rd terminates in the states around the Ganga belt.
• Under this concept, farmers are encouraged to practice sustainable agriculture, including zero budget farming, planting fruit trees and creating plant nurseries on the banks of the river.
• Such sustainable practices, when coupled with the creation of water sports infrastructure will help tap the tourism potential of the region and create economic opportunities for the people.
• The process also includes encouraging eco-tourism and Ganga wildlife conservation.

Also read: National Mission for Clean Ganga

5. EK Bharat Shrestha Bharat

Context:

Around 1200 players participate in Zonal Sports Championships under “EK Bharat Shrestha Bharat” in January 2020.

About EK Bharat Shrestha Bharat:

Read more about the programme in PIB dated 13^th Oct, 2019 under the heading Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav.

February 13th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

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