19 Sep 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Samvatsari
2. Agriculture Ministry unveiled initiatives for farmers
3. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS)

1. Samvatsari

Syllabus: GS- I, Art and Culture

Prelims: Samvatsari, Jainism

Context:

PM greets people on the occasion of Samvatsari.

About Samvatsari:

• Samvatsari is a festival celebrated by the Jain community, especially the Shwetambara sect.
• It is the last day of an eight-day observance of prayers called Paryushana Parva or Paryushana.
• It falls on Shukla Panchami each year in the Jain calendar month of Bhadrapada.
• Samvatsari is also known as the Day of Forgiveness.
• On this day, people seek forgiveness from others for wrongs done knowingly or unknowingly. People say the words Michhami Dukkadam to seek forgiveness from others.

Read more on Jainism in the linked article.

2. Agriculture Ministry unveiled initiatives for farmers

Syllabus: GS-2, Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population

Prelims: KCC Ghar Ghar Abhiyaan, Kisan Rin Portal and WINDS manual

Context:

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare unveiled some initiatives for farmers.

What are the initiatives?

• Kisan Rin Portal (KRP):
  • The KRP portal serves as an integrated hub, offering a comprehensive view of farmer data, loan disbursement specifics, interest subvention claims, and scheme utilization progress. 
  • By fostering seamless integration with banks, this portal enables proactive policy interventions, strategic guidance, and adaptive enhancements for more focused and efficient agriculture credit and optimum utilization of interest subvention.
  • It has the potential to revolutionize access to credit services under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC).
  • It will also enable farmers to avail of subsidized agriculture credit through the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS).
• Ghar-Ghar KCC Abhiyaan:
  • This is a door-to-door KCC campaign running from 1st October 2023 to 31st December 2023.
• WINDS Manual:
  • The Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) initiative establishes a network of automatic weather stations and rain gauges at the taluk/block and gram panchayat levels. 
  • This initiative creates a robust database of hyper-local weather data, supporting various agricultural services.
  • The manual launched provides stakeholders with an in-depth understanding of the portal’s functionalities, data interpretation, and effective utilization.

3. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS)

Syllabus: GS-2, Government schemes

Prelims: Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS)

Context:

The Union Sports Minister felicitated players under Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS).

About the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS):

• PDUNWFS was formulated to help sportspersons who play well but are from economically weaker sections of society.
• The scheme helps in the procurement of sports equipment and training.
• The objective of the welfare fund is to provide financial assistance to outstanding sportspersons, coaches and their family members living in indigent circumstances for various purposes like ameliorating conditions, medical treatment, injuries, procurement of sports equipment and participation in national and international sports events, etc.

Read the previous PIB articles here.