Chhattisgarh Affairs
Coordination needed for development work: CM
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel underlined the need for coordinated efforts to undertake and complete development works in newly created districts.
He said top priority should be given to resolve complaints pertaining to community and individual forest rights. New families should be issued ration cards at the earliest.
Baghel was holding a review meeting with officials at Bilaigarh as part of his public interaction (Bhent Mulaqat).
Officials need tomonitor the payment process vis-a-vis farmers in paddy procurement, he said.
The officials need to resolve the complaints at the earliest. Under the Electricity Bill Half scheme, 42 lakh domestic consumers have been given relief of Rs 3,200 crore so far in the state, he added.
He said directives have been issued to prepare caste certificates for children.
Interacting with the media, Baghel said the government has expanded various schemes to increase the coverage of beneficiaries. The Nyay schemes for <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture were being extended to and Plantation Crops.
He said Kodo-Kutki-Ragi crop will be procured on support price. The farmers were beingencouraged to grow pulses crops like moong, urad and arhar. They will also be procured on support price.
National and International Affairs
Agriculture Infrastructure gap
In order to bridge the <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture gap by empowering agriculture and villages and boosting private Investment, the Government of India launched a Central Sector Scheme of financing facility under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. The AgricultureInfrastructure Fund (AIF) is a medium-long term debt financing facility through interest subvention and credit guarantee support on loans for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets.
Under the scheme, Rs. 1 Lakh Crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans with interest subvention of 3% per annum and credit guarantee coverage under CGTMSE for loans up to Rs. 2 Crores to the eligible beneficiaries include farmers, FPOs, PACS, Marketing Cooperative Societies, SHGs, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Agri-entrepreneurs, Start-ups, and Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public-Private PARTNERSHIP Projects for creation of post-harvest management infrastructures like Supply chain Services including e-marketing platforms, Warehouses, Silos, Pack houses, Assaying units, Sorting & grading units, Cold chains, Logistics facilities, Primary processing centres, Ripening Chambers etc.
Community farming assets eligible under Agri Infra Fund includes: Organic inputs production, Bio stimulant production units, Infrastructure for smart and precision agriculture, Projects identified for providing supply chain infrastructure for clusters of crops including export clusters, Projects promoted by Central/State/Local Governments or their agencies under PPP for building community farming assets or post-harvest management projects.
KISAN RAIL
To implement the budget announcement 2020-21, a Committee was constituted on Kisan Rail and Krishi Udan. The Committee constituted a sub-committee for detailed deliberation and preparation of concept note under convenership of Executive Director, RAILWAY Board.
Ministry of Railways after due deliberation with Ministry of <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has started operating Kisan Special Trains for transportation of perishable / agriculture products, Dairy, Fisheries etc. These trains are multi-commodity, multi-consignor/consignee Services, running in a time-tabled manner with stoppages at all major stations.
The first Kisan Rail was flagged off from Devlali (Maharashtra) to Danapur (Bihar) by Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Shri Piyush Goyal, then Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Commerce & Industry on 7th August 2020, for transportation of perishable agriculture/horticulture products, dairy, fisheries etc.
Currently, a total of 2359 trips of Kisan Rail trains have been operated on 167 routes, wherein nearly 7.9 lakh tones of consignments have been transported.
The routes for Kisan Rail are decided on demand received from farmers and other stakeholders. Whenever a demand for Kisan Rail for a particular route is received, arrangements are made by the concerned Zonal Railway for supply for rakes and operation of Kisan Rail train, duly considering the operational feasibility of the proposed route.