Chhattisgarh
- Online mandis in C’garh, Telangana working effectively: Centre
- E-mandis in Chhattisgarh and Telangana are functioning effectively and other states should follow suit, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said.
- Around 54 physical mandis in these two states have been shifted to an online platform under the central scheme electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM) launched in April 2016. Now, farmers in these mandis are bidding online.
- So far, a total 455 mandis have been converted to online trading in a dozen odd states including Uttar Pradesh, but online trade in true sense is still not happening. Some are doing physical trade and later entering the data online.
- Under the eNAM scheme, each mandi is provided assistance of Rs 30 lakh for setting up of infrastructure in the integrated regulated markets. In this year’s budget, this amount has been increased to Rs 75 lakh, he said.
- So far, 455 mandis are connectd with eNAM and the target is to connect 585 mandis by March 31, 2018. There are more than 2,700 mandis across the country.
- The ministry’s plan is to achieve online agri-trade within mandis in the first phase and then inter-mandis within the state and finally go for trading in mandis inter- state wise, thereby establishing one integrated agri-market at a national level for the benefit of farmers.
- The main objective of eNAM is to give farmers access to prices of different mandis and facility to sell their products in a transparent manner to those who offer the best price.
- Gk byte – e NAM
- e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) is a pan-India electronic trading portal launched by Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Govt of India, to facilitate farmers, traders, buyers, exporters and processors with a common platform for trading commodities. It currently links 250 APMCs (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees) from across 10 states.
- The Portal is managed by Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) appointed by the Ministry in association with a group of strategic partner selected for the purpose. Traders and exporters need to get themselves registered with the portal to access its services. 69 commodities including staple food grains, vegetables and fruits are currently listed in its list of commodities available for trade.
06.07.17
INTERNATIONAL
- North Korea claims successful test of its first intercontinental missile
- North Korea has claimed that it has successfully test-fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-14 into waters near Sea of Japan. The claim was confirmed by United States. The launch appeared to be North Korea’s most successful missile test since its ballistic missile programme gathered pace in the late 1990s. The successful test also marks North Korea’s the final step in becoming confident and powerful nuclear state that can strike anywhere on Earth.
- Based on missile’s height and trajectory path, US scientists claim that missile could potentially be powerful enough to reach Alaska. The missile had reached an altitude higher and flew longer than any of the North Korea’s previous similar tests. The missile had landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone. US has strongly condemned the launch and added that it will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea. The ICBM testing represents a new escalation of the threat to US and its allies and partners, the region and the world.
- North Korea will be 8th nation in the world to successfully test ICBM. Other countries that have ICBM technology are US, Russia, China, UK, France, Israel and India.
- Gk byte – Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)
- An ICBM is a missile launched by a land-based system that is intended to carry nuclear payloads. To qualify as an ICBM, a missile must have a minimum range of 5,500km. The most significant difference between an ICBM and other ballistic missiles is its greater range and speed. It enables countries to strike exceptionally distant targets with minimum warning.
- An intermediate-range ballistic missile(IRBM) is a ballistic missile with a range of 3,000–5,500 km (1,864–3,418 miles), between a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) and an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)
Ballistic missile vs. Cruise missile
- A ballistic missile is launched directly into the high layers of the earth’s atmosphere. It travels well outside the atmosphere and then the warhead detaches and falls back to earth. It follows the path of a ball thrown upwards which falls down. Since it depends on gravity to reach its target, it’s called a ballistic missile.
A cruise missile does exactly according to its name. It cruises, over land or over water. Its working is similar to a jet engine powered airplane.
National
- Prime Minister Modi’s Israel Visit: Important Takeaways.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day visit to Israel which is the first by an Indian prime minister to Israel resulted in the signing of seven agreements on areas including space, tech and agriculture. The other prominent takeaways of the visit are the following:
- OCI card
Prime Minister Modi has assured faster facilitation of OCI cards for Jewish Citizens of Indian origin in Israel. He also assured that the OCI card will be given even to those people of Indian origin who had served in the Israeli government’s compulsory army service.
- Air Connectivity
The launch of a new Air India flight connecting India and Israel was announced, the flight is expected to connect Delhi/Mumbai with Tel Aviv.
- Israeli flower named after PM Modi
As a special gesture, a new fast growing Israeli Crysanthumun flower was named “MODI” after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the Indian Premier’s visit to the Danziger flower farm, which is one of the leading floriculture companies of Israel having founded in 1953.
- Strategic partnership
India and Israel have announced that they have elevated their ties to a strategic partnership as India has identified Israel as a major development and technological partner. Both countries have also agreed to combat growing radicalization and terrorism and expand co-operation in cyber security.
- Indian Cultural Centre
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the establishment of an Indian Cultural Centre in Israel to enhance people-to-people contacts between the two countries. Israel’s has also voiced its strong support to promote the practice of yoga by designating June 21 as International Yoga Day.
- Israel India Innovation Initiative Fund (I4F)
The $40 million Israel India Innovation Initiative Fund has been launched as a five-year technology fund with an aim at growing the business relationship between both the countries. The similar type of fund had boosted Israel’s ties with that of the US in the past 40 years.
- India and Israel have signed Total 7 agreements on areas including space, tech and agriculture.
- MoU for setting up of India-Israel Industrial R&D & Technological Innovation Fund (I4F)
- MoU for conservation of water in India
- MoU on State Water Utility Reform in India
- India-Israel Development Cooperation- 3-year work program in Agriculture (2018-2020)
- Plan of cooperation regarding cooperation in atomic clocks
- MoU regarding cooperation in GEO-LEO optical link.
- MoU regarding cooperation in electric propulsion for small satellites.
- Karnataka launches ‘Elevate 100’ scheme for start-ups
- The Karnataka government has launched the ‘Elevate 100’ scheme to identify and nurture innovative start-ups.
- The aim is to identify 100 most innovative start-ups in the state to elevate them to the next level of success.
- The Elevate scheme is the brainchild of the start-up cell, Karnataka Biotechnology and Information Technology Services (KBITS).