3 farm laws repealed after 1 year of protest
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address on November 19, 2021 announced that, central government will repeal all the three farm laws.
Background
- He also requested farmers who are protesting, to return back to their homes.
- The decision to repeal the farm laws was taken one year after farmers started their protest against it, across the country.
- These laws will be repealed in the Winter Session of Parliament.
Farm Laws
The three laws that let to agitation by farmers across India are:
- Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020
- Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020
- Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
Concerns
Main concerns of farmers were that, these laws will abolish the Minimum Support Price (MSP), which is guaranteed by the Centre on select crops. It will eventually leave farmers at the mercy of big corporate houses.
Significance
PM noted that, majority of farmers are small scale farmers in India. Central government tool multi-faceted approach ranging from seed technology to crop insurance schemes, in order to help these farmers. The three farm bills were put forward to benefit of small farmers, to empower & strengthen them. However, the government could not convince a section of protesting farmers. In that light, the laws were repealed.
Zero Budget Natural Farming
In his address pm also noted that, central government has decided to implement Zero Budget Natural Farming and make MSP more efficient. Government will set up a committee, comprising of Centre, State representatives, scientists, economists and farmers.
Draft Food Safety & Standards (Genetically Modified or Engineered Foods) Regulations, 2021
“Draft Food Safety and Standards (Genetically Modified or Engineered Foods) Regulations, 2021” was issued by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on November 15, 2021.
Important points
- The draft regulation will be applicable to:
- Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
- Genetically Engineered Organisms (GEOs)
- Living Modified Organisms (LMOs)
- It was issued for direct use as food or for processing.
- It will be applicable to Food or Processed food comprising of Genetically Modified ingredients produced from but not containing GMOs, LMOs or GEOs.
Provisions of the draft regulations
- No person will manufacture, store, sell, distribute, or import any food or food ingredient derived from Genetically Modified Organisms, in country, except with prior approval from Food Authority.
- Under the regulation, any food laboratory that has been notified in accordance with section 43 of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 can be designated for Genetically Modified Foods Testing.
- Form-I of the regulation specifies “Application for approval of food or processing aid comprising of Living Modified Organism (LMOs)” in the end product.
- Form-II of the regulation specifies “Application for Approval of food or processing aid derived from Genetically Modified Ingredients and not comprising of Living Modified Organism (LMOs).
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
FSSAI is a statutory body, set up in accordance with the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006. It was established under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. FSSAI is responsible to protect and promote public health through regulation and supervision of food safety.
RBI approves NSDL e-Governance as Account Aggregator
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the “NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure” as an account aggregator.
Important Points
- NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure is an IT-enabled services provider.
- It got an in-principle approval from RBI for setting an account aggregator business under the wholly owned subsidiary called NSDL e-Governance Account Aggregator Ltd.
Account Aggregator (AA) model
- Account Aggregator (AA) model has the potential of transforming the way by which financial services are delivered by means of a unique architecture for consent-based sharing of data.
- It is a financial data-sharing system, which can revolutionise investment & credit.
- It can provide greater access & control over financial records to millions of consumers.
- This model will also expand the potential pool of customers to the lenders and fintech companies.
- Account Aggregator will help in empowering individuals with control on their personal financial data.
Significance of the Account Aggregator
Account Aggregator is a critical step of enabling data democracy. It is a first-of-its-kind consent framework, developed to empower an individual with control over data. It will also empower people to securely and digitally access and share their data. NSDL e-Governance Account Aggregator services will play a significant role as a core contributor for empowerment of data-led economy.
Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA)
DEPA will enable the collection & use of personal data in order to empower people in accessing better financial, healthcare and other services in real-time.
Land handed over for first LIGO project in India
Hingoli income division handed around 225 hectares of land right in Maharashtra to the authorities of Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) venture.
Important Points
- The land was handed over in order to organise primary facility within the nation.
- There are currently few such labs in the United States, at Hanford in Washington and Livingston in Louisiana. These labs examine the gravitational waves.
- This venture will provide alternatives to scientists and engineers for digging deeper into concept of gravitational waves.
Background
Central authorities had given an ‘in precept’ approval to LIGO-India mega science proposal in 2016, to analyse the gravitational waves.
LIGO
LIGO is a massive observatory to detect cosmic gravitational waves and to carry experiments. Its main objective is to make use of gravitational-wave observations in astronomical studies. This project currently operates three gravitational-wave (GW) detectors. Out of three, two are at Hanford in Washington while one is at Livingston in Louisiana.
LIGO India project
The LIGO India project was proposed with the aim of moving one advanced LIGO detector to India, from Hanford. This project is piloted by Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). This project in India will be coordinated and executed jointly by three Indian research institutions namely, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT) in Indore, Department of Atomic Energy organisations: Institute for Plasma Research (IPR) in Gandhinagar and Inter-University Centre for Astronomy & Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune.
Defence industrial corridor project in Jhansi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lay down the foundation stone of Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor project in Jhansi on November 19, 2021.
Important Points
- The Defence Industrial corridor is worth Rs 400 crore project.
- Through this project, central government aims to achieve strategic Independence.
- Prime Minister will lay down the foundation stone on the concluding three-day ‘Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv’ event.
The Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv
This event is being organised by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in association with the government of Uttar Pradesh. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated this event on November 17, 2021.
Defence Industrial Corridors
Central government has decided to set up two Defence Industrial Corridors in India. One of the corridors will be set up in Tamil Nadu while other in Uttar Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor
- Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor comprises of nodes at Agra, Jhansi, Aligarh, Lucknow, Chitrakoot, and Kanpur.
- For Jhansi Node of the Corridor, UP government has made about 1,034 hectares of land available.
- A plant for propulsion system for Anti-Tank Guided Missiles is being set up by the Bharat Dynamics Ltd, which is a Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU), in Jhansi Node. It will cover an area of 183 acres of land in Jhansi.
- Jhansi node of the facility will involve an investment of Rs 400 crore.
- It will provide direct employment to 150 people and indirect employment to around 500 people.
Steps to promote Aatmanirbhar Bharat
Ministry of Defence has taken various steps to promote ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in defence in recent years. These comprise of issue like positive indigenisation lists, promotion of start-ups under Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, 64 per cent capital procurement budget for domestic industry etc.
Delhi pledges to clean Yamuna by 2025
Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, pledged to clean Yamuna River completely by 2025 recently.
Important Points
- He announced a six-point action plan to clean the holy river.
- He also promised to make Yamuna River fit for drinking and bathing by 2025.
Six Point Action Plan
Chief Minister announced understated six-point action plan:
- Sewer Treatment– Government will construct new sewage treatment plants.
- Capacity of existing sewer treatment plants will be increased. This move will increase sewage treatment capacity from 600 million gallons of wastewater per day to 750 MGD-800 MGD. Waste water from four major drains, Najafgarh, Badshahpur, Supplementary & Ghazipur, falling in the Yamuna is being treated in-situ.
- Old treatment plants will be upgraded and its technology will be changed.
- Industries discharging industrial waste into the Yamuna will be shut down.
- Wastewater in “jhuggi jhopri clusters” currently flows through stormwater and drains into the Yamuna. These drains will be connected to sewer network now.
- Sewer connections will be installed in areas where people haven’t taken sewer connections, at nominal charges. Government will provide household connections in areas having a sewer network. Earlier, people had to get such connection themselves.
De-silting & rehabilitation
Delhi government has started de-silting and rehabilitation of sewer network, as well.
Pollution in Yamuna River
Yamuna River has become one of the most polluted rivers worldwide. It is particularly polluted downstream of New Delhi. New Delhi dumps around 58% of its waste into this river. According to 2016 study, there is 100% urban metabolism of River Yamuna when it passes through Delhi. Most pollution comes from Wazirabad, from where Yamuna River enters Delhi.
