PMO-litterateur Dr Rajat Kumar passes away
PM condoles the passing
away of eminent litterateur Dr. Rajat Kumar Kar
The
Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the passing away of
eminent litterateur Dr. Rajat Kumar Kar.
In
a tweet, the Prime Minister said;
"Dr.
Rajat Kumar Kar was a doyen of the
cultural world. His multifaceted persona was seen in the manner in which he
chronicled the Rath Yatra, wrote on
diverse topics and worked to revive Pala art. Saddened by his passing away.
Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti."
VISIT OF INS KOLKATA TO DJIBOUTI
Visit of INS Kolkata to
Djibouti
INS Kolkata visited┬аDjibouti┬аfrom 04 тАУ 07 May 22,
┬аas part of the anti-piracy patrol being undertaken by the┬аIndian Navy┬аto ensure safe transit
of merchant vessels in the┬аGulf of Aden.
Why is it
in news?
Captain Prashant Handu, the Commanding Officer called on
Colonel Ahmed Daher Djama, Commander of the National Navy of Djibouti and
Colonel Wais Omar Bogoreh, Commander-in-Chief of Djibouti Coast Guard during
the visit. Both dignitaries also visited INS Kolkata, along with personnel from
the Djibouti Navy and Coast Guard.
Highlights
The courtesy and camaraderie exhibited by the Djibouti Coast
Guard and Navy to INS Kolkata reflects the strong friendship they share with
the Indian Navy.
Ministry of Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying-MVUs
Union Minister for
Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying inaugurates Mobile Veterinary Units
(MVUs) to provide veterinary services at the farmerтАЩs doorstep
тАЬIn order to increase accessibility of veterinary services at farmerтАЩs
doorsteps, funds for MVUs will be provided to the States/UTs under this scheme
@ 1 MVU for every one lakh livestock populationтАЭ, says Shri Rupala
Toll free Animal Helpline Number 1962 to be used by farmers and dairy owners to
utilize 290 Mobile veterinary vehicles for all veterinary services
Shri Parshottam
Rupala, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying inaugurated┬аMobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) in Karnataka to provide
veterinary services at the farmerтАЩs doorstep based on the phone calls received
at the Call Centre from the farmers. Shri Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka Chief
Minister and Shri Prabhu B Chavan, Karnataka Minister for Animal Husbandry also
graced the inauguration event.
Why is it in news?
The overall aim of the тАШLivestock
Health & Disease Control programmeтАЩ of Government of India is to improve
the animal health by way of implementation of prophylactic vaccination
programmes against various diseases of livestock and poultry, capacity
building, disease surveillance and strengthening of veterinary infrastructure.
Highlights
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
Shri Rupala during the inauguration
event yesterday announced that┬аin order to increase accessibility
of veterinary services at farmerтАЩs doorsteps, funds for Mobile Veterinary Units
(MVUs) will be provided to the States/UTs under this scheme @ 1 MVU for every
one lakh livestock population. These MVUs will be customized fabricated
vehicles for veterinary healthcare with equipment for diagnosis, treatment
& minor surgery, audio visual aids and other basic requirements for
treatment of animals.
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
The Minister said that this is┬аthe
best programme to assist farmers and dairy owners to take care of the health of
their dairy animals at the right time and to double the farmers income thereby
uplifting their economic status┬а┬а by utilizing these Mobile
Veterinary Vehicles in the right manner. ┬а┬а
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
The Minister urged the┬аfarmerтАЩs
community and dairy owners and each and every one who involved in dairy
activities to utilize the 290 Mobile veterinary vehicles for all the veterinary
services by calling Toll free Animal Helpline Number 1962.
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
The Call Centre
would function as the pivot whilst rendering the mobile veterinary services. It
should receive calls from livestock rearers / animal owners and transmit them
to the Veterinary doctor at the Call Centre. The decision of directing the MVU
would be on the emergent nature of the veterinary case as decided by the
Veterinary doctor at the Call Centre. The Call Centre should also confirm
actual services through the UID and mobile number of the animal owner and share
the data with the State concerned.
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
Karnataka State has
been sanctioned with 290 Mobile veterinary vehicles against 289 lakh number of
animal population,┬аwhich will operate throughout the State by
Public Private Partnership. Rs 44.00 crores has been sanctioned to procure 275
new veterinary services fabricated vehicles @ Rs 16.00lakhs per vehicle.
Remaining 15 already existing Pashu sanjivini vans will be utilized to match up
290 required vehicles.
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
The
operationalization cost per vehicle is 18.72 lakhs per year which is about Rs
54.75 crore will be borne by the Central and state government in 60:40 ratio.
Each vehicle has a Veterinary Doctor, Livestock Inspector and Driver
cum┬аattendant┬аand having the facility of medicines, audio visual
screen for extension activities, siren and many more as for the need.
Government of India will release Rs 32.57 crore for operationalization cost for
290 vehicles and remaining Rs 28.15 crore has to be borne by State
Government.┬а
Information about the scheme:
Establishment & Strengthening of
Veterinary Hospitals & Dispensaries тАУ Mobile Veterinary Units (ESVHD-MVUs):┬а┬аThe component тАЬESVHFD-MVUтАЭ under Central Sector Scheme
тАЬLivestock Health & Disease ControlтАЭ provides veterinary health services at
farmersтАЩ door-steps through Mobile Veterinary Units. The services are to be
operated through Call Centers in the State/UTs, the farmers in case of any
emergency will make call to these call centers and after prioritizing the
emergencies, the services for diagnosis and treatment will be provided by a
team of Veterinarian & Para-veterinarian in these Mobile Veterinary Units.
┬а
┬а
┬а
┬а
┬а
Vice President Secretariate-Police Reforms
Vice President calls for
renewed thrust to implementing reforms in police forces
Centre and State must work with Team India spirit to usher in police reforms:
Vice President
Shri Naidu stresses the need to upgrade skills of policemen to effectively
tackle cybercrimes, economic offences and online frauds
VP urges policemen to be friendly, courteous towards the common man
Shri Naidu calls for filling up vacancies in police departments
Vice President releases book titled тАЬThe Struggle for Police Reforms in IndiaтАЭ
The
Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu today emphasised that тАЬa progressive,
modern India must have a police force which meets the democratic aspirations of
the peopleтАЭ and called for a renewed thrust to implementing reforms in the
police forces.
Why is it in news?
Addressing
a gathering after releasing the book titled тАЬThe Struggle for Police Reforms in
IndiaтАЭ written by former IPS officer, Shri Prakash Singh, the Vice President
stressed the need to upgrade the skills of our policemen to effectively tackle
21st century crimes such as cybercrimes and economic offences which require
special investigative expertise due to their sophisticated and often
transboundary nature.
Highlights
┬╖ The Vice President
specifically highlighted issues that need to be addressed on a war footing,
including filling up of the huge number of vacancies in police departments and
strengthening the police infrastructure in tune with the requirements of modern
age policing. He called for particularly strengthening the police force at the
grassroots, who are the first responders in most cases. Shri Naidu also wanted
the housing facilities of police personnel to be improved.
┬╖ Stressing that the
behaviour of policemen towards the common man should be courteous and friendly,
the Vice President called upon the senior police officers to lead by example in
this regard. тАЬA visit to a police station should be a hassle-free experience
for a person who goes there seeking help. The first thing to reform for this is
the attitude of the police тАУ they must be open-minded, sensitive and receptive
to each individual citizenтАЩs concernsтАЭ, he further said.
┬╖ Noting that police reforms
is a highly important and sensitive subject, the Vice President said that
although there have been various attempts at introducing reforms over the
years, progress has not been made to the desired extent. He called for a
political will in the states to properly implement the reforms, according to
the Supreme Court guidelines.
┬╖ Shri Naidu also reiterated
the need for police reforms to uphold law and order in the country and to
sustain IndiaтАЩs economic growth. тАЬPeace is the prerequisite for progressтАЭ, he
said.
┬╖ Recalling the history of
policing in India, the Vice President said that after the revolt of 1857, the
British created a police force with the prime aim of upholding their imperial
interests, and during the freedom struggle, used the police to mainly suppress
and oppress our freedom fighters and revolutionaries. тАЬAfter independence,
sweeping reforms were needed in policing. Unfortunately, we have lagged behind
in this crucial area,тАЭ he said.
┬╖ Shri Naidu said that over
the years following Independence, the police force was perceived to be
increasingly politicised with significant erosion in values and practices.
Instead of being seen as a people-friendly force, it was seen as being elitist
and power-friendly, he observed.
┬╖ Referring to the instances
of misuse of police force during the infamous Emergency, Shri Naidu said it was
used with impunity to suppress human rights and imprison thousands of people,
including all the political opponents of the ruling dispensation. Subsequently,
a National Police Commission was set up in 1977, which submitted reports with
detailed multi-dimensional proposals for police reforms, he recalled.
┬╖ However, the Vice President
noted that not much headway has been made in bringing reforms in our police
forces at the individual and institutional level.
┬╖ Taking note of
disappointment over the non-implementation of Supreme CourtтАЩs directions on
Police Reforms of 2006, Shri Naidu said that policing is a state subject and it
is the states that have to lead this drive towards police reforms. тАЬI hope all
the states and the Centre would come together in the true spirit of тАШTeam
IndiaтАЩ to implement the much-needed police reforms in the country,тАЭ he said.
┬╖ Shri Naidu expressed
happiness over a number of initiatives taken by the Government of India toward
better policing, including a project to decriminalize minor offences and
violations and the move for amending the Identification of the Prisoners Act,
1920, a legislation that was passed more than a 100 years ago. He also
appreciated the Prime MinisterтАЩs call for making the police a SMART forceтАФstanding
for a force which is Strict and Sensitive, Modern and Mobile, Alert and
Accountable, Reliable and Responsive, Tech-savvy and Trained.
┬╖ Underlining the importance
of policing to maintain peace and order in society, Shri Naidu commended the
Government for giving high priority to greater use of technology in the
day-to-day working of police. He also praised the Indian Police Foundation for
its efforts to realise the vision of a SMART Indian Police, especially by
bringing internal reforms, technology adaptation, digital transformation and
training to improve the professional and ethical standards of the police.
┬╖ Calling for reforms in all
walks of public life, including politics, legislatures and judiciary, Shri
Naidu stressed the need for speedy disposal of criminal cases against
politicians and civil servants to retain peopleтАЩs trust in the system. He also
called for reforms in the anti-defection law to discourage unethical defections
among elected representatives.
┬╖ Praising the author, Shri
Singh for championing the cause of police reforms in the county, the Vice
President called his book a remarkable account of what an individual officer
can achieve through his single-handed efforts. He expressed confidence that, in
course of time, a people-friendly police force would emerge in the country,
which would give the highest importance to upholding the rule of law.
┬╖ On this occasion, Shri
Naidu also paid homage to the policemen who laid their lives in the line of
duty battling criminals, terrorists, extremists and all shades of lawless
elements in different parts of the country.
┬╖ Shri Prakash Singh, Former
Director General, BSF, Shri Kaushik Deka, Executive Editor, India Today, Shri
Vipul Mudgal, Director, Common Cause, Shri N. Ramachandran, President,
Indian Police Foundation, Shri Kapish Mehra, Managing Director, Rupa
Publications, Shri N.K Singh, Retd. IPS and other dignitaries were present
during the event.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry-export of tissue culture plants
Centre pushes for increased
exports of tissue culture plants; offers help to exporters to access new
markets
DBT-accredited tissue culture labs encouraged to enhance quality standards to
meet norms of importing countries
┬а
In order to boost exports of tissue
culture plants, Centre, through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products
Export Development Authority (APEDA), conducted a webinar on тАЬExport Promotion
of Tissue Culture Plants such as Foliage, Live Plants, Cut Flowers, and
Planting MaterialтАЭ with Department of Biotechnology (DBT) accredited tissue
culture laboratories spread across India.┬а
Why is it in news?
The top ten countries importing
tissue culture plants from India are the Netherlands, USA, Italy, Australia,
Canada, Japan, Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia and Nepal. In 2020-2021, IndiaтАЩs
exports of tissue culture plants stood at US$17.17 million, with the
Netherlands accounting for around 50% of the shipments.┬а
Highlights
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
APEDA officials informed
participants about the latest demand trends for tissue culture plants in these
countries and how the apex export promotion body could help Indian exporters/
tissue culture laboratories in accessing these markets. As this was the first
interaction programme with these laboratories, APEDA explained about its
function, mandate and other financial assistance extended to export oriented
plant tissue culture laboratories to improve efficiency, quality of plants, and
how the latter could meet the phyto-sanitary norms of the importing countries
and enhance their competence in the international market. In order to expand
the range of tissue culture plants grown in India, APEDA has asked the
exporters to provide a list of germplasms for particular plants/crops which can
be imported from producing countries.
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
The exporters, in turn, also
suggested that APEDA organize an international exhibition in India to showcase
the various kinds of flora such as tissue cultured plants, forest plants,
potted plants, ornamental and landscaping planting material available in India.
They have also suggested that APEDA take the lead in sending a trade delegation
abroad to identify new markets for tissue culture plants from India and
finalize deals with importers.
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
Tissue culture plant laboratories
highlighted the issues and challenges faced by them in tissue cultured planting
material production and its exports. Exporters drew the attention of APEDA
officials to issues such as increasing power costs, low efficiency levels of
the skilled workforce in the laboratories, contamination issues in the
laboratories, cost of transportation of micro-propagated planting material,
lack of harmonization in the HS code of Indian planting material with other
nations and objections raised by the forest and quarantine departments which
were posing challenges in the export of live planting material.
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
The tissue culture experts suggested
that APEDA take up these issues with the concerned departments. APEDA has
assured round-the-clock service to tissue culture plant laboratories so as to
address all hardships faced by them.┬а
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
APEDA is running a Financial
Assistance Scheme (FAS) to help laboratories upgrade themselves so as to
produce export quality tissue culture planting material. It also facilitates
exports of tissue culture planting material to diversified countries through
market development, market analysis and promotion and exhibition of tissue
culture plants at international exhibitions and by participating in
buyer-seller meets at different international forums.┬а
┬╖┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а┬а
India is bestowed with knowledge,
biotech experts with vast tissue culture experience as well as with a low-cost
labour force to help produce export-oriented quality planting material. All
these factors make India a potential global supplier of an extended and
diversified range of quality flora to the international market and, in turn,
earn foreign exchange.
┬а