PIB 7th February

Contents:

1. Fixing MSP for Paddy and Wheat
2. Steps to reduce Dependency on Monsoon
3. Post-harvest Infrastructure in the States
4. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
5. Science and Applied Research Alliance and Support (SARAS)
6. Information on Packaged Food Products
7. Anti-Dumping Duty
8. India-China Trade Deficit
9. Decline in Tea Production in Southern States
10. Hyderabad-Warangal and Hyderabad-Nagpur Industrial Corridors 
11. Services of Doctors and lawyers under Consumer Protection Act
12. Intensified mission Indradhanush
13. Janani Suraksha Yojana
14. Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
15. National policy on Rare Diseases
16. Bio-medical Waste
17. Ease of Living Index and Municipal Performance Index 2019 launched
18. Jal Jeevan Mission
19. Performance of Indian Railways
20. Skill India Mission and CSR
21. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
22. Oxford poverty and Human Development Initiative report
23. Swadhar Greh
24. Nirbhaya Fund
25. Mahila Shakti Kendr
26. Global Gender Gap Index
27. Naturally North East: the Naga Narrative

FIXING MSP FOR PADDY AND WHEAT

• Government fixes minimum support prices (MSPs) of 22 mandated crops including paddy, wheat, for every agricultural year
• Fair & remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane
• MSP for Toria and De-Husked coconut is also fixed on the basis of MSPs of Rapeseed & Mustard and Copra respectively.
• On the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP)
• They also consider the views of State Governments and Central Ministries/Departments concerned & other relevant factors.
• CACP considers important factors like cost of production, overall demand-supply conditions, domestic and international prices, inter-crop price parity, terms of trade between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, the likely effect on the rest of the economy, besides ensuring rational utilization of  land, water and other production resources and a minimum of 50 percent as the margin over cost of production in case of MSPs and reasonable margins over cost of production in case of FRP.
• CACP considers both A2+FL and C2 costs while recommending MSPs. CACP reckons only A2+FL cost for return. However, C2 costs are used by CACP primarily as benchmark reference costs (opportunity costs) to see if the MSPs recommended by them at least cover these costs in some of the major producing States.

STEPS TO REDUCE DEPENDENCY ON MONSOON

• During 2016-17, ninety-nine (99) on-going Major/Medium irrigation projects under PMKSY- AIBP, having ultimate irrigation potential of 76.03 lakh hectares have been prioritized in consultation with States, for completion in phases up to December, 2019, along with their Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM) works.
• Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare through ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad, has prepared detailed crop Contingency Plans for 650 districts.
• To mitigate the advance impact of drought, State Governments are advised to initiate advance remedial action e.g. constructing water harvesting structures under MGNREGA and other such schemes, promoting agronomic practices for moisture conservation, promoting cultivation of less water consuming crops and restoring irrigation infrastructure by desilting canals, energizing tube-wells and replacing/repairing faulty pumps.
• The Department of Land Resources (DoLR) has sanctioned 8214 watershed development projects in 28 States (except Goa) from 2009-10 to 2014-15, covering an area of about 39.07 million hectares under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP).

POST-HARVEST INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE STATES

• All India Cold-chain Infrastructure Capacity (Assessment of Status and Gap)
• Commissioned by National Centre for Cold-chain Development (NCCD) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and
• Conducted by NABARD Consultancy Services Private Limited (NABCONS) in 2015
• There has been infrastructural gaps ranging from 10% in the case of cold storages (bulk & hub) to 99.6% in the case of pack houses as compared to the requirement of the level of production of perishable produces like fruits and vegetables.

Steps by the Govt:

• Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance is provided for development of post-harvest management and marketing infrastructure such as cold storages, ripening chamber, pack houses, reefer vehicles to farmers to improve marketability of their produce.
• National Horticulture Board is implementing scheme for Development of Commercial Horticulture for Production and Post-Harvest Management of Horticulture Crops.
• Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana-Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR) Scheme with major focus for development of pre & post-harvest infrastructure, besides promoting agri-entrepreneurship and innovations.
• Government is implementing Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojna (PMKSY) scheme with the objective of creation of modern infrastructure along with efficient supply chain management for the entire processing value chain.

PRADHAN MANTRI KRISHI SINCHAYEE YOJANA (PMKSY) 

Out of about 141 M.Ha of net area sown in the country, about 65 million hectare (or 45%) is presently covered under irrigation. Substantial dependency on rainfall makes cultivation in unirrigated areas a high risk, less productive profession.

Objectives

• Achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level (preparation of district level and, if required, sub district level water use plans).
• Enhance the physical access of water on the farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation (Har Khet ko pani).
• Integration of water source, distribution and its efficient use, to make best use of water through appropriate technologies and practices.
• Improve on – farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage and increase availability both in duration and extent.
• Enhance the adoption of precision – irrigation and other water saving technologies (More crop per drop)

PMKSY has been formulated amalgamating ongoing schemes viz. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation; Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) of Department of Land Resources; and On Farm Water Management (OFWM) component of National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation.

Climate change and irrigation

The Central Government implements Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) / Central Sector (CS) Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), the Rainfed Area Development Programme (RADP), National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), etc. which contribute towards drought proofing

SCIENCE AND APPLIED RESEARCH ALLIANCE AND SUPPORT (SARAS)

• Coal India’s flagship subsidiary NCL has set up a centre named “Science and Applied Research Alliance and Support”(SARAS)
• It is to promote Innovation, Research & Development and skill development along with improving company’s operational efficiency and utilize resources at optimum level.
• SARAS will help and enable the company in Integration of Innovation and Research for enhancing coal production, productivity, and safety in mines

INFORMATION ON PACKAGED FOOD PRODUCTS

• As per Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 some mandatory declarations are required to be made on all pre-packaged commodities
  • name and address of the manufacturer/packer/importer,
  • country of origin,
  • name of the commodity,
  • net quantity,
  • month and year of manufacturing,
  • retail sale price in the form of Maximum Retail Price(MRP) Rs…… (inclusive of all taxes)
  • consumer care details etc.
• Under the provisions of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, State Governments take action for violations of the Rules.

ANTI-DUMPING DUTY

• Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) conducts anti-dumping investigations, under the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 and the rules made thereunder, on the basis of a duly substantiated application filed by the domestic industry alleging dumping of goods into the country causing injury to the domestic industry.
• Currently, anti-dumping measures are in force on 90 products imported from the People’s Republic of China, including two pharmaceutical products.

INDIA-CHINA TRADE DEFICIT

• As per the data provided by DGCIS, India’s trade with China decreased from USD 89.71 billion in 2017-18 to USD 87.07 billion in 2018-19.
• During this period, India’s imports from China declined from USD 76.38 billion in 2017-18 to USD 70.32 billion in 2018-19, and our exports grew from USD 13.33 billion in 2017-18 to USD 16.75 billion in 2018-19. 
• As a result, India’s trade deficit with China reduced from USD 63.05 billion to USD 53.57 billion in the said period

DECLINE IN TEA PRODUCTION IN SOUTHERN STATES

• The production of tea in South Indian States (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka) declined from  224.87 Million Kgs. (in 2018) to 219.04 Million Kgs. (in 2019), thereby exhibiting a decline of 2.59% .
• The tea production in Nilgiris exhibited a reduction of 1.99% during 2019 as compared to 2018.
• The decline in tea production is attributable, inter-alia, to un-even distribution of rain and localized pest infestation

HYDERABAD-WARANGAL AND HYDERABAD-NAGPUR INDUSTRIAL CORRIDORS 

The Government of Telangana had submitted a proposal for setting up of Hyderabad – Warangal Industrial Corridor and Hyderabad – Nagpur Industrial Corridor which was considered by National Industrial Corridor Development & Implementation Trust (NICDIT).

SERVICES OF DOCTORS AND LAWYERS UNDER CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

• Consumer protection act  does not include the rendering of any service free of charge or under a contract of personal service.
• As per the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, “service” means service of any description which is made available to potential users and includes, but not limited to, the provision of facilities in connection with banking, financing, insurance, transport, processing, supply of electrical or other energy, telecom, boarding or lodging or both, housing construction, entertainment, amusement or the purveying of news or other information

INTENSIFIED MISSION INDRADHANUSH

Government has launched Intensified Mission Indra Dhanush (IMI) 2.0 with the aim to reach out to partially vaccinated and unvaccinated children with all the available vaccines under Universal Immunization Program (UIP) across 381 districts in 29 States/UTs

Mission Indradhanush

• The aim is to fully immunize more than 89 lakh children who are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated under UIP.
• It targets children under 2 years of age and pregnant women for immunization.
• It provides vaccination against 12 Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (VPD) i.e. diphtheria, Whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, meningitis and pneumonia, Herophilus influenza type B infections, Japanese encephalitis (JE), rotavirus vaccine, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and measles-rubella (MR).
  • However, Vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis and Haemophilus influenzae type B is being provided in selected districts of the country.
• It is a nationwide initiative with a special focus on 201 high focus districts. These districts accounted for nearly 50% of the total partially vaccinated or unvaccinated children in the country.

Intensified Mission Indradhanush

• The Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) was launched by the Government of India in 2017 to reach each and every child under two years of age and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunization programme.
• Under IMI, greater focus has been given on urban areas which was one of the gaps of Mission Indradhanush.
• The target under IMI was to increase the full immunization coverage to 90% by December 2018[time is over]. However, only 16 districts in the country have achieved 90% coverage so far.
• The Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 will target the districts which have immunization coverage of 70% or below.

Immunization Coverage

The immunization coverage in the country is at  92.2% 

JANANI SURAKSHA YOJANA

• It is being implemented by ministry of health and family wellfare, with the objective of reducing maternal and infant mortality by promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women.
• About 56,000 women in India die every year due to pregnancy related complications. Similarly, every year more than 13 lakh infants die within 1year of the birth and out of these approximately 2/3rd of the infant deaths take place within the first four weeks of life. 
• Out of these, approximately 75% of the deaths take place within a week of the birth and a majority of these occur in the first two days after birth

Target group and benefits 

• The scheme focuses on poor pregnant woman with a special dispensation for states that have low institutional delivery rates, namely, the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Rajasthan, Orissa, and Jammu and Kashmir.
• While these states have been named Low Performing States (LPS), the remaining states have been named High Performing states (HPS)
• The scheme also provides performance based incentives to women health volunteers known as ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) for promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women. Under this initiative, eligible pregnant women are entitled to get JSY benefit directly into their bank accounts.

• Eligible only if delivered in public health care units.

PRADHAN MANTRI SWASTHYA SURAKSHA YOJANA

• The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya  Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) aims at correcting the imbalances in the availability of affordable healthcare facilities in different parts of the country in general, and augmenting facilities for quality medical education in the under-served States in particular. 
• PMSSY, a Central Sector Scheme has two components
  • setting up of AIIMS-like Institutions
  • upgradation of existing Government Medical Colleges/Institutions in a phased manner.

NATIONAL POLICY ON RARE DISEASES

A draft National Policy for Rare Diseases has been finalized and placed on the website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with a view to elicit comments/views of the stakeholders

Group 1: Disorders amenable to one time curative treatment:

1. Disorders amenable to treatment with Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) –
   1. Such Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) for which Enzyme replacement Therapy (ERT) is presently not available and severe form of Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type I within first 2 years of age.
   2. Adrenoleukodystrophy (early stages), before the onset of hard neurological  signs.
   3. Immune deficiency disorders like Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID),  Chronic Granulomatous disease, Wiskot Aldrich Syndrome, etc
   4. Osteopetrosis
   5. Fanconi Anemia
   6. Others if any to be decided on case to case basis by a technical committee

1. Disorders amenable to organ transplantation

1. Liver Transplantation -Metabolic Liver diseases:
   1. Tyrosinemia,
   2. Glycogen storage disorders (GSD) I, III and IV due to poor metabolic control, multiple liver adenomas, or high risk for Hepatocellualr carcinoma or evidence of substantial cirrhosis or liver dysfunction or progressive liver failure,
   3. MSUD (Maple Syrup Urine Disease),
   4. Urea cycle disorders,
   5. Organic acidemias
2. Renal Transplantation-
   1. Fabry’s disease
   2. Autosomal recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD),
   3. Autosomal dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) etc
3. Patients requiring combined liver and kidney transplants can also be considered if the same ceiling of funds is maintained. ( Rarely Methyl Malonic aciduria may require combined liver & Kidney transplant) etc    

Group 2: Diseases requiring long term / lifelong treatment having relatively lower cost of treatment and benefit has been documented in literature and annual or more frequent surveillance is required:

1. Disorders managed with special dietary formulae or Food for special medical purposes (FSMP) 
2. Phenylketonuria (PKU)
3. Non-PKU hyperphenylalaninemia conditions
4. Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
5. Tyrosinemia type 1 and 2
6. Homocystinuria
7. Urea Cycle Enzyme defects
8. Glutaric Aciduria type 1 and 2
9. Methyl Malonic Acidemia 
10. Propionic Acidemia
11. Isovaleric Acidemia
12. Leucine sensitive hypoglycemia
13. Galactosemia
14. Glucose galactose malabsorbtion
15. Severe Food protein allergy

b)    Disorders that are amenable to other forms of therapy (hormone/ specific drugs)

1. NTBC for Tyrosinemia Type 1
2. Osteogenesis Imperfecta – Bisphosphonates therapy
3. Growth Hormone therapy for proven GH deficiency , Prader Willi Syndrome and Turner syndrome, others (to be decided on case to case basis by technical committee)
4. Cystic Fibrosis- Pancreatic enzyme supplement
5. Primary Immune deficiency disorders -Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIG) replacement eg. X-linked agammablobulinemia etc.
6. Sodium Benzoate, arginine, ,citrulline ,phenylacetate (Urea Cycle disorders), carbaglu, Megavitamin therapy (Organic acidemias, mitochondrial disorders)
7. Others – Hemin (Panhematin) for Acute intermittent Porphyria, High dose Hydroxocobalamin injections (30mg/ml formulation – not available in India and hence expensive if imported)
8.  Others (if any) to be decided on case-to-case basis, by a technical committee.

Group 3:  Diseases for which definitive treatment is available but challenges are to make optimal patient selection for benefit, very high cost and lifelong therapy.

3a) Based on the literature sufficient evidence for good long-term outcomes exists for the following disorders  

1. Gaucher Disease (Type I & III {without significant neurological impairment})
2. Hurler Syndrome [Mucopolysaccharisosis (MPS) Type I] (attenuated forms)
3. Hunter syndrome (MPS II) (attenuated form)
4. Pompe Disease diagnosed early (Both infantile & late onset)
5. Fabry Disease diagnosed before significant end organ damage.
6. Spinal Muscular Atrophy 
7. MPS IVA
8. MPS VI

3b) For the following disorders for which the cost of treatment is very high and either long term follow up literature is awaited or has been done on small number   of patients

1. Wolman Disease
2. Hypophosphatasia
3. Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
4. Cystic Fibrosis
5. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

BIO-MEDICAL WASTE

• Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, Bio-medical waste is required to be segregated in 4 color coded waste categories, and the same is treated and disposed as per the specified methods of disposal prescribed under Schedule I of the Rules.
• Bio-medical waste generated from the hospitals shall be treated and disposed by Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility
• Common methods of treatment and disposal of bio-medical waste are by incineration/plasma pyrolysis/deep-burial for Yellow Category waste; autoclaving/microwaving/chemical disinfection for Red Category waste; sterilization and shredding, disinfection followed by burial in concrete pit/recycling through foundry/encapsulation for White Category sharps waste; and washing, disinfection followed by recycling for Blue Category glass waste.

EASE OF LIVING INDEX AND MUNICIPAL PERFORMANCE INDEX 2019 LAUNCHED

• Both these indices are designed to assess quality of life of citizens in 100 Smart Cities and 14 other Million Plus Cities.
• Andhra Pradesh topped the ‘Ease of Living Index’ ranking under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT – 2018), followed by Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.

JAL JEEVAN MISSION

• Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said the Government is making all out efforts to provide safe piped drinking water supply to all households in the country by 2024
• Nearly 73 years after Independence only 18.33% of rural households i.e., 3.27 crore out of around 18 crore rural households in the country have piped water connection. Globally, India is ranked a lowly 120 in terms of water quality parameters.

PERFORMANCE OF INDIAN RAILWAYS

Indian railways is operating with High operating ratio of 97% in 2019. lower the operating ratio, higher is the margin of profit.

SKILL INDIA MISSION AND CSR

• IBM has launched a two year Advance Diploma Programme in IT, Networking and Cloud Computing in 16 NSTIs.
• Similarly CISCO is setting up Net academy Lab in six NSTIs for Master Trainer Training Programme to NSTI Instructors
• Data Security council of India set up by NASSCOM, in collaboration with Microsoft has launched a Programme called Cyber Shiksha to create a skilled and industry ready women professionals in realm of cyber security under which 500 women have been trained during 2019-20.
• Besides, Symantec is funding a program to train women engineers on Cyber Security

PRADHAN MANTRI KAUSHAL VIKASYOJANA 

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has been implementing Pradhan Mantri Kaushal VikasYojana (PMKVY 2.0) 2016-20 with a view to imparting skill development training to the prospective youth across 371 courses

Sakhi Centres

One Stop Centers [OSCs] are required to facilitate women affected by violence with a range of integrated services under one roof including police facilitation, medical aid, legal aid and legal counselling, psycho-social counseling and temporary shelter, and are to be located within 2 kms radius of the hospitals or medical facilities.

OXFORD POVERTY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE REPORT

• The Government of India accords high priority to the issue of poverty alleviation in India. Ministry of Women and Child Development has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is making serious efforts to eradicate malnutrition.
• Several schemes with direct as well as indirect interventions to address the problem of malnutrition among women and children are being implemented as direct targeted interventions across the country like Anganwadi Services, Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) under the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme.
• These schemes are universal and open to all the eligible beneficiaries.

The report observes that in India, there were 271 million fewer people in poverty in 2016 than in 2006, which shows improvement in status.

SWADHAR GREH

The Government has reviewed the implementation of Swadhar Greh Scheme to provide institutional framework for women victims of difficult circumstances through several meetings/video conferences with the State Governments/UTs, and conducted the inspection of Swadhar Greh during the year

NIRBHAYA FUND

• Post-2012, Nirbhaya Gang rape case, a dedicated fund was set up in 2013 with the focus on implementing the initiatives aimed at improving the security and safety of women in India. The fund was called “Nirbhaya Fund”
• Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance is responsible for the administration of the fund.
• While the ministry of Women and  Child Development is the nodal ministry involved in appraising, reviewing, and monitoring the progress of those schemes sanctioned under the Nirbhaya Fund.
• Schemes being implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs are as follows:
  • Emergency Response Support System
  • Central Victim Compensation Fund

MAHILA SHAKTI KENDRA

Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) Scheme, under Ministry of Women and Child Development, was approved in November, 2017 as a centrally sponsored scheme to empower rural women through community participation.

GLOBAL GENDER GAP INDEX

Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) published by the World Economic Forum ranks 153 nations out of which India is ranked 112th

• Constitutional Provisions – Articles such as Article 14, Article 15 (3), Article 39A, and Article 42 make special provisions for rights of women to ensure gender equality.
• Legislative Provisions – Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961; Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostics Act (PCPNDT), 1994; Sexual Harassment of Women and Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013; Equal Remuneration Act, 1976; Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 (Amended in 2017) aimed at mandating women’s rights.

Ujjawala is a comprehensive scheme with the objective to prevent trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation, to facilitate rescue victims and placing them in safe custody, to provide rehabilitation services by providing basic amenities/needs, to facilitate reintegration of victims into the family and society, to facilitate repatriation of cross border victims

NATURALLY NORTHEAST: THE NAGA NARRATIVE

• A fashion show entitled “Naturally North-East: The Naga Narrative” curated by Mrs. Ritu Beri noted fashion designer and Chief designer of Tribes India and organised by TRIFED under Ministry of Tribal Affairs held at Suraj Kund Mela
• Showcased the Naga weave with modern touch and various other products from Northeast states
• Highlighted the culture of Nagaland through fusion attire mixed with their local beaded jewelry.