- Indian Heritage
- Culture
- Modern Indian history
- The Freedom Struggle
- Post-independence
- Indian Society
A. population and associated issues
B. poverty and developmental issues
C.urbanization
7. Geographical features
8.Indian Constitution
9. Polity
10. Governance
A. institutions
B. regulatory
C. Government policies
D. role of NGOs
E. measures
11. Social Justice
A. Welfare schemes
B Health
C. Education
D. Human Resources
E. poverty and hunger
12. International relations
A. India and its neighbourhood
B. groupings and agreements
C.Indian diaspora
13. Economic Development
A. Government Budgeting
Cabinet approves the Digital Agriculture Mission today
The Union Cabinet Committee chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the Digital Agriculture Mission today with an outlay of Rs. 2817 Crore, including the central share of Rs. 1940 Crore.
The Mission is conceived as an umbrella scheme to support digital agriculture initiatives, such as creating Digital Public Infrastructure, implementing the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), and taking up other IT initiatives by the Central Government, State Governments, and Academic and Research Institutions.
In recent years, India’s digital revolution has transformed governance and service delivery by creating digital identities, and secured payments and transactions. This has spurred a thriving digital ecosystem in finance, healthcare, education, and retail, positioning India as a leader in citizen-centric digital solutions.
For a similar transformation of the Agriculture Sector, the government announced the building of Digital Public Infrastructure for agriculture in the Union Budget 2023-24. Further, in the Budget 2024-25, the augmentation of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiative for the agricultural sector has also been announced. The Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Agriculture aims to provide comprehensive and useful data on farmers comprising of authenticated demographic details, land holdings and crops sown. It will include cultivators & tenant farmers, as per the policy of the State Government. It would also connect to relevant Digital Public Infrastructure of the State Governments and Ministries of the Government of India to use data of farmers on livestock, fisheries, soil health, other vocations, family details and schemes and benefits availed, leading to innovative farmer-centric digital services in the agriculture sector. Aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, the DPI for Agriculture forms the core of the Digital Agriculture Mission.
The three DPIs to be built under the Mission are Agristack, Krishi Decision Support System, and Soil Profile Mapping. Besides enabling farmer-centric digital services, these DPIs will make timely and reliable information available for the agriculture sector.
AgriStack is a farmer-centric DPI that will enable efficient, easier, and faster services and scheme delivery to farmers. It is being built in a federated structure as a collaborative project between the various agencies of the Central and State Governments. It consists of three foundational registries or databases in the agriculture sector, i.e., the Farmers’ Registry, Geo-referenced village maps and the Crop Sown Registry, all created and maintained by the State Governments/ Union Territories.
Under AgriStack, farmers will be given a digital identity (Farmer ID) similar to Aadhaar, which will be a trusted ‘Kisan ki Pehchaan’. This ‘Farmer ID’ will be linked dynamically to the State’s land records, livestock ownership, crops sown, demographic details, family details, schemes and benefits availed etc. Crops sown by farmers will be recorded through mobile-based ground surveys i.e. Digital Crop Survey to be conducted in each season.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is being signed between the Centre and State Governments to create and implement the DPI for Agriculture. So far, 19 States have signed MoUs with the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. The basic IT infrastructure for implementing AgriStack has been developed and already tested on a pilot basis, as follows:
- For the creation of Farmer IDs, pilots have been conducted in one district each across six States: Uttar Pradesh (Farrukhabad), Gujarat (Gandhinagar), Maharashtra (Beed), Haryana (Yamuna Nagar), Punjab (Fatehgarh Sahib), and Tamil Nadu (Virudhnagar). It is targeted to create digital identities for 11 crore farmers: Six crore farmers in FY 2024-25, three crore farmers in FY 2025-26, and two crore farmers in FY 2026-27.
- For the development of the Crop Sown Registry, a pilot on the Digital Crop Survey was conducted in 11 States in 2023-24. Further, it is targeted to launch the Digital Crop Survey across the nation within two years, with 400 districts covered in FY 2024-25 and all the districts covered in FY 2025-26.
The Krishi Decision Support System will create a comprehensive geospatial system to unify remote sensing-based information on Crops, Soil, Weather, water resources, etc.
Under the Mission, detailed Soil Profile Mapson a 1:10,000 scale of about 142 million ha of the country’s agricultural land are envisaged to be completed. A detailed soil profile inventory of about 29 million ha has already been completed.
The Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES)will provide yield estimates based on scientifically designed crop-cutting experiments. This initiative will prove very useful in making accurate estimates of agricultural production.
The Mission will have a catalytic effect in creating both direct and indirect employment in the agriculture sector. Further, the digital crop surveys, collection of ground-truthed data for remote sensing, etc., under the Mission, are expected to provide employment opportunities to about 2.5 lakh trained local youth and Krishi Sakhis.
Various components of the Mission will be implemented at the grassroots level, and the ultimate beneficiaries are farmers. By leveraging trustful data on farmers, farmlands and crops and using modern digital technologies, such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, and remote sensing, the Mission aims to make service delivery mechanisms more efficient and transparent for the farmers and the stakeholders in the agriculture sector. To cite some examples:
i A farmer would be able to digitally identify and authenticate himself/herself to access benefits and services, obviating cumbersome paperwork and with little or no need to physically visit various offices or service providers. Some examples include availing Government schemes and crop loans, connecting to agri-input suppliers and buyers of agricultural produce, accessing personalized advisories in real time, etc.
ii The trustful data would help government agencies make schemes and services more efficient and transparent, such as paperless MSP-based procurement, crop insurance, and credit card-linked crop loans, and develop systems for the balanced use of fertilizers, etc. Further, the ‘digitally captured data on crop-sown area’, along with ‘Digital General Crop Estimation survey-based yield’ and remote-sensing data, will help in accurate crop production estimation. It will also help facilitate crop diversification and evaluate irrigation needs according to the crop and season.
iii The information available on Krishi-DSS would support crop map generation for identifying crop sown patterns, drought/flood monitoring and technology/model-based yield assessment for settling crop insurance claims by farmers.
iv The Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture developed under the Mission will enable the stakeholders in the agriculture ecosystem to establish efficient value chains for agricultural inputs and post-harvest processes, as also in developing solutions for customized advisory services to farmers relating to crop planning, crop health, pest and disease management, and irrigation requirements, ensuring that our farmers receive the best possible and timely guidance and services.
B. industrial
Cabinet approves a 309 Km long new line project: To provide the shortest rail connectivity between two major commercial hubs – Mumbai and Indore
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved new railway line project under Ministry of Railways with total cost of Rs. 18,036 crore (approx.). The proposed new line between Indore and Manmad will provide direct connectivity and improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. The project is in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji’s Vision of a New India which will make people of the region “Atmanirbhar” by way of comprehensive development in the area which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities.
The project is result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.
The project covers 6 Districts in 2 States i.e., Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 309 Kms.
With this project 30 New Stations will be constructed, providing enhancing connectivity to Aspirational District Barwani. New Line project will provide connectivity to approx. 1,000 villages and about 30 Lakh population.
Project will promote tourism in the region by providing shorter route between Western/ South-Western part of the country with Central India. This will increase the tourist footfall to various tourist/ religious places of Ujjain – Indore region including Sri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple.
Project will provide direct connectivity to Pithampur Auto Cluster (houses 90 large units and 700 small and medium industries) from gateway port of JNPA and other state ports. Project will also provide direct connectivity to millet producing districts of Madhya Pradesh and Onion producing districts of Maharashtra which further facilitates in the distribution of the same to northern and southern parts of the country.
This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as agriculture products, fertilizer, containers, iron ore, steel, cement, POL etc. The capacity augmentation work will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude of about 26 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). The Railways being environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (18 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (138 Crore Kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 5.5 Crore trees.
Petroleum Minister Hardeep S Puri Highlights India’s Bioenergy Progress at India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo 2024
At the inaugural session of the India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo 2024 (IBETE), Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, the Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, presented a detailed account of India’s progress in the bioenergy sector and its critical role in the country’s energy transformation. Minister Puri emphasized that bioenergy is increasingly becoming a crucial alternative to fossil fuels, offering both environmental benefits and economic opportunities, particularly in rural areas.
In his address, Minister Shri Puri elaborated on the Indian government’s strategic efforts to advance the bioenergy sector, highlighting its significance in reducing import dependence, saving foreign exchange, and promoting a circular economy. The government’s strategy encompasses several vital areas, including ethanol and biodiesel blending, Compressed Biogas (CBG), Sustainable Aviation Fuels, biomass utilization (such as pellets and briquettes), Biohydrogen, and waste-to-energy solutions.
One of the standout achievements discussed by Shri Puri was the success of India’s ethanol blending program. Since its inception, the ethanol blending percentage has surged from 1.53% in 2014 to 15% in 2024. Encouraged by this progress, the government has set an ambitious target of reaching 20% blending by 2025 and is confidently progressing towards this goal. Over the past decade, this initiative has delivered significant benefits, including saving Rs. 99,014 crore in foreign exchange, reducing CO2 emissions by 519 lakh metric tons, and substituting 173 lakh metric tons of crude oil. Furthermore, the program has had a considerable economic impact, with Oil Marketing Companies disbursing Rs. 1,45,930 crore to distillers and Rs. 87,558 crore to farmers.
Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri also highlighted the widespread availability of E20 fuel, which is now offered at over 15,600 retail outlets across India. He commended the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana for its essential role in providing financial support to advanced biofuel projects, which is crucial for developing a sustainable ethanol production ecosystem.
The Petroleum Minister Shri Puri outlined several key government initiatives designed to enhance ethanol production and mitigate environmental impact. Notably, two second-generation (2G) refineries have been established in Panipat and Numaligarh to convert agricultural residues like Parali and bamboo into ethanol. These refineries are instrumental in reducing pollution and bolstering energy security while transforming farmers into “urjadata” or active contributors to the energy sector, he said.
To further support the ethanol industry, the Minister Shri Puri said that the government has introduced various incentives for ethanol production. These include Rs. 9.72 per litre for ethanol derived from maize, Rs. 8.46 per litre for ethanol from damaged rice, and Rs. 6.87 per litre for ethanol from C-heavy molasses. These incentives have significantly boosted maize’s contribution to ethanol production, which has risen to 36% in the 2023-24 Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) from a mere 0% in 2021-22. Additionally, he said, the government has resumed the supply of FCI rice to ethanol distilleries, allowing for the purchase of up to 23 lakh tonnes through e-auctions from August to October 2024. Starting from November 2024, the supply of sugarcane juice and syrup to distilleries will also commence, marking the start of the 2024-25 Ethanol Supply Year.
E.issues
14. Technology
Cabinet approves one more semiconductor unit under India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)
Consistent momentum in the development of India’s semiconductor ecosystem
With the objective to develop a vibrant semiconductor ecosystem, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the proposal of Kaynes Semicon Pvt Ltd to setup a semiconductor unit in Sanand, Gujarat.
The proposed unit will be setup with an investment of Rs 3,300 crore. The capacity of this unit will be 60 Lakh chips per day.
The chips produced in this unit will cater to a wide variety of applications which include segments such as industrial, automotive, electric vehicles, consumer electronics, telecom, mobile phones, etc.
The Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India was notified on 21.12.2021 with a total outlay of Rs. 76,000 crore.
In June, 2023, the Union Cabinet had approved the first proposal for setting up a semiconductor unit in Sanand, Gujarat.
In February, 2024, three more semiconductor units were approved. Tata Electronics is setting up a semiconductor fab in Dholera, Gujarat and one semiconductor unit in Morigaon, Assam. CG Power is setting up one semiconductor unit in Sanand, Gujarat
Construction of all 4 semiconductor units is progressing at a rapid pace and a robust semiconductor ecosystem is emerging near the units. These 4 units will bring an investment of almost Rs 1.5 Lakh crore. The cumulative capacity of these units is about 7 crore chips per day.
15. Environment
16. Security
Beijing, Manila trade blame in new South China Sea clash
China and the Philippines accused each other on Saturday of deliberately ramming their Coast Guard ships near a flashpoint shoal in the South China Sea, the latest in a spate of similar incidents in recent weeks.
China claims almost all of the economically vital waterway despite competing claims from other countries and an international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
A Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson said Saturday’s incident took place off the disputed Sabina Shoal.
Sabina Shoal is located 140 km west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 km from Hainan island, the nearest major Chinese landmass.
Shortly after noon, a Philippine ship “deliberately collided with” a Chinese vessel near the shoal, China Coast Guard spokesperson said.
However, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said it was the China Coast Guard vessel 5205 that “directly and intentionally rammed” the Philippines’ 97metre ship, BRP Teresa Magbanua.
The vessel has been anchored inside Sabina Shoal since April to assert Manila’s claim over the area.
No crew members were injured during the incident but the ship’s bridge wing and freeboard were damaged. A hole was also found.
The collision was the fifth incident of Chinese maritime harassment this month, Mr. Tarriela said.
17. Disaster Management
Cyclones, heavy rain likely in September
With a La Nina or a cooling of the central Pacific Ocean expected to firmly take root in September, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a rainy September with several parts of north India expected to receive heavy rainfall.
While the monsoon is expected to start retreating in September, the impact of the La Nina is likely to lead to vigorous “cyclonic activity” in the Bay of Bengal and consequently, several episodes of rain for most of the month, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director
General, IMD, said at a press conference on Saturday.
Monsoon rainfall in September is expected to be 9% above what is usual for the month (16.8 cm). Given that monsoon rainfall is unequally distributed, this would mean that many parts of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Delhi are likely to see heavy rains, according to the IMD’s forecast maps. “The monsoon withdrawal usually begins by midSeptember but with heavy rainfall expected, it is too early to forecast it as of now,” he said.
Rainfall in August also turned out to be much more than the IMD had anticipated at the beginning of the month. The forecast was for rainfall in August — the second rainiest of the monsoon months — to be 6% more than normal rainfall but India ended up getting 15% more than normal rainfall.
Weather models used by the IMD to forecast rainfall over the next week or two have higher accuracy, and suggest that at least four cyclone precursors are expected to form in the next month.
Meanwhile, the cyclonic storm Asna has moved away from the Gujarat coast and is expected to dissipate by September 2.