DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS
Dated : 12 May 2020
Topic Covered :
1. New law for contract farming
2. E-NAM
3. LCU MK-IV ship
4. Sachet
NEW LAW FOR CONTRACT FARMING
Why in news?
Making long-pending agricultural marketing reforms the centrepiece of the third tranche of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan economic stimulus package, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday announced plans to enact a central law to permit barrier-free
inter-State trade of farm commodities and ensure a legal framework to facilitate contract farming.
Highlights:
1. The third tranche also included plans to invest ₹1.5 lakh crore to build farm-gate infrastructure and support logistics needs for fishworkers, livestock farmers, vegetable growers, beekeepers and related activities.
5. The Centre will deregulate the sale of six types of agricultural produce, including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potatoes, by amending the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
6. There is an abundance of crops in India, and this sometimes leads to issues
because farmers would want to export, but government doesn’t permit that. Because of a flip-flop sometimes, farmers don’t get the benefit. Some other times, the consumers suffer. So there is a need to amend the Essential Commodities Act.
7. Stock limits will not be imposed on these commodities except in case of national calamity or famine or an extraordinary surge in prices.
8. Asked how the Centre could enact a law on agricultural marketing, which remains on the State list, the Minister pointed out that inter-State trade falls in the central list.
Source : Hindu
E-NAM
Why in news?
38 additional mandis were integrated with the eNAM platform, thus achieving milestone of
integration of 415 mandis as per the planned target. 38 Mandis integrated are in Madhya Pradesh (19), Telangana (10), Maharashtra (4) and One (1) each from Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Kerala & J&K.
Highlights:
1. National Agriculture Market (eNAM), a pan-India electronic trading portal was
2. launched on 14th April 2016, by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, with the
aim of networking the existing Mandis on a common online market platform as “One Nation One Market” for agricultural commodities in India.
3. This digital initiative of Government of India provides a single window service for all
APMC related information and services, including commodity arrivals, quality assaying, competitive bid offers and electronic payment settlement directly into farmers’ accounts. This online digital market aims at reducing transaction costs, bridging information asymmetries, and helping expansion of market access for farmers and other stakeholders.
4. The e-NAM is being implemented by the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium
(SFAC), being the lead agency for the project under the aegis of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
5. To address the difficulties faced by the farmers due to the COVID19 lockdown crisis,
the Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, on 2nd April 2020 launched 3 new modules of eNAM.
a. FPO Module on eNAM: This enables FPOs to conduct trade of commodities
from their collection centres declared as “Deemed Market” or “Sub Market yards”.
b. Warehouse based Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (eNWR)
trading: Negotiable warehouse receipts allow transfer of ownership of that commodity stored in a warehouse without having to deliver the physical commodity. These receipts are issued in negotiable form, making them eligible as collateral for loans.
c. Logistics Module: This facilitates transportation of the commodities from
farm to Mandis and from Mandis to warehouse/consumption centres.
Source : PIB
LCU MK-IV SHIP
Why in news?
Lieutenant General PS Rajeshwar commissioned INLCU L57 into the Indian Navy on 15 May 2020 at Port Blair. INLCUL57 is the seventh Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK-IV class to be inducted into the Indian Navy.
Highlights:
1. The LCU MK-IV ship, is an amphibious vessel with a designated primary role of transporting and deploying Main Battle Tanks, Armoured Vehicles, troops and equipment from ship to shore.
2. Based at the Andaman and Nicobar Command, these ships can be deployed for multirole activities like beaching operations, search and rescue, disaster relief operations, supply and replenishment and evacuation from distant islands.
3. The ship is fitted with state-of-art equipment and advanced systems, like Integrated Bridge System (IBS) and Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
Source : PIB
SACHET
Why in news?
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh commissioned Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sachet and two interceptor boats (IBs) C-450 and C-451 in Goa.
Highlights:
1. The ICGS Sachet, the first in the series of five offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) has been designed & built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) and is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment.
2. Spelling out Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region), Raksha Mantri said, “The oceans are the lifelines of not only our country, but also global prosperity.” Safe, protected and clean seas provide economic opportunities for our nation building. India is an emerging maritime power, and our prosperity is also very dependent on the sea. Being a responsible maritime power, Oceans are priority of the Government, he added.
3. The 105 metre long ship ‘Sachet’ displaces approximately 2,350 tons and is propelled by two 9,100 KW diesel engines designed to attain a maximum speed of 26 knots, with an endurance of 6,000 nautical miles.
4. The ship is designed to carry a twin engine helicopter and four high speed boats and one inflatable boat for swift boarding and search & rescue operations. The ship is also capable of carrying limited pollution response equipment to undertake oil spill pollution response at sea.
Source : PIB
