MADHYA PRADESH

 

Focus on boosting farmer’s economic condition

The State Government in its Vision to Delivery Roadmap 2020-25 has taken a decision to strengthen the economic condition of the farmers through cooperatives.

 

Cooperative Banks and Primary Agriculture Credit Cooperative Societies have been made active to facilitate farmers in getting agriculture inputs, short-term agriculture loans and reasonable prices for their crops. At present, all facilities related to agriculture inputs through cooperative are being provided by these institutions to more than 73 lakh farmers.

The election process of cooperative institutions has been made fair and transparent by the State Government, so that election could be conducted in democratic manner. In rural areas, new cooperative institutions are being formed to create new jobs and for increase in productivity in employment oriented areas.

 

The State Government is providing the loan on zero per cent interest to the farmers for agriculture inputs. In the year 2019-20, agriculture loan of Rs 9,716 crore has already been distributed. After waiving the time barred loans of 4.95 lakh farmers, the crop loan of Rs 1,633 crore has been made available to them.

 

Under the Jai Kisan Fasal Wrin Maafi Yojana, an amount of Rs 4,262.68 crore has been released for 17.84 lakh farmers. The loan waiver process of the first phase has been completed and the process for the second phase has already been started. Under the time barred loans, an amount of Rs 2,275.27 crore for 9.42 lakh farmers and under the non-time barred loans of Rs 1,987.41 crore for 8.42 lakh farmers has been released by the Government.

 

A total of 63.18 lakh Kisan Credit Cards have been issued to the farmers through all the banks, including commercial banks. Out of these, 37 lakh farmers have been issued KCC through District Central Cooperative Banks. Thus in this scheme, the participation of cooperative banks is more than 50 per cent.

 

Through the cooperative societies the farmers are being distributed chemical fertilizers and advance seeds as goods’ loan. The primary societies are giving priority to advance storage of chemical fertilizers. In the year 2019-2020, till now 19.80 MT chemical fertilisers and 2.53 lakh quintal advance seeds have been distributed to the farmers.

 

The State Government has sanctioned a share capital of Rs 3,000 crore to primary credit societies and cooperative banks to consolidate their financial status. Out of this, Rs 1,000 crore has been released by the Government. This amount is made available to these institutions for distributing loans to the farmers and for other activities related to farmers’ welfare.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

India, US signs 2 MoUs and 1 Letter of Cooperation during Trumps State visit to India

US President Donald J. Trump along with the First Lady Melania Trump visited India on 24-25 February. During his visit, 3 MoUs and 1 Letter of Cooperation were signed.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Mental Health between Department of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of the Republic of India and Department of Health and Human Services of the Government of the US.

An MoU was signed on the Safety of Medical Products between Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) within the Directorate General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Republic of India and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States of America.

An agreement to purchase more than $3 billion of American military equipment

A Letter of Cooperation was signed between India’s Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and ExxonMobil India LNG Limited and America’s Chart Industries Inc.

 

NATIONAL

Exercise Ajeya Warrior 2020 concluded

 

The 5th edition of joint military Exercise Ajeya Warrior 2020 concluded at West down Camp, Salisbury Plains Training Area, UK. The exercise was held between India and the United Kingdom. Brigadier Tom Bewick, Commander of UK 7 Infantry Brigade and Brigadier Gavin, Defence Attache of the UK in India attended the closing ceremony of the event.

 

The exercise was aimed to conduct company-level joint training with an emphasis on counter-terrorist operations in urban and semi-urban areas.

The exercise included joint training in urban and semi-urban areas.

Important lectures, demonstrations, and drills related to counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations were rehearsed and executed jointly.

 

ISRO to launch geo imaging satellite on March 5

 

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that GSLV-F10 will launch geo imaging satellite, GISAT-1, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on March 5.

GSLV-F10 will launch geo imaging satellite (GISAT-1) from the second launch pad of the SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.

Weighing about 2,275 kg, GISAT-1 is a state-of-the-art agile Earth observation satellite that will be placed in a ‘geosynchronous transfer orbit’ by GSLV-F10.

Subsequently, the satellite will reach the final geostationary orbit using its onboard propulsion system.

Operating from geostationary orbit, GISAT-1 will facilitate near real-time observation of the Indian subcontinent, under cloud-free conditions, at frequent intervals.

 

MP becomes first state to launch unified vehicle registration card

 

Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to introduce the unified registration card and the second state to launch the unified driving license after Uttar Pradesh.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) had issued the guidelines to bring uniformity in driving licenses and vehicle registration cards across the country in March last year.

The new cards will have more exhaustive information printed on both sides of the cards.

The unified smart cards for driving license and vehicle registration will each have a QR code that will help in verifying authenticity of the data printed on the cards.

The unified driving license card will also have information about the ability of the driver to drive in hilly and dangerous areas and an emergency contact number.

 

NPCI launches ‘UPI Chalega’ campaign for payment mode to gain currency

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in association with the payment ecosystem players have co-created an industry campaign “UPI Chalega” to promote UPI as easy, safe, and instant mode of payment.

The campaign is aimed to guide users towards the right usage of UPI and help create a habitual change, use of UPI in their daily life.

The campaign also focuses on safety aspects while transacting on UPI enabled apps.

The campaign targets users across all ages and aims to promote how to safely use UPI.