Daily Current Affairs 8 January 2020

Current Affairs of Today are

1) First Advance Estimates of National Income, 2019-20

The National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the First Advance Estimates of National Income at both Constant (2011-12) and Current Prices, for the financial year 2019-20 along with the corresponding estimates of expenditure components of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

About Constant Price GDP and Current Price GDP

• Current Prices measure GDP/ inflation/asset prices using the actual prices we notice in the economy. Current prices make no adjustment for inflation.
• Constant prices adjust to the effects of inflation. Using constant prices enables us to measure the actual change in output (and not just an increase due to the effects of inflation.
• For example

• This shows that between 2000 and 2003, GDP (at current market prices) rose 14%.
• However, in this period, inflation was 6%.
• Therefore, adjusting for the effects of inflation, GDP has increased in real terms by 8%.
• At current market prices, GDP rose 14%
• At constant prices (ignoring inflation) GDP rose 8%

ESTIMATES AT CONSTANT (2011-12) PRICES

• Gross Domestic Product
• Real GDP or GDP at Constant Prices (2011-12) in the year 2019-20 is likely to attain a level of ₹147.79 lakh crore, as against the Provisional Estimate of GDP for the year 2018-19 of ₹140.78 lakh crore, released on 31st May 2019. The growth in real GDP during 2019-20 is estimated at 5.0 percent as compared to the growth rate of 6.8 percent in 2018-19.

• Gross Value Added (GVA) at Basic Prices
•  Real GVA at Basic Prices is estimated to increase from ₹129.07 lakh crore in 2018-19 to ₹135.40 lakh crore in 2019-20. The estimated growth of real GVA in 2019-20 is 4.9 percent as against 6.6 percent in 2018-19.
• The sectors which registered growth rate of over 4.9 percent are, ‘Electricity, Gas, Water Supply and Other Utility Services’, ‘Trade, Hotels, Transport, Communication, and Services related to Broadcasting’, 'Financial, Real Estate, and Professional Services’ and ‘Public Administration, Defence, and Other Services’ at 5.4 percent, 5.9 percent, 6.4 percent, 9.1 percent respectively. The growth in the ‘Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing’, ‘Mining and Quarrying’, ‘Manufacturing’ and ‘Construction’ is estimated to be 2.8 percent, 1.5 percent, 2.0 percent, and 3.2 percent respectively.
• Per Capita Income 
• The Per Capita Income in real terms (at 2011-12 prices) during 2019-20 is likely to attain a level of ₹96,563 as compared to ₹92,565 for the year 2018-19. The growth rate in Per Capita Income is estimated at 4.3 percent during 2019-20, as against 5.6 percent in the previous year.

ESTIMATES AT CURRENT PRICES

• Gross Domestic Product
• GDP is derived by adding Taxes on Products net of Subsidies on Products to GVA at Basic Prices. GDP at Current Prices in the year 2019-20 is likely to attain a level of ₹204.42 lakh crore, as against ₹190.10 lakh crore in 2018-19 showing a growth rate of 7.5 percent.
• National Income
• The nominal Net National Income (NNI), also known as National Income (at Current Prices) is likely to be ₹181.10 lakh crore during 2019-20, as against ₹168.37 lakh crore for the year 2018-19. In terms of growth rates, the National Income registered a growth rate of 7.6 percent in 2019-20 as against the previous year’s growth rate of 11.3 percent.
• Per Capita Income
• The Per Capita Net National Income during 2019-20 is estimated to be ₹1,35,050 showing a rise of 6.8 percent as compared to ₹1,26,406 during 2018-19 with the growth rate of 10.0 percent.

2) Government Owned Contractor Operated (GOCO)

• The Army has started identifying potential industry partners to implement the Government Owned Contractor Operated (GOCO) model for its base workshops and ordnance depots.
• A Request For Information was issued on December 19, 2019, to shortlist service providers with experience in “warehousing, logistics and supply chain management” for Central Ordnance Depot, Kanpur. The Army has also started evaluating the GOCO model for Army Base Workshops (ABW) to drive “higher operational efficiencies”

AIM

• The agenda of these interactions would be to understand from interested industry participants their views on opportunities envisaged and issues/ concerns if ABWs were to be run under the GOCO model.
• The tasks are undertaken by these workshops include depot­level repairs; overhaul of T­-72 and T-­90, guns, mortars and small arms, vehicles, communication systems, radars, air defense systems, armored personnel carriers; manufacture of spares and overhaul of aviation rotables.
• The GOCO model was one of the recommendations of the Lt. Gen. DB Shekatkar (Retd.) committee to “enhance combat capability and re­balance defense expenditure.” 

3) NetSCoFAN

Union Health Minister has launched NetSCoFAN, a network of research & academic institutions working in the area of food & nutrition.

About NetSCoFAN

• It would comprise of eight groups of institutions working in different areas viz. biological, chemical, nutrition & labeling, food of animal origin, food of plant origin, water & beverages, food testing, and safer & sustainable packaging.
• FSSAI has identified eight Nodal Institutions who would develop a ‘Ready Reckoner’ that will have an inventory of all research work, experts and institutions and would carry out and facilitate research, survey, and related activities.
• It would identify research gaps in respective areas and collect, collate and develop a database on food safety issues for risk assessment activities.

Need

The need to identify research gaps in respective areas and collect, collate and develop a database on food safety issues for risk assessment activities, will be addressed by NetSCoFAN.

4) Great Indian Bustards (GIB)

• IUCN status: critically endangered.
• Found in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
• Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972 and in the CMS Convention and in Appendix I of CITES.
• Identified as one of the species for the recovery program under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
• Project Great Indian Bustard state of Rajasthan identifying and fencing off bustard breeding grounds in existing protected areas as well as provide secure breeding enclosures in areas outside protected areas.
• Protected areas: Desert National Park Sanctuary Rajasthan, Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary Andhra Pradesh and Karera Wildlife Sanctuary Madhya Pradesh.

5) Year-End Review 2019 - Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare

The major highlights of the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare during the year 2019 are as follows:

Launch of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)

PM-KMY inaugurated by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 12th September 2019 provides for payment of minimum pension of Rs.3000/- per month to the eligible small and marginal farmers on attaining the age of 60 years.  It is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme, with an entry age of 18 to 40 years. The monthly contribution by farmer ranges between Rs.55 to 200.  Central Government will contribute an equal amount in the pension scheme.  Till now 19, 19, 802 beneficiaries have been registered.

Launch of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

PM-KISAN Scheme inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 24th February 2019 which provides for the transfer of an amount of Rs. 6000/- per year in three equal installments each of Rs. 2000/- directly into the bank account of beneficiary farmer families. The Scheme initially covered only small and marginal farmer families with landholding up to 2 hectares as beneficiaries, subject to certain exclusion criteria for higher-income status. The Government later extended the scheme with effect from 1st April 2019 to all farmer families irrespective of landholding size, subject to applicable exclusions. Since the launch of PM Kisan till now about 8.12 crore farmer families have been benefitted and more than Rs. 48,937 crore has been released under the scheme. A new facility has been provided on PM-KISAN Web-portal (www.pmkisan.gov.in) through ‘Farmers’ Corner’ Link to facilitate the farmers for self-registration, edit his/her name in PM-Kisan database as per Aadhar Card, access the beneficiary list and status of the payment.  The farmers are being facilitated for self-registration and data correction through Common Service Centers.  

Constitution of High Powered Committee of Chief Ministers for ‘Transformation of Indian Agriculture’

A High Powered Committee of Chief Ministers for “Transformation of Indian Agriculture” has been constituted and two meetings of the Committee have been held on 18th July 2019 and 16th August 2019 to deliberate and firm up their report.

Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for Kharif  2019-20 season and Rabi Crops of 2019-20 increased

• The Union Government has announced an increase in MSP for Kharif 2019-20 season. MSP of Paddy increased by Rs.65 per quintal, Jowar by Rs.120 per quintal, Bajra by Rs.50 per quintal, Ragi by Rs.253 per quintal and Maize by Rs.60 per quintal.  MSP of Tur, Moong, and Urad pulses raised by Rs.125, Rs.75 & Rs.100  per quintal respectively.  MSP of Groundnut up by Rs.200 per quintal, Sunflower seed by Rs.262 per quintal, Nigerseed by Rs.63 per quintal, Medium staple cotton by Rs.105 per quintal, Long-staple Cotton by Rs.100 per quintal, Soybean (yellow) by Rs. 311 per quintal and Sesamum by Rs. 236 per quintal.
• The Government has announced the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for Rabi Crops of 2019-20 to be marketed in Rabi marketing season (RMS) 2020-21. The MSP of Wheat and Barley increased by Rs. 85 per quintal each, Gram by Rs. 255 per quintal, Lentil by Rs. 325 per quintal, Rapeseed & Mustard by Rs. 225 per quintal and Safflower by Rs. 270 per quintal.

e-NAM –One Nation One Market

421 new mandis have been approved for integration under the e-NAM. Along with these, FPOs have also been on-boarded on the e-NAM portal and they have started uploading their produce for trading from their premise. Further, 23 Warehouses of CWC located in 11 districts of AP have been declared as Deemed Market under Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing (APLM) Act which will facilitate trading in the future through these warehouses on the e-NAM portal.

Other Initiatives and Achievements:

• 25 Seed-Hub Centres have been sanctioned across the country for increasing the availability of quality seeds of Nutri-Cereals (Millets) and the first installment of Rs.723.00 lakh has been released.
• During the current year (2019-20), 12.40 lakh Soil Health Card has been distributed to farmers under Model Village Project
• Under Farm Mechanization 1,44,113 types of machinery have been distributed and 2300 Custom Hiring Centres have been established during the current year (2019-20). During 2019-20, 32,808 types of machinery have been distributed and 8662 Custom Hiring Centres have been established under Crop Residue Management Programme.
• Multi-lingual Mobile App “CHC-Farm Machinery” was launched, which helps the farmers for getting rented farm machinery and implements through Custom Hiring Service Centres (CHC) in their area.  As on date, 41,992 CHCs with 1,33,723 Agricultural machinery for renting out is registered on this Mobile app.  Total 1,12,505 farmers as users are registered on this Mobile App.
• During the current year (2019-20) 73,658-hectare additional area has been covered under Horticulture Crops and 59 Nurseries have been established.

6) The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector 

• The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has better adaptability to cater to the export market due to its smaller size and can adapt to market change sooner
• The most important issues that were discussed in the meeting included the problem faced by SME units in accessing credit from banks, delay in payments from Public Sector Units and Government departments, the issue of GST refund, the dearth of skilled manpower in the SME sector and the issue of differing wages in States across the country.
• The MSME sector in India employs over 100 million people and accounts for 45% of manufacturing output and more than 40% of the country’s exports. With 63.4 million units throughout the country, MSMEs contribute around 6.11% of the manufacturing GDP and 24.63% of the GDP from service activities.
• Commerce and Industry Minister directed Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and the Credit Guarantee Funds Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) to set up a framework that will enable them to process loans to SME units faster and also provide insurance cover to the SME exporters.
• Commerce and Industry Minister urged the SME sector manufacturers to produce high-quality goods following international standards so that exports from the SME sector may become a part of the global value chain.
• On the issue of delayed payments, Commerce and Industry Minister examined the possibility of big companies making full payment to SMEs against delivery so that the working capital of SME units is not blocked.
• To the mainstream, the 8 million Indian women who have started and are running their own businesses Minister directed that the Government e-Marketplace may handhold the women-led SMEs and onboard these enterprises on the GeM portal.
• Commerce and Industry Minister assured the SME sector that the Government will give all support and help in the skilling of manpower required for the sector and in all other areas that require the intervention of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

7) Zo Kutpui festival

• Mizoram govt to organize ‘Zo Kutpui’ globally to unify Mizo tribes.
• The first festival would be held at Vanghmun, a hub town of Mizos in neighboring Tripura.
• The event will see the presence of many important dignitaries from various Mizoram tribes and also witness cultural programs and traditional songs from various Mizo tribes from Mizoram and other northeastern states.
• The event aims at re-unifying and strengthening brotherhood among different tribes of Mizo.

8) Akbar Padamsee

• Noted painter and artist Akbar Padamsee died at the Isha Yoga Center near Coimbatore late on Monday night. He was 91. 
• Born into a Muslim family, Padamsee embraced a free-spirited outlook, that was reflected in the versatile themes of his work. He was deeply influenced by Vivekananda’s commentary on the yoga sutras of Patanjali and studied Shilpa Shastra, the ancient text on the art of sculpting.
• Padamsee was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2010. 
• Though Akbar Padamsee was known for his radical paintings, he was also a photographer, sculptor, filmmaker, engraver, and lithographer. 
• But Padamsee was most recognized and decorated for his paintings which have found a place of prominence in eminent galleries in India and around the world. His brother was the late filmmaker and adman Alyque Padamsee.