Daily Current Affairs 10 October 2020 | UPSC Current Affairs 2020

Current Affairs Of Today Are

1) RBI taking steps to increase the liquidity in the economy

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) took three measures yesterday to increase the liquidity in the economy and to support the higher borrowing of the program of Central & State Govt. These are:

First Measure:

Targeted Long Term Repo Operation (TLTRO):
Under normal repo operation, RBI lends to banks for overnight (one day) at repo rate.
But under Long Term Repo Operation (LTRO), it lends for long term generally more than a year. And when this lending (LTRO) is for some specific sectors (this time it is for sectors having strong backward & forward linkage) then this LTRO is called Targeted LTRO (TLTRO). Now when RBI lends for LTRO/TLTRO then generally it lends at above repo rate (repo + spread), and this "spread" is decided through auction and it is called Variable rate LTRO/TLTRO. A bank offering a higher spread over repo gets the funds from RBI.
And sometimes (rarely) RBI also does LTRO/TLTRO at repo rate which is called fixed-rate (fixed with a repo) LTRO/TLTRO.
Yesterday's news says that RBI has introduced "on-tap" TLTRO worth Rs. 1 lakh crore. Here 'on-tap' means, RBI will not conduct this auction (to give money to banks) on any particular day, rather banks can come any day and can borrow money from RBI. And the Liquidity/money availed by banks under this LTRO has to be deployed in corporate bonds, commercial papers, and non-convertible debentures issued by entities in specific sectors. Basically, banks will give this money to companies to specific sectors and purchase their debt papers.

Second Measure:

SLR Holdings in Held to Maturity (HTM) Category
See, if you purchase bonds, then you can sell that bond any time in the secondary market or can keep it with yourself till maturity and then you get the money/principal from the entity who had actually issued that bond. So, when you hold the bond until maturity it is classified as HTM.
THE present SLR requirement is 18% of NDTL. This is a minimum requirement where Banks are required to hold/keep Central or State Govt bonds and these bonds under SLR requirement are called SLR securities.
Now, some banks may hold more SLR. But if they are holding more SLR that means they are investing (giving loan) in Govt rather than lending to market/companies and trying to be risk-averse. So, there is a maximum cap (which this time RBI increased) on how much max banks can keep SLR under the HTM category. There are other categories also like 'Available for Sale', 'Held for Trading'. No need to go into all this.

Third Measure:

Open Market Operation (OMO) in State Development Loans (SDLs)
There are three types of central govt. bonds/securities called Treasury Bills, Dated Securities, Cash management Bills, and one type of State Govt. Bonds are called SDLs.
Till now RBI used to do OMO (sale and purchase of govt. bonds) only through Central Govt. bonds (Treasury Bills and Dated securities). But this time RBI is saying it will do OMO with SDLs also. What will be its impact or how it will help
It will give liquidity (easy sale) to SDLs
Since there will be more sales and purchases which will provide liquidity to SDLs, it will also lead to efficient pricing of SDL bonds. This price does not mean 'bond price'. Here this pricing means 'interest rate'.
Let me elaborate this: If someone asks you that "At what price potato is available in the market" then you say Rs. 10/kg
But if someone asks "At what price money is available in the market" then it talks about 'interest rate'. The price of money is the 'interest rate' at which money is available in the market.
So, when there is less trading in SDL then the interest rate can be a little bit higher, but if there is more trading (because of RBI OMO in SDL), then it leads to efficient pricing means lesser interest rate which will ultimately help the State governments.

More Details

All these steps will lead to the interest rate in the market coming down, bond prices will go up and yield will come down. RBI is trying to bring down the interest rate and yield so that to support economic growth. For businessmen, the major cost is the cost of borrowing (cost of capital) which basically means the interest rate on borrowings.
Another important decision taken by RBI is, it has reduced the 'risk-weights' on housing loans. Depending on the risk factor of loans/assets, the banks need to set aside (keep) some capital with them separately which they can't lend. The higher the risk factor, the higher is the requirement of capital (which needs to be set aside). This is called "provisioning" and it is different from the "Capital Adequacy Ratio" (CAR). Since RBI has reduced the risk factor, hence Banks are required to set aside less capital, which will free up the money/capital and banks will be able to lend more and interest rates may come down.
THE ABOVE THREE MEASURES WERE TAKEN BY RBI AND NOT BY MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE (MPC). THE NEWSPAPER HAS WRONGLY QUOTED IN BOLD/RED MPC. RBI'S MPC decides only Policy Rate (repo rate)

Source: Indian Express

2) Anti Radiation Missile: Rudram-1

Daily Current Affairs 10 October 2020 | UPSC Current Affairs 2020 Daily News Teller

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flight tested indigenously developed Anti Radiation Missile (Rudram-1).

About Anti Radiation Missiles:

Aim: These are designed to detect, track, and neutralize the adversary’s radar, communication assets, and other radio frequency sources, which are generally part of their air defense systems.
These can locate and target any radiation-emitting source.
These can play a key role in neutralizing any jamming platforms of the enemy or take out radar stations thereby clearing a path for own fighters to carry out an offensive and also prevent their own systems from being jammed.
Components:
Inertial navigation system: A computerized mechanism that uses changes in the object’s own position — coupled with GPS, which is satellite-based.
'Passive homing head' for Guidance: A system that can detect, classify, and engage targets (radio frequency sources in this case) over a wide band of frequencies as programmed.

About Rudram-1:

Development and Test: It is an air-to-surface missile, designed and developed by the DRDO.
DRDO conducted a successful test of the New Generation Anti Radiation Missile (NGRAM) also called the Rudram-1 at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore (Odisha).
Rudram-1 is the first indigenous anti-radiation missile of the country.
Capability: Once the missile locks on the target, it is capable of striking accurately even if the radiation source switches off in between.
Operational Features:
The missile, integrated with SU-30 MkI aircraft, has a capability of varying ranges based on the launch conditions.
It can be adapted for launch from other fighter jets too.
It can be launched from altitudes of 500 m to 15 km and speeds of 0.6 to 2 mach.

Significance:

Rudram has been developed for the Indian Air Force - IAF’s requirement to enhance its Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) capability.
Further, modern-day warfare is more and more network-centric, which means it comprises elaborate detection, surveillance, and communication systems that are integrated with the weapons systems.
This is yet another test of indigenously developed weapons systems in addition to the recent tests of the Shaurya missile or Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV), which is an unmanned scramjet vehicle, or the test of a flight test of a Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system.

Source: PIB

3) Round the Clock RTGS Facility

The Real-Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS), used for large value transactions, will be made available round-the-clock from December 2020.

RTGS:

It enables the real-time transfer of funds to a beneficiary’s account and is primarily meant for large-value transactions.
Real-time means the processing of instructions at the time they are received and gross settlement implies that settlement of funds transfer instructions occurs individually.

Current Scenario:

RTGS is available for customers from 7.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. on all working days of a week, except the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.

24x7x365 RTGS Decision:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to make available the RTGS system round the clock on all days from December 2020 to facilitate swift and seamless payments in real-time for domestic businesses and institutions.
In December 2019, the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system was made available on a 24x7x365 basis.
From July 2019, RBI stopped levying charges on transactions through NEFT and RTGS, to promote digital transactions in the country.

Significance:

This will facilitate innovations in the large value payments ecosystem and promote ease of doing business.
This will help in the global integration of Indian financial markets and will facilitate India’s efforts to develop international financial centers.
With this, India will be one of the very few countries globally with a 24x7x365 large value real-time payment system.

RTGS vs NEFT:

Use: RTGS is meant for large-value instantaneous fund transfers while NEFT is generally used for fund transfers of up to Rs. 2 lakh.
The minimum amount to be remitted through RTGS is Rs. 2,00,000 with no upper or maximum ceiling.
There is no limit imposed by RBI for funds transfer through the NEFT system. However, banks may place amount limits based on their own risk perception with the approval of its board.
Mechanism:

NEFT is an electronic fund transfer system in which the transactions received up to a particular time are processed in batches.
Contrary to this, in RTGS, the transactions are processed continuously on a transaction by transaction basis throughout the RTGS business hours.

Source: The Hindu

4) Increased Election Campaign Broadcast Time

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has increased the broadcast time allotted to recognized political parties on Doordarshan and All India Radio to aid in campaigning for elections to the Legislative Assembly of Bihar, 2020.

Broadcast Timings

A base time of 90 minutes will be given to each national party and recognized state party of Bihar uniformly on the regional kendras of the Doordarshan network and All India Radio network in Bihar.
No party will be given more than 30 minutes in a single broadcast session.
Any additional time (beyond the basic 90 minutes) will be given to a party based on its electoral performance in the last Assembly election in 2015.

Broadcast Period

The period of the broadcast will be between the last date of filing nominations and two days before the date of polling in Bihar.
The Prasar Bharati Corporation in consultation with the ECI will decide the actual date and time for broadcast and telecast.
Prasar Bharati is India's largest public broadcasting agency. It is a statutory autonomous body set up by the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990, and comprises the Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio, which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The parties will be required to submit transcripts and recordings in advance.
In addition to the broadcast by parties, the Prasar Bharati Corporation will organize a maximum of four-panel discussions and/or debates on the Kendra/Station of Doordarshan/ All India Radio.
Each eligible party can nominate one representative to such a program.

Significance

With the pandemic restricting movement and maintenance of safety for the people and party workers through a non-contact-based campaign.
This can act as an experimental step to reduce the expenditure on physical campaigning.

Types of Parties

The Election Commission of India lists political parties as “national party”, “state party” or “registered (unrecognized) party”.
The conditions for being listed as a national or a state party are specified under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
Conditions for recognized parties:

National Party:

6% valid votes polled in any four or more states at a general election to the Lok Sabha or to the State legislative assembly; and, also, it wins four seats in the Lok Sabha from any state or states.
2% of all Lok Sabha seats in the last such election, with MPs, elected from at least three states.
Recognition as a state party in at least four states.

State Party:

Two seats plus a 6% vote share in the last Assembly election in that state.
One seat plus a 6% vote share in the last Lok Sabha election from that state.
3% of the total Assembly seats or 3 seats, whichever is more.
One of every 25 Lok Sabha seats (or an equivalent fraction) from a state.
An 8% state-wide vote share in either the last Lok Sabha or the last Assembly polls.

Loss of Recognised Status:

Once recognized as a national or a state party, a political party loses its given status only if it fails to fulfill any of the conditions for two successive Assembly and two successive Lok Sabha elections.
That means a party retains that status irrespective of its performance in the next elections.

Source: Indian Express

5) DST-IBM Collaboration for STEM

Recently, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) India have announced collaborations to scale up the initiatives, Vigyan Jyoti and Engage with Science.
Both DST and IBM India aim to create a robust STEM ecosystem that nurtures critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and next-generation innovators.
DST and IBM India will work together to further integrate and develop science and technology in the education ecosystem with short term courses, workshops, mentoring, and online science content communication for teachers and students in India.

Vigyan Jyoti:

It was launched by the DST in 2019.
Aims:
To promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning among girl students and build confidence and excitement towards these streams.
STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in 4 specific disciplines, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, in an interdisciplinary and applied approach.
To create a level-playing field for meritorious girls from grades 9 to 12, especially from the top colleges in the areas where girls are hugely underrepresented.
To solve the multidimensional problems associated with the meager representation of women.
The program provides a scholarship, visit nearby scientific institutions, science camps, lecturers from eminent women scientists, and career counseling.
It is currently implemented by Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) in 58 districts, with the participation of about 2900 students.
JNV is a system of central schools for talented students predominantly from rural areas in India.
They are run by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, New Delhi, an autonomous organization under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education.

Engage with Science:

Engage with Science by Vigyan Prasar is another initiative to build interest and create a community of practice with students, teachers, and scientists connecting the high school students to higher education institutions.
Vigyan Prasar is an autonomous body under the DST to help India’s science popularisation agenda through several strategic initiatives.
This is an interactive platform that will be built on the Over-The-Top (OTT) platform to encourage and inspire high school students to pursue science and technology for a career.
An OTT media service is any online content provider that offers streaming media as a standalone product.
The term is commonly applied to video-on-demand platforms, but also refers to audio streaming, messaging services, or internet-based voice calling solutions.
It needs access to the internet and smartphones, tablets, laptop/computers.

Benefits of the Collaboration:

It will make these programs reach the students and teachers in interactive ways on a large scale which will make learning relevant and foster scientific spirit among the country’s youth.
Existing opportunities for meritorious girls to nurture their interest in STEM will be expanded through the learning platforms.
The engagement with science platforms will make students interact, participate and get involved with the sampling and active consumption of science and technology content, including Cloud, Big Data, etc. through the usage of digital tools.
This will strengthen the DST’s initiative to increase the number of women in technology fields.

Source: PIB

6) Nobel Prize for Peace 2020

The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP), a United Nations (UN) agency, for its efforts to combat hunger, bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas, and preventing the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.
Other 2020 Nobel Prizes for Literature, Chemistry, Physics, and Medicine have already been announced.

World Food Programme:

It was established in 1961 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and became a full-fledged UN program in 1965.
Headquarters: Rome, Italy.

Significance and Achievements:

Eradicating hunger is one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2: Zero Hunger) to be achieved by 2030 and WFP is the UN’s primary agency that works towards this goal.
Currently, it is the world’s largest humanitarian agency combating hunger.
In 2019, it assisted 97 million people, the largest number since 2012, in 88 countries. The same year, it delivered about 4.4 million tonnes of food, purchased USD 1.7 billion worth of food from 91 countries, and USD 762 million worth of goods and services from 156 countries.

Data on Hunger:

According to the WFP, there are 690 million hungry people around the world and around 60% of them live in countries affected by conflict.
It highlights that people living in countries with long-running crises are more than twice as likely to be undernourished than people elsewhere (2.5 times as much).
The number of hungry people is expected to increase further due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to earnings losses, made food more expensive, and has disrupted supply chains.
The WFP estimates suggest that by 2030, nearly half of the global poor will be living in fragile and conflict-affected situations.

WFP’s Role in India

It has been working in India since 1963.
It focuses on reforms in the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and provides policy inputs, advocacy, and technical assistance for improving access to food.
The WFP has proposed unique initiatives like Automatic Grain Dispensing Machine (Annapurti) and Mobile Storage Units for the effective implementation of TPDS.
Annapurna allows beneficiaries to withdraw their foodgrain quota accurately and at a time of their choice through automatic grain dispensing machines.
WFP India has completed a pilot on rice fortification used in the government’s Mid-day Meals scheme.
During the pandemic, WFP India worked with the central and state governments and has also prepared a guidance note for the reopening of schools.
For example, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM) to provide technical assistance for setting up supplementary nutrition production units.

Source: Indian Express

7) Protests to Coup: Kyrgyzstan

Protesters in Kyrgyzstan have captured key government buildings, including the Parliament House and the presidential office and the situation is like a coup.

Background

Kyrgyzstan, often referred to as Central Asia’s only democracy had seen violent anti-government protests in the past.
In 2005 and 2010, sitting presidents were forced out of office in popular protests- ‘Tulip’ and ‘Melon’ revolutions.
The current protests began after early results of the parliamentary election were announced.
Political parties in Kyrgyzstan should win at least 7% of the popular vote to enter Parliament.
The results showed that only four parties managed to cross the threshold and of which, three were pro-government parties.
The only opposition party could cross the threshold.

Reason for the protest:

Even before the election, political fault lines were sharpening in Kyrgyzstan.
The country’s main political party, the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK), stayed out of the election due to intra-party rift and split.
Several political leaders were detained and elections were perceived as rigged.
Consequently, after elections, protestors formed a Coordination Council to lead the “revolution”. The country’s Election Commission annulled the results, but the protesters continued.
Official View: Opposition’s intention is to instigate a political coup.
The Opposition’s View: The elections were rigged which made people protest against the establishment.

Kyrgyzstan’s importance

It has been key to the strategic plans of both Russia and China.
Russia considers the region as its backyard and plays hard politics to retain its influence.
Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).
CSTO is a Russia-led military alliance of six former Soviet states that was created in 2002.
Its aim is to ensure the collective defense of any member that faces external aggression.
Members of CSTO: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, and Tajikistan
While Russia has cultivated strong ties with all political factions in Kyrgyzstan, radical political changes could throw up opportunities for its rivals.
Belarus, another country in Russia’s backyard with a pro-Russia President, is already witnessing political turmoil after August’s Presidential election.
In the South Caucasus, the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, both former Soviet Republics, over Nagorno-Karabakh, risks dragging Russia into a conflict that Russia doesn’t want.
All three combined, Russia’s attempts to build stronger political and economic integration with the former Soviet region are suddenly facing critical challenges.
China- This landlocked Central Asian country that shares a long border with China.
It is located at the center of Eurasia, is a vital link in its Belt and Road Initiative.
In 2019, the Chinese President visited Bishkek (capital)- shows a close link with the current establishment.
China has built road and rail networks with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
USA: During the early stages of the Afghan war, the USA had used Kyrgyzstan for refueling and other logistical purposes.
The USA base was shut down in 2014 by Parliament.
A regime change can be favorable for the USA.

India-Kyrgyzstan

India has enjoyed strong bilateral ties with Kyrgyzstan since 1991.
India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with Kyrgyzstan in 1992.
Since 1992, the two countries have many agreements, including on Culture, Trade, and Economic Cooperation, Civil Aviation, Investment Promotion, and Protection, Avoidance of Double Taxation, Consular Convention, etc.
In 2011, the joint ‘Khanjar’ series of exercises were started.
Indian diaspora in Kyrgyzstan- about 9,000 Indian students are studying medicine in various medical institutions in the country. Also, many businessmen are living in Kyrgyzstan who is involved in trade and several other services there.
Strategic: The Kyrgyz leaderships have been largely supportive of India’s stand on Kashmir.
They also support India’s bid for a permanent seat at the UNSC.
Departure from a Democratic Regime may bring uncertainty for India’s interests.

Way Forward

Due to the strategic importance of the country, other nations with interest in the new regime may interfere. This must not form another zone of the cold war. The process must be Kyrgyz-led and Kyrgyz-owned for long-term stability.
India can have a word to support the democratic and peaceful political system in Kyrgyzstan.
Also, India can explore the communication with the potential political factions in Kyrgyzstan that can form the government in Kyrgyzstan.

Source: The Hindu

8) SC on NCPCR’s Repatriation Request

The Supreme Court has sought a response from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), to its request to eight States for the immediate repatriation of children living in care homes with their families.

Repatriation Request

The NCPCR requested Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Mizoram, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Meghalaya for repatriation.
These States combinedly have 1.84 lakh children in care homes.
This accounts for over 70% of the children in care homes.

Judicial Activism

The court is suo motu monitoring the condition and welfare of children placed in care homes across the country during the pandemic.
The active role of the judiciary, even in the executive or legislative sphere, for upholding the rights of citizens and preserving the constitution is known as judicial activism.
The court questioned if the NCPCR could issue such general directions to the States without considering the education, health, the safety of the children, the consent of their parents, and their economical situation.

On an individual basis

Repatriation ought to be considered on an individual basis for child safety.
As per amicus curiae (“friend of the court” - one who assists the court advice regarding questions of law or fact ), the NCPCR direction violated the Juvenile Justice Act of 2015 since the pandemic would make a child more vulnerable to domestic abuse.
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, comprehensively addresses children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection.
As per the Section 27(1) of the Act, Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) is to be constituted by State Government by notification in the Official Gazette for every district, for exercising the powers and to discharge the duties conferred on such Committees about children in need of care and protection under JJ Act, 2015.

NCPCR’s Stand

The NCPCR suggested the need for a child to grow up in a familial environment.
Also, in an April 2020 order, the court had directed juvenile authorities to “proactively consider whether a child or children should be kept in the child care institutions considering the best interest, health and safety concerns”.

Child Care Homes

The children being taken in child care homes are not only those who are orphans/abandoned children, but also children hailing from downtrodden/financially unstable families.
Therefore, if there is any child who is either being brought up by a single parent or comes from a family that is not able to bring up the child properly, then that child can avail of all the facilities at a care home.
The facilities for children like individual bedding, proper nutrition, and diet, toys, hygiene and maintenance of the CCI/Homes, sufficient water, health check-ups, educational facilities are based on the age and special needs of the child.
All the children in these care homes are required to study in nearby government schools.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights

NCPCR is a statutory body set up in March 2007 under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development.
The Commission's mandate is to ensure that all laws, policies, programs, and administrative mechanisms align with the child rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
It inquires into complaints relating to a child's right to free and compulsory education under the Right to Education Act, 2009.
It monitors the implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

Source: The Hindu

9) Kastoori Cotton

Union Minister for Textiles unveiled a brand and a logo for Indian cotton recently on the occasion of 2nd World Cotton Day on 7th October 2020.
The branding, Kasturi Cotton, would initially be applied to long-staple cotton that is grown in India and meets prescribed standards.

World Cotton Day

The theme for World Cotton Day, 2020: Cotton: The Fibre that Moves Me
Launched: By the World Trade Organisation in 2019 on the initiative of Cotton-4 (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali).
In collaboration with United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Trade Centre (ITC), and the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

Cotton

Kharif Crop which requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
Drought – resistant crop ideal for arid climates.
Occupies 2.1% of the world’s arable land, meets 27% of the world’s textiles need.
Temperature: Between 21-30°C.
Rainfall: Around 50-100cm.
Soil Type: Well-drained black cotton soil (Regur Soil) (E.g. Soil of Deccan Plateau)
Products: fiber, oil, and animal feed.
Top Cotton Producing Countries: China > India > USA
Top Cotton Producing States in India: Gujarat > Maharashtra > Telangana > Andhra Pradesh > Rajasthan.
Four cultivated species of cotton: Gossypium arboreum, G.herbaceum, G.hirsutum, and G.barbadense.
Gossypium arboreum and G.herbaceum are known as old-world cotton or Asiatic cotton.
G.hirsutum is also known as American cotton or upland cotton and G.barbadense as Egyptian cotton. These are both new world cotton species.
Hybrid Cotton: Cotton is made by crossing two parent strains that have different genetic characters. Hybrids are often spontaneously and randomly created in nature when open-pollinated plants naturally cross-pollinate with other related varieties.
Bt Cotton: It is a genetically modified organism or genetically modified pest-resistant variety of cotton.

Cotton in India

Cotton is an important fiber and cash crop which plays a dominant role in the industrial and agricultural economy of India.
India is the largest producer of cotton in the world and the third-largest exporter. It is also the largest consumer of cotton in the world.
The pest-resistant Genetically Modified (GM) Bt cotton hybrids have captured the Indian market (covering over 95% of the area under cotton) since their introduction in 2002.
India produces about 6 million tons of cotton every year which is about 23% of the world cotton.
India produces about 51% of the total organic cotton production in the world.

Government Initiatives for Cotton

National Food Security Mission-Commercial Crops (NFSM-CC):
In the 12th Five Year Plan, under the NFSM, a cropping system approach is being adopted by including commercial crops like cotton, jute, and sugarcane.
Cotton Development Programme (CDP), launched in 2014-15 is being implemented under NFSM-CC for enhancing production and productivity.
Ministry of Textiles in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has prescribed a certification system for organic Cotton
Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has developed a mobile application called “Cott-Ally” to provide the latest news on weather conditions, the crop situation, and best farm practices.
CCI has also opened 430 procurement centers in all cotton-growing states and payments are being made digitally to farmers’ accounts within 72 hours.

Cotton Corporation of India

CCI was established in 1970 under the administrative control of the Ministry of Textiles as a Public Sector Undertaking under the Companies Act 1956.
Headquarters: CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra)
Role: To undertake price support operations, whenever the market prices of cotton fall below the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) announced by Govt. of India, without any quantitative limit.

Cotton Research

The Central Institute for Cotton Research has campuses in Nagpur in Maharashtra state and Sirsa in Haryana state.
It is a central research institute established by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology is situated in Mumbai.

Source: The Hindu

10) Distribution of Property Cards Under SVAMITVA Scheme

The Prime Minister will launch the distribution of Property Cards under the SVAMITVA Scheme on 11th October, via video conferencing.
The launch will enable around one lakh property holders to download their Property Cards through the SMS link delivered on their mobile phones.
This would be followed by the physical distribution of the Property Cards by the respective State governments.

About

SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) is a Central Sector Scheme launched on National Panchayati Raj Day, 24th April 2020.
Aims: To provide an integrated property validation solution for rural India.
To provide the ‘record of rights’ to village household owners in rural areas and issue Property Cards.
The demarcation of rural areas would be done using Drone Surveying technology.
Implementation: In a phased manner over four years (2020-2024).
Implementing Agency: Ministry of Panchayati Raj at National Level
Revenue Department/Land Records Department in States
Survey of India is a technology partner for the implementation
Coverage: Around 6.62 lakh villages in six states i.e. Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Karnataka (along with a few border villages of Punjab & Rajasthan)
It also includes the establishment of Continuous Operating System (CORS) stations’ network across Punjab & Rajasthan in the Pilot phase (2020-21). CORS will assist in future drone flying activities.
Nomenclature for Property Cards: Property Cards are known as ‘Title deed’ in Haryana, ‘Rural Property Ownership Records (RPOR)’ in Karnataka, ‘Adhikar Abhilekh’ in Madhya Pradesh, ‘Sannad’ in Maharashtra, ‘Svamitva Abhilekh’ in Uttarakhand, ‘Gharauni’ in Uttar Pradesh.

Benefits:

It will bring financial stability to the citizens in rural India by enabling them to use their property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits.
It will help in the creation of accurate land records for rural planning.
It will help in the determination of property tax.
The survey infrastructure and GIS maps created can be leveraged by any department for their use.
It will reduce property related disputes and legal cases.
It will support the preparation of a better-quality Gram Panchayat Development Plan by making use of GIS maps.
The Gram Panchayats are constitutionally mandated for the preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) for economic development and social justice.
The GPDP is based on a participatory process in convergence with schemes of all related Central Ministries/Line Departments related to 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution.

Source: PIB