Current Affairs 29 June 2021 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 29 June 2021 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

Glacial Lake Atlas of Ganga River Basin

Source : PIB
General Awareness

What is discussed ?

1. About Atlas
2. How it can be utilised ?

Why in News ?

Glacial Lake Atlas for Ganga River Basin Released. Glacial Lake Atlas To Be Used In Carrying Out Climate Change Impact Analysis And Disaster Mitigation Planning.

Key Facts

• Present glacial lake atlas is based on the inventoried glacial lakes in part of Ganga River basin from its origin to foothills of Himalayas covering a catchment area of 2,47,109 sq. km.
• The study portion of Ganga River basin covers part of India and transboundary region. T
• The Atlas is available on Bhuvan portal of NRSC, India WRIS Portal and NHP web site of DoWR, RD & GR.
• The expected utility of the atlas is
  • The atlas provides a comprehensive and systematic glacial lake database for Ganga River basin with size.
  • In the context of climate change impact analysis, the atlas can be used as reference data for carrying out change analysis, both with respect to historical and future time periods..
  • The atlas also provides authentic database for regular or periodic monitoring changes in spatial extent (expansion/shrinkage), and formation of new lakes.
  • The atlas can also be used in conjunction with glacier information for their retreat and climate impact studies.
  • The information on glacial lakes like their type, hydrological, topographical, and associated glaciers are useful in identifying the potential critical glacial lakes and consequent GLOF risk.
  • Central and State Disaster Management Authorities can make use of the atlas for disaster mitigation planning and related program.

NATRAX High Speed Track (HST)

Source : PIB
General Awareness

What we discuss under NATRAX High Speed Track (HST) ?

1. Key Facts
2. About NATRAX

Why in News ?

Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises inaugurated NATRAX- the High Speed Track(HST) in Indore which is the longest such track in Asia.

Key Facts

• NATRAX developed in an area of 1000 acres of land.
• It is a one stop solution for all sorts of high speed performance tests for widest categories of vehicles from 2 wheelers to heavy tractor trailers.
• World class 11.3 km High Speed Track, India is destined to become a hub of automobiles, manufacturing, and spare parts.
• Expanding automobiles and manufacturing industries will help generate the employment.
• About NATRAX
  • NATRAX centre has multiple test capabilities like measurements of maximum speed, acceleration, constant speed fuel consumption, emission tests through real road driving simulation, high speed handling and stability evaluation during manoeuvred such as lane change, high speed durability testing, etc. and is a Centre of excellence for Vehicle Dynamics.
  • HST is used for measuring the maximum speed capability of high-end cars like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Tesla and so forth which cannot be measured on any of the Indian test tracks.
  • Being centrally located in Madhya Pradesh it is accessible to most of the major Original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
  • Foreign OEMs will be looking at NATRAX HST for the development of prototype cars for Indian conditions.
  • At present, foreign OEMs go to their respective high speed track abroad for high speed test requirements.
  • It is one stop solution for all sorts of high speed performance tests, being one of the largest in the world.
  • It can cater to widest category of vehicles; say from two wheelers to the heaviest tractor trailers.
  • Vehicle can achieve max speed of 375 Kmph on curves with steering control and it has less banking on ovals making it also one of the safest test track globally.

Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme

Source : PIB
GS II : Government Scheme

What we discuss under Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme ?

1. What is Key Facts ?
2. About the PMFME Scheme
3. Current Status of the scheme

Why in News ?

Centrally Sponsored Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme launched under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

• To enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry.
• Also to promote formalization of the sector, marks the completion of its one year.

Key Facts

• Launched on 29th June 2020.
• The PMFME Scheme is currently being implemented in 35 States and Union Territories.
• The online portal for the application of the PMFME Scheme was made live on 25th January 2021.
• More than 9000 individual beneficiaries have registered on the portal out of which more than 3500 applications have been successfully submitted under the scheme.
• Nationwide promotion and publicity of the PMFME Scheme to sensitize the stakeholders.

About the PMFME Scheme

• Launched under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme.
• That aims to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry and to promote formalization of the sector and provide support to Farmer Producer Organizations, Self Help Groups, and Producers Cooperatives along their entire value chain.
• With an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
• The scheme envisions to directly assist the 2,00,000 micro food processing units for providing financial, technical, and business support for upgradation of existing micro food processing enterprises.

Current Status of the scheme

• One District One Product
  • Ministry of Food Processing Industries approved ODOP for 707 districts for 35 States and UTs including 137

    

    unique products as per the recommendations received by States/UTs.

  • The GIS ODOP digital map of India has been launched to provide details of ODOP products of all the States and UTs.
  • The digital map also has indicators for Tribal, SC, ST, and aspirational districts.
  • It will enable stakeholders to make concerted efforts for its value chain development.
• Convergence
  • Ministry signed three joint letters with the Ministry of Rural Development the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
  • Ministry of Food Processing Industries has signed various Memorandum of Understanding.
  • Agreement has been signed with the Union Bank of India as the Nodal Bank of the scheme and MoUs with 11 banks as official lending partners for the PMFME Scheme.
• Capacity Building and Incubation Centres
  • National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) and the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT) have been performing a key role in providing training and research support to selected enterprises/groups/clusters in partnership with the State Level Technical Institutions.
  • The training of 371 Master Trainers has been conducted under the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) & various food domains.
  • 54 Common Incubation Centres have been approved in the 17 States.
• Seed Capital
  • implemented with the support of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and its network of State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLMs) operating at the state level.
  • The PMFME Scheme envisages financial support of Rs. 40,000 for working capital and purchase of small tools for each member of SHGs engaged in food processing activities.
• Institutional Mechanism
  • All the 35 participating States and UTs have constituted/ identified their respective State Nodal Agencies, State Level Approval Committees, District Level Committees, and State Level Technical Institutions.
  • Moreover, a call centre has been established at NIFTEM to address queries and guide the stakeholders of the Scheme.

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