GS-III

MICRO-IRRIGATION FUND

CONTEXT Release of interest sub-vented loan from Micro-Irrigation Fund (MIF) under PMKSY. MAIN POINTS: Micro Irrigation Fund with a corpus of Rs. 5000 crore created with NABARD was operationalised in 2019-20 The objective of the Fund is to facilitate the states in availing an interest sub-vented loan for expanding coverage …

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ETHANOL BLENDING

CONTEXT: The government has set targets of 10% bioethanol blending of petrol by 2022 and to raise it to 20% by 2030 under the Ethanol Blended Programme (EBP) BACKGROUND: In the normal sugar season, about 320 LMT of sugar is produced against a domestic consumption of 260 LMT. This 60 …

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Planters concerned with RCEP

‘More tariff cuts will worsen trade deficit in plantation commodities’ The United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI) has said that plantation commodities should be kept out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), if India signs the agreement. AL. Rm. Nagappan, president, UPASI, said in a statement that in …

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‘Relaxed norms may boost tea tourism’

West Bengal allows 15% of land in a tea garden to be used for economic activities The tea industry in West Bengal is witnessing a major boost to employment with the State government’s relaxation of norms for use of leasehold land in a tea garden. The move may induce garden …

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India doing good on health indicators: Naidu

Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Saturday that India has achieved significant progress since Independence on various health indicators. He was delivering the 10th convocation address of the JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research in the city. Mr. Naidu said that with successive governments according high priority to health …

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Chhath devotees violate NGT directive

People in Kolkata broke through the gates of landmark lake to perform rituals In what can be interpreted as a major violation of law, thousands of devotees broke open the gates to Kolkata’s key water body, the Rabindra Sarobar Lake, and performed Chhath Puja. Under pressure, the police opened the …

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‘Evolve consensus on tackling air pollution’

Concerned over the unprecedented situation triggered by increasing air pollution in Delhi, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlining the need for evolving consensus on tackling the issue, rising above political affiliations and regional considerations. Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/evolve-consensus-on-tackling-air-pollution/article29867884.ece

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Can’t intervene in Pak. denial of airspace: ICAO

The United Nations aviation watchdog, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is “not empowered to intervene” in the affairs of a country and will examine inputs from both India and Pakistan before it takes a decision to pursue the issue of denial of overflight to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aircraft during …

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