Daily Current Affairs 11 June 2020 With Video Lecture

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY- PDMC) for the year 2020-21 Dept. of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare is implementing ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee...

Chetan Apurav
June 11, 2020
1,191

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY- PDMC) for the year 2020-21

Dept. of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare is implementing ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY- PDMC).
The PMKSY- PDMC focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation technologies viz. Drip and Sprinkler irrigation systems.
Drip micro irrigation technique not only helps in water saving but also in reducing fertilizer usage, labour expenses and other input costs.
For the current year, annual allotment of Rs. 4000 crores have already been allocated and conveyed to the State Governments.
The State Governments have identified the beneficiaries to be covered under the programme.
Fund release to some of the States is already under process for the year 2020-21.
Further, Micro Irrigation Fund corpus of Rs. 5000 crores have been created with NABARD.
The objective of the fund is to facilitate the states in mobilizing the resources for expanding coverage of Micro Irrigation by taking up special and innovative projects and also for incentivising micro irrigation beyond the provisions available under PMKSY-PDMC to encourage farmers to install micro irrigation systems.
So far, Micro Irrigation Funds have been released to the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for Rs. 616.14 crore and for Rs.478.79 crore, respectively through NABARD. The area covered under these projects is 1.021 lakh ha. in Andhra Pradesh and 1.76 lakh ha. in Tamil Nadu.

MoHUA Recommends Holistic Planning for Pedestrian Friendly Market Spaces

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has recommended holistic planning for pedestrian friendly market spaces in various cities and municipal areas in the country in consultation with stake holders.
The advisory issued by Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to all states/cities/municipal corporations has also suggested the million plus cities to select at least three market places for pedestrianisation & non-million plus cities to select at least one market area for pedestrianisation in market places.
The following steps have been suggested for adopting the Pedestrianisation –
- Selection of Market Location
- Holistic Planning of the Area
- Once the plan is made and firmed up cities may start implementation n two phases – short term and long term.
Short-term Recommendations:
- On-street parking space.
- Improved access through additional streets.
- Cyclists with dedicated pathways.
- May increase the width of foot paths of the streets.
Long-term Recommendations:
- Permanent structures for promoting pedestrianisation can be developed.

India’s Tax to GDP Ratio Plunges to 9.88% in FY20, Lowest in 10 Years.

The ratio of central taxes -to-GDP slid further in FY20 to a 10-year low of 9.88 per cent, driven by a decline in collections from customs duties and corporation tax, while excise duty posted marginal growth.
The ratio stood at 10.97 per cent in FY19, and at 11.22 per cent in FY18. It is only estimated to decline further, with revenues falling on account of a slump in economic activity.
Tax to GDP Ratio:
- Representation of the size of the government’s tax revenue expressed as a percentage of the GDP.
- The extent to which government can finance its expenditure from tax collections – an indicator of tax compliance.
- Higher Ratio – Economy’s tax buoyancy is strong.
- Lower Ratio – Puts pressure on govt. to meet its fiscal deficit targets.

Gujarat’s Pride Grows as it Now Hosts 674 Gir Lions

Once seen as threatened by extinction, the lion population has grown by almost 29% from the last count in 2015.
Today, Asiatic lions are present in Protected Areas and agro-pastoral landscapes of Saurashtra covering nine districts, over an expanse of about 30,000 sq. km.
The State Forest Department says the population is 674 including males, females and cubs.
During 2015, the baseline was 523 lions.
Moreover, the distribution of the lions expanded from 22,000 sq. km in 2015 to 30,000 sq. km in 2020.
Forest officials said there was a consistent increase in the population and distribution.
The department had implemented strategies and interventions like community participation, use of technology, habitat management and increase in prey base, human-lion conflict mitigation and healthcare including import of vaccines after some lions were infected with Canine Distemper Virus (CDV).
This year, the department carried out a “population estimation exercise” on the night of June 5-6 because the five-yearly regular census in May could not be held due to COVID-19. In October 2018, Gir witnessed an outbreak of CDV in which 36 lions died. The Prime Minister had then directed the State authorities to import vaccines.