Urea subsidy scheme
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved to continue Urea Subsidy Scheme from 2017 up to 2020 at a total estimated cost of Rs. 1,64,935 crore and implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for disbursement of fertilizer subsidy.
- The continuation of the urea subsidy scheme will ensure that adequate quantity of urea is made available to the farmers at statutory controlled price. Implementation of DBT in Fertilizer Sector will reduce diversion and plug the leakages.
- Department of Fertilizers is in process to roll out DBT in fertilizer sector nationwide. DBT would entail 100 % payment to fertilizer companies on sale of fertilizers to farmers at subsidized rates. Therefore, continuation of Urea Subsidy Scheme will facilitate the smooth implementation of DBT scheme in Fertilizer Sector.
- Urea Subsidy is a part of Central Sector Scheme of Department of Fertilizers with effect from 1stApril, 2017 and is wholly financed by the Government of India through Budgetary Support.
Krishi Unnati Mela
- The three-day Annual Krishi Unnati Mela is being organised between March 16 and March 18, 2018 at Mela ground, IARI, Pusa, New Delhi.
- The Krishi Vigyan Mela (Agriculture Science Fair) was initiated in 1972 and continues to be a highly important annual event of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
- The objective of the mela is to create widespread awareness about the latest agricultural technological developments and receive feedback from the agricultural community, which helps in designing and shaping the Institute’s future research strategy.
- This mela is organized every year with a specific theme on a priority area of agricultural research and technology transfer.
ASHTRACK
- This platform will enable better management of the ash produced by thermal power plants by providing an interface between fly ash producers (Thermal Power Plants) and potential ash users such as – road contractors, cement plants etc.
- For the better management of fly ash waste from thermal power plants across country, Government has reduced the GST rates on fly ash and its products to 5%.
- Further, to facilitate 100% ash utilization by all coal based thermal power plants, a web portal for monitoring of fly ash generation and utilization data of Thermal Power Plants and a mobile based application titled “ASHTRACK” has been launched that will help to establish a link between fly ash users and power plants executives for obtaining fly ash for its use in various areas.
World Consumer Rights Day
- The Department of Consumer Affairs is celebrating the World Consumer Rights Day this year with the theme “Making Digital Marketplaces Fairer” in New Delhi.
- World Consumer Rights Day is an annual international event that signifies celebration and solidarity in the international consumer movement, demanding that, consumer rights are to be respected and protected.
- The event also gives a chance to protest against the market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights. Each year, World Consumer Rights Day adopts a theme to highlight.
- This year the theme promoted is “Making Digital Marketplaces Fairer”.
Cyber Gram Project for Digital Literacy of Minority Communities
- The Ministry of Minority Affairs has launched a pilot project for minority Cyber Gram for digital literacy in a minority dominated village Chandauli in Alwar district of Rajasthan.
- The Ministry mainstreamed the Cyber Gram project with the Multi-sectoral Development Programme in the year 2014-15 as a special initiative.
- Under this initiative, students of minority communities are provided hands on training in computers to enable them to acquire basic Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills to become digitally literate and to actively participate in knowledge based activities, access financial, social and government services and to use internet for communications.
- The initiative covers students of Class VI to Class X belonging to notified minority communities(Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains) residing in minority concentration areas indentified under Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP).
- The project is being implemented through Common Service Center (CSC) e-governance India Ltd-a company under Department of Electronics and Information Technology with support of States/UTs. The funds per candidate sanctioned under the programme is Rs.1555/- which is shared by Central Government and State.
Ministry of Power awarded for successful implementation of e-Office
- Ministry of Power has been awarded with the Certificate of Appreciation for the commendable work done towards successful implementation of e-Office in the Ministry.
- As part of Government of India’s National e-Governance Programme, the Government of India launched the e-Office System for bringing in effective Governance and quality in public service delivery in Ministries/Departments.
- e-Office System aims at significantly improving the operational efficiency of the Government.
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