Integration of Mandis With e-NAM

About e NAM:

• National Agriculture Market (NAM) is a pan-India electronic trading portal which networks the existing APMC mandis to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities.
• The NAM Portal provides a single window service for all APMC related information and services. This includes commodity arrivals & prices, buy & sell trade offers, provision to respond to trade offers, among other services.
• While material flow (agriculture produce) continue to happen through mandis, an online market reduces transaction costs and information asymmetry.
• Agriculture marketing is administered by the States as per their agri-marketing regulations, under which, the State is divided into several market areas, each of which is administered by a separate Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) which imposes its own marketing regulation (including fees).
• This fragmentation of markets, even within the State, hinders free flow of agri commodities from one market area to another and multiple handling of agri-produce and multiple levels of mandi charges ends up escalating the prices for the consumers without commensurate benefit to the farmer.
• NAM addresses these challenges by creating a unified market through online trading platform, both, at State and National level and promotes uniformity, streamlining of procedures across the integrated markets, removes information asymmetry between buyers and sellers and promotes real time price discovery, based on actual demand and supply, promotes transparency in auction process, and access to a nationwide market for the farmer, with prices commensurate with quality of his produce and online payment and availability of better quality produce and at more reasonable prices to the consumer.

Objectives of NAM:

• A national e-market platform for transparent sale transactions and price discovery initially in regulated markets.
• Willing States to accordingly enact suitable provisions in their APMC Act for promotion of e-trading by their State Agricultural Marketing Board/APMC.
• Liberal licensing of traders / buyers and commission agents by State authorities without any pre-condition of physical presence or possession of shop /premises in the market yard.
• One license for a trader valid across all markets in the State.
• Harmonisation of quality standards of agricultural produce and provision for assaying (quality testing) infrastructure in every market to enable informed bidding by buyers. Common tradable parameters have so far been developed for 69 commodities.
• Single point levy of market fees, i.e on the first wholesale purchase from the farmer.
• Provision of Soil Testing Laboratories in/ or near the selected mandi to facilitate visiting farmers to access this facility in the mandi itself. M/s. Nagarjuna Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd. is the Strategic Partner (SP) who is responsible for development, operation and maintenance of the platform.
• The broad role of the Strategic Partner is comprehensive and includes writing of the software, customizing it to meet the specific requirements of the mandis in the States willing to integrate with NAM and running the platform.

Implementation of Rashtriya Gokul Mission

About Rashtriya Gokul Mission:

• Potential to enhance the productivity of the indigenous breeds of India through professional farm management and superior nutrition is immense. For this it is essential to promote conservation and development of indigenous breeds.
• The “Rashtriya Gokul Mission” aims to conserve and develop indigenous breeds in a focused and scientific manner.
• It is a focussed project under National Programme for Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development, with an outlay of Rs 500 crore during the 12th Five Year Plan.

Importance & need for conservation of indigenous breeds:

• During 2012-2013, about 45 million cattle were ‘in milk’ and contributed around 59 million tonnes of milk Cattle not only contribute substantially to milk production but are also used as draught animals, for agricultural operations and transport in rural areas.
• Most of the agricultural operations by small farmers are performed by bullocks.
• They also provide cow dung (organic manure), cow urine (medicinal value).
• Indigenous cattle are categorized as Zebu and are suited for draught power because of the presence of a hump.
• Indigenous cattle are well known for their quality of heat tolerance and ability to withstand extreme climatic conditions.
• Studies indicate that temperature rise due to global warming will negatively impact milk production.
• The annual loss in milk production of cattle and buffaloes due to thermal stress in 2020 will be about 3.2 million tonnes of milk costing more than Rs 5000 Crore at current price rate.
• The decline in milk production and reproductive efficiency will be highest in crossbred cattle followed by buffaloes.
• Indigenous Breeds will be least affected by climate change as they are more hardy and robust.
• Some of the indigenous breeds have enormous potential to become high yielding commercial milch animals under optimal farm management.

The pre-requisites for the development of a breed are-

a) the presence of a minimum base population and

b) a wide selection differential for economic traits.

• The indigenous dairy breeds with potential for development as commercially viable milch cattle in a shorter time frame are- Sahiwal in Punjab; Rathi and Tharparkar in Rajasthan; and Gir and Kankrej in Gujarat.
• If these breeds are selectively crossed with bulls selected through sibling and progeny testing, the offsprings would be commercially viable. In this manner the entire population of the breed can be upgraded in a few generations.

Objectives:

• To undertake breed improvement program for indigenous cattle breeds so as to improve genetic makeup and increase the stock.
• To enhance milk production and productivity of indigenous bovines.
• To upgrade nondescript cattle using elite indigenous breeds like Gir, Sahiwal, Rathi, Tharparkar, Red Sindhi.
• To distribute disease free high genetic merit bulls of indigenous breeds for natural service.

Implementation:

• State Implementing Agency (SIA)- Livestock Development Boards (LDB)
• State Gauseva Ayogs- Mandated to sponsor proposals to the SIAs and monitor implementation of the sponsored proposal
• Participating Agencies- All Agencies having a role in indigenous cattle development. Ex- ICAR, universities, Colleges, NGOs and Gaushalas with best germplasm

Components:

• Establishment of village level Integrated Indigenous Cattle Centres viz Gokul Gram Strengthening of bull mother farms to conserve high genetic merit Indigenous Breeds.
• Establishment of Field Performance Recording (FPR) in the breeding tract.
• Assistance to Institutions/lnstitutes which are repositories of best germplasm
• Implementation of Pedigree Selection Programme for the Indigenous Breeds with large population.
• Establishing Gopalan Sangh- Breeder’s Societies.
• Distribution of disease free high genetic merit bulls for natural service.
• Incentive to farmers maintaining elite animals of indigenous breeds.
• Heifer rearing programme.
• Award to Farmers (Gopal Ratna) and Breeders” Societies (Kamadhenu).
• Organization of Milk Yield Competitions for indigenous breeds.
• Organization of Training Programme for technical and non technical.

Gokul Gram:

• These are Indigenous Cattle Centres and will act as Centres for development of Indigenous Breeds.
• They’ll be established- a) in native breeding tracts and b) near metropolitan cities for housing the urban cattle.
• A dependable source for supply of high genetic breeding stock to the farmers in the breeding tract Self sustaining and will generate economic resources from sale of milk, organic manure, vermi-composting, urine distillates, and production of electricity from bio gas for in house consumption and sale of animal products.
• Also function as state of the art in situ training centre for Farmers, Breeders.

Paint Your Toilet

Highlights:

• In an effort to promote ownership and sustained usage of toilets and also provide a facelift to the crores of toilets built under the Swachh Bharat Mission, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has launched a month-long campaign, “Swachh Sundar Shauchalaya” that commenced on 1st January.
• The campaign comprises a unique Contest, under which, households are being mobilised to paint and decorate their toilets.
• It will be spearheaded by Gram Panchayats and coordinated by district administrations. The campaign will involve rural communities in the 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across the country.
• Individual households, Gram Panchayats and Districts will be awarded on the basis of number of toilets painted and the quality and creativity of their work.
• Through the month, each household owner shall be motivated to beautify their toilets by freshly painting and decorating it creatively, including Swachh Bharat logos and safe sanitation messaging.
• The campaign has been rolled out across rural India and the Ministry is monitoring the progress through a specially designed portal.
• This campaign is one more innovative step by the Government to reinforce Swachh Bharat as a Jan Andolan as envisaged by the Prime Minister.
• The sanitation coverage in rural India has already crossed 98%,with over 9 crore toilets built under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) since its launch.
• Access to toilets is an important step towards the adoption of safe sanitation practices and an Open Defecation Free (ODF) nation.
• It is also true that well-kept, well-maintained and beautiful toilets encourage people towards sustained usage.
• Swachh Sundar Shauchalaya is being seen as a strong move towards quality and sustainability in the mode of people’s participation.

Mission Indradhanush

Highlights:

• ‘Mission Indradhanush’ has been selected as one of the 12 best practices globally and has been featured in a special issue of the British Medical Journal titled ‘Improving vaccination coverage in India: lessons from Intensified Mission Indradhanush, a cross-sectoral systems strengthening strategy’.
• Mission Indradhanush is a health mission of the government of India. It was launched by Union Health Minister on 25 December 2014.
• It aims to immunize all children under the age of 2 years, as well as all pregnant women, against seven vaccine preventable diseases.
• The diseases being targeted are diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles and Hepatitis B.
• In addition to these, vaccines for Japanese encephalitis and Haemophilus influenzae type B are also being provided in selected states.
• In 2016, four new additions have been made namely Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis, Injectable Polio Vaccine Bivalent and Rotavirus. In 2017, Pneumonia was added to the Mission by incorporating Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine under Universal Immunization Programme.

Areas Under Focus

• Mission Indradhanush targets 201 high priority districts in the first phase, 297 districts for the second phase in the year 2015 and 216 districts in the third Phase during 2016.
• Within the districts, the Mission focusses on high risk settlements identified by the polio eradication programme. These are the pockets with low coverage due to geographic, demographic, ethnic and other operational challenges.
• Evidence has shown that most of the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children are concentrated in these areas.

The following areas are targeted through special immunization campaigns:

High risk areas identified by the polio eradication programme. These include populations living in areas such as:

• Urban slums with migration
• Nomads
• Brick kilns
• Construction sites
• Other migrants (fisherman villages, riverine areas with shifting populations etc.) and
• Underserved and hard to reach populations (forested and tribal populations etc.)
• Areas with low routine immunization (RI) coverage (pockets with Measles/vaccine preventable disease (VPD) outbreaks).
• Areas with vacant sub-centers: No ANM posted for more than three months.
• Areas with missed Routine Immunisation (RI) sessions: ANMs on long leave and similar reasons
• Small villages, hamlets, dhanis or purbas clubbed with another village for RI sessions and not having independent RI sessions.

Women of India Organic Festival

Highlights:

• “The festival aims to encourage Indian women entrepreneurs and farmers to connect with more buyers and thus, empower them through financial inclusion, while promoting organic culture in India.
• Through this festival, the Ministry also aims to educate people about its various initiatives and schemes relating to women and children”.
• Over 100 women are coming together at Leisure Valley, which will become the epicentre of an organic extravaganza.
• The Festival will showcase over 1,000 varied organic products, including fabric, wellness, grains, seeds, jewellery, bakery items and a lot more.
• The Women of India Organic Festival has been held annually in New Delhi since 2015, and makes its debut in Chandigarh this year, bringing the joy of going organic to the evergreen Leisure Valley, which is a continuum of gardens, to showcase the varied products of women farmers and entrepreneurs.
• With each year, the sales and footfalls at the Organic Festival have only increased, indicating a growing interest in organic produce.