Bihar Affairs
1 lakh free cataract operations by March this year, says Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav
Deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who holds the charge of Health department, on Wednesday announced that his department will initiate a special programme and carry out one lakh freecataract operationsby the end of this financial year. He made this announcement atPatna Medical Collegeand Hospital where he had gone to inaugurate a cath lab with high-end machines.
Through online mode, he also inauguratedThalassemia Day Care Unitset up at Bhagalpur and Gaya hospitals. While inspecting the cath lab at PMCH, Tejashwi said it will provide better facilities to heart patients, who will get free treatment and tests done. H also asked the doctors and other healthcare workers present on the occasion to give the best treatment to patients, both in terms of medical and behaviour wise.
State health department additional chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit said the cath lab will help heart patients, whose numbers have increased. He said the department was focussing on changes across the medical colleges and hospitals and new technology and equipment will be added everywhere.
National and International Affairs
Agriculture Infrastructure gap
In order to bridge the <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture gap by empowering agriculture and villages and boosting private Investment, the Government of India launched a Central Sector Scheme of financing facility under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. The AgricultureInfrastructure Fund (AIF) is a medium-long term debt financing facility through interest subvention and credit guarantee support on loans for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets.
Under the scheme, Rs. 1 Lakh Crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans with interest subvention of 3% per annum and credit guarantee coverage under CGTMSE for loans up to Rs. 2 Crores to the eligible beneficiaries include farmers, FPOs, PACS, Marketing Cooperative Societies, SHGs, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Agri-entrepreneurs, Start-ups, and Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public-Private PARTNERSHIP Projects for creation of post-harvest management infrastructures like Supply chain Services including e-marketing platforms, Warehouses, Silos, Pack houses, Assaying units, Sorting & grading units, Cold chains, Logistics facilities, Primary processing centres, Ripening Chambers etc.
Community farming assets eligible under Agri Infra Fund includes: Organic inputs production, Bio stimulant production units, Infrastructure for smart and precision agriculture, Projects identified for providing supply chain infrastructure for clusters of crops including export clusters, Projects promoted by Central/State/Local Governments or their agencies under PPP for building community farming assets or post-harvest management projects.
KISAN RAIL
To implement the budget announcement 2020-21, a Committee was constituted on Kisan Rail and Krishi Udan. The Committee constituted a sub-committee for detailed deliberation and preparation of concept note under convenership of Executive Director, RAILWAY Board.
Ministry of Railways after due deliberation with Ministry of <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has started operating Kisan Special Trains for transportation of perishable / agriculture products, Dairy, Fisheries etc. These trains are multi-commodity, multi-consignor/consignee Services, running in a time-tabled manner with stoppages at all major stations.
The first Kisan Rail was flagged off from Devlali (Maharashtra) to Danapur (Bihar) by Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Shri Piyush Goyal, then Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Commerce & Industry on 7th August 2020, for transportation of perishable agriculture/horticulture products, dairy, fisheries etc.
Currently, a total of 2359 trips of Kisan Rail trains have been operated on 167 routes, wherein nearly 7.9 lakh tones of consignments have been transported.
The routes for Kisan Rail are decided on demand received from farmers and other stakeholders. Whenever a demand for Kisan Rail for a particular route is received, arrangements are made by the concerned Zonal Railway for supply for rakes and operation of Kisan Rail train, duly considering the operational feasibility of the proposed route.