19-Sep-2017: Three states to launch "Zero Hunger Programme" on World Food Day
Three districts – Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Koraput in Odisha and Thane in Maharashtra – will initiate India’s ambitious ‘Zero Hunger’ programme through interventions in farm sector on October 16 (World Food Day). Though many more districts will eventually be covered under this dedicated farm-based programme in sync with India’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end hunger by 2030, these three would act as a model of an integrated approach to deal with hunger and malnutrition by adopting suitable agricultural\horticultural practices.
The Programme will be initiated by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC). The concerned state governments will also be involved in the programme which consists of organisations of farming system for nutrition, setting up genetic gardens for biofortified plants/crops and initiation of a ‘Zero Hunger’ training.
The programme will ensure suitable methods of measuring the impact of intervention. There will be intensive training programme in order to identify the nutritional maladies in each district and the appropriate agricultural/horticultural and animal husbandry remedies. This programme will be launched in addition to what the government has planned to deal with the issue of malnutrition through various other initiatives under its goal to make India malnutrition free by 2022.
20-Jul-2017: Ministry of Rural Development to launch Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana
The Ministry of Rural Development will launch a new sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) which will be named as “Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY)”.
The main objectives of AGEY are to provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) under DAY-NRLM by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas. This will provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services like e-rickshaws, 3 and 4 wheeler motorised transport vehicles to connect remote villages with key services and amenities including access to markets, education and health for the overall economic development of the area.
The Minister said that the sub-scheme will be implemented in 250 blocks in the country on a pilot basis for a period of 3 years from 2017-18 to 2019-20. The States have been informed about the number of blocks allocated to them to take up this sub-scheme in the pilot phases. One of the options proposed to be given under the sub-scheme is that the Community Based Organisation (CBO) will provide interest free loan from its own corpus to Self Help Group member for purchase of the vehicle.
The Government is implementing DAY-NRLM across the country in all States and Union Territories (except Delhi and Chandigarh). Under DAY-NRLM, till date, 34.4 lakh women SHGs have been promoted under the programme. The financial support under the programme is mainly in the form of Revolving Fund and Community Investment Funds, given as grants to the Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations. So far, the total amount released to SHGs is Rs. 1815 crore to about 3.96 lakh SHGs. A sum of Rs. 1088 crore has also been disbursed to 7.28 lakh SHGs as revolving Fund. DAY-NRLM also focuses on bank linkage of the institutions to enable their income The Cumulative Bank Credit mobilized for women SHGs and their federations since inception is to the tune of Rs 1.19 lakh crores.
The programme has a special focus on women empowerment including a dedicated component for promoting farm and non-farm based livelihoods for women farmers in rural areas. About 34 lakh women farmers have benefited under this programme. In addition, start-up enterprises at village levels are also supported to promote entrepreneurial activities in those areas. Projects have been sanctioned for setting up 79,814 enterprises in 5209 villages in 17 states in the country.
9-Mar-2017: Government to launch pilot project on ornamental fisheries.
The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries has envisaged a programme to unlock the potential of country’s ornamental fisheries sector. In this regard, the government will launch a pilot scheme for promoting ornamental fisheries sector with an outlay of Rs 61.89 crore to meet rising demand in domestic and export markets.
The project will be implemented in eight states — Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.
The pilot project will focus on creating an enabling environment for a sustainable and holistic development of ornamental fisheries for the socio-economic development of the people involved in this activity as well as for exports.
The thrust areas have been identified for enhancing ornamental fisheries production through cluster-based farming and conservation of natural resources, both inland and marine, through habitat restoration, the statement said.
The major objectives are: (i) to promote ornamental fish culture with cluster-based approach (ii) to augment ornamental fisheries trade and export earnings (iii) to create employment opportunities for the rural & peri-urban population and (iv) use of modern technology and innovation to make ornamental fisheries a thriving activity.
The pilot project on ornamental fisheries shall be implemented by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) through the Fisheries Departments of States/UTs.
Ornamental fisheries sector is a sub-sector of the fisheries sector dealing with breeding and rearing of coloured fish of both freshwater and marine water. In India it is small but vibrant and there is a potential for tremendous growth. About 400 species of marine ornamental fishes and 375 freshwater ornamental varieties are available in various parts of the country. Ornamental fisheries generate livelihood and income for the rural and peri-urban population, especially women and unemployed youth as part-time activities. The low production cost and high returns within a short span of time and the ever growing demand, both in domestic and international markets, etc. are the major attractions.