1. Fisheries Startup Conclave 2.0
Tags: Government Schemes
Why in the news?
- The Department of Fisheries, under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAH&D) is organizing a Fisheries Startup Conclave 2.0 on 8th March 2025 in Hyderabad, Telangana.
Important points:
- The Startup Conclave 2.0 will bring together key stakeholders to discuss and promote innovation in the fisheries sector.
- Startup conclave 2.0 will also witness the launch of the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) Mobile App, a transformative initiative aimed at streamlining digital access to fisheries-related services and resources.
- The Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge 2.0 will also be unveiled, reinforcing the government’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and technological advancements in the sector.
Background
- India's fisheries and aquaculture sector sustains 3 crore livelihoods and drives employment across the value chain. Since 2015, the Government has invested Rs.38,572 crore through initiatives like the Blue Revolution Scheme, FIDF, PMMSY, and PM-MKSSY to promote sustainable growth.
- These startups leverage advanced technologies such as blockchain, IoT, and AI to develop commercially viable solutions that address grassroots challenges, enhance productivity, ensure traceability, and improve value chain efficiencies.
- The Department of Fisheries has launched multiple initiatives to foster innovation and support fisheries startups. The Matsya Manthanseries serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration among stakeholders, facilitating discussions on emerging trends and best practices.
2. New Sanchar Saathi Mobile App brings telecom security tools directly to the fingertips of every citizen
Tags: Government Schemes
Why in the news?
In a landmark move to enhance telecom accessibility, security, and empowerment across India, the Union Minister of Communications, Sh. Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, launched a suite of citizen-focused initiatives.
Important points:
Key highlights of the event included the launch of the Sanchar Saathi Mobile App,National Broadband Mission (NBM) 2.0 and the inauguration of the Intra Circle Roaming facility at DBN Funded 4G Mobile Sites.
The Sanchar Saathi Mobile App is a user-friendly platform designed to fortify telecom security and empower citizens.The Sanchar Saathi Mobile App, available for both Android and iOS platforms,provides users with critical tools to secure their telecom resources and combat telecom frauds.
With over 90 crore smart phone users in the country, the Sanchar Saathi Mobile App aims to ensure that every individual has access to these vital services with just a few taps on their smartphone.
The primary objective of NBM 2.0 is to connect the remaining 1.7 lakh villages across the country and to achieve ambitious milestones.
“Our goal is to ensure that at least 60 out of every 100 rural households have access to broadband connectivity.
Additionally, we aim to achieve a minimum fixed broadband download speed of 100 Mbps, creating a robust digital infrastructure for rural India.
3. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, will launch BHARATPOL portal
Tags: Government Schemes
Why in the news?
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation,Shri Amit Shah will launch BHARATPOL portal developed by central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in New Delhi on 07th January, 2025 in Bharat Mandapam in Delhi.
Important points:
Through the BHARATPOL portal, the country's law enforcement agencies will be able to access real-time information.
This portal will streamline all requests for international assistance through INTERPOL, including the issuance of Red Notices and other color-coded INTERPOL notices.
The BHARATPOL portal will become a transformative tool for field-level police officers, enhancing their efficiency in dealing with crimes and security challenges.
By providing easy and faster access to international assistance, BHARATPOL will strengthen India's efforts to combat international crimes.
4. Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh Launches India’s First Organic Fisheries Cluster
Tags: Government Schemes
Why in the news?
The Union Minister, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and DairyingShri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh inaugurated and laid the foundation for 50 key projects worth Rs. 50 crores under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) covering all North East Region States Except Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, in Guwahati, Assam.
Important points:
To continue the efforts for sustainable development of fisheries in the North Eastern Region, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh notified and launched the Organic Fisheries Cluster in Soreng District of Sikkim.
This is the First of Its Kind in India, for development of organic fisheries and aquaculture in the State of Sikkim under the PMMSY, at North Eastern Region State Meet Guwahati, Assam marking a significant step towards sustainable development of the fisheries in the State.
National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development(NABARD) is a key stakeholder in developing the fisheries and aquaculture organic cluster in Sikkim.
About the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY):
The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), a scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India, implemented by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in all the States and Union Territories (UTs) inter-alia provides adoption of a cluster-based approach to enhance the competitiveness of the fisheries sector, facilitate economies of scale, generate higher incomes, accelerate the growth and expansion of fisheries and aquaculture in an organized manner.
5. SBI launches Har Ghar Lakhpati scheme and SBI Patrons FD deposit scheme
Tags: Government Schemes
Why in the news?
The State Bank of India (SBI), has announced the launch oftwo new deposit schemes Har Ghar Lakhpati and SBI Patrons, for customers.
Key points:
Har Ghar Lakhpati’ is a pre-calculated recurring deposit scheme designed to help customers to accumulate Rs 1 lakh or multiples thereof.
The new scheme simplifies the process of achieving financial goals, allowing customers to plan and save effectively.
This product is also available to minors, encouraging early financial planning and savings habits.
SBI has also introduced ‘SBI Patrons,’ for select senior citizens.
This is a specialized fixed deposit scheme tailored for senior citizens aged 80 years and above.
The new SBI scheme offers enhanced interest rates, recognizing the long-standing relationship many senior customers have with the bank. ‘SBI Patrons’ is available to both existing and new FD investors.
6. Sashakt Beti and e-Drishti projects
Tags: Government Schemes
Why in the news?
Sashakt Beti and e-Drishti projects were launched by the Education Minister,while inaugurating the dedication ceremony at Delhi University.
Important points:
Project Sashakt Beti empowers orphaned and single-parent female students with family incomes under Rs.4 lakh by providing laptops.
Project e-Drishti supports visually impaired studentsby providing tablets to improve their learning and research capabilities.
He also launched the Delhi University Ambulance.
The Commemorative Volume of Donor's Chronicle, 2024, was released by the education minister during the event.
7. MuleHunter.ai
Tags: Government Schemes
MuleHunter.ai
Why in the news?
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hasdeveloped an AI/ML-based model called MuleHunter.ai to tackle the issue of mule accounts, which are used for financial fraud.
What is MuleHunter.ai ?
- TheReserve Bank of India Innovation Hub (RBIH) has introduced MuleHunterAI, an advanced AI/ML modeldesigned to help banks and financial institutions detect and mitigate mule accounts.
- Unlike traditional systems that often produce false alarms, MuleHunter.AI uses machine learning to quickly and accurately identify suspicious accounts by tracking illicit fund flows.
Significance:
- This innovative approach helps banks detect fraud more effectively and efficiently, enhancing the security of India's financial ecosystem.
- Early results show it significantly improves detection rates, marking a major step in the fight against financial crime.
- "RBIH has developed an in-house AI/ML-based solution which is better suited than a rule-based system to identify suspected mule accounts.
- Advanced ML algorithms can analyse transaction and account detail related datasets to predict mule accounts with higher accuracy and greater speed than typical rule-based systems.
- This machine learning based approach has enabled the detection of more mule accounts within a bank’s system.
What is a mule account?
- A mule account is a bank account used by criminals to launder illicit funds, often set up by unsuspecting individuals lured by promises of easy money or coerced into participation.
- The transfer of funds throughthese highly interconnected accounts makes it difficult to trace and recover the funds.
- These accounts help criminals launder money from cybercrimes.
- According to the National Crime Records Bureau(NCRB), onlinefinancial frauds account for 67.8 percent of cybercrime complaints, highlighting the critical need for effective AI-based fraud prevention solutions.
- Mule account caseshave been on the rise, and a whopping 53% of the total fraud threats tofinancial institutions were caused by money mules in 2023.
- Despite government and regulatory bodies actively working to fight this, cybercriminals continue to come up with innovative ways to circumvent the law and pursue money laundering activities.
8. Centre approves 12 new industrial smart city projects.
Tags: Government Schemes
Centre approves 12 new industrial smart city projects.
Why in the news?
- The Government of India has approved 12 new industrial smart city projects with a total project cost of Rs. 28,602 crore (including land cost) for development of trunk infrastructure packages.
Important points:
- As per the approved institutional & financial framework of Industrial Corridor Programme,State Govt provides land and Government of India through National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) provides the equity for development of internal trunk infrastructure components.
- Each industrial city/area/node under the National Industrial Corridor Development Program is managed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
- SPV may have suitable representation from the private sector wherever the State Government decides to involve the private sector.
- It is also authorized to leverage innovative infrastructure funding and delivery tools such as user fee funding, pricing innovations, and delivery through various PPP arrangements for development of industrial smart cities.
- The State Government, as deemed appropriate, may also seek bi-lateral/multilateral funding for this purpose.
- Focus sectors are defined differently for different industrial smart cities. The process involves preparation of a market demand assessment report for defining focus sectors.
- Some of the focus sectors are Heavy Engineering, Auto & Ancillaries, General manufacturing, Pharma & Bio Tech, Electronics Industries, IT& ITES, Agro, Food processing, Computer, Electronic & Optical Products, Aerospace, Rubbers & Plastic, Fabricated Metal Products, R&D, ICT, Electronics Industries, Fabrications (semiconductors), Nanotechnology & Opto electronics.
9. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launches PMeVIDYA DTH 24x7 Channel No. 31 for Indian Sign Language.
Tags: Government Schemes
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launches PMeVIDYA DTH 24x7 Channel No. 31 for Indian Sign Language.
Why in the news?
- Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched thePMeVIDYA DTH 24x7 Channel No. 31 for Indian Sign Language (ISL) today in New Delhi.
About PM e-Vidya channel :
- An exclusive PM e-Vidya channel devoted to the promotion of the Indian Sign Language has been conceptualised to promote ISL as a language as well as a school subject, so that the larger population has access to learning the language.
- This 24x7 Channel will disseminate learning content for school children (Central & State Curriculum), teachers, teacher educators and other stakeholders in the area of career guidance, skill training, mental health, class-wise curricular content, communication skills, as well aspromotion of Sign Language as a language subject, just like verbal languages like Hindi, English etc., for all.
- The content will also be available on YouTube.
Significance:
- This critical initiative supports the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which recommends promotion of Indian Sign Language to foster a more inclusive educational environment.
- Para 4.22 of NEP states that ‘Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be standardized across the country, and National and State curriculum materials developed, for use by students with hearing impairment. Local sign languages will be respected and taught as well, where possible and relevant.’
- Channel 31 to help unlock unmatched talent and bridge the gap between the hearing-impaired and hearing world.
- Empowering individuals through Indian Sign Language is the need of the hour to build a truly inclusive and progressive society
10. World's Largest Grain Storage Plan
Tags: Government Schemes
World's Largest Grain Storage Plan
Why in the news?
- The Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shahin a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha tells that under the Pilot Project, construction of 11 storage godowns in 11 PACS of 11 States with a total of 9,750 MT storage capacity has been completed.
About World's Largest Grain Storage Plan:
- Under the Pilot Project of World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in cooperative sector, godowns at Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) level have been constructed in 11 PACS of 11 States namely Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Telangana, Tripura and Rajasthan, with the support of National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) & NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS).
- Out of 11 constructed storage 3 have been kept by PACS for their own use in the state of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Telangana. 3 have been hired by State/Central agencies in the State of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
- Further, the Pilot Project has been extended and more than 500 additional PACS have been identified as on 21.11.2024 across the country for construction of godowns under World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector.
Important points:
- Under the Plan, subsidies and interest subvention are given to PACS through convergence of various existing Government of India schemes, like Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure Scheme (AMI), etc.
- Under AIF Scheme3% interest subvention is provided for the project up to Rs. 2 crore with loan repayment period of 2+5 years.
- Further, under AMI Scheme 33.33% subsidy is provided to PACS for construction of storage units. Moreover, under the AMI scheme Margin Money requirement for PACS has been reduced from 20% to 10%.
- Apart from assistance for Storage Infrastructure on Capital Cost (including ancillaries like Boundary Wall, Drainage, etc.), now there is additional subsidy to PACS on ancillaries that is restricted to a maximum 1/3rd of the total permissible subsidy of the godown component or actual whichever is lower.
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