Nowcast and Insurance Web-Portals for Farmers

Union Agriculture Minister Launched Nowcast and Insurance Web-Portals for Farmers

Union Agriculture Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh, today said that a number of applications which have been completed and passed through all the required checks and audits are now ready for nationwide rollout. Few of the services we launched include Insurance Portal and Weather alert service NOWCAST. The Ministers of State for Agriculture, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan and Shri Mohanbhai Kalyanjibhai Kundariya were also present on the occasion. Brief about the portals are as follows:

The Mission Mode Project in Agriculture under National e-Governance Plan (NeGP-A) aims to achieve rapid development of agriculture in India through the use of ICT by ensuring timely access to agriculture related information for the farmers of the country.  Twelve clusters of services  including Information on inputs; Soil Health;  Good Agricultural Practices; Weather; Livestock, Fisheries: Marketing: Scheme Information; Training etc. have been identified and development of Web based applications on various components of these services is being undertaken before their roll out in the States with required local customization. 

Urgent need for an Insurance Portal enabling speedy processing farmers’ queries on Insurance and also their application for Agricultural Insurance cover has been felt in the wake of recent adverse weather conditions in some parts of the country and losses suffered by farmers due to their non-awareness about insuring their crops. As per the prevailing provisions Farmers can insure their crops under 3 schemes viz. National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS), Modified National Insurance Scheme (MNAIS) and Weather based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS).  Besides this, Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme (CPIS) also is applicable in some parts of the country.  However, statistics of the year 2014-15 shows that only about 20% gross cropped area was insured.  Major reasons behind such low coverage inter alia include ignorance among farmers about insurance products & procedures and sometimes inordinately high rates as compared to NAU.  Both these factors often work in a vicious cycle to the detriment of farmers. 

Therefore, a beginning was made in the year 2012 by having an insurance calculator on the farmers’ portal (www.farmer.gov.in).  Unfortunately, not much headway could be made because very small time window existed in most States for data entry to be completed well in time before the cut-off date.  Therefore, a new web-based Portal (www.farmer.gov.in/insurance) has been developed to enter essential information under 3 major schemes viz. NAIS, MNAIS and WBCIS in an expeditious, accurate and non-repetitive manner.  An Insurance Calculator has also been provided along with graphical dashboards with drill down facility down to notified units. The farmers will be able to browse through   data-base of agriculture insurance companies to get details of various insurance schemes notified in their area and premium applicable to them. Facility for online entry of various provisions of insurance schemes notified in different districts by the insurance companies and the concerned states would minimize errors and facilitate quick response to online query raised by farmers on different aspects of the scheme. Detailed procedure has also been given on the home page of the Insurance Portal www.farmer.gov.in/insurance. In the second phase an online interface for filing insurance applications and scrutiny of the same by banks is also proposed to be developed.

Information on weather and agro meteorological advisories are generated and disseminated by India Meteorological Department (IMD) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences through their website and also by their 130 Agro Met Field Units (AMFUs) operating across the country.  However, these advisories being generated in advance and cover a larger area, their accuracy always has a limitation due to local agro-ecological variations.  To tackle this situation IMD has set up 17 Doppler Radars which feed information into Weather Stations regarding extreme weather situations like thunderstorm, squall, hail etc.  146 of these Weather Stations are regularly generating data for these extreme situations.   However, these warnings relating to extreme weather situations generated by IMD are valid for a period of only 3 hours on their website.  Farmers in the affected areas (which lie within a radius of 50 Kms. from each of these 146 Weather Stations) could not get this information in time because of limitations in accessing the IMD Website at farm level. Therefore, an innovative initiative has been taken by DAC in the name of NOWCAST.  Under this initiative, the extreme weather data originated from IMD is being moved to mKisan portal using a web service. From mKisan Portal warnings regarding extreme weather conditions are automatically and instantaneously transmitted by SMS to farmers located in affected district/blocks.  This technological break-through is a collaborative effort between mKisan Portal developed by DAC, weather technologies adopted by IMD and GIS Portal of NIC. Advance Warnings issued so far are also displayed on the Web. 

"Housing for All by 2022" Mission - National Mission for Urban Housing

"Housing for All by 2022" Mission - National Mission for Urban Housing

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval for launch of “Housing for All by 2022” aimed for urban areas with following components/options to States/Union Territories and cities:-

a) Slum rehabilitation of Slum Dwellers with participation of private developers using land as a resource;

b) Promotion of affordable housing for weaker section through credit linked subsidy;

c) Affordable housing in partnership with Public & Private sectors and

d) Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction or enhancement.

Central grant of Rs. one lakh per house, on an average, will be available under the slum rehabilitation programme. A State Government would have flexibility in deploying this slum rehabilitation grant to any slum rehabilitation project taken for development using land as a resource for providing houses to slum dwellers. Under the Credit Linked Interest Subsidy component, interest subsidy of 6.5 percent on housing loans availed upto a tenure of 15 years will be provided to EWS/LIG categories, wherein the subsidy pay-out on NPV basis would be about Rs.2.3 lakh per house for both the categories. Central assistance at the rate of Rs.1.5 lakh per house for EWS category will be provided under the Affordable Housing in Partnership and Beneficiary-led individual house construction or enhancement. State Government or their para statals like Housing Boards can take up project of affordable housing to avail the Central Government grant.

The scheme will be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme except the credit linked subsidy component, which will be implemented as a Central Sector Scheme. The Mission also prescribes certain mandatory reforms for easing up the urban land market for housing, to make adequate urban land available for affordable housing. Houses constructed under the mission would be allotted in the name of the female head of the households or in the joint name of the male head of the household and his wife.

The scheme will cover the entire urban area consisting of 4041 statutory towns with initial focus on 500 Class I cities and it will be implemented in three phases as follows, viz. Phase-I (April 2015 - March 2017) to cover 100 Cities to be selected from States/UTs as per their willingness; Phase - II (April 2017 - March 2019) to cover additional 200 Cities and Phase-III (April 2019 - March 2022) to cover all other remaining Cities. However, there will be flexibility in covering number of cities in various phases and inclusion of additional cities may be considered by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation in case there is demand from States and cities and have capacity to include them in earlier phases. Credit linked subsidy component of the scheme would be implemented across the country in all statutory towns from the very beginning.

Dimension of the task at present is estimated at 2 crore. Exact number of houses, though, would depend on demand survey for which all States/Cities will undertake detailed demand assessment for assessing actual demand by integrating Aadhar number, Jan Dhan Yojana account numbers or any such identification of intended beneficiaries.

A Technology Sub-mission under the Mission would be set up to facilitate adoption of modern, innovative and green technologies and building material for faster and quality construction of houses. The Technology Sub-Mission will also facilitate preparation and adoption of layout designs and building plans suitable for various geo-climatic zones. It will also assist States/Cities in deploying disaster resistant and environment friendly technologies.

The Technology Sub-Mission will coordinate with various regulatory and administrative bodies for mainstreaming and up scaling deployment of modern construction technologies and material in place of conventional construction. The Technology Sub-Mission will also coordinate with other agencies working in green and energy efficient technologies, climate change etc.

The Technology Sub-Mission will also work on the following aspects: i) Design & Planning ii) Innovative technologies & materials iii) Green buildings using natural resources and iv) Earthquake and other disaster resistant technologies and designs.

In the spirit of cooperative federalism, the Mission will provide flexibility to States for choosing best options amongst four verticals of the Mission to meet the demand of housing in their states. The process of project formulation and approval in accordance with Mission Guidelines would be left to the States, so that projects can be formulated, approved and implemented faster. The Mission will provide technical and financial support in accordance to the Guidelines to the States to meet the challenge of urban housing.

The Mission will also compile best practices in terms of affordable housing policies of the States/UTs designs and technologies adopted by States and Cities with an objective to spread best practices across States and cities and foster cross learning. The Mission will also develop a virtual platform to obtain suggestions and inputs on house design, materials, technologies and other elements of urban housing.

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Charles Correa, India's 'Greatest Architect', Dies at 84

Charles Correa, India's 'Greatest Architect', Dies at 84

Charles Correa, the face of modern architecture in India, passed away here last night after a brief illness. He was 84.

Mr Correa played a defining role in developing architecture of post-Independence India and has designed some of the most outstanding structures. He was the man behind the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial in Ahmedabad and Madhya Pradesh Assembly building.

In the 1970s, he was the chief architect of Navi Mumbai, the new city that came up across the harbour from Mumbai, and was later appointed the first chairman of the National Commission on Urbanisation. Mr Correa is also known for pioneering work on low-income housing.

He won several national and international awards and was an expert in urban planning and affordable housing. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1972 and Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour, in 2006.

Born in Secunderabad on September 1, 1930, Mr Correa studied at St Xavier's College in Mumbai before going to the University of Michigan and the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Mr Correa taught at several universities in India and abroad and received awards including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, the Praemium Imperiale of Japan and the Royal Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), which billed him as "India's greatest architect".

He founded the Urban Design Research Institute in Mumbai in 1984. The Institute is dedicated to protecting the environment and improving urban communities.

Revision of cumulative targets under National Solar Mission from 20,000 MW by 2021-22 to 1,00,000 MW

Revision of cumulative targets under National Solar Mission from 20,000 MW by 2021-22 to 1,00,000 MW

India surging ahead in the field of Green Energy - 100 GW Solar Scale-Up plan

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval for stepping up of India’s solar power capacity target under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) by five times, reaching 1,00,000 MW by 2022. The target will principally comprise of 40 GW Rooftop and 60 GW through Large and Medium Scale Grid Connected Solar Power Projects. With this ambitious target, India will become one of the largest Green Energy producers in the world, surpassing several developed countries.

The total investment in setting up 100 GW will be around Rs. 6,00,000 cr. In the first phase, the Government of India is providing Rs. 15,050 crore as capital subsidy to promote solar capacity addition in the country. This capital subsidy will be provided for Rooftop Solar projects in various cities and towns, for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) based projects to be developed through the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and for decentralized generation through small solar projects. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) intends to achieve the target of 1,00,000 MW with targets under the three schemes of 19,200 MW.

Apart from this, solar power projects with investment of about Rs. 90,000 crore would be developed using Bundling mechanism with thermal power. Further investment will come from large Public Sector Undertakings and Independent Power Producers (IPPs). State Governments have also come out with State specific solar policies to promote solar capacity addition.

The Government of India may also approach bilateral and international donors as also the Green Climate Fund for achieving this target. Solar power can contribute to the long term energy security of India, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels that put a strain on foreign reserves and the ecology as well. The solar manufacturing sector will get a boost with this long term trajectory of solar capacity addition. This will help in creation of technology hubs for manufacturing. The increased manufacturing capacity and installation are expected to pave way for direct and indirect employment opportunities in both the skilled and unskilled sector.

The new solar target of 100 GW is expected to abate over 170 million tonnes of CO2 over its life cycle. This Solar Scale-up Plan has a target of 40 GW through Decentralized Solar Power Generation in the form of Grid Connected Rooftop Projects. While Decentralized Generation will stabilise the grid, it will minimise investment on power evacuation.

To facilitate such a massive target, the Prime Minister’s Office has been pushing various Ministries to initiate supporting interventions, like:-

a) incorporating changes in land use regulations and tenancy laws to facilitate aggregation and leasing of land by farmers/ developers for solar projects;

b) identification of large chunks of land for solar projects;

c) identification of large government complexes/ buildings for rooftop projects;

d) clear survey of wastelands and identification of transmission/ road infrastructure using satellite technology for locating solar parks;

e) development of power transmission network/ Green Energy Corridor;

f) setting up of exclusive parks for domestic manufacturing of solar PV modules;

g) provision of roof top solar and 10 percent renewable energy as mandatory reform under the new scheme of Ministry of Urban Development;

h) amendments in building bye-laws for mandatory provision of roof top solar for new construction or higher FAR;

i) considering infrastructure status for solar projects; raising tax free solar bonds; providing long tenor loans; making roof top solar a part of housing loan by banks/ NHB and extending IIFCL credit facility to such projects by the Department of Financial Services;

j) suitable amendments to the Electricity Act for strong enforcement of Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) and for providing Renewable Generation Obligation (RGO);

k) incorporating measures in Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) for encouraging distribution companies and making net-metering compulsory.

Background:

JNNSM was launched in 2009 with a target for Grid Connected Solar Projects of 20,000 MW by 2022. In the last two to three years, the sector has witnessed rapid development with installed solar capacity increasing rapidly from 18 MW to about 3800 MW during 2010 - 15. The price of solar energy has come down significantly from Rs.17.90 per unit in 2010 to under Rs.7 per unit, thereby reducing the need of VGF / GBI per MW of solar power. With technology advancement and market competition, this Green Power is expected to reach grid parity by 2017-18. These developments would enable India to achieve its present target of 20,000 MW. But considering its international commitment towards Green and climate friendly growth trajectory, the Government of India has taken this path-breaking decision.

Introduction of the Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015

Introduction of the Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval to introduce a new Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015. The new Bill will provide legislative framework for following new provisions other than the provisions in the existing Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 which is proposed to be repealed:

The main objectives of the proposed legislation are:-

i. to establish the Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India;

ii. The Bureau to perform its functions through a Governing Council, which will consist of its President and other members;

iii. to include goods, services and systems, besides articles and processes under the standardization regime;

iv. To enable the Government to bring under the mandatory certification regime such article, process or service which it considers necessary from the point of view of health, safety, environment, prevention of deceptive practices, security etc. This will help consumers receive ISI certified products and will also help in prevention of import of sub-standard products;

v. to allow multiple types of simplified conformity assessment schemes including Self Declaration Of Conformity (SDOC) against any standard which will give multiple simplified options to manufacturers to adhere to standards and get a certificate of conformity, thus improving the "ease of doing business";

vi. to enable the Central Government to appoint any authority, in addition to the Bureau of Indian Standards, to verify the conformity of products and services to a standard and issue certificate of conformity;

vii. to enable the Government to implement mandatory hallmarking of precious metal articles;

viii. to strengthen penal provisions for better and effective compliance and enable compounding of offences for violations;

ix. to provide recall, including product liability of products bearing the Standard Mark, but not conforming to relevant Indian Standards; and

x. Repeal of the BIS Act, 1986.

Consequential amendments will be made subsequently in the rules and regulations to ensure implementation of the new Bill.

The proposed provisions in the new Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015 will empower the Central Government and the Bureau of Indian Standards to promote a culture of quality of products and services through mandatory/voluntary compliance with Indian standards through the process of 'product certification' and 'Certificate of Conformity' with a broad objective of consumer's welfare. It is also expected to improve enforcement of Indian standards.

The proposed provisions will also promote harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and services, to provide for compulsory hallmarking of precious metal articles, widening the scope of conformity assessment, to enhance penalties, to make offences compoundable and to simplify certain provisions in the Act.

Navy to navy

Navy to navy
One month down the line, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China is already history. The positive outcomes have been commented upon extensively, mainly in the Indian media. The fact that Chinese President Xi Jinping went to Xian to receive his guest, just as the latter went to Ahmedabad to meet his last year, was more than mere courtesy. The joint statement issued as Mr Modi departed from the country covered a very broad spectrum of engagement, some more meaningful than others, and the memoranda of understanding (MOUs) signed with Chinese businessmen in Shanghai totalling $22 billion in investment was the icing on this cake - even if many of the promises do not finally materialise. The prime minster's speech to a university in Beijing did some plain talking, asking China to address "issues that lead to hesitation and doubt, even distrust in our relationship" - surprising many by its frankness.

On the other hand, the joint statement included just three lines on military cooperation, restricting itself to exercises and ship visits. Considering that similar pronouncements with the United States, Australia and Japan included two to three paragraphs on maritime security cooperation, this was a little insipid. Understandably, issues like the Maritime Silk Route, on which the two countries have differences, did not figure in the statement put out for public consumption, though it is possible that some might have been talked over at the more private meetings. And, yes, the South China Sea (SCS) found no mention.

Within 10 days of the prime minister's departure, China came out with its New Defence Strategy. This speaks of "active defence", whatever that might mean, and sets out a goal of moving from "offshore waters defence" to "offshore waters defence and open seas protection". This is a qualitative enhancement in the maritime profile it seeks for itself, commensurate with its ambition of becoming one of two global players, on a par with the United States.

Immediately thereafter came the Shangri-La Conference in Singapore, held annually. This, although non-governmental, attracts official participation at the highest levels. Articulations at this gathering were predominantly focused on maritime security and issues in the waters of the Western Pacific and principally the SCS. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter declared that his country would not accept redrawing of jurisdictions at sea that arose from "artificial structures and reclamation" - clearly pointing his finger at China. The Australian defence minister, shifting from the quite soft position on the South China Sea issues held by his country thus far, stressed the need for "everyone" to adhere to international law, thus implying that China's activities stood in violation of it. Japan's defence minister outlined a Shangri-La Defence Initiative in which there would be confidence-building measures, maritime domain information exchange, a code of conduct and so on. Several leaders from Southeast Asia spoke of serious concerns at the developments in the SCS and the lack of regional trust. India's representative, the junior minister in the ministry of defence, either did not speak or was not heard. The deputy chief of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Staff, Admiral Sun Jianguo, maintained that China would follow its newly promulgated strategy, which was not aimed at any country but would enhance peace and tranquility - not anything unexpected.
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If we look at these three separate events from the Indian point of view, there is some dissonance. It is almost as if we showed little interest on issues that arouse great concern amongst littorals of the Western Pacific or those that operate in these waters. While India is an Indian Ocean Region (IOR) littoral, where most of its interests and concerns lie, almost half of its overseas trade moves through the SCS, and freedom of navigation and safe movement of commerce there must be viewed as an important part of our national interest. This is quite aside from the energy exploration joint ventures that we are participating in with Vietnam and which we might replicate with other littorals of that region in the future; at some time, this is likely to extend into the realm of seabed mining. Therefore, peace and tranquility, and adherence to international law by all concerned are issues on which we must take a position; even more so if our "Look East" policy is to transform into "Act East".

Both China and India are now becoming more reliant on the seas than ever before, and the resulting concerns will continue to grow as their economies integrate more closely with those of others - and, inevitably, the two countries will seek to enhance their maritime profiles. This is easier said than done. Building ships and submarines is only one aspect; for countries that are essentially land powers shifting focus seawards is not easy. With a 15,000-km border with six neighbours, of which two have been military adversaries, India is not going to become a maritime power anytime soon; and much the same can be said of China. As a famous British admiral once said, it takes three years to build a ship, but 300 years to build a navy. So the maritime road for both countries is a potholed one, on which movement can only be slow.

For all the U-boats that Germany built and deployed in World War II and despite all the ships and nuclear submarines that Soviet yards produced in later years, neither country could emerge as a credible power at sea, restricted access to "blue" waters being a major impediment for both. In its quest to become a maritime power, China is also constrained by tyrannies of this same geography, with access to the seas even in the Pacific not easy, leave aside that to the Indian Ocean. India, with its two-coast configuration and island territories that extend its "reach", is better placed, yet capabilities and mindsets that make for such power are not anywhere near.

It is in this perspective that issues connected with our interests at sea should be seen. If the strategy is to contain China militarily while engaging it otherwise, the India-US-Japan-Australia-Vietnam conjunction might appear to be the right way to go; but if the aim is to become a player with some strategic space of its own, not just in the IOR but also in the adjoining region, then greater interaction with China is desirable, even necessary.

This requires not just social, cultural and economic interfaces, such as those just negotiated, but, equally, engagement between the two militaries, especially at sea. At a recent bilateral Track-II meeting in Beijing, a former deputy chief of the PLA General Staff stressed the need to greatly enhance the quality of exercises and exchanges between the two navies as the present level was very ordinary. This suggestion has merit. Future strategic scenarios will increasingly focus on the Indo-Pacific littorals and we must prepare for them more proactively, with maritime security interests acting in concert with diplomacy and our larger national goals and objectives; neither the pre-1962 "Bhai-Bhai", nor the post-conflict "Bye-Bye", but through a steady and careful "By and By".