Top News Highlights-28 October 2024

Expansion of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana

• The government has expanded the ambit of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) by increasing the limit of loans under the ‘Tarun’ category up to Rs. 20 lakh.
• This scheme would avail extra funds for the same kind of entrepreneurs, who were not funded in the past and strengthen the emerging culture of entrepreneurship
• The Tarun Plus shall now offer loans to such entrepreneurs, who have conducted previous loans properly; their lending and borrowing will thereafter be much wiser.

New Guidelines for Seaweed Import

• The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying issued new guidelines on the regulation of the importation of live seaweeds to raise the quality of seed material for the seaweed sector. These are balanced on both economic activities and sustainable requirements and answer concerns to issues of biosecurity as well as environmental protection.
• Restrictions in imports ensure that there will be adequate measures of biosecurity for invasive species from other ecosystems and protect local ecosystems.

India-Germany Intergovernmental Consultations

• Innovation, mobility and sustainability-the seventh session were what gave strength to this strategic partnership.
• Mutual Legal Assistance and protection of classified information, enhancing security and legal cooperation.
• During consultations, it was reflected how reforms in the Security Council highlighted challenges in global governance.

Pandemic Fund Project for Animal Health Security

• Launched by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, this initiative is supported by a $25 million fund for building pandemic preparedness.
• This program will increase the capacity for dealing with zoonotic diseases and promote animal health security.
• It supports the agenda of global health security agendas that put an emphasis on the human, animal, and environmental health nexus.

Coal-based Electricity Production in the UK and India

• The UK has ended the generation of electricity through the burning of coal-that’s the most major landmark in environment terms.
• Curiously, however, even though India aims at attaining the status of Net Zero Emissions by the year 2070 when coal remains one of the significant sources of the energy system, the possibilities of achieving this target were hardly bright.
• An example to illustrate two consecutive stages in energy policy/infrastructure issues across world environmental targets

Livestock Census in India

• It will be carried out through digital process as for the first time data about 219 aboriginal breeds and pastoral population will be gathered during 21st Livestock census.
• It is to improve the control of diseases, breeding, and rural livelihoods with information needed for policy and economic planning.
• The census is fundamental to agricultural sustainable development and rural economic planning.

Key Concepts and Policies

• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY): A government initiative providing small to medium-sized loans to entrepreneurs without collateral.
• Biosecurity in Agriculture: Safeguards against biological hazards, especially on import and management of livestock and other agriculture inputs.
• Pandemic Fund: Funding that enhances the global and national response capacities to pandemics and focuses on prevention as well as the rapid response ability.
• Environmental Policy and Coal Transition: Deals with shift from coal-powered energy into more sustainable sources; something important for the discussion of policy on the environment.
• Livestock Census: A regular operation that provides data needed for planning and strategizing to implement policies for livestock development.