PIB Summary- 17th October, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

Why in News?
PM paid tribute to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on his Jayanti.

About Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

• Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born to Jainulabdeen, a boat owner and Imam, and Ashiamma, a housewife.
• Kalam had four brothers and a sister, all elder to him.
• Kalam studied at a school in Ramanathapuram and acquired a degree in Physics from Saint Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli. In 1955, he went to the Madras Institute of Technology to pursue aerospace engineering.
• After that, he got a job as a scientist at the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). He also worked under eminent scientist Vikram Sarabhai.

Missile Man of India

• Kalam was transferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969. At ISRO, he was the Project Director of the satellite launch vehicle (SLV) that successfully deployed the satellite Rohini into orbit in 1980. It was India’s first SLV.
• Kalam also worked to develop the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
• He was known as the ‘Missile Man of India’ for his work in the development of ballistic missile technology.
• From 1992 to 1999, Kalam was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of the DRDO. Kalam was the Chief Project Coordinator during the Pokhran II tests. During this time, Kalam became India’s best-known scientist.

President of India

• In 2002, Abdul Kalam was elected the 11th President of India. He had won by a huge margin. He was the first scientist to become India’s President and incidentally the first bachelor too.
• Kalam’s term as the president which lasted the full term till 2007 was beneficial for the office of the president itself. He came to be called the People’s President.
• Despite pressure from the people to have him stand for a second term, he decided not to contest.
• After the presidency, Kalam became a visiting professor at the IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Shillong, IIM Indore, the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Anna University, etc.
• Abdul Kalam died of a cardiac arrest while giving a lecture at the IIM Shillong on 27 July 2015. There was widespread grief expressed at his passing away with the government of India declaring a 7-day state mourning.

Books Written by APJ Abdul Kalam

• India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium
• Wings of Fire
• Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India
• Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji
• A Manifesto for Change: A Sequel to India 2020

PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022

Why in News?
Prime Minister will inaugurate the two-day event “PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022” at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.

Key Points

• The event brings together more than 13,500 farmers from across the country and around 1500 Agri Startups. More than 1 crore farmers, from various  institutions are expected to attend the event virtually.
• The Sammelan will also witness participation of researchers, policy makers and other stakeholders.

Pradan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras

• Prime Minister will inaugurate 600 Pradan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PMKSK) under the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
• Under the scheme, the fertilizer retail shops in the country will be converted into PMKSK in a phased manner.
• PMKSK will cater to a wide variety of needs of the farmers and provide agri-inputs (fertilizers, seeds, implements);
  • Testing facilities for soil, seeds, fertilizers;
  • Generate awareness among farmers;
  • Provide information regarding various government schemes and ensure regular capacity building of retailers at block/ district level outlets.
  • More than 3.3 lakh retail fertilizer shops are planned to be converted into PMKSK.

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana

• During the event, Prime Minister will launch Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana – One Nation One Fertilizer.
• Under the scheme, Prime Minister will launch Bharat Urea Bags, which will help companies market fertilizers under the single brand name “Bharat”.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

• In a reflection of the continued commitment of the Prime Minister towards welfare of the farmers, during the event, Prime Minister will release the 12th instalment amount of Rs. 16,000 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) through Direct Benefit Transfer.
• Under the scheme, eligible farmer families are provided a benefit of Rs. 6000 per year in three equal instalments of Rs. 2000 each. So far, eligible farmer families have received benefits of more than Rs. 2 lakh crore under PM-KISAN.

Agri Startup Conclave and Exhibition

• Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Agri Startup Conclave and Exhibition.
• About 300 startups will showcase their innovation related to Precision Farming, Post-Harvest & Value Add Solutions, Allied Agriculture, Waste to Wealth, Mechanisation for Small Farmers, Supply Chain Management, Argi-Logistic, among others.
• The platform would facilitate startups to interact with farmers, FPOs, agri-experts, corporates etc.
• Startups will also share their experience and interact with other stakeholders in technical sessions.

Indian Edge

• Prime Minister will also launch ‘Indian Edge’, an e-magazine on fertilizer.
• It will provide information on domestic and international fertilizer scenarios, including recent developments, price trends analysis, availability and consumption, success stories of farmers, among others.