PIB Summary- 25th February, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

PM Kisan

Why in News?

As on February, 2022, benefits under PM Kisan scheme have been provided to about 11.78 Crore farmers and funds amounting to Rs 1.82 lakh crore in various installments have been released to the eligible beneficiaries of this scheme across India. Out of which Rs. 1.29 lakh crore has been released during the current Covid 19 pandemic period.

About PM KISAN

Nodal: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

• The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme is a Central Sector Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme.
• Under the scheme an income support of 6,000/- per year in three equal installments will be provided to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding/ownership of upto 2 hectares.
• The Scheme initially provided income support to all Small and Marginal Farmers’ families across the country, holding cultivable land upto 2 hectares.
• Its ambit was later expanded to cover all farmer families in the country irrespective of the size of their land holdings.
• Definition of family for the scheme is husband, wife and minor children.
• State Government and UT administration will identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines.
• The fund will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
• There are various Exclusion Categories for the scheme.

Some of the categories of beneficiaries who are NOT eligible for benefit under this scheme are:

• Any institutional land-holders.
• The farmer as well as any member of the family belonging to the following categories:
  (i) Former and present holders of constitutional posts
  (ii) Former and present Ministers/ State Ministers
  (iii) Former or present members of Lok Sabha/ Rajya Sabha/ State Legislative Assemblies/ State Legislative Councils
  (iv) Former and present Mayors of Municipal Corporations
  (v) Former and present Chairpersons of District Panchayats.
  (vi) Any serving or retired officers as well as employees under the Central/ State Government Ministries /Offices/Departments.
  (vii) All retired pensioners who get a monthly pension of Rs.10,000/-or more and belonging to the above category.
  (viii) Any individual who paid their income tax in the last assessment year is not eligible under this scheme.
  (ix) Professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, and Architects registered with Professional bodies and carrying out profession by undertaking practices.

Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East  (PM-DevINE)

Why in News?

The Population Based Cancer Registry of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) reveals that the incidence of cancer in India is highest in the North-Eastern Region.
For the year 2022-23, an initial allocation of Rs 1,500 crore was made for PM-DevINE and one of the major projects identified for starting during the year is “Establishment of Dedicated Services for the Management of Paediatric and Adult Haematolymphoid Cancers in North-East India”
This initiative is expected to give a huge boost to cancer care

About Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East  (PM-DevINE)

• PM-DevINE will be implemented through the North-Eastern Council.
• An initial allocation of Rs. 1,500 crore will be made for the new scheme.
• It will fund infrastructure, in the spirit of PM GatiShakti, and social development projects based on felt needs of the North-East.
• However, it will not be a substitute for existing central or state Schemes.
• While the central ministries may also pose their candidate projects, priority will be given to those posed by the states.

Objectives:

• This will enable livelihood activities for youth and women
• This will also fill the gaps in various sectors.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme

Why in News?

Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj  launched Ombudsperson App for Mahatma Gandhi NREGA.

Ombudsperson App:

• Ombudsperson App is a step towards e-governance, this will be helpful in ensuring transparency and accountability.
• Ministry of Rural Development has developed an Ombudsperson App for smooth reporting and categorization of grievances by Ombudsperson based on complaints he received from various sources viz. physical, digital and mass media, related to the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREG Scheme in the States/UTs.
• The app will enable easy tracking and timely passing of awards by Ombudsperson on each case as per the guidelines.
• Ombudsperson can also easily upload the quarterly and annual reports on the website through the app.
• The app will help the ombudsperson to a greater extent in discharging her/his duty towards transparency and accountability. Also, smooth disposal of the grievances in a time-bound manner with minimal support of further human resources will be possible through the app.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, MGNREGA, is an Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the ‘right to work’. This act was passed in September 2005.
• It aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
• It covers all districts of India except the ones with 100% urban population.
• MGNREGA is to be implemented mainly by gram panchayats (GPs). The involvement of contractors is banned.
• Apart from providing economic security and creating rural assets, NREGA can help in protecting the environment, empowering rural women, reducing rural-urban migration and fostering social equity, among others.

How MGNREGA came to be?

• In 1991, the P.V Narashima Rao government proposed a pilot scheme for generating employment in rural areas with the following goals:
  (i) Employment Generation for agricultural labour during the lean season.
  (ii) Infrastructure Development
  (iii) Enhanced Food Security
• This scheme was called the Employment Assurance Scheme which later evolved into the MGNREGA after the merger with the Food for Work Programme in the early 2000s.

Features of MGNREGA

• It gives a significant amount of control to the Gram Panchayats for managing public works, strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions.
• Gram Sabhas are free to accept or reject recommendations from Intermediate and District Panchayats.
• It incorporates accountability in its operational guidelines and ensures compliance and transparency at all levels.

Objectives of MGNREGA

• Provide 100 days of guaranteed wage employment to rural unskilled labour
• Increase economic security
• Decrease migration of labour from rural to urban areas.