24.08.21 Daily [Andhra Pradesh] APPSC Current Affairs

The perennially drought-hitPalnaduregion of Guntur district has emerged as capital for production of pulses in the state. The presence of over 50 dal (pulse) mills is helping a large number of local farmers to switch to pulse cultivation as it is giving them decent profits.
The farmers in the region usually are dependent on cash crops such as cotton and chilli but are now slowly moving to cultivation of red gram and green gram.

The cultivation of pulses is saving money for farmers. Growing cotton and chilli has become a gamble due to frequent fall in prices. The cultivation of chilli and cotton require massive investment, pushing farmers into a debt trap whenever the crop gets damaged or prices dip in the market. Chilli and cotton prices are witnessing severe fluctuation every alternate year leaving farmers in distress.

According to sources, the dal mill industry is making a turnover of over Rs 3,000 crore every year as the millers are exporting stocks to various states and overseas.

As per the age-old culture related to the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, the holy mace (Chhari Mubarak) of Lord Shiva used to be introduced to the ancient Shankaracharya Temple.

Highlights:

It is additionally recognised as the Jyoteshwar temple or Pas-Pahar via Buddhists. Persians and Jews name it Bagh-i-sulaiman or the Garden of King Solomon. Persian inscriptions are also determined inside the temple.

It is on the pinnacle of the Shankaracharya Hill (also referred to as Hill of Solomon) on the Zabarwan Mountain in Srinagar, Kashmir.

The temple is regarded as the oldest temple of the valley of Kashmir.

It is dedicated to Lord Shiva The temple is at a peak of 1,000 feet above the undead and overlooks the town of Srinagar.

The temple dates to 200 BC, though the present structure probably dates to the ninth century AD.

It was once visited through Adi Shankara and has been due to the fact that it has been associated with him; this is how the temple got the title Shankaracharya.

AnRTIreply from theministry of environment and foreststo activist K Govindan Namboothiry stated that 474elephantswere electrocuted in the country from 2014 to 2020.

Maximum deaths were reported in 2018 at 81, while the average was 70 every year until then. As many as 65 elephants died till December 2020 -13 inAssamand 10 inWest Bengal. The maximum number of deaths in these six years was reported in Assam (90), followed by Odisha (73),Tamil Nadu(68) andKarnataka(65).Keralareported 24 elephant deaths during this period.

Minister for Finance, Nirmala Sitharaman has launched the asset monetisation pipeline of Central ministries and public zone entities: National Monetisation Pipeline. Asset Monetisation, potentially a constrained period license/ lease of an asset, owned by the government or public authority, to a private region entity for upfront or periodic consideration.

Highlights:

The National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) lists out belongings and asset classes, under various infrastructure ministries, which will be monetised over a length of time. Which capacity belongings will be monetised.

This pipeline has been developed by NITI Aayog, in session with infrastructure line ministries, based totally on the mandate for Asset Monetisation underneath Union Budget 2021-22.

NMP estimates combination monetisation possible of Rs 6.0 lakh crores thru core assets of the Union Government, over a four-year period, from FY 2022 to FY 2025.

Rajnath Singh (Defence Minister) launched Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) 5.0 beneath (iDEX-DIO) – Innovations for Defence Excellence Defence Innovation Organisation initiative, on 19th August 2021, in New Delhi.

Highlights:

The Defence Ministry has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore for home procurement via the iDEX initiative for the monetary year 2021-2022. The Defence Production Department, Ministry of Defence has accepted budgetary support of Rs. 498.80 crore for iDEX for the subsequent five years from 2021-22 till 2025-26.

Defence India Startup Challenge is a platform wherein the Government, Services, think tanks, industry, startups and innovators can work collectively to help the defence & aerospace sectors attain full workability with the aid of developing a strong, cutting-edge & well-equipped military and equally capable & self-reliant defence industry.

The World Water Week is regarded as an annual event organized via Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) because 1991 to tackle the international water troubles and associated concerns of global development. The World Water Week 2021 has been organised from 23-27 August, in entirely digital format. The theme: Building Resilience Faster.