Current Affair Category: Agriculture

Why in News? Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, will inaugurate the National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations (NAKSHA) in 152 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across 26 States and 3 Union Territories on February 21, 2025, at Raisen, Madhya Pradesh. This event will feature drone […]

Why in News?The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) recently celebrated its 9th anniversary, marking nearly a decade of empowering Indian farmers through comprehensive crop insurance. About PMFBY- Launch: Initiated in 2016 by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. Coverage: The scheme includes all farmers, such as sharecroppers and tenant farmers, cultivating notified crops […]

Why in News? The establishment of a Makhana Board in Bihar was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. This initiative is aimed at promoting the production, processing, and export of makhana (fox nuts), a key agricultural product of Bihar, especially in the Mithila region. The creation of the Makhana Board […]

Why in News?  Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget, announced a five-year mission to “facilitate significant improvements in productivity and sustainability of cotton farming, and promote extra-long staple (ELS) cotton varieties.” What is Extra-long Staple Cotton? Cotton is categorized based on fibre length into short, medium, and long staple. In India, […]

Public Sector Banks will develop a ‘Grameen Credit Score’ framework to empower self-help groups (SHGs) and rural borrowers About Grameen Credit Score: Objective and Purpose: Main Objective: To simplify access to financial services and loans for rural borrowers. Empowerment of Self-Help Groups (SHGs): The system aims to help self-help groups (SHGs) and rural borrowers, who […]

The National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM) is a government initiative designed to enhance and modernize agricultural marketing in India. It aims to create a conducive environment for efficient, competitive, and transparent agricultural markets, ensuring better returns for farmers and reducing the supply chain inefficiencies. The key objectives and features of NPFAM are: Key Objectives of […]

Why in news ? The government introduced the Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs (MCGS-MSME), announced in the FY25 Budget. Objective: To provide credit guarantee coverage for loans up to ₹100 crore to eligible MSMEs for procuring equipment and machinery. Guarantee Coverage: The scheme offers 60% guarantee coverage by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) to Member Lending Institutions […]

Approval of National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM):  The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the mission with a budget of ₹16,300 crore. Purpose of NCMM: To promote exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recovery of critical minerals, both domestically and at offshore locations. Goal: Reduce dependence on critical mineral imports and ensure self-reliance in critical mineral supply. Comprehensive Value Chain: The […]

Minimum Income Support (MIS) refers to a government policy aimed at providing a guaranteed income to individuals or families, particularly from low-income or vulnerable groups, to ensure they have a basic standard of living. Unlike traditional subsidies or price guarantees (like MSP), MIS focuses on securing a minimum level of income for people, regardless of […]

Revised Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) [OMSS(D)] Policy 2024-25 Key Updates: Reserve Price for Rice: Fixed at ₹2,250 per quintal for sale to State Governments, State Corporations, and Community Kitchens. No e-auction participation required. Ethanol Production Support: Reserve price for rice sold to ethanol distilleries also set at ₹2,250 per quintal.  What is Open Market […]