Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 16 August 2024 | Download PDF

• Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Minority Affairs, launched the Jiyo Parsi scheme portal on 13th August 2024.

About:

• Jiyo Parsi is a uniqe Central Sector Scheme for arresting the population decline of the Parsi Community. 
• The scheme was launched in 2013-14. 
• The objective of the scheme is to reverse the declining trend of Parsi Population by adopting scientific protocol and structured interventions to stabilize their population in India.

The scheme has three components, Medical Assistance, Advocacy & Health of Community:

1. Under Medical Component of the scheme, financial assistance is provided to Parsi Couples for medical treatment under standard medical protocol;
2. Under Health of Community Component, financial assistance is provided to Parsi Couples for child care and assistance of elderly people and
3. Under the Advocacy Component, advocacy/outreach programmes are conducted to generate awareness among the Parsi Population.

• The 70th National Film Awards, honoring cinematic excellence for the year 2022, were announced on August 16, 2024.
• The awards were revealed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in a press conference held in New Delhi.
• Winners will be honored by President Droupadi Murmu in a ceremony scheduled for October 2024.

Major Awards:

• Best Actor: Rishab Shetty for his outstanding performance in the Kannada film Kantara. The movie, also directed by Rishab Shetty, was recognized as the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
• Best Actress: The award was shared by Nithya Menen for her role in Thiruchitrambalam (Tamil) and Manasi Parekh for her performance in Kutch Express (Gujarati).
• Best Feature Film: Aattam, a Malayalam suspense drama directed by Anand Ekarshi, bagged the top honor along with awards for Best Editing and Best Screenplay.
• Best Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya received this award for the Hindi adventure drama Uunchai, featuring an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, and Boman Irani.

• R.N. Agarwal, celebrated as the Father of the Agni Missile passed away on August 15, 2024.

About:

• R.N. Agarwal made significant contributions to India’s missile development program.
• He played a pivotal role in the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) launched in 1983 and served as the founding director of the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) in Hyderabad.
• Agarwal was honored with the Padma Shri in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 2000, recognizing his exceptional contributions to India’s defense technology.

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid tribute to former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his Punya Tithi.
• The homage was paid at ‘Sadaiv Atal,’ a memorial dedicated to Vajpayee.

About:

• Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a revered Indian politician and statesman, held the position of the 10th Prime Minister of India for three distinct periods. 
• Initially, his tenure lasted a mere 13 days in 1996, followed by a 13-month term from 1998 to 1999, and ultimately a complete term from 1999 to 2004. 
• Notably, he was the first non-Indian National Congress Prime Minister to serve a full term, marking a significant shift in Indian political history.
• He is the first Prime Minister after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to become Prime Minister twice in a row.
• He was elected nine times to the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and twice to the Rajya Sabha (House of States), which is a record in itself.

Do you know?

• In recognition of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s contributions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared December 25th, his birthdate, as Good Governance Day. 

• The National Coal Index (NCI) for June 2024 showed a decline of 3.48%, dropping to 142.13 points from 147.25 points in June 2023.
• This reduction reflects the adequate availability of coal in the market, which is sufficient to meet the increasing demands.

Overview of the National Coal Index:

• The NCI is a composite price index that incorporates coal prices across various sales channels, including Notified Prices, Auction Prices, and Import Prices.
• It takes into account prices of both coking and non-coking coal across different grades, relevant to regulated sectors (such as power and fertilizer) and non-regulated sectors.
• The index, established with the base year of FY 2017-18, serves as a key indicator of coal market dynamics, offering valuable insights into price fluctuations.

• Farmers in newly formed revenue villages in Odisha are facing difficulties in availing the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). 

About:

• The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a comprehensive insurance scheme launched by the Indian government in 2016.
• It aims to provide financial support to farmers in the event of crop loss or damage due to unforeseen events such as natural calamities, pests, and diseases

• The central government has increased the devolution of taxes to states in the 2024-25 fiscal year.
• Odisha is also expected to receive Rs. 10,222.56 crore more out of the divisible pool of central taxes this fiscal. 
• The devolution to the state has increased from 1.38% of GTR in 2023-24 to 1.47% in 2024-25. 
• Odisha’s share in total tax devolution of Rs. 12,47,211 crore stood at 4.528% in 2024-25. 
• This increase in devolution will help the state government to increase its spending on various development programs

Tax Devolution in India:

• Tax devolution is a critical aspect of India’s fiscal federalism, ensuring an equitable distribution of tax revenues between the central and state governments. 
• This mechanism is rooted in the Constitution of India, primarily guided by Article 280, which mandates the establishment of a Finance Commission every five years to recommend the distribution of tax revenues.

What is Tax Devolution?

• Tax devolution refers to the allocation of a portion of the central government’s tax revenues to the states.
• It is designed to ensure that states receive a fair share of the taxes collected at the national level, enabling them to fund their own development and welfare programs. 
• The Finance Commission plays a pivotal role in determining the percentage of tax revenues that will be devolved to the states and the criteria for distribution among them.

• Odisha has recently initiated the third phase of its “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign. 

About:

• Har Ghar Tiranga (meaning “Every House, a Flag”) is a nationwide campaign initiated by the Government of India in August 2022 to encourage every Indian citizen to bring the Indian national flag, the Tiranga, home and hoist it to mark the 75th year of India’s independence.

Key Objectives of the Campaign:

• Strengthening National Unity: To foster a sense of national pride and unity among the people of India.
• Personal Connection to the Flag: To transform the relationship of Indians with the national flag from a formal one to a deeply personal and emotional one.
• Remembering Freedom Fighters: To commemorate the sacrifices of the freedom fighters who fought for India’s independence.
• Celebrating India’s Diversity: To showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and diversity.

• Tourists on jungle safari to Debriharg WLS have spotted an endangered Indian Dhole.

About:

• The Indian dhole, also known as the Asiatic wild dog, is an endangered canid species native to Central, South, East, and Southeast Asia. 
• It is a highly social animal, living in large packs and hunting cooperatively. 
• Dholes are excellent hunters and play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance of their habitats.

• The Odisha government has decided to procure potatoes from Uttar Pradesh through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) 
• Readon: To address a severe potato shortage in the state. 
• This decision comes after West Bengal stopped the transportation of potatoes to Odisha, leading to a price hike of the staple food item.   
• Aikm: To supply the procured potatoes to consumers at a subsidized rate of Rs 30 per kg. 

NAFED:

• • NAFED stands for the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd.
  • It’s a government-sponsored apex cooperative federation established in 1958. 
• NAFED acts as a bridge between farmers and consumers, ensuring a fair and efficient market for agricultural produce in India. 

• NAFED plays a crucial role in promoting the economic interests of farmers by:   
• Marketing Agricultural Produce: NAFED facilitates the marketing of agricultural produce, ensuring fair prices for farmers and availability for consumers.   
• Price Stabilization: It helps stabilize prices of agricultural commodities by procuring surplus produce and releasing it in the market when prices are low.   
• Export Promotion: NAFED promotes the export of Indian agricultural products to international markets, increasing farmers’ income.
• Input Supply: It provides farmers with essential inputs like fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides at affordable prices.   
• Value Addition: NAFED encourages value addition to agricultural products, increasing their market value.

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