Corona updates, farmers protest status, MSP, Robots, weather

29 April 2021

• PM talks with Russian President

  Prime minister, Narendra Modi talked with Vladmir Putin, President of Russia.  The talk, as PM's talks with other world leaders, followed around Corona pandemic and how to fight it. Russia has been India's friend and supplier of technology ever since India's independence. India is manufacturing vaccines that will be used in Russia.

• Is there really no middleman with MSP?

  Even though the government is transferring money directly into the accounts of the farmer from whom its procuring the crops under MSP. However, the crops that the farmers are providing has to weighed, stored, the payment has to be calculated. All this requires manual effort, hence it is difficult to say if the middleman can be eliminated forever.

• Research on Robotic Fruit pickers

  A large amount of money is being invested in research on robotic fruit pickers around the world, particularly in western world where labour shortage results in loss of harvest each year. These robot will detect the fruit and pluck it with their robotic arm. These will work day in day out, with no limitations that are faced with manual labour.

• Uttarakhand discouraging tourists

  Uttarakhand government is discouraging visitors to the state. It has just announced that "Char Dham Yatra" has been cancelled as Corona cases increase. Major tourist attractions like Masourie are under curfew with only necessary services available.

• Weather alert on Telangana

  A number of districts in Telangana have been put on alert for heavy rainfall and thunderstorm.

• Electric tractor successfully tested by Central Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute

  An indigenously developed Electric tractor has been successfully tested by Central Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute. These tests have verified that this tractor is of highest quality and it has been cleared for manufacturing by other authorities.

• "MACS 1407" A new variety of Soybean for mass production

  MACS- Agharkar Research Institute based in Pune have developed a new variety of Soybean "MACS 1407", which is particularly suitable for North-Eastern states and West Bengal, Jharkhand with Chhattisgarh. It is much more productive than the best Soybean variety and is resistant to all types of pests. It is also good for mechanical harvesting and will be released for production in 2022.

• Manish Sisodia asks Central government for more Oxygen

  Manish Sisodia, the Deputy CM of Delhi has requested the Central government for an increase in Delhi's quota of Oxygen for this pandemic, from 490 MT to 976 MT. Further, Delhi government has announced that does not have enough vaccines for all 18 plus population of Delhi.

• Will 5 months become 5 years?

  It has been over 5 months since the farmers started their protests against new laws of the Central Government. The protesting farmers have said that they are ready to protest for 5 more years if required.

• USA advises its citizens to leave India

  US government has advised its citizens to leave India as soon as they can as the Corona situation worsens in the country. US embassy has announced on its website the lack of medical resources in India, in case US citizens here get infected by the disease.