UPSC (IAS) Prelims 2020: All Important Government Schemes Ministry Wise Explained

There is no fixed pattern followed by the UPSC to frame the Prelims question paper. Thus, it is necessary to study all the government schemes carefully. In this article we have mentioned all the important government schemes launched by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

National Agricultural Higher Education Project or NAHEP:

• It is launched by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) with an aim to attract new talent and strengthen higher agricultural education in the country.

• It is funded by the World Bank & the Indian Government (50:50 ratio)

• A four-year degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, & Forestry will now be treated as a professional degree.

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)

• This government scheme was launched in 2016 after rolling 3 existing government schemes (National Agriculture Insurance Scheme, Weather-based Crop Insurance scheme and Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme).

• According to the scheme, a uniform premium of 2% is to be paid by Kharif crops farmers, & 1.5% for Rabi crops. The premium for annual commercial and horticultural crops will be 5%.

• The difference between premium and the rate of insurance charges payable by farmers is given as subsidy & shared equally by the Centre and State

• The scheme provides financial support to farmers suffering crop loss or damage due to unforeseen events

• At the beginning of the Rabi Season, Gram Sabhas are to inform the farmers about the enrolment and benefits of PMFBY scheme.

New provisions were amended in the scheme applicable from October 2018. These include-

1. Incidents of localized disasters such as water logging, landslide, cloud bursts, hailstorms and fire will be included in scheme.

2. Insurances firms will also have to spend 0.5% of their earnings from annual premium to advertise provisions of the PMFBY scheme.

3. State government & insurance firms will have to pay interest of 12 percent if there is delay in the release of state’s share of subsidy in premium to insurance firms and delay in clearing insurance claims for crop damages to farmers respectively.

Online Portal “ENSURE” developed by NABARD:

• ENSURE – National Livestock Mission-EDEG. It is a portal developed by NABARD & operated under the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries.

• Under the Mission’s component EDEG, a subsidy payment for activities related to poultry, small ruminants, etc goes directly to the beneficiary’s account of farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

• This portal makes the information related to beneficiary & processing of application readily available.

• You can access the portal on a real-time basis with a list of beneficiaries that can be easily prepared.

• The burden of extra interest due to delay in the subsidy disbursal will now be reduced.

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA):

This scheme aims to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce.

‘PM-AASHA’ includes three sub-schemes which are as follows-

Price Support Scheme (PSS):

• Under it, the physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds, and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with the state government proactive role.

• NAFED and FCI will take up PSS operations in states and districts together.

• The procurement expenditure & losses due to procurement will be borne by the Union Government.

Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS):

• This scheme covers all oilseeds with notified Minimum Support Price (MSP)

• Under it, direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling/modal price will be made to pre-registered farmers for selling his produce in the notified market yard by a transparent auction process.

Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS):

• Pilot district and selected APMC(s) scheme will cover one or more crop of oilseeds for which MSP is notified.

• This scheme involves physical procurement of the notified commodity.

• The selected private agency shall procure the commodity at Minimum Support Price in the notified markets during the notified period from the registered farmers according to the PPSS Guidelines.