29-09-21 Daily-Odisha-OPSC Current Affairs

While the NPA as on March 31, 2021 was Rs 11,339.37 crore, it has risen to Rs 13,645.17 crore, which is 7.20per cent of the total credit facility extended to people. This is at much higher side and alarming, said a senior member of the State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC).

While the banks have provided total advance of Rs 1,89,404.28 crore, the NPA is Rs 13,645.17 crore. Each quarter, there is rise in NPA; and due to absence of stimulant recovery measures, the hike has been accelerated.The Pradhan Mantri EMPLOYMENT Guarantee Programme (PMEGP) has turned out to be having the highest NPA of 21.17per cent. The <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture term loan sector has also become a concern for bankers as the NPA level is as high as 11.10per cent.

The is harping on more and more advances to be extended to the Self-Help Groups (SHGs), but cases of NPA are coming to the fore. By 31 August 2021, credit of Rs 1,321 crore has been extended to SHGs and more than 8per cent of it has turned out to be NPA.

The NPA issue was raised in a recently-held SLBC) meeting, in which major bankers sought the State administrations cooperation to arrest the NPA rise.

The SLBC advised the banks to stimulate the recovery measures to curtail the growing NPAs and the State Government was requested to extend support in this regard. While the district administrations support was also sought in this regard, it was felt that proper monitoring and handholding support is also required to restrict fresh slippages.

The banks were advised to increase advance portfolio by extending more priority sector credit in the State. In the programmes like PMEGP, MULM, NRLM and SHG, the NPA is high and on rise owing to non-repayment of loans, mounting overdue.

While NPA is on rise, banks require support from District Magistrates for attachment of property and quick enforcement of the SARFAESI Act, it was felt.

More than 630 applications for such attachments are pending with several district administrations across State, it was pointed out.

Aapda Mitra scheme will soon be launched in 350 districts of India by <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/national-disaster-management-authority”>National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Under this scheme, more than one lakh young volunteers from 350 districts will be trained. So far, 5500 Aapda Mitra and 5500 Aapda Sakhi have been trained, who can extend help in case of disaster or natural calamity like flood in remote places. All these volunteers would get life Insurance by the government.

Union <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched Amul Honey on September 28, 2021. Amul Honey is a product of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.

This product was launched under cooperation with the National Bee Board (NBB).

During the event, Tomar emphasized on importance ofNational Beekeeping and Honey Missionin increasing the income of small farmers.

National Beekeeping and Honey Missionis being implemented in India to double the income of farmers or beekeepers through beekeeping.

Budgetary allocation ofRs 500 crores have been made for this mission.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had put forward his desire to bring in a sweet revolution in the state of Gujarat. Amul Honey was launched to fulfil this.

In India, quality of honey is a major concern. To ensure the quality, 5 large scale Regional Honey Testing Labs and 100 Mini Honey Testing Labs are being set up across the country.

Amrit Grand Challenge Programme titled CARE was launched by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh.

This programme will identify 75 Start-Up Innovations in Telemedicine, Digital Health, Block Chain, mHealth with BIG Data, Artificial Intelligence and other technologies.

Launch of Grand Challenge coincides with the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, it has become more imperative for Young Start-ups and entrepreneurs to come out with Innovative Ideas and solutions for healthcare challenges in India.

Under this initiative, 75 Best Chosen Start-ups will be an asset for India to lead it in the next 25 years.

The fourth Indo – U.S. Health Dialogue commenced on 27 September was Hosted by India.

Highlights:

The Indo – U.S. health Dialogue commenced on 27 September in New Delhi

The Dialogue was led by Indian Delegation, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar and the U.S. delegation, Ms Loyce Pace, Director, Office of Global Affairs at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The two-day Dialogue platform deliberates upon multiple ongoing collaborations between both countries in the .

The two-day Dialogue was worked as a platform to consider multiple collaborations in the health sector between the two countries.

The First MoU was signed for collaboration in the field of Health and Biomedical sciences.

The other MoU was signed for cooperation with the International Centre for Excellence in Research (ICER) and the NIAID (NIH), Indian Council of Medical Research (Icmr).

Union Health Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya delivered a remarkable speech on the last day of the 4th Indo-US Health Dialogue.

Scientists have excavated the remains of an ancient eagle near a barren, dried-up lake in Southern Australia.

This majestic bird is believed to be 25 million years old when the land of southern Australia was teemed with lush forests.

For eagle, this part of the land was teemed with helpless prey.

It was found near Australias Lake Pinpa, which is now-deserted.

Discovery includes a whopping 63 well-kept fossils which also comprises the entirety of the eagles skeleton.

Koala-hunting eagle was slightly smaller and leaner than the wedge-tailed eagle. However, its the largest eagle known in Australia, found about 25 million years ago. They are known as wedge-tail, or wedgies in Australia. They had a broad-winged bird of prey, similar to size of bald eagle of America.

While addressing the celebrations, minister noted that, India is moving towards creating a Disaster Management system to ensure than not a single life is lost, no matter how severe a disaster gets.

On the occasion, he released training manual of Aapda Mitra Scheme as well as plan documents of Aapda Mitra & Common Alerting Protocol.

Foundation Day of NDMA was celebrated under the theme- Stopping Impact of Disaster Incidents in the Himalayan Region.