Samajho’s Telegram Compilation: Part 1

This is a compilation of various Articles / Solutions to MCQs that we regularly post on our Telegram Channel.
Don't miss out on the action & make sure that you join us on the Telegram App. Click here to join.

• About
  • A key piece of legislation governing inter-state migrants in India is the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979. 
• Highlight
  • The Act was enacted to prevent the exploitation of inter-state migrant workmen by contractors and to ensure fair and decent conditions of employment. 
  • The law requires all establishments hiring inter-state migrants to be registered, and contractors who recruit such workmen be licensed. 
  • Contractors are obligated to provide details of all workmen to the relevant authority. 
  • Migrant workmen are entitled to wages similar to other workmen, displacement allowance, journey allowance, and payment of wages during the period of the journey. 
  • Contractors are also required to ensure regular payment, non-discrimination, provisioning of suitable accommodation, free medical facilities, and protective clothing for the workmen.

• Context
  • On May 7, 2020, the Government of India is to begin “Vande Bharat Mission”. The mission is considered as one of the biggest evacuation exercises.
• Highlights
  • More than 14,800 Indians are stranded abroad. The mission also aims at operating non-scheduled commercial flights.
  • The flights are being operated based on the Standard of Procedure issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Operating Procedure of the mission
  • Under the mission, the people evacuated are to compulsorily download the “Arogya Setu” application. After returning to India, these people are to be kept under quarantine for 14 days.
• History
  • The entire Vande Bharat Mission is to be led by Air India. Air India in 1990 had conducted a similar mission. During the mission, around 111,711 Indians were airlifted from the Gulf after Iraq invaded Kuwait.

• Sunrise industry is a term used for a sector that is just in its infancy but shows promise of a rapid boom.
• The industry is typically characterized by high growth rates, a high degree of innovation, and generally has plenty of public awareness about the sector, and investors get attracted to its long-term growth prospects.
• On the other hand, the Sunrise industry's rapid emergence may threaten a competing industry sector that is already in decline. Because of its dim long-term prospects, such an industry is referred to as a sunset industry.
• Existing Indian sectors that can be termed as Sunrise sectors and likely to hold us in good stead in the future in terms of employment generation and business growth are:
  1. Information Technology
  2. Telecom Sector
  3. Healthcare
  4. Infrastructure Sector
  5. Retail Sector
  6. Food Processing Industries
  7. Fisheries

• Context
  • The Task Force on National Infrastructure Pipeline recently submitted its report to the Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitaraman. Under the report, the task force has recommended to set up the National Land Management Corporation.
• Highlights
  • The National Land Management Corporation will help to monetize state-owned surplus lands in a systematic way. The Task Force recommends setting up the corporation under the Companies Act. The Corporation will also manage the lands that are owned by the Government of India.
• Role of the corporation
  • The following were recommended by the task force:
    • To hire a technical team to operate under the corporation. The team will be market-linked.
    • A Chief Executive Officer shall be appointed to lead the corporation.
    • The Corporation will raise capital from the equity market.
    • The corporation will work with several government departments including Defence Ministry and Railways.
    • The Corporation is to develop model concession agreements.
• Background
  • The Government of India is to bring about 100 lakh crore investment in the infrastructure sector in the next five years.
  • Therefore, it is important to bring about new monitoring agencies like that of the National Land Management Corporation to make sure there is enough availability of land to make the investment fruitful.

• Context
  • On May 6, 2020, the Union Minister of Agriculture Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has called for farmers’ movement to integrate soil nutrient management. 
• Highlights
  • The Farmer movement is to be launched by the Ministry of Agriculture. It will include soil testing and campaigns addressing the importance of the application of fertilizers based on reports of soil testing. 
  • The movement will cover more than 1 lakh villages. It is to be launched and implemented in 2020-21. The movement will also encourage youths to set up soil testing labs in their villages.
  • The women and members of SHGs will be encouraged to support the movement.
  • It also aims at promotion of Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP).
• Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati
  • The scheme aims to promote natural farming. It plans to cover 12 lakh hectares of land. It is a centrally sponsored scheme.
• Soil Health Programme
  • The soil health programme was launched in 2015. Under the scheme, soil cards are provided to the farmers that report the soil quality. 
  • The cards provide a nutrient status of the soil and also information about the application of proper dosage of nutrients to improve soil fertility.
  • According to the National Productivity Council, the Soil Health Card Scheme has promoted sustainable farming. It has decreased the application of fertilizer by 8-10%.