• 03 Jan 2024

Banning Land Purchase

Why in News?

Recently, Uttarakhand government decided to ban land purchase by outsiders for agriculture or horticulture purposes.

Key Points

• The official release stated that the District Magistrates (DMs) will not issue permission to outsiders to purchase land for the purpose of agriculture and horticulture.
• On 22nd December 2023, the government constituted a five-member drafting committee under the chairmanship of additional chief secretary (home) Radha Raturi for a detailed examination of the report submitted by the committee on land laws.
• The government is allegedly taking the steps in accordance with the public's sentiments which it places paramount in this case.
  • CM Dhami had set up a high-level committee to make recommendations for striking a balance between the requirement of land for industrial development projects in the state and the preservation of land that is currently available in Uttarakhand.
• Specific demands are being raised by public such as, in all projects, and industries set up in hilly areas, in which land acquisition or purchase is mandatory or will be done in the future, 25% share of local villagers and 25% share of native residents of the district must be ensured. And 80% employment should be ensured to local people in these projects,’.
• It is necessary to introduce these measures to ensure that natives have the first right to resources of the state – jal (water), jangal (forests), jameen (land) – and will ensure employment for the locals.

Cashless Health Facility

Why in News?

On the occasion of the new year, the Haryana government has brought in a cashless health facility for government employees and their dependents.

Key Points

• The Governor, Bandaru Dattatreya in the presence of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, inaugurated the cashless health facility under Ayushman Yojana.
• The scheme was started on a pilot basis, initially covering employees from the Fisheries and Horticulture departments, offering cashless healthcare facilities starting November 1, 2023.
  • The coverage has expanded to include all regular government employees. Furthermore, the scheme is being extended on a pilot basis to encompass employees of the department of horticulture and fisheries, as well as IAS, IPS, and IFoS, along with their dependents.
• Implementation of this scheme is carried out through the Ayushman Bharat Haryana health protection authority (state health authority).
• Procedures under the scheme are completely cashless and the hospitals will get their claims approved from a single platform within a specified time frame.
  • The scheme will provide more efficient, seamless, hassle free and time bound services to the beneficiaries and other stakeholders
• Apart from six life-threatening emergencies which are, cardiac emergency, cerebral hemorrhage, coma, electric shock, third and fourth stage cancer patients, and any kind of accidents as per the existing provisions; the scheme covers all types of indoor treatments, day care procedures catering to the health care needs.
• Services will be available to the beneficiaries in all the hospitals empaneled with Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under this scheme.
  • E-card/CCHF card will be issued to all the beneficiaries to avail benefits. The entire expenditure under the scheme will be borne by the state government.

Extreme Weather and Human Casualty

Why in News?

As per the preliminary reports of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Madhya Pradesh has reported the highest number of casualties due to extreme weather events in 2023.

Key Points

• Witnessing over 2,376 casualties due to extreme weather events, the year 2023 was the warmest on record since 1901 as per the IMD.
• The annual mean land surface air temperature averaging over India during 2023 was 0.65 degree Celsius above the long-term average (1981-2010 period), making it the second warmest year on record since 1901.
• Globally, the year 2023 was the "warmest year on record" with the global mean temperature around 1.40 (± 0.12) degree Celsius above the pre-industrial level (1850 - 1900 average) till October.
  • Final figures will be released later by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) considering the global average temperatures of November and December.
• The significant rise in global temperatures, as well as in India, could be attributed to El-Nino conditions (warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean that impacts monsoon negatively).
  • The WMO has already identified that the warming El Nino event is likely to "contribute to the heat in 2024".
• Thunderstorms and lightning, put together, were the biggest killers in the country followed by floods and heavy rain.

UP’s Economic Growth

Why in News?

In Ease of Doing Business ranking, the state has jumped to the 2^nd spot in the country in 2018 from the 14th rank in 2017. This underscores the state government’s commitment in making Uttar Pradesh a preferred investment destination in the country.

Key Points

• The state government has set a target of becoming a trillion-dollar economy and serious efforts in that direction were seen when UP Global Investors Summit (GIS) was held in February 2023 which received total investment proposals over Rs 38 lakh crores.
• Organising MotoGP in Greater Noida was a great way to boost tourism and hence investments into the state.
• The first international trade show, held in Greater Noida, provided a global platform for entrepreneurs, manufacturers and exporters from diverse sectors such as Information Technology and its Enabled Services; Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; education; agriculture; health; tourism, etc.
• Apart from the 25 sectoral policies that have been implemented to ensure ease of doing business, a lucrative FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) policy was rolled out offering incentives such as front-end land subsidy upto 80%, capital subsidy upto 35% and Net SGST (State Goods and Services Tax) reimbursement.
  • Japanese company Fuji Silvertech Concrete Pvt Ltd became the first company to get subsidy under the policy. The entire process of providing subsidy was completed in a record time of three days.
• A single window clearance system – Nivesh Mitra – provides necessary permits and certifications. It has over 8.8 lakh registered users, offering services related to more than 454 licenses across over 37 departments.
  • The portal has processed over 13 lakh applications for NOC/licenses in the last four years, with a remarkable 97% success rate.
  • It has a grievance redressal rate of 93%.
• Nivesh Sarathi is a investor relationship management system enabling investors and entrepreneurs in the state to revert to the incentives online.

Expansion of Litchi Cultivation Across India

Why in News?

The cultivation of Litchi, traditionally restricted to Muzaffarpur Bihar, has witnessed a significant expansion across 19 Indian states, highlighting the Horticulture boost in India.

• This development stems from the efforts of the National Research Centre on Litchi (NRCL) based in Muzaffarpur, Bihar.

What are the Key Facts about Litchi?

• Botanical Classification: Litchi belongs to the Sapindaceae family and is known for its delicious, juicy, translucent aril or edible flesh.
• Climatic Requirements: Litchi thrives in sub-tropical climates and prefers moist conditions. It grows best in regions with low elevation, up to an altitude of around 800 meters. 
• Soil Preference: The ideal soil for litchi cultivation is deep, well-drained loamy soil rich in organic matter.
• Temperature Sensitivity: Litchi is sensitive to extreme temperatures. It does not tolerate temperatures above 40.5 degrees Celsius in summer or freezing temperatures in winter.
• Rainfall Impact: Prolonged rain, especially during flowering, can interfere with pollination and affect the crop adversely.
• Geographical Cultivation: In India, the commercial cultivation was traditionally restricted to the north in the foot hills of Himalayas from Tripura to Jammu & Kashmir and plains of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
  • But due to increased demand and viability, cultivation has expanded to states like Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
  • Bihar alone accounts for nearly 40% of India’s litchi production. Bihar is followed by West Bengal (12%) and Jharkhand (10%).
• Global Production: India ranks as the second largest producer of litchi globally, following China. Other significant litchi-producing countries include Thailand, Australia, South Africa, Madagascar, and the United States.

Horticulture

• About:
  • Horticulture refers to the science, art, and practice of cultivating fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamental plants, and other crops.
  • It encompasses a broad spectrum of activities related to plant cultivation, management, propagation, and improvement for human use and enjoyment.
• Initiatives for Horticulture:
  • Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH):
    • MIDH is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables and other areas.
    • Under MIDH, Government of India contributes 60% of the total outlay for developmental programmes in all the states (except North Eastern and Himalayan states where GOI contributes 90%) & 40% is contributed by State governments.
  • Horticulture Cluster Development Programme:
    • It is a central sector programme aimed at growing and developing identified horticulture clusters to make them globally competitive.
    • Horticulture cluster is a regional/geographical concentration of targeted horticulture crops.