Uttar Pradesh

• 05 Jul 2024

Uttar Pradesh to Set Up Crop-Specific Boards

Why in News?

Uttar Pradesh plans to establish crop-specific commodity boards as a step toward achieving the goal of annual agro shipments worth Rs 50,000 crore.

Key Points

• This initiative aims to boost farm productivity, catalyze food processing, and re-energize the agro value chain over the next four years.
  • To generate employment, the government is promoting agriculture-focused startups.
  • There is a huge demand for horticultural produce like strawberries, dragon fruit, and flowers in the state.
• State-level horticultural commodity boards would be set up on the lines of the Spices Board of India.
• The Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) has constituted the UP State Agriculture Council to promote agro industry and exports.
  • It would foster coordination between the government, agro experts, and farmers.
  • The council will focus on promoting sustainable agricultural practices, enhancing market access, and supporting exports.
  • It will host a ‘Agro World 2025’ summit in February 2025 in Lucknow.

Spices Board of India

• Spices Board was constituted on 26^th February 1987 under the Spices Board Act, 1986 with the merger of the erstwhile Cardamom Board (1968) and Spices Export Promotion Council (1960).
• There are five statutory Commodity Boards under the Department of Commerce.
  • These Boards are responsible for production, development and export of tea, coffee, rubber, spices and tobacco.
• It is responsible for the export promotion of the 52 scheduled spices and the development of Cardamom.
• Spices Board is the flagship organisation for the development and worldwide promotion of Indian spices.
• The Board is an international link between the Indian exporters and the importers abroad.

Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA)

• Formerly known as the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture, was founded in 2015.
• It is the apex body in India, working on business, policy, and development agendas while serving as a global platform for trade facilitation, partnerships, technology, and agribusiness services.

Putin Expresses Condolences for Hathras Stampede Tragedy

Why in News?

Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences over the stampede at a religious congregation in Uttar Pradesh in which 121 people were killed.

• Stampede is an impulsive mass movement of a crowd that often results in injuries and deaths.

Key Points

• The stampede took place in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. The victims were part of the crowd of thousands that had gathered near Phulrai village in the Sikandrarau area for the 'satsang' by a religious preacher.
• An First Information Report (FIR) has been filed by the Uttar Pradesh Police against the organizers of the religious congregation.
  • The organizers are accused of hiding evidence and violating conditions by allowing 2.5 lakh people to gather for the event, despite a permit for only 80,000 attendees.

First Information Report (FIR)

• It is a written document prepared by the police when they receive information about the commission of a cognizable offence.
• It is a report of information that reaches the police first at that point of time and that is why it is called the First Information Report.
• It is generally a complaint lodged with the police by the victim of a cognizable offence or by someone on his/her behalf. Anyone can report the commission of a cognizable offence either orally or in writing.
• The term FIR is not defined in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, or in any other law.
  • However, in police regulations or rules, information recorded under Section 154 of CrPC is known as First Information Report (FIR).