Goa Affairs
Processing sand mining EC for benefit of poor: Govt
Even as four permissions for sand mining in theChaporariver have been challenged before the (NGT), the directorate of mines and geology (DMG) has told the Goa State Expert Appraisal Committee (Goa-SEAC) that the state had taken up the process of getting Environment clearances for sand mining in Goa only to help poorGoanvillagers. The state earns no revenue from sand mining, the DMG said.
The government of Goa has not considered sand mining as a means to max-imise
revenue (but) has treated it as a livelihood for the poor village people by allowing extraction by manual method only. Further, in order to help the poor village people, the government of Goa decided to take the responsibility of getting all the procedure done, including EC, upon itself, the DMG stated in its submission.The government, therefore, decided that the respective district collectors will apply for ECs and allow villagers to apply for sand mining permissions not exceeding 1,000 cubic metres per year, by manual method only, said the department. It was for this reason that the Goa Minor Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules 2022 were notified, the DMG stated.
National and International Affairs
The mission includes plans to set upDairy Farmer Producer Organizations (Dairy FPOs)and to pilot five in different districts of the state in 2023-24, with a focus on female participation.
India ranks first in milk production globally, with Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh being the top-five milk-producing
states.Uttar Pradesh is a prominent state in Indias Industry, with a strong presence in milk production, processing, and distribution through numerous cattle farms and cooperatives.
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Scheme, launched in 2019, aims to enhance energy security for farmers in India and promote the use of clean energy in the agriculture sector. The scheme seeks to achieve Indias commitment to increasing the share of non-fossil fuel sources in the countrys installed capacity of electric power. In a bid to boost the implementation of solar projects on agricultural lands, the central government is considering linking thePM-KUSUM schemewith the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF). This move aims to provide farmers with access to cheaper loans for setting up solar projects and procuring equipment.
Individual farmers, groups of farmers, cooperatives, panchayats, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and Water User Associations (WUAs) can set up solar power
Plants with capacities ranging from 500 kW to 2 MW.As the world enters anEl Niophasea natural climate phenomenon characterized by warmer waters in the Pacificcountries are bracing themselves for extreme weather events. The El Nio pattern fuelstropical cyclonesin the Pacific, increases rainfall and flood risks in parts of the Americas and other regions, and can have far-reaching implications. This years El Nio is of particular concern due to its potential interaction with climate change, which could result in record-high temperatures and intensified extreme weather events.
El Nio occurs when the trade winds in the equatorial Pacific slow down or reverse, causing unusually warm waters in the eastern Pacific. The weakening of trade winds leads to the movement of warm water from the western Pacific towards the central and
eastern Pacific basins. This buildup of warm water contributes to the transfer of heat into the , triggering thunderstorms and altering weather patterns worldwide.