26th, April, 2022

 

 

Topic: Knowledge Sharing Agreement

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• PUNJAB GOVERNMENT INKS KNOWLEDGE SHARING AGREEMENT WITH DELHI GOVERNMENT.

 

Which sectors included?

• In a major initiative aimed at revitalizing the core sectors of Health and Education besides other crucial sectors to propel Punjab on the high growth trajectory, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday signed a Knowledge Sharing Agreement (KSA) with his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal.

 

How this will help?

• The agreement signed between the Punjab and Delhi government envisages, the Government of NCT of Delhi (hereinafter referred as GNCTD) and the Government of Punjab (hereinafter referred as GOP) enter into this Knowledge Sharing Agreement (hereinafter referred as KSA) to enable them to cooperate for the public welfare.
• This KSA enables the two Governments to share knowledge, experience and skills for the mutual welfare of the people of their respective territories.
• The KSA enables the two Governments to send and receive officials, ministers and other personnel to learn and share their knowledge, experience and skills for public welfare.

(Source: Punjab Government)

 

 

Topic: Agriculture Challenge

 

Importance: Punjab PCS  Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Input costs are going up, farmers in Punjab are very worried.
• Punjabi farmers fear an imminent crisis in the agrarian economy, given a sharp increase in the prices of all agricultural inputs. Whether fertilizer or seed, diesel to run tubewells and tractors, or pesticides, the rates for all major inputs have increased significantly this year.

 

Challenges shared:

Farm laborers, too, have threatened to increase their rates for paddy sowing, with the shortfall in fodder production because of low wheat yield and the three-time increase in the price of last year — Rs 900 per quintal.

• DAP rates have increased by Rs. 150 per 50 kg.
• Diesel rates up by Rs. 20 a liter in past one year.
• Pesticides prices have shot up Rs. 100-200 a litre.
• Paddy seed have also increased by Rs. 20 per kg.
• Labor rates expected to go up by Rs. 1K per acre.

The prices of diammonium phosphate (DAP) have increased from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,350 per 50 kg. Against a requirement of 2.50 lakh metric tonnes of DAP in the kharif marketing season, the total availability (in the private sector) in Punjab now is 50,000 MT, confirm official sources.

Farmers are already economically stressed as the wheat yield is down by 5 quintal per hectare. While the income has come down, input cost for the next crop is going to be much higher. This will only push farmers to take more debt. —Rajinder Singh Deepsinghwala, Vice-president, Kirti Kisan Union.

(Source: The Tribune)