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1st, January, 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released the 10th installment of minimum financial benefit under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from New Delhi virtually. Under this installment, Rs. 20,946 crore was disbursed to more than 10.09 crore farmer families of the country.
During the programme, the Prime Minister also released an equity grant of more than Rs 14.04 crore to about 351 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), which had been benefitted more than 1.24 lakh farmers.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also attended the virtual function from Shimla today.
Jai Ram Thakur said that Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24th February, 2019

To provide income support of Rs. 6,000 per year in three equal installments of Rs. 2000 to small and marginal farmers.

Jai Ram Thakur said that agriculture in the State contributes about 13.62 percent of the total State Gross Domestic Product. He said that there were 88 percent small and marginal farmers in the State. He said that an amount of Rs. 1537 crore has been disbursed to about 9.68 lakh eligible farmers of the State under this ambitious scheme upto 31st December, 2021.
Jai Ram Thakur said that there were 107 FPOs with about 15000 members in Himachal Pradesh. He said that these FPOs were working in different agricultural and allied activities in the State. He said that the Prime Minister has released an equity grant of Rs. 16.72 lakh to 7 FPOs of the State today.

FPO stands for Farmer Producer Organizations. The FPO is a farmer-based organization.
The Farmers Producer Organization provides end-to-end support and services to small farmers and covers technical services, marketing, processing and other aspects of crop inputs.

(Source: HP Government)

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today inaugurated a new office of Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Castes Commission at Marlbrough House Chotta Shimla today.
Chief Minister said that the State Government was committed for upliftment of weaker sections of the society.

It was for the first time that the State Commission for Scheduled Castes was constituted in the State for safeguarding the interests of this community.

(Source: HP Government)

Virender Kanwar, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, asked scientists to develop integrated agricultural models so that farmers can adopt any model according to their needs.
Kanwar was addressing the state-level meeting of the agricultural officers workshop-cum-farmer science interface at the CSK HP Agriculture University here.
The Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development says 80% seeds are purchased from outside so there is need to produce seeds of major crops within the state in association with progressive farmers.
80 per cent of the seeds was bought from outside, there was a need to produce field crop seeds in the state with the participation of progressive farmers.

Efforts have been made to save and preserve the seeds of traditional crops under the Mukhyamantri Paramparagat Beej Sarankshan Yojana.

Professor Harinder Kumar Chaudhary, vice-chancellor, detailed the major achievements of the university.
Krishi Vigyan Kendras had initiated the work to produce seeds of wheat and mash (urd). Up to 51 programs were considered to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the State and 51 krishi doots were also selected whose photographs had been exhibited at Kisan Deergha.

Integrated farming, also known as mixed farming, is an agricultural system with simultaneous activities involving crops and animals. The main objective of integrated farming is to ensure that the agricultural components support each other, thus reducing external inputs.

(Source: HP Tribune)

Importance: Himachal HPAS Prelims

Dharamshala smart city ranks fifth for the highest number of registrations across the country for the freedom to walk and cycling campaign being launched in smart cities across the country in the second phase of the Amrit Mahotsav of independence.
Chennai ranks first for registration where 1122 people have registered themselves.
On the other hand, 925 people have registered for the campaign in Ajmer, 629 in Pipri chinchwar, 582 in Chandigarh and 422 in Dharamshala.

(Source: Himachal, Punjab Kesari)

The Department of Tourism sanctioned Rs 2.6 crore for the development of infrastructure for water sports and associated activities.

Water sports activities, including adventure sports and angling, were being promoted to boost tourism in the region through the Kutlehar Tourism Development Society headed by the Deputy Commissioner.

At Androuli village near the banks of the Gobind Sagar reservoir in the Kutlehar Assembly segment of the Una district.
Androuli village presents a picturesque scene with vast spans of the lake encircled by lower Shivalik mountain ranges and the famous Baba Garib Nath temple that remains submerged in the lake water for nearly six months.

(Source: HP Tribune)