Current Affair 1:

Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAg)

 

The UPAg Portal is a crucial component of the Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture, aimed at harnessing the diversity of the agriculture sector and using data as a catalyst for growth.

It is a pioneering initiative by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.

For example:

Key Features of UPAg Portal:

1. Data Standardization: The portal standardizes data on prices, production, area, yield, and trade, making it accessible in one location, eliminating the need to compile data from multiple sources.
2. Data Analysis: UPAg Portal will perform advanced analytics, offering insights such as production trends, trade correlations, and consumption patterns, aiding policymakers in making informed decisions.
3. Granular Production Estimates: The portal will generate granular production estimates with increased frequency, enhancing the government's ability to respond to agricultural crises swiftly.
4. Commodity Profile Reports: Commodity profile reports will be produced using algorithms, minimizing subjectivity and providing users with comprehensive insights.
5. Plug and Play: Users will have the flexibility to use the portal's data to prepare their own reports, promoting data-driven decision-making.

Current Affair 2:

International Organization of Legal Metrology

 

News:

Bharat becomes 13th country to issue International Organization of Legal Metrology Certificates. With this, country now has the authority for issuing internationally accepted OIML certificate for selling weights and measures anywhere in the world. To sell a weight or measure in the international market an OIML Pattern Approval certificate is mandatory, which the Department of Consumer Affairs can issue now.

The domestic manufacturers can now export their weighing and measuring instrument worldwide without incurring additional testing fees, resulting in significant cost savings.

At present, Australia, Switzerland, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, France, United Kingdom, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden and Slovakia can issue OIML certificates.

Legal metrology is the application of legal requirements to measurements and measuring instruments.

About:

India belongs to first category.

Benefits of membership:

Participating in OIML work allows Members to receive up-to-date information from other participants concerning new technologies, ways to assess the conformity of instruments, solutions found in other countries to answer specific problems, good practices in legal metrology, experience in the organization of legal metrology activities in different countries, etc.

This participation and the continuous exchange of information allows Members to establish direct communication with other countries’ experts, to better know each other, and to develop mutual confidence.

Current Affair 3:

Open Market Sale Scheme

 

News:

Firstly, the procurement of food grains like wheat and paddy for the central pool happens in Rabi and Kharif marketing seasons by the FCI and State corporations according to procurement estimates finalised by the government of India before the seasons. These purchases happen as per the Minimum Support Price. From the central pool, the government has to set aside wheat and rice for the 80 crore beneficiaries of free foodgrains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), maintain a buffer stock, and have a marketable surplus.

Under Open market Sale Scheme:

Under the Open Market Sale Scheme, the FCI from time to time sells surplus food grains from the central pool especially wheat and rice in the open market to traders, bulk consumers, retail chains and so on at pre-determined prices. The Corporation does this through e-auctions where open market bidders can buy specified quantities at the prices set at the start of a cycle and revised routinely.

Usually, states are also allowed to procure food grains through the OMSS without participating in the auctions, for their needs beyond what they get from the central pool to distribute to NFSA beneficiaries.

The idea is to activate the OMSS during the lean season, the time between harvests, to improve and regulate domestic supply and availability of the two grains and bring down their prices in the open market; essentially making the scheme a measure to curb food grain inflation.

How has the Centre revised the OMSS?

Recently, the Centre decided to restrict the quantity that a single bidder can purchase in a single bid under the OMSS. While the maximum quantity allowed earlier was 3,000 metric tonnes (MT) per bid for a buyer, it will now range from 10-100 metric tonnes (MT).

The rationale given for the same by the Corporation is that the quantities have been reduced this time “to accommodate more small and marginal buyers and to ensure wider reach of the scheme”.

Current Affair 4:

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

 

Read the introduction:

OBJECTIVES OF BIS

 

1. Harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods
2. To provide thrust to standardization and quality control for growth and development of industry on one hand and to meet the needs of consumers on the other.

Product certification:

BIS operates a Product Certification scheme for ensuring compliance to Indian Standards. Presence of BIS standard mark (popularly known as ISI mark) on a product indicates conformity to the relevant Indian Standard. Before granting licence to any manufacturer, BIS ascertains the availability of required infrastructure and capability of the manufacturer to produce and test the product conforming to the relevant Indian Standard on a continuous basis.

The BIS certification scheme is voluntary in nature. However, for a number of products, compliance to Indian Standards made mandatory by the Central Government under various statutes in public interest.

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