Agricultural Infrastructure fund
Published On:
1. AIF Expansion: The Union Cabinet expanded the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to include support for Farmers' Producers Organisations (FPOs).
2. AIF Overview: Launched in July 2020, AIF is a โน1 lakh crore initiative under Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
3. Focus on FPOs: The expansion enhances financial security and creditworthiness for FPOs.
4. Objective: AIF aims to be more attractive, impactful, and inclusive for farmers.
5. Stronger Ecosystem: The scheme fosters a robust agricultural infrastructure ecosystem.
6. Agricultural Growth: It is expected to drive agricultural growth through collective investments.
7. Productivity Boost: The fund supports infrastructure that reduces post-harvest losses.
8. Increased Incomes: Improved infrastructure aims to boost farm incomes.
9. Inclusive Growth: The inclusion of FPOs benefits smaller, marginalized farmers.
10. Long-Term Impact: The expansion is poised to create sustainable agricultural infrastructure.
Small module reactor
1. Definition: Small modular reactors (SMR) are advanced nuclear reactors with power capacities up to 300 MW per unit, which is about one-third the size of conventional reactors.
2. Compact Size: Their small, versatile design allows SMRs to be installed in a variety of locations, including remote areas.
3. Long operational life: The SMR is designed to operate for 40-60 years with efficiency factors greater than 90%, which ensures continuous power generation.
4. Clean Power Generation: SMRs are highly efficient in generating low carbon electricity, which contributes to reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
5. Cost Efficiency: Less fuel consumption, less manpower requirement and off-site manufacturing reduces construction cost and time.
6. Site reuse: SMRs can be hosted on decommissioned thermal power plant sites, using existing infrastructure to reduce setup costs.
7. Enhanced Safety: SMR has improved safety features, such as reduced risk of core damage, better seismic isolation and passive safety systems to minimize radioactive leakage.
8. Challenges in availability: SMR utilization is still limited, power generation is not widespread yet.
9. Regulatory and Economic Barriers: SMR faces complex and expensive licensing processes, and requires mass production to achieve economic viability.
Employment and skills
1. Increased focus: The words "jobs" and "employment" appeared 8 and 34 times respectively.
2. Employment-linked incentive schemes: Three new schemes launched.
3. Internship opportunities: One crore youth to get internships in 500 top companies over five years.
Agriculture initiatives
1. High-yielding varieties: 109 new high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties of 32 crops.
2. Natural farming: Natural farming to be introduced to one crore farmers.
Regional focus
1. Andhra Pradesh: Financial assistance for development of state capital Amaravati.
2. Bihar: Financial and industrial support to sustain political fortunes of BJP's ally JD(U).
Other budgetary allocations
1. Ministry of Tribal Affairs: Rs 13,000 crore, Rs 539 crore more than the previous allocation.
2. Department of Social Justice and Empowerment: Rs 13,000 crore, marginally higher than last year's Rs 12,847 crore.
3. Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities: Rs 1,225.27 crore, marginal increase.
Reactions
1. Rahul Gandhi's criticism: "Kursi Bachao Budget".
2. Congress claims equality from its election manifesto.
a. Youth internship programme
b. Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme
c. Hostels for working women
d. Abolition of Angel Tax
e. Critical Mineral Mission
3. Lack of benefits for poll-bound states
a. Significance: Assembly elections are due in these states and Jammu and Kashmir later this year.
b. Disappointment among BJP leaders in these states.
