26 August 2022 – Current Affairs

Multi Modal Logistics Park (MMLP)

Paper 3 – Economy

Why Should You Know?

Recently Tripartite MoU signed for swift development of modern Multi Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) under Bharatmala Pariyojna.

In details –

• Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, and Union Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Gen (Retd) VK Singh witnessed signing of tripartite agreement for swift development of modern Multi Modal Logistics Parks (MMLP) under Bharatmala Pariyojna across the country with an objective to centralize freight consolidation and reduce logistics cost from 14% to less than 10% of GDP at par with International Standards.
• The tripartite agreement was signed by National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).
• Speaking on the occasion Shri Nitin Gadkari said he was elated to witness the signing of MoU as it will provide seamless modal shift, MMLPs will ensure that cargo is swapped/shifted from and to Waterways, Dedicated Freight Corridors & Road Transport. He said this is building the Nation through Gati Shakti.
• MMLP will be a freight handling facility with rail and road accessibility, comprising of container terminals, cargo terminals (bulk, break-bulk), warehouses, cold storage, facilities for mechanised material handling and value-added services such as customs clearance with bonded storage yards, quarantine zones, testing facilities and warehousing management services etc. along with other associated facilities.
• Developed under a ‘Hub & Spoke’ model, the MMLP will integrate multiple modes of freight transport through highways, railways & inland waterways.
• The agreement underlines the cooperation & collaboration model between the three bodies in order to achieve efficiency in logistics movement within the country.
• The MMLP project is poised to develop state-of-the-art large scale warehousing facility for different types of commodities, to become one stop solution for all services related to cargo movement like warehousing, custom clearance, parking, maintenance of trucks etc. The MMLPs will focus on a technology driven implementation for a state-of-the-art freight management system. Many value added services like packaging, repackaging and labelling will be available in these projects.
• The NHLML is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of National Highway Authority (NHAI) of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways while IWAI is a statutory authority under Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
• The RVNL is a wholly owned Public Sector Enterprise under Ministry of Railways. The signatories of the agreement were Prakash Gaur, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NHLML; Ravi Kant, Chief Engineer & Project Manager for IWAI and Vikas Awasthi, Executive Director (Planning), RVNL.

About Multi- Modal Logistics park –

• Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs) is a key policy initiative of the Government of India, led by National Highways Logistics Management Limited under Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), to develop Multi-Modal Logistics Parks in hub-and-spoke model to improve the country’s freight logistics sector by lowering overall freight costs and time, cutting warehousing costs, reducing vehicular pollution and congestion, improving the tracking and traceability of consignments through infrastructural, procedural, and information technology interventions.
• Since, in 2017, India had comparatively high logistics costs, 13% of total price of goods compared with 8% in other major economies and average 72% higher cost than China of exporting/importing a container in India.
• To make India globally competitive by reducing these costs and time, the MoRTH is developing multi-modal logistics parks at selected locations in the country under its Logistics Efficiency Enhancement Program (LEEP)

Stockholm World Water Week 2022

Paper 1 – Natural Resources

Why Should You Know?

 World Water Week is being held from August 23 till September 1 this year.

In details –

• World Water Week is an international, week-long, global conference that takes place in late August or early September, in Stockholm.
• Issues concerning freshwater are discussed on this day. The week is also taken as an opportunity to discuss and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6); which is about clean water and sanitation for all.

• The theme for World Water Week 2022 is “Seeing the Unseen: The Value of Water.” The theme will look at three main areas, which are, the value of water among people and for development; the value of water with respect to nature and climate change; and the economic and financial value of water.
• The World Water Week 2022 will be held in a hybrid format. Delegates can join both in person in Stockholm or virtually. August 23-25 will be online.
• There will be six main sessions held between August 23 to September 1. These sessions will address and explore issues such as SDG6, groundwater management, World Toilet Day 2023, the joint importance of water and sanitation in various aspects of human societal development, the role of developing nations and 2023’s UN Water Conference.

How is the day celebrated?

• Several organisations and volunteers take initiatives to make the people aware about the sustainable use of water.
• Also screening of documentaries focusing on water conservation is held. Workshops, seminars and symposiums are held to create awareness about the water crisis and to reduce the wastage of water.

History –

• In 1991, a public water festival was held in Stockholm city to celebrate the fact that it was again possible for them to fish and swim in the city.
• As part of this festival, a water conference was held, named Stockholm Water Symposium, attended by leading scientists. It is this symposium which became World Water Week.

Significance –

• It is noteworthy that  Freshwater resources across the world are facing unprecedented pressure from fast-rising temperatures, consumption patterns and population growth.
• In order to solve this global water crisis and climate chaos, World Water Week 2022 will emphasise how we value water. Revealing and understanding the value of water will lead to much-needed innovations, decisions and investments in managing the resource better.
• World Water Week is the leading conference on water issues tied to global development issues. The discussions among attendees of the event help participating entities take proper action regarding water issues.
• Those who work in related fields, especially governments and international organisations, meet here. They gain more knowledge and coordinate and develop smart solutions to address the water issues worldwide.

“Arth Ganga” – a New Model

Paper 3- Infrastructure

Why Should You Know?

On August 24, 2022 Asok Kumar, the Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, spoke about the Arth Ganga model during his virtual keynote address to the Stockholm World Water Week 2022.lets know about it

In details –

• PM Modi first introduced the concept during the first National Ganga Council meeting in Kanpur in 2019, where he urged for a shift from Namami Gange, the Union Government’s flagship project to clean the Ganga, to the model of Arth Ganga.
• The latter focuses on the sustainable development of the Ganga and its surrounding areas, by focusing on economic activities related to the river.
• At its core, the Arth Ganga model seeks to use economics to bridge people with the river.
• During his keynote address, Asok Kumar stated that it “strives to contribute at least 3% of the GDP from the Ganga Basin itself,” and added that the Arth Ganga project’s interventions are in accordance with India’s commitments towards the UN sustainable development goals.

Features –

• Under Arth Ganga, the government is working on six verticals. The first is Zero Budget Natural Farming, which involves chemical-free farming on 10 km on either side of the river, and the promotion of cow dung as fertiliser through the GOBARdhan scheme.
• The Monetization and Reuse of Sludge & Wastewater is the second, which seeks to reuse treated water for irrigation, industries and revenue generation for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
• Arth Ganga will also involve Livelihood Generation Opportunities, by creating haats where people can sell local products, medicinal plants and ayurveda.
• The fourth is to increase public participation by increasing synergies between the stakeholders involved with the river.
• The model also wants to promote the cultural heritage and tourism of Ganga and its surroundings, through boat tourism, adventure sports and by conducting yoga activities.
• Lastly, the model seeks to promote institutional building by empowering local administration for improved water governance.

About GOBAR-Dhan scheme –

• GOBAR-Dhan was launched by the Government of India in April 2018 as a part of the Biodegradable Waste Management component under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) (SMB-G) to positively impact village cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste.
• The main focus of GOBAR-Dhan is to keep villages clean, increase the income of rural households, and generate energy and organic manure from cattle waste.
• As rural India has already attained the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, the importance of GOBAR-Dhan has increased as it supports the villages in achieving ODF-plus status, which is an important objective of Swachh Bharat Mission Phase 2.0.
• Presently, various Ministries/Departments are implementing schemes for the management of cattle and agricultural waste through the setting up of Bio-gas plants. However, a unified approach would be beneficial to ensure convergence among various schemes and to get full benefits from them.
• Accordingly, GOBAR-Dhan has been designed to provide a common platform for schemes of different Ministries/Departments such as the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE); Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG); Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying; Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare; Department of Rural Development; and Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS).

Objectives –

• To support villages effectively manage their cattle waste, agricultural waste/residue and all other organic waste.
• To support communities to convert their organic waste (especially cattle waste) to wealth through generation of manure and energy out of waste.
• To promote environmental sanitation and curb vector-borne diseases through effective disposal of waste in rural areas.
• To create livelihood opportunities in rural areas and enhance the income of farmers and other rural people by supporting them to convert their waste to wealth.
• To promote rural entrepreneurship by involving entrepreneurs, SHGs and Youth Groups in the setting up and operation and management of biogas plants.

Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011

Paper 3 – Economy

Why Should You Know?

The central government has amended the legal metrology (packaged commodities) rules 2011

In details –

• Centre Government amends the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011 for ease of doing business and reducing the compliance burden for the garment or hosiery sold in loose or open
• The amendment exempts the garment or hosiery industry selling in loose or open from six declarations required under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.
• It is noteworthy that The Department of Consumer Affairs under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has received various representation for exempting the garment or hosiery sold in loose or open at the point of sale from the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011.
• Therefore, Department of Consumer Affairs vide the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) (Third Amendment) Rules, 2022 has exempted the garment or hosiery industry selling garment or hosiery items in loose or open, for ease of doing business and reducing the compliance burden.
• Under the revised rules, garment or hosiery firms are exempted from declaring the following: common/ generic name of the commodity; net qty. in std. unit of W or M or no. of commodity in the package; unit sale price; month and year of manufacture or pre-packing or import; best before or use by date, month and year in case of commodity becoming unfit for human consumption with time and consumer care name & address.
• Now, only the following information relevant to consumers is to be given viz.: name and address of the manufacturer/ marketer/ brand owner/ importer with the country of origin or manufacture in case of imported products; consumer care email id and phone number; sizes with internationally recognisable size indicators such as S, M, L, XL, XXL and XXXL along with details in metric notation in terms of cm or m; and maximum retail price (MRP).

What are Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011?

• The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 (“Packaging Rules”) regulate pre-packaged commodities in India and inter – alia mandate certain labeling requirements prior to sale of such commodities.
• Under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 it is mandatory to declare the net quantity in terms of standard units of weight or measure apart from other declarations on all pre-packaged commodities in the interest of consumers.

Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022

Paper 3 – Science & Technology

Why Should You Know?

Government notifies Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022

In details –

• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India published the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 on 24th August, 2022 to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries.
• New rules will replace Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001.
• The rules cover all types of batteries, viz. Electric Vehicle batteries, portable batteries, automotive batteries and industrial batteries.
• The rules function based on the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) where the producers (including importers) of batteries are responsible for collection and recycling/refurbishment of waste batteries and use of recovered materials from wastes into new batteries.
• EPR mandates that all waste batteries to be collected and sent for recycling/refurbishment, and its prohibits disposal in landfills and incineration. To meet the EPR obligations, producers may engage themselves or authorise any other entity for collection, recycling or refurbishment of waste batteries.
• The rules will enable setting up a mechanism and centralized online portal for exchange of EPR certificates between producers and recyclers/refurbishers to fulfil the obligations of producers.
• The rules promote setting up of new industries and entrepreneurship in collection and recycling/refurbishment of waste batteries.
• Mandating the minimum percentage of recovery of materials from waste batteries under the rules will bring new technologies and investment in recycling and refurbishment industry and create new business opportunities.
• Prescribing the use of certain amount of recycled materials in making of new batteries will reduce the dependency on new raw materials and save natural resources.
• Online registration & reporting, auditing, and committee for monitoring the implementation of rules and to take measures required for removal of difficulties are salient features of rules for ensuring effective implementation and compliance.
• On the principle of Polluter Pays Principle, environmental compensation will be imposed for non-fulfilment of Extended Producer Responsibility targets, responsibilities and obligations set out in the rules. The funds collected under environmental compensation shall be utilised in collection and refurbishing or recycling of uncollected and non-recycled waste batteries.

What is EPR?

• Faced with increasing amounts of waste, many governments have reviewed available policy options and concluded that placing the responsibility for the post-consumer phase of certain goods on producers could be an option.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach under which producers are given a significant responsibility – financial and/or physical – for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products.
• Assigning such responsibility could in principle provide incentives to prevent wastes at the source, promote product design for the environment and support the achievement of public recycling and materials management goals.
• One of the aims when introducing EPR schemes has often been to give producers an incentive to change product design in environmentally benign ways, for example by making it easier to reuse or recycle the products.

CSA6 Gene

Paper 3 – Science & Technology

Why Should You Know?

Newly identified gene could be clue to treatment of fungal infection in immuno-compromised patients

In details –

• A newly identified gene can hold the key to prevent fungal infection Candidiasis that often affects intensive-care unit (ICU) patients, cancer patients and patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy.
• The gene called CSA6 has been identified in Candida albicans a fungal species infamous for causing high rates of morbidity and mortality under certain immuno-compromised conditions such as AIDS or during cancer treatment.
• The fungal species residing in mucosal linings of the gastrointestinal and urogenital tract of healthy individuals turns into a pathogen under immuno-compromised conditions breaching the host defense causing superficial as well as life-threatening systemic infection.
• In a recent collaborative study between Professor Kaustuv Sanyal’s group at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, India and Christophe d’Enfert’s group at Institut Pasteur, Paris, France (Jaitly et al, 2022), authors carried out a large-scale screen to identify regulators of chromosome stability in C. albicans, a clinically relevant fungal model system.
• The authors from JNCASR, an autonomous institute of Department of Science and Technology (DST), individually screened the effect of overexpression of more than a thousand genes of C. albicans on genome stability and were successful in identifying a set of six chromosome stability (CSA) genes that are important for maintaining genome integrity.
• While five of the CSA genes identified in the study are known to be important for cell division in other species, the sixth CSA gene, named CSA6 encoded for a protein that is essential for viability in C. albicans.
• They found that Csa6 was a critical regulator of cell cycle progression wherein both overexpression and deletion of Csa6 lead to reduced growth of C. albicans cells.
• The study published in the journal Nature Communications represents the first-ever report of such an extensive screen in the human fungal pathogen C. albicans.
• It identifies and elucidates the functions of a novel regulator of chromosome stability that is exclusively present in a group of medically relevant human fungal pathogens.
• Besides, it also provides a systematic scheme for identifying genes whose products may serve as potential therapeutic interventions for fungal infections by posing lesser adverse effects on humans.
• Hence, small molecule modulators that alter expression levels of the gene called Csa6 offer potential avenues for treatment with no side effects in humans.

Export policy for Wheat or Meslin Flour

Paper 3 – Economy

Why Should You Know?

Recently Cabinet approved amendment to export policy for Wheat or Meslin Flour

In details –

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the the proposal for amendment of policy of exemption for Wheat or Meslin Flour (HS Code 1101) from export restrictions/ ban.

Impact:

The approval will now allow to put a restriction on the export of Wheat Flour which will ensure a curb on rising prices of wheat flour and ensure food security of the most vulnerable sections of the society.

Implementation:

Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) shall issue a notification to this effect.

Background:

• Russia & Ukraine are the major exporters of wheat accounting for around 1/4th of the global wheat trade.
• The conflict between them led to the global wheat supply chain disruptions increasing demand of Indian wheat.
• As a result, the price of wheat in domestic market showed an increase. In order to ensure food security of 1.4 billion people of the country, the decision was taken to put a prohibition on export of wheat in May 2022.
• However, due to prohibition on export of wheat (which was done to put a check on increasing prices in domestic market and to ensure food security in the country), the demand for wheat flour has increased in foreign markets and it’ s exports from India have registered a growth of 200% during April-July 2022 compared to the corresponding period in 2021.
• The increased demand for wheat flour in international market led to significant price rise of wheat flour in the domestic market.
• Earlier, there was a policy not to prohibit or put any restrictions on the export of Wheat flour. Therefore, a partial modification of the policy was required by withdrawing the exemption from ban/ restrictions on export for Wheat Flour in order to ensure food security and put a check on mounting prices of Wheat flour in the country.

Food Security Coverage

Paper 2 – Social Issues

Why Should You Know?

Recently The Supreme Court (SC) has directed the Centre to increase coverage under the National Food Security Act (NFSA)

In details –

• The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to increase coverage under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) so that “more and more needy persons and citizens get the benefit” under the 2013 law which entitles rural and urban poor to receive subsidised food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.
• The coverage under the NFSA is still as per the population figures of 2011 census.

• In an eight-page order, a Bench of Justices M. R. Shah and B. V. Nagarathna ordered the Union government to re-determine the NFSA coverage in States and Union Territories after taking into consideration the population increase between 2011-2021 so that benefits are not restricted to beneficiaries identified way back in 2011.

Fundamental right –

• “Right to Food is a fundamental right available under Article 21 of the Constitution,” the Supreme Court noted.
• The Union, in its affidavit, had stated in court that the Act required coverage to be updated as per latest published census figures. However, the NFSA coverage cannot be determined as the 2021 census has been postponed indefinitely and no date has been notified.
• Advocate Prashant Bhushan, for petitioners Anjali Bhardwaj, Harsh Mander and Jagdeep Chhokar, had pointed out that due to the absence of the latest population figures, over 10 crore people were left outside the food security law’s protective umbrella without even ration cards.
• Mr. Bhushan had urged the court to direct the government to use the official population projections published by the Health Ministry to expand the coverage.
• The court found the petitioners’ concerns “genuine and justified”. It has now directed the government to “look into the same and come out with a formula and/or appropriate policy/scheme, if any, so that the benefits under the NFSA are not restricted as per the census 2011”.
• Meanwhile, the Union submitted that it has enabled the facility of ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ in all the States/Union Territories covering about 80-crore NFSA beneficiaries.

eShram portal –

• In the order, the court also directed States which were not able to register unorganised workers, including migrant labourers, in the eShram portal to do so within six weeks.
• The Union Labour Ministry has developed a National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) portal and the eShram portal for registration of labourers spread over 400 occupations including in constructions, agriculture, fishing, dairy, self-employed and even ASHA and anganwadi workers.
• However, many States have achieved less than 50% registration. The court noted that Maharashtra has achieved only 36.97% of its workers, Tamil Nadu only 34.84%, Telangana only 34.90%, Gujarat merely 48.40% and Karnataka barely above 36%.

SCO Defence Ministers Meeting

Paper 2 – International Relations

Why Should You Know?

Recently Defence minister shri Rajnath Singh addressed SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in tashkent.

In details –

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on August 24, 2022 called upon the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to unitedly fight against terrorism and eliminate the menace in all its forms. Addressing the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting at Tashkent, Uzbekistan, he asserted that terrorism in any form, including cross-border terrorism, committed by anyone and for whatever purpose, is a “crime against humanity”.
• “Terrorism is one of the most serious challenges to global peace and security. India reiterates its resolve to fight all forms of terrorism and make the region peaceful, secure and stable. We seek to develop joint institutional capabilities with the SCO member states, which, while respecting the sensitivities of each country, create the spirit of cooperation among individuals, societies and nations,” the Ministry of Defence quoted Singh as saying in a statement.
• He also proposed to host a workshop in India in 2023 on the theme “Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief – Risk mitigation and Disaster Resilient Infrastructure” for the Defence Ministries of SCO Member States.
• Rajnath also suggested an annual seminar on ‘Topic of Interest’ among the defence think tanks of SCO countries.
• “We propose to organise the first such defence think tank seminar in India in 2023,” he stated.

On Afghanistan-

• Voicing India’s full support for a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan, Rajnath Singh emphasised respect for its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, national unity and non-interference in internal affairs.

• He also urged all parties to encourage Afghanistan authorities to achieve national reconciliation through dialogue and negotiation and establish a broad-based, inclusive and representative political structure in the country.
• Singh added that the Afghan territory must not be used to intimidate or attack any country by providing safe havens and training to terrorists and supporting their activities through financial assistance. He stressed the need to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and safeguard their fundamental rights.

On Russia-Ukraine war –

• Expressing India’s concern about the situation in Ukraine, Rajnath Singh stated that New Delhi supports talks between Russia and Ukraine to resolve this crisis.
• “India is concerned about the humanitarian crisis in and around Ukraine. We have extended our support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General, UN agencies and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide humanitarian assistance,” he said.

About SCO –

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001.
• SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and security organization.
• In terms of geographic scope and population, it is the world’s largest regional organization, covering approximately 60% of the area of Eurasia, 40% of the world population, and more than 30% of global GDP.
• The SCO is the successor to the Shanghai Five, a mutual security agreement formed in 1996 between China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.
• On 15 June 2001, the leaders of these nations and Uzbekistan met in Shanghai to announce a new organization with deeper political and economic cooperation; the SCO Charter was signed on 7 July 2002 and entered into force on 19 September 2003.
• The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), four Observer States interested in acceding to full membership (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and six “Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey).
• In 2021, the decision was made to start the accession process of Iran to the SCO as a full member, and Egypt, Qatar as well as Saudi Arabia became dialogue partners.
• Since its inception in 2001, the SCO has mainly focused on regional security issues, its fight against regional terrorism, ethnic separatism and religious extremism. To date, the SCO’s priorities also include regional development.
• The SCO has been an observer in the UN General Assembly since 2005.

National Gopal Ratna Awards -2022

Paper 3 – Agriculture

Why Should You Know?

Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying invites applications for National Gopal Ratna Awards during 2022

In details –

• Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying invites applications for National Gopal Ratna Awards during 2022, online through the National Award portal i.e., https://awards.gov.in starting from 01.08.2022.
• The awards are to be conferred on the occasion of National Milk Day (26th Nov, 2022).
• The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is making all efforts for the effective development of the Animal Husbandry and Dairy sector to provide sustainable livelihood to the farmers.
• Indigenous bovine breeds of India are robust and possess the genetic potential to play a crucial role in the national economy. The “Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM)”, was launched in December 2014 for the first time in the country, with a view to conserve and develops indigenous bovine breeds in a scientific manner.
• Under RGM, with an objective to encourage the Milk producing farmer, individuals working in this sector, and Dairy cooperative societies who provide market access to the milk producers, this department has continued to confer National Gopal Ratna Award during 2022 in the following categories:
• Best Dairy farmer rearing indigenous cattle/buffalo breeds (list of registered breeds annexed)
• Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT)
• Best Dairy Cooperative Society/ Milk producer Company/ Dairy Farmer Producer Organisation
• The National Gopal Ratna Award consists of a Certificate of merit, a memento, and amount in each category as under:
• Rs. 5,00,000/-(Rupee five lakh only) -1st rank
• Rs. 3,00,000/- (Rupee three lakh only) -2nd rank and
• Rs. 2,00,000/- (Rupee two lakh only)  -3rd rank