Indian National Farmer’s Day 2022 celebrates on 23 December
National Farmers’ Day or Kisan Diwas 2022
National Farmers’ Day: December 23 is observed as Farmers’ Day or Kisan Diwas across India. Farmers are the backbone of our economy and to honour their hardship, this day was coined by the government of India in 2001. This day also marks the birth anniversary of the ‘Champion of Indian Peasants’ and the fifth Prime Minister of India, Chaudhary Charan Singh.
The day aims to spread awareness of the contributions of farmers to the socioeconomic development of the nation. It also recognises the efforts of the former Prime Minister who helped in uplifting the farmers in the country, introduced Debt Redemption Bill and Land Holding Act.
National Farmer’s Day Celebrated, Significance
National Farmers Day or Kisan Diwas is the day marked every year to honor each and every farmer who is working continuously for the nation. Farmers are considered to be the backbone of the nation as without them none of us can survive. Agriculture is the basis for all our growth and consumption.
History of National Farmers Day
As mentioned above the history of the day is related to the birth anniversary of the fifth Prime Minister of the nation Choudhary Charan Singh.
He served the nation for a very short period from July 28, 1979 to January 14, 1980 but made marvelous contributions for the farmers in his short tenure.
He introduced and implemented various schemes for the betterment of farmers and wrote several books highlighting the problems faced by the farmers of the nation along with giving the solution of the same.
FAQ: Indian National Farmer’s Day
Q1. Which day is Farmers Day in India?
Answer: National Farmers’ Day, or Kisan Diwas, is celebrated on 23 December every year to mark the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Q2. Who is the father of farmers in India?
Answer: “M S Swaminathan “Father of Indian Green Revolution”.
Guru Nanak Dev University becomes only University in India to get A grade by NAAC
National Assessment and Accreditation Council:
The Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar has got A grade by scoring 3.85 points in National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) grading, thereby becoming the only University in India to get this score. GNDU is the only State/Central/Private University in India to get this score. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is the only other educational institution with a higher grade of 3.89 in the country.
This assessment is based on set of seven criteria under different key aspects based on the functioning and organizational focus. These criteria include Curricular aspects, Teaching-learning and evaluation, Research, innovations and extension; Infrastructure and Learning resources; Student Support and Progression; Governance, Leadership and Management; Institutional Values and Best Practices.
National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC):
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) was established in 1994 as an autonomous institution of the University Grants Commission (UGC) with its Headquarter in Bengaluru. The NAAC conducts assessment and accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions such as colleges, universities or other recognised institutions to derive an understanding of the ‘Quality Status’ of the institution.
Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU):
Guru Nanak Dev University was established at Amritsar on November 24, 1969 to mark the 500th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It was set up by an act passed by the Punjab state legislature. The University has also been conferred with the status of “University with Potential for Excellence” by UGC. GNDU has been awarded the prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad trophy for overall excellence in sports for a record 23 times. Vice Chancellor of the University: Dr Jaspal Singh Sandhu.
Sethrichem Sangtam awarded Rohini Nayyar prize for rural development
Rohini Nayyar prize 2022:
Rohini Nayyar prize: Sethrichem Sangtam, who helped triple the incomes of 1,200 marginalised farmers in Eastern Nagaland, was awarded the first Rohini Nayyar prize for outstanding contribution to rural development. The prize awarded to an individual 40 years or under in age, was presented by the Niti Ayog Vice-Chairman Suman Bery. The winner was selected by an eminent jury from civil society consisting of Dr. Ashok Khosla, founder, Development Alternatives; Dr. Rajesh Tandon, founder, PRIA; and Ms. Renana Jhabwala, national coordinator, SEWA.
Mr. Sangtam works with 1,200 marginalised farmers in Eastern Nagaland through his organisation ‘Better Life Foundation’, which focusses on rural livelihood security, environment sustainability and education for change. Among his many achievements were encouraging farmers in the region to abandon wasteful slash, burn cultivation and move to permanent farming. The average income of the farmers tripled as a result of his interventions.
About the Prize:
The prize had been instituted by the family of the late Dr. Rohini Nayyar, an eminent scholar-administrator who spent much of her professional life working on issues related to rural development in India.
Dr. Nayyar, a well-known economist and former principal adviser at the erstwhile Planning Commission, was one of India’s foremost authorities on rural development. She passed away in October 2021.
US to Provide its Key Patriot Missile Defence System to Ukraine
The United States is finalizing plans to send the Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine. Ukraine has asked its Western partners for air defenses, including U.S.-made Patriot systems, to protect it from heavy Russian missile bombardment including against its energy infrastructure. The system is part of $1.85 billion in assistance unveiled in parallel with a visit to Washington by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
About Patriot Missile Defence System:
The Patriot is considered to be one of the most advanced U.S. air defense systems and is usually in short supply, with allies around the world vying for it.
Ground-based air defense systems such as Raytheon Technology Corp’s (RTX.N) Patriot are built to intercept incoming missiles.
Patriot has been proven effective in Saudi Arabia against Iranian-design ballistic missiles fired from Yemen, and primary contractor Raytheon says the system has intercepted more than 150 ballistic missiles in combat since 2015.
Russian Warning To The West:
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned NATO against providing Ukraine with Patriot missile defenses, and it is likely Moscow will view the move as an escalation.
The Pentagon says Russia’s recent surge in missile strikes in Ukraine is partly designed to exhaust Kyiv’s supplies of air defenses so it can dominate the skies above the country. For that reason, the United States and its allies have been delivering more air defenses for Kyiv, providing everything from Soviet-era systems to more modern, Western ones.
For the United States, this has included NASAMS air defense systems that the Pentagon says have flawlessly intercepted Russian missiles in Ukraine.
Assam Grants Industry Status to Its Tourism Sector
As the growth in the tourism sector is vital for socio-economic development in a state, the Assam State Cabinet led by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma approved the proposal for grant of industrial status to the tourism sector in the state.
Significance of This Transition:
It has been highlighted that with such industry status, fresh investments in tourism infrastructures permanent in nature will contribute towards rapid employment generation, public-private partnership and infrastructure development.
With the grant of industry status to the tourism sector, now, restaurants, cafeterias, health clubs, spas and wellness centres among others are eligible for incentives under the industrial policy. This move will further encourage and boost private investment in the above areas of the tourism sector.
The newly-implemented policy aims for sustainable and environmentally friendly investment besides capital formation and the creation of gainful employment. The ministry also said mentioned that the infrastructure can be developed through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, which will contribute to the overall development of the region.
Assam has now become a nationally and internationally acclaimed all-season tourist destination for its unique wildlife, bio-diversity and experience of an unexploited wonderland. Tourism is to be one of the main sources of income generation for the people over the years.
PM Modi to Inaugurate National Youth Conference in Karnataka on 12 January 2023
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that a National Youth festival is poised to be hosted at Hubballi-Dharwad twin cities, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The National Youth Festival will be organized on January 12 in connection with the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
More About This: National Youth festival:
Around 7,500 representatives from all the States will participate in the youth festival. The National Youth Festival is organised to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand which falls on 12 January.
The first National Youth Festival was started in 1995 as a major activity under the programme of National Integration Camp. The 25th National Youth Festival was organised in Puducherry.
Swami Vivekananda’s birthday on January 12 is always celebrated as National Youth Day and 12-16 January every year is observed as the National Youth Week.
India’s Manned Space Flight Gaganyaan to be Launched in the Fourth Quarter of 2024
The Government has said, the country’s maiden human space flight mission, Gaganyaan, is targeted to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2024. Science & Technology Minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, in view of the paramount importance of crew safety, two uncrewed flights are scheduled, before the final human space flight- ‘H1 mission’, to demonstrate the performance of the crew escape system and parachute-based deceleration system for different flight conditions.
More Update Regarding This:
He said, uncrewed ‘G1 mission’ will be targeted in the last quarter of next year, followed by the ‘G2’ in the second quarter of 2024. Dr. Jitendra Singh said the astronaut designates for the Gaganyaan are identified and undergoing mission-specific training at Bengaluru. The first uncrewed flight of Gaganyaan programme ‘G1’ mission is aimed at validating the performance of the human rated launch vehicle, Orbital module propulsion system, mission management, communication system, and recovery operations. The mission will carry a humanoid as a payload. Gaganyaan Mission:
Aim:
Gaganyaan is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft that is intended to send 3 astronauts to space for a minimum of seven days by 2022 (delayed due to COVID-19).
Launched by:
ISRO’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV Mk III (3 stages heavy-lift vehicle)
Components:
Consists of a service module and a crew module, collectively known as an Orbital Module (Crew Module carries astronauts & Service Modules carries propellants.)
LEO: It will circle Earth at a low-earth-orbit at an altitude of 300-400 km from the earth for 5-7 days.
Vyom Mitra: ISRO to send humanoid Vyommitra in unmanned Gaganyaan spacecraft ahead of human spaceflight (Monitoring module parameters).
Other Major Space Projects:
Venus mission: This will be the first mission to Venus by the ISRO.
L-1 Aditya solar: India’s first scientific expedition to study the Sun
Chandrayaan-3: It is a lander-and rover-specific mission, a follow-up of the Chandrayaan-2 mission.