1000 Tribal Home Stays to be promoted under Swadesh Darsan to Boost Local Tourism and Livelihood in Tribal Areas

• In villages which have tourist potential, funding will be provided to the tribal Household and the village for construction of 5-10 Homestays in one village.
• Each household will be eligible for Rs. 5.00 lakhs for the construction of two new rooms and upto Rs. 3.00 lakhs for renovation of existing rooms and Rs 5 lakh for village community requirement.

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

• It was launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations in the country. 
• It is 100% centrally funded scheme.
• Under the scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance to State governments, Union Territory Administrations or Central Agencies for development of tourism infrastructure in the country.
• Operation & Maintenance (O&M) of the projects sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme is the responsibility of the respective State Government/UT Administration.

Objectives:

• To position tourism as a major engine of economic growth and job creation;
• Develop circuits having tourist potential in a planned and prioritized manner;
• Promote cultural and heritage value of the country to generate livelihoods in the identified regions;
• Enhancing the tourist attractiveness in a sustainable mannerby developing world class infrastructure in the circuit/destinations;
• Follow community-based development and pro-poor tourism approach;
• Creating awareness among the local communities about the importance of tourism for them in terms of increased sources of income, improved living standards and overall development of the area.
• To make full use of the potential and advantages in terms of available infrastructure, national culture and characteristic strong points of each and every region throughout the country by development of theme-based circuits.
• Development of tourist facilitation services to enhance visitor experience/satisfaction.

Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0

• With the mantra of ‘vocal for local’, the revamped scheme namely Swadesh Darshan 2.0 seeks to attain “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” by realizing India’s full potential as a tourism destination.
• Swadesh Darshan 2.0 is not an incremental change but a generational shift to evolve Swadesh Darshan Scheme as a holistic mission to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations.
• It will encourage the development of benchmarks and standards for generic and theme-specific development of tourism destinationsand the States will follow the benchmarks and standards while planning and developing the projects.

White Revolution 2.0 to empower women, fight malnutrition: Amit Shah

• White Revolution 2.0 will help the inclusion of women engaged in procurement of milk in formal employment as the money will be deposited in their bank accounts.
• The scheme aims at increasing procurement led by cooperatives from the present 660 lakh litres per day to 1,000 lakh litres.

White Revolution

Operation Flood (1970-1996):

• Objectives: To increase milk production, augment rural incomes, and provide consumers with fair prices.
• Key Players: The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) played a crucial role, promoting cooperative models through the establishment of dairy cooperatives.
• Achievements:

1. Milk production in India surged from around 22 million tonnes in 1970 to over 210 million tonnes by 2018.
2. The cooperative model empowered millions of dairy farmers, particularly women.

Why there is a need of white revolution 2.0?

• Inflation- The all-India modal price of milk has risen significantly, from Rs 42 to Rs 60 per litre over the last five years.
• Reduction in demand- Higher prices may result in consumers cutting back on their milk consumption, impacting the overall demand for dairy products.
• Increased production cost- The costs associated with fodder, feed, and raw materials have seen a significant increase, prompting dairies to raise procurement prices paid to farmers.
• Impact on consumers- Inflation and increased production cost falls on consumers, as there is a limit on how much more consumers can pay for milk before it causes demand destruction.

White Revolution 2.0: Proposed Objectives

• Sustainability: Focus on sustainable practices in dairy farming, reducing the carbon footprint, and enhancing animal welfare.
• Digitalization: Leverage technology for better management, supply chain efficiency, and direct farmer-consumer connections.
• Diverse Products: Expansion into value-added dairy products, enhancing income for farmers.
• Climate Resilience: Develop adaptive practices to mitigate climate change impacts on dairy farming.
• Women''s Empowerment: Increase participation of women in dairy cooperatives and decision-making processes.
• Global Competitiveness: Enhance quality and standards to compete in global markets.

Challenges

• Infrastructure Gaps: Need for better transportation and processing facilities.
• Market Fluctuations: Vulnerability to price fluctuations in the dairy market.
• Quality Control: Ensuring consistent quality standards across the supply chain.
• Policy Support: Need for coherent policies and support from the government.
• Training and Education: Providing adequate training to farmers on modern dairy practices.

Steps taken by India to promote milk production:

• Rashtriya Gokul Mission: It was initiated in 2014 with a focus on the conservation and development of indigenous breeds and improve their genetic makeup.
• E-Pashu Haat: An e-market portal connecting breeders and farmers to provide quality- disease free bovine germplasm.
• Pashu Sanjivni: An Animal Wellness Programme with the provision of animal health cards along with UID identification.
• National Animal Disease Control Programme: It was launched in 2019 to control and eradicate the Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis amongst the livestock
• Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF): It aims to incentivize the investments to establish dairy and meat processing and value addition infrastructure and animal feed plants.

ICG inks MoU with key environmental foundations to Combat Marine Pollution & Protect Biodiversity

The key efforts will include:

• Ghost Net Removal: Addressing the problem of discarded fishing nets, which significantly harm marine ecosystems.
• Mapping and Classifying Ghost Gear Aggregation Areas: Enhancing knowledge about regions most affected by ghost gear to prioritize clean-up efforts effectively.
• Surveys in Ecologically Sensitive Regions: Monitoring and protecting biodiversity, focusing on vulnerable marine habitats.
• Community Involvement: Engaging coastal communities in conservation activities to promote stewardship of marine ecosystems. 

Marine Pollution

• Marine pollution, also known as ocean pollution, is the spreading of harmful substances such as oil, plastic, industrial and agricultural waste and chemical particles into the ocean.

Effects of Marine Pollution:

• Harm to marine life through direct toxicity, physical entanglement, and disruption of marine habitats.
• For example, coral bleaching, Heavy metals/oil toxicity, fishing gear/plastic debris entanglement (Great Pacific Garbage Patch), etc.
• Damage to ecosystems by disrupting food chains and habitats.
• For example, oil spills kill algae disrupting the food chain, sewage discharge leading to algal blooms, etc.
• Depletion of oxygen in seawater: Excess debris in the ocean slowly degrades over many years, resulting in less oxygen in the ocean.
• For example, low levels of oxygen in the ocean lead to the death of ocean animals such as penguins, dolphins, whales, and sharks.
• Threat to human health: Pollutants in the ocean make their way back to humans. Small organisms ingest toxins and are eaten by larger predators, many of which are seafood that we eventually eat.
• For example, the toxins in contaminated animals when deposited in human tissue can lead to long-term health conditions, cancer, and birth defects.
• Economic impacts include damage to fishing and aquaculture industries, the loss of livelihood of coastal communities, damage to tourism, etc.
• For example, according to an Australian government study, Great Barrier Reef tourism areas are at risk of losing 1 million visitors per year and 10,000 tourism jobs.

Global Initiatives

• The Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities: The GPA is the only global intergovernmental mechanism directly addressing the connectivity between terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems.

International conventions:

1. MARPOL convention (1973)

• It covers pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.
• It lists various forms of marine pollution caused by oil, noxious liquid substances, harmful substances in packaged form, sewage and garbage from ships, etc.

2. The London Convention (1972)

• Its objective is to promote the effective control of all sources of marine pollution and to take all practicable steps to prevent pollution of the sea by dumping of wastes and other matter.
• Greenpeace:
• It is an environmental NGO that is dedicated to conserving the oceans and marine life across the globe.
• Its grassroots efforts have resulted in the ban of destructive fishing practices, companies changing their fishing policies, and the creation of whale sanctuaries.

Prevention:

• Implement renewable energy sources,such as wind or solar power, to limit off-shore drilling.
• Limit agricultural pesticides and encourage organic farming & eco-friendly pesticide use.
• Proper sewage treatment and exploration of eco-friendly wastewater treatment options.
• Cut down on the industry and manufacturing waste and contain it into landfillsto avoid spillage.
• At individual level reduce carbon footprint by adopting a "green" lifestyle.
• Have a global treaty on banning single-use plastics and collaborated effort to clean up the ocean.

Harappan civilisation: enigma remains even after 100 years of exploration

• On September 20, 1924, The Illustrated London News published an article by John Marshall, then Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), announcing the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization, later known as the Harappan Civilization.
• The discovery filled a historical gap regarding settled life in South Asia, previously believed to have begun around the 6th century BCE. The Harappan Civilization dates back to around 3200 BCE, pushing back the timeline of urbanization by over 3,000 years.

Indus Valley Civilization

• The history of India begins with the birth of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), also known as Harappan Civilization.
• It flourished around 2,500 BC, in the western part of South Asia, in contemporary Pakistan and Western India.
• The Indus Valley was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China.
• In 1920s, the Archaeological Department of India carried out excavations in the Indus valley wherein the ruins of the two old cities, viz. Mohenjodaro and Harappa were unearthed.
• In 1924, John Marshall, Director-General of the ASI, announced the discovery of a new civilisation in the Indus valley to the world.

Phases of IVC

• The Early Harappan Phase from 3300 to 2600 BCE,
• The Mature Harappan Phase from 2600 to 1900 BCE, and
• The Late Harappan Phase from 1900 to 1300 BCE.

TOWN PLANNING AND STRUCTURES

• The towns were in a rectangular grid patternwith roads at right angles.
• Used burnt mud bricksjoined with gypsum mortar (contemporary Egypt dried bricks were used).
• The city was divided in two parts, the city on raised platform, Known as Uppercitadel & the lower town known as lower citadel (working class quarters)
• Most buildings have private wells and properly ventilated bathrooms.
• Do not have large monumental structures such as temples or palacesfor rulers unlike Egyptian and Mesopotamian Civilisation.
• Advanced drainage

Agriculture

• Wheat, barley, rai, peas, sesame, lentil, chickpea and mustard were produced. Millets are also found from sites in Gujarat. While rice uses were relatively rare.
• The Indus people were the earliest people to produce cotton.
• Representations on seals and terracotta sculpture indicate that the bull was known, and archaeologists extrapolate shows oxen were also used for ploughing.
• Traces of canal shave been found at the Harappan site of Shortughai in Afghanistan, but not in Punjab or Sindh.
• Although the Harappans practised agriculture, animals were also reared on a large scale.
• Evidence of the horse comes from a superficial level of Mohenjodaro and from a doubtful terracotta figurine from Lothal. In any case the Harappan culture was not horse centred.

Art:

BRONZE CASTING:

• Practiced on a wide scale using the ‘lost wax’ technique or Cire Perdue.
• They mainly consist of human and animal figures. Example: ‘Dancing Girl’.She stands in a ‘tribhanga’ dancing posture.

STONE STATUES:

• Bearded man– (found in Mohenjo-daro and made of Steatite), interpreted as a priest
• Red sandstone– figure of a male torso (found in Harappa and made of Red sandstone).

 TERRACOTTA FIGURES

• Found are less in number and crude in shape and form. Examples: Mother Goddess, mask of horned deity, toys, etc

Economy

• The importance of trade in the life of the Indus people is witnessed by the presence of numerous seals, uniform script and regulated weights and measuresin a wide area.
• The Harappans carried on considerable trade in stone, metal, shell,
• Metal money was not used and trade was carried by barter system.
• They practised navigation on the coast of the Arabian Sea.
• They had set up a trading colony in northern Afghanistanwhich evidently facilitated trade with Central Asia.
• They also carried commerce with those in the land of the Tigris and the Euphrates.
• The Harappans carried on long distance trade in lapis lazuli; which may have contributed to the social prestige of the ruling class.

Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization

• The IVC declined around 1800 BCE but the actual reasons behind its demise are still debated.
• One theory claims that Indo-European tribe i.e. Aryans invaded and conquered the IVC.
• In later cultures various elements of the IVC are found which suggest that civilization did not disappear suddenly due to an invasion.
• On the other hand, many scholars believe natural factors are behind the decline of the IVC.
• The natural factors could be geological and climatic.
• It is believed that the Indus Valley region experienced several tectonic disturbanceswhich causes earthquakes. Which also changed courses of rivers or dried them up.
• Another natural reason might be changes in patterns of rainfall.
• There could be also dramatic shifts in the river courses,which might have brought floods to the food producing areas.
• Due to combinationof these natural causes there was a slow but inevitable collapse of IVC.

Four-day mega event, World Food India begins in Delhi

Key Initiatives

• 100% FDI: Introduction of 100% Foreign Direct Investment in the food processing sector to attract global investment.
• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana: A scheme designed to enhance food processing capabilities.
• Micro Food Processing Enterprises: Formalization efforts to support small food businesses.
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI): Encouragement for food processing industries through incentives tied to production levels.

International Collaboration

• Global Participation: The event saw participation from over 90 countries, highlighting India''s openness to international cooperation in food processing.
• Discussions on Best Practices: Emphasis on addressing food safety, quality standards, and topics such as food irradiationand the circular economy during the event.

World Food India

• Recognizing the potential of food processing sector in transforming India as the food basket of the world, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India has adopted measures to channelize investments in food processing subsegments.
• This includes backward linkages, food processing equipment, processing related R&D, cold chain storage solutions, start-ups, logistic & retail chains, encompassing the entire food processing value chain.
• With the objective of introducing the world to rich Indian food culture as well as promoting investments in the diverse food processing sector of the country, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries launched the first edition of World Food India in 2017.
• In view of celebrating 2023 as the International Year of Millets and to bring global food processing industry together, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries organized the second edition World Food India in 2023.
• This year World Food India 2024 will be organized from 19th to 22nd September 2024.