General Affairs
Aadhaar Operators Who Violate Processes Face Rs. 1 Lakh Fine: UIDAI
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UIDAI today said it follows a "stringent enrolment and updation process" for issuance of Aadhaar cards, and has blacklisted over 50,000 operators for various violations, amid reports of a breach in its enrolment software.
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said its enrolment software comes with necessary safeguards and checks to protect against any manipulation, as it discredited the claims in the report as "baseless and false".
The statement comes after reports of alleged tampering of the Aadhaar enrolment software and being sold in the black market, which purportedly bypasses operators' biometric authentication and facilitates issuance of Aadhaar cards without any documents.
Emphasising its "zero tolerance policy" when it comes to ensuring security and safety of its processes, UIDAI said that any operator found to be violating its stipulated processes or those indulging in any type of fraudulent or corrupt practices, are blocked, blacklisted and also face stiff financial penalty of up to Rs. 1 lakh per instance.
"Also, all such enrolment attempts get rejected and Aadhaar is not generated. As on date more than 50,000 operators have been blacklisted," the UIDAI added statement said.
The UIDAI said its system matches all the biometric, that is all 10 fingerprints and both irides, of a resident enrolling for Aadhaar with the biometrics of all Aadhaar holders before issuing the 12 digit identifier.
"No operator can make or update Aadhaar unless the resident himself or herself gives his or her biometric. Any enrolment or update request is processed only after biometric of resident is authenticated," UIDAI said.
Detailing the stringent processes followed by it, UIDAI said prior to processing of the enrolment or updation activity, the operator's biometric and other parameters are also checked. Only once all checks are found to be successful, enrolment or updation request of resident is further processed.
"Some of the checks include biometric check of operator, validity of operator, enrolment machine, enrolment agency and registrar, which are verified at UIDAI's backend system before further processing is done. In cases where any of the checks fails, the enrolment request gets rejected and action against such operator is taken", UIDAI added.
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said its enrolment software comes with necessary safeguards and checks to protect against any manipulation, as it discredited the claims in the report as "baseless and false".
The statement comes after reports of alleged tampering of the Aadhaar enrolment software and being sold in the black market, which purportedly bypasses operators' biometric authentication and facilitates issuance of Aadhaar cards without any documents.
Emphasising its "zero tolerance policy" when it comes to ensuring security and safety of its processes, UIDAI said that any operator found to be violating its stipulated processes or those indulging in any type of fraudulent or corrupt practices, are blocked, blacklisted and also face stiff financial penalty of up to Rs. 1 lakh per instance.
"Also, all such enrolment attempts get rejected and Aadhaar is not generated. As on date more than 50,000 operators have been blacklisted," the UIDAI added statement said.
The UIDAI said its system matches all the biometric, that is all 10 fingerprints and both irides, of a resident enrolling for Aadhaar with the biometrics of all Aadhaar holders before issuing the 12 digit identifier.
"No operator can make or update Aadhaar unless the resident himself or herself gives his or her biometric. Any enrolment or update request is processed only after biometric of resident is authenticated," UIDAI said.
Detailing the stringent processes followed by it, UIDAI said prior to processing of the enrolment or updation activity, the operator's biometric and other parameters are also checked. Only once all checks are found to be successful, enrolment or updation request of resident is further processed.
"Some of the checks include biometric check of operator, validity of operator, enrolment machine, enrolment agency and registrar, which are verified at UIDAI's backend system before further processing is done. In cases where any of the checks fails, the enrolment request gets rejected and action against such operator is taken", UIDAI added.
This Is Why No South Indian City Appeared In The List Of Most Polluted
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No south Indian city figured in the just- released global air pollution report of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The WHO report said 14 of the world's 15 most polluted cities were in India which includes Delhi, Kanpur and Varanasi.
Asked what helped in tackling pollution, a pollution control official in Tamil Nadu said efforts aimed at improvisation were always prioritised and such measures bore fruit.
An "action plan" is being readied now to tackle air pollution better, he said.
Measures being planned to tackle air pollution better include putting in place advanced gadgets in industrial premises to enable real time monitoring, he told PTI.
Such monitoring will help more in checking emissions which lead to air pollution.
To a question on some real time air pollution (PM 2.5) data for Chennai pointing to pollution comparable to cities like Varanasi (PM 2.5/ 151/WHO data), he said it was "dynamic, and keeps changing all the time."
Such "so-called high pollution levels," were confined only to some individual pockets reflecting isolated factors and does not reflect the true scenario in the entire city, he said.
"Tackling pollution is a continuous process involving multiple government agencies and the people too," he said.
Municipal bodies, transport corporations were among the agencies being roped in to better tackle pollution.
Pollution levels in major cities of Tamil Nadu like Chennai were within the permissible range in respect of parameters including the PM 2.5 or PM 10, the official said adding "it is much better when compared with other cities like New Delhi."
For instance, last year in Chennai, the PM 2.5 value ranged between 27 and 54 while the maximum permissible limit was 60. Similar was the case in respect of other major cities like Coimbatore, he noted.
Declining to accept the "within the permissible range," data of the State pollution control board, noted environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman alleged that "Tamil Nadu is filled with industrial toxic hotspots."
Such spots include Tuticorin, Mettur, Manali, Ennore and Cuddalore, he alleged. These regions are dotted with industries related to copper, fertiliser, plastic, chemicals besides thermal power plants.
He demanded a complete 'overhaul' of TN Pollution Control Board to see tangible results to address pollution issues in the "real sense of the word."
In Karnataka, Pollution Control Board chairman Lakshman said improved infrastructure, high awareness levels and emphasis on mass transport system contributed significantly in containing air pollution in the state, especially Bengaluru.
He said one of the reasons for southern cities not figuring in the list was due to the highly humid South Indian environment.
Initiatives like Bus Day, Less Traffic Day, construction of flyovers, pothole filling, road widening, shifting of bus stops to the outskirts too contributed well, Mr Lakshman said.
Environmentalist Leo Saldanha batted for more regulation by pollution control authorities. He alleged, "environment regulation has been so badly affected in the last two-three years.. nobody is even bothered to check water, air or other form of pollution."
As regards Andhra Pradesh, the state's Pollution Control Board Chairman BSS Prasad said constant monitoring of carbon emissions, particulate matter, suspended particulate matter, increase in green cover and a shift to clean energy sources helped in ensuring pollution levels are under check.
Visakhapatnam, the port city that was classified as "critically-polluted" about eight years ago, has now got rid of the dubious tag, he said.
"Pollution control has now become a focus for us... Our efforts are yielding results and pollution is not increasing as in the case of other cities," he said.
Noting that monitoring stations has enabled them to take corrective steps, he said based on inputs region wise specific measures were taken like steps to curb dust pollution in Vijayawada.
"A lot more needs to be done but steps are taken in this regard," he said. Such steps include the Vizag Port Trust and major industrial units like HPCL spending over Rs. 1,700 crore to reduce pollution in their respective units.
In Hyderabad, a Pollution Control Board official said based on the report of an expert committee many measures were being pursued to tackle air pollution better for several years now.
Checking fuel adulteration to rein in vehicle emissions, road widening and signal synchronisation to facilitate free flow of traffic have helped combat pollution, he said.
Kerala Pollution Control Board chairman, K Sajeevan, said though Kochi and Kozhikode faced pollution issues, contamination was still within limits in respect of PM 10 and PM 2.5.
The WHO report said 14 of the world's 15 most polluted cities were in India which includes Delhi, Kanpur and Varanasi.
Asked what helped in tackling pollution, a pollution control official in Tamil Nadu said efforts aimed at improvisation were always prioritised and such measures bore fruit.
An "action plan" is being readied now to tackle air pollution better, he said.
Measures being planned to tackle air pollution better include putting in place advanced gadgets in industrial premises to enable real time monitoring, he told PTI.
Such monitoring will help more in checking emissions which lead to air pollution.
To a question on some real time air pollution (PM 2.5) data for Chennai pointing to pollution comparable to cities like Varanasi (PM 2.5/ 151/WHO data), he said it was "dynamic, and keeps changing all the time."
Such "so-called high pollution levels," were confined only to some individual pockets reflecting isolated factors and does not reflect the true scenario in the entire city, he said.
"Tackling pollution is a continuous process involving multiple government agencies and the people too," he said.
Municipal bodies, transport corporations were among the agencies being roped in to better tackle pollution.
Pollution levels in major cities of Tamil Nadu like Chennai were within the permissible range in respect of parameters including the PM 2.5 or PM 10, the official said adding "it is much better when compared with other cities like New Delhi."
For instance, last year in Chennai, the PM 2.5 value ranged between 27 and 54 while the maximum permissible limit was 60. Similar was the case in respect of other major cities like Coimbatore, he noted.
Declining to accept the "within the permissible range," data of the State pollution control board, noted environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman alleged that "Tamil Nadu is filled with industrial toxic hotspots."
Such spots include Tuticorin, Mettur, Manali, Ennore and Cuddalore, he alleged. These regions are dotted with industries related to copper, fertiliser, plastic, chemicals besides thermal power plants.
He demanded a complete 'overhaul' of TN Pollution Control Board to see tangible results to address pollution issues in the "real sense of the word."
In Karnataka, Pollution Control Board chairman Lakshman said improved infrastructure, high awareness levels and emphasis on mass transport system contributed significantly in containing air pollution in the state, especially Bengaluru.
He said one of the reasons for southern cities not figuring in the list was due to the highly humid South Indian environment.
Initiatives like Bus Day, Less Traffic Day, construction of flyovers, pothole filling, road widening, shifting of bus stops to the outskirts too contributed well, Mr Lakshman said.
Environmentalist Leo Saldanha batted for more regulation by pollution control authorities. He alleged, "environment regulation has been so badly affected in the last two-three years.. nobody is even bothered to check water, air or other form of pollution."
As regards Andhra Pradesh, the state's Pollution Control Board Chairman BSS Prasad said constant monitoring of carbon emissions, particulate matter, suspended particulate matter, increase in green cover and a shift to clean energy sources helped in ensuring pollution levels are under check.
Visakhapatnam, the port city that was classified as "critically-polluted" about eight years ago, has now got rid of the dubious tag, he said.
"Pollution control has now become a focus for us... Our efforts are yielding results and pollution is not increasing as in the case of other cities," he said.
Noting that monitoring stations has enabled them to take corrective steps, he said based on inputs region wise specific measures were taken like steps to curb dust pollution in Vijayawada.
"A lot more needs to be done but steps are taken in this regard," he said. Such steps include the Vizag Port Trust and major industrial units like HPCL spending over Rs. 1,700 crore to reduce pollution in their respective units.
In Hyderabad, a Pollution Control Board official said based on the report of an expert committee many measures were being pursued to tackle air pollution better for several years now.
Checking fuel adulteration to rein in vehicle emissions, road widening and signal synchronisation to facilitate free flow of traffic have helped combat pollution, he said.
Kerala Pollution Control Board chairman, K Sajeevan, said though Kochi and Kozhikode faced pollution issues, contamination was still within limits in respect of PM 10 and PM 2.5.
PM Modi Takes A Step To Keep Nitish Kumar In Good Humour
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Ten months after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined hands with the BJP, that meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he had often talked about will finally take place, later this month.
PM Modi met with Nitish Kumar on Wednesday evening at his official home 7 Lok Kalyan Marg and reportedly said he would like a discussion with the chief minister and all his top officials on every issue on May 11 in Patna, before leaving for Janakpur in Nepal.
The Prime Minister will travel to Nepal for a two-day tour. His first stop is Janakpur, where he is expected to visit an ancient temple and there may be a public reception too. The visit is seen as an attempt to reach out to the Madheshi community in the Terai region, who are still upset about the economic blockade in 2015, which left them cut off from essential supplies for weeks.
The PM's meeting with Nitish Kumar is seen by many as long overdue and another step to keep him in good humour as the country nears the 2019 national election.
The chief minister has been facing relentless opposition attacks and criticism since he re-embraced the BJP, an ally he had ended ties with over its decision to elevate Mr Modi as PM candidate. The rivalry and cold war between the two became legendary. But when Nitish Kumar decided to switch sides last July, PM Modi took the unusual step of posting a tweet with praise.
Nitish Kumar often said he, along with a team of officials, would have a meeting with the Prime Minister and the outcome would be a big boost to the development of Bihar.
The meeting didn't happen for months, and Nitish Kumar was mocked relentlessly by the opposition. The RJD of Lalu Yadav, smarting since it was dumped by the Chief Minister, sneered, "What happened to double engine Sarkar (government?)".
Nitish Kumar's embarrassment worsened when his demand for over Rs. 6,000 crore as damages after floods got his state only Rs. 1,700 crore from the centre.
Ten months after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined hands with the BJP, that meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he had often talked about will finally take place, later this month.PM Modi met with Nitish Kumar on Wednesday evening at his official home 7 Lok Kalyan Marg and reportedly said he would like a discussion with the chief minister and all his top officials on every issue on May 11 in Patna, before leaving for Janakpur in Nepal.
The Prime Minister will travel to Nepal for a two-day tour. His first stop is Janakpur, where he is expected to visit an ancient temple and there may be a public reception too. The visit is seen as an attempt to reach out to the Madheshi community in the Terai region, who are still upset about the economic blockade in 2015, which left them cut off from essential supplies for weeks.
The PM's meeting with Nitish Kumar is seen by many as long overdue and another step to keep him in good humour as the country nears the 2019 national election.
The chief minister has been facing relentless opposition attacks and criticism since he re-embraced the BJP, an ally he had ended ties with over its decision to elevate Mr Modi as PM candidate. The rivalry and cold war between the two became legendary. But when Nitish Kumar decided to switch sides last July, PM Modi took the unusual step of posting a tweet with praise.
Nitish Kumar often said he, along with a team of officials, would have a meeting with the Prime Minister and the outcome would be a big boost to the development of Bihar.
The meeting didn't happen for months, and Nitish Kumar was mocked relentlessly by the opposition. The RJD of Lalu Yadav, smarting since it was dumped by the Chief Minister, sneered, "What happened to double engine Sarkar (government?)".
Nitish Kumar's embarrassment worsened when his demand for over Rs. 6,000 crore as damages after floods got his state only Rs. 1,700 crore from the centre.
Rahul Gandhi's Flight Scare Triggers Questions About Plane, And An Advice
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The Special Protection Group or SPG responsible for Rahul Gandhi's security has asked the aviation regulator about the checks carried out on his aircraft that suddenly plunged last month, jeopardising the lives of the passengers. In a letter to the regulator that is probing the incident, the special team that guards the Congress president has called for complete details about the incident including its assessment if the snag was technical or otherwise.
The Congress had called for a thorough probe to assess if the faults in the aircraft including failure of the auto-pilot mode could be attributed to sabotage.
Mr Gandhi didn't mention the big scare during his flight to Karnataka's Hubli for days.
The Congress president spoke about the scary experience at a rally in Delhi over the weekend,
"I was on way to Karnataka when my flight dropped nearly 8,000 feet. I thought I was done for," the 48-year-old leader confessed.
A senior government official told that the SPG had taken the incident very seriously and had sought complete details from aviation regulator DGCA.
Mr Gandhi's security was also reviewed at the Cabinet Secretariat, which oversees the functioning of the SPG that provides security to India's most-protected leaders.
Sources said a point that was made more than once at the meeting was that the Congress also should exercise discretion in selecting the planes that its party president flies. It is a view that could be formally conveyed to the party once SPG gets a complete picture.
The Cabinet Secretariat has also inquired about the basis on which the party selects for the planes to fly Rahul Gandhi.
But much of the SPG's assessment about the incident will have to wait for the aviation regulator's report.
"Since DGCA is inquiring into all technical and manual aspects, we want clear-cut answers on certain issues," a senior official said.
The SPG's questions for the DGCA relate to the last air worthiness certificate issued to the 10-seater Dassault Falcon 2000 business jet and the flying experience of the two pilots who were on the plane.
"We have asked DGCA to also look into the fact that how many hours before the plane got airborne it got technical clearance from DGCA and how is possible that engineers missed did not figure that the auto pilot was not functioning properly," explains a source.
The SPG, which protects the Prime Minister, former PMs and their family, relies on air force planes for the Prime Minister for domestic travel. The PM and his party have to pay for the flight if the tour is not official. In case of former PMs and their family, the individual concerned has to make the travel arrangements.
The Congress had called for a thorough probe to assess if the faults in the aircraft including failure of the auto-pilot mode could be attributed to sabotage.
Mr Gandhi didn't mention the big scare during his flight to Karnataka's Hubli for days.
The Congress president spoke about the scary experience at a rally in Delhi over the weekend,
"I was on way to Karnataka when my flight dropped nearly 8,000 feet. I thought I was done for," the 48-year-old leader confessed.
A senior government official told that the SPG had taken the incident very seriously and had sought complete details from aviation regulator DGCA.
Mr Gandhi's security was also reviewed at the Cabinet Secretariat, which oversees the functioning of the SPG that provides security to India's most-protected leaders.
Sources said a point that was made more than once at the meeting was that the Congress also should exercise discretion in selecting the planes that its party president flies. It is a view that could be formally conveyed to the party once SPG gets a complete picture.
The Cabinet Secretariat has also inquired about the basis on which the party selects for the planes to fly Rahul Gandhi.
But much of the SPG's assessment about the incident will have to wait for the aviation regulator's report.
"Since DGCA is inquiring into all technical and manual aspects, we want clear-cut answers on certain issues," a senior official said.
The SPG's questions for the DGCA relate to the last air worthiness certificate issued to the 10-seater Dassault Falcon 2000 business jet and the flying experience of the two pilots who were on the plane.
"We have asked DGCA to also look into the fact that how many hours before the plane got airborne it got technical clearance from DGCA and how is possible that engineers missed did not figure that the auto pilot was not functioning properly," explains a source.
The SPG, which protects the Prime Minister, former PMs and their family, relies on air force planes for the Prime Minister for domestic travel. The PM and his party have to pay for the flight if the tour is not official. In case of former PMs and their family, the individual concerned has to make the travel arrangements.
PM Modi Says Karnataka Ready To Bear May Heat But Not Congress Anymore
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The assembly elections in Karnataka is meant not only to change the Congress government, but also the fate of farmers, future of youths and position of women, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, focussing on the three sections of people the opposition has accused his government of neglecting.
PM Modi, who has extensive plans for the last stretch of campaigning, plans to address three more rallies. Back in the state after a day's gap, he started the day with a rally at Kalaburagi in north Karnataka.
Addressing thousands at the grounds of a local school, the Prime Minister accused the Congress of "insulting national heroes" and the Indian Army.
"Karnataka has a rich history of valour with immortal names like Field Marshall Cariappa and General Thimayya. But how Congress governments treated them is well recorded in history. In 1948 after defeating Pakistan, General Thimayya was insulted by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and defence minister Krishna Menon," he said.
After the surgical strike, "our army chief was called a goonda by Congress," the Prime Minister said. "I want to ask you. In our country, has even an uneducated person called our brave soldiers goondas?"
With just 10 days to go before the elections, the Prime Minister is crisscrossing the state, hopping from one end to the other.
He also took on the Congress over its treatment of farmers. His government, he said, made important decisions on minimum support price for farmers whereas the Congress sat on the Swaminathan Commission recommendation to increase MSP for farmers.
Kalaburagi, he said, is known for the dal (pulses) it produces. "Our farmers are working hard here and availing of the benefits of the central government schemes. However, the Karnataka government is insensitive towards the condition of farmers," he added.
The farmers' issue has been one of the key issues on which the Prime Minister and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi have clashed. Yesterday, PM Modi had interacted with farmers through the NaMo app, where he underscored the need to convince farmers to vote for a government that is sensitive to their issues. Today, Mr Gandhi tweeted a report card on his government's handling of the agrarian crisis that gave him a "F" grade.
PM Modi started his campaign on May 1, with the first of the 15-plus rallies he is expected to address in the state. At the rallies - held in Chamarajanagara, Udupi and Belagavi -- he had extensively targeted Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.
He addresses two more rallies today. One is in Ballary in the east -- from where the party has fielded two of scam-tainted Reddy brothers - and another in north Bengaluru.
PM Modi, who has extensive plans for the last stretch of campaigning, plans to address three more rallies. Back in the state after a day's gap, he started the day with a rally at Kalaburagi in north Karnataka.
Addressing thousands at the grounds of a local school, the Prime Minister accused the Congress of "insulting national heroes" and the Indian Army.
"Karnataka has a rich history of valour with immortal names like Field Marshall Cariappa and General Thimayya. But how Congress governments treated them is well recorded in history. In 1948 after defeating Pakistan, General Thimayya was insulted by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and defence minister Krishna Menon," he said.
After the surgical strike, "our army chief was called a goonda by Congress," the Prime Minister said. "I want to ask you. In our country, has even an uneducated person called our brave soldiers goondas?"
With just 10 days to go before the elections, the Prime Minister is crisscrossing the state, hopping from one end to the other.
He also took on the Congress over its treatment of farmers. His government, he said, made important decisions on minimum support price for farmers whereas the Congress sat on the Swaminathan Commission recommendation to increase MSP for farmers.
Kalaburagi, he said, is known for the dal (pulses) it produces. "Our farmers are working hard here and availing of the benefits of the central government schemes. However, the Karnataka government is insensitive towards the condition of farmers," he added.
The farmers' issue has been one of the key issues on which the Prime Minister and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi have clashed. Yesterday, PM Modi had interacted with farmers through the NaMo app, where he underscored the need to convince farmers to vote for a government that is sensitive to their issues. Today, Mr Gandhi tweeted a report card on his government's handling of the agrarian crisis that gave him a "F" grade.
PM Modi started his campaign on May 1, with the first of the 15-plus rallies he is expected to address in the state. At the rallies - held in Chamarajanagara, Udupi and Belagavi -- he had extensively targeted Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.
He addresses two more rallies today. One is in Ballary in the east -- from where the party has fielded two of scam-tainted Reddy brothers - and another in north Bengaluru.
Business Affairs
Flipkart likely to go with Walmart even as Amazon makes a last-ditch bid: report
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The race to acquire the biggest chunk of India's e-commerce pie seems to be going in favour of world's largest brick-and-mortar retail giant. Walmart is said to be finalising a deal to acquire majority stake Flipkart. This comes amid reports that Flipkart's largest shareholder SoftBank may be pushing for a merger with Seattle-based Amazon.
According to a report in TOI, SoftBank has been willing to invest about $4 billion afresh into the Indian e-commerce leader if it pursued an alternate merger with arch-rival Amazon. The Japanese conglomerate is ready to deploy this sum to buy shares from smaller investors and help it maintain around 20 per cent stake in the combine with Amazon. Most Flipkart shareholders also prefer a cashout deal as against a share-swap with Amazon, it said.
On Wednesday, CNBC TV18 reported that the global e-commerce behemoth has made a formal offer to Flipkart to buy a 60 per cent stake. The report added that the deal offered by the Jeff Bezos-run company proposed to merge Flipkart entirely with its Indian arm and sought a non-compete agreement with Flipkart's founders for 1-2 years. While the financial contours of this new deal on the table are broadly expected to match the Walmart proposal, Amazon is reportedly also offering a breakup fee of $2 billion to underscore its interest. This fee, also called a termination fee, comes into effect if the deal falls through halfway into negotiations.
The regulatory hurdles, however, may put a stop to Amazon's acquisition plans. Any Flipkart-Amazon deal is likely to come under the scanner of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), given the dominant market share these two entities have grabbed in the e-commerce space - around 70 per cent collectively. So Flipkart's investors will likely think twice about any such offer.
Walmart's bid for Flipkart, which is also its biggest e-commerce bet anywhere globally, is likely to boost its online expansion in Asian markets. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail major is expected to pump in over $12 billion in Flipkart for a majority stake in the company and this investment is likely to value the Indian unicorn at $18-20 billion. Its entry could also significantly shake up things for Flipkart's board. The buzz is that the American company could bag four of the 10 seats on the board but the top management is not expected to change.
Last year, Japan's SoftBank bought a 20 per cent stake in the country's leading e-tailer for $2.5 billion through its $100 billion technology-focused Vision Fund. It was the biggest ever private investment in an Indian tech firm at the time.
Walmart had earlier completed its due diligence for the Flipkart deal. Both Walmart and India's homegrown e-commerce leader stand to gain much if this long-speculated deal goes through. To begin with, they get to pool resources to compete against a common enemy, Amazon, in online as well as offline retail channels. Walmart also gets to grab a foothold in India's booming e-commerce industry.
Meanwhile, Flipkart stands to not only add financial muscle but also strengthen its supply chain and enhance efficiency in procurement, product assortment and retailing. India's leading e-tailer, besides, has been looking to open retail stores in India for a long time now but has been waiting for the right investment partner. As such, the partnership between Walmart and Flipkart already seems like a match made in heaven.
According to a report in TOI, SoftBank has been willing to invest about $4 billion afresh into the Indian e-commerce leader if it pursued an alternate merger with arch-rival Amazon. The Japanese conglomerate is ready to deploy this sum to buy shares from smaller investors and help it maintain around 20 per cent stake in the combine with Amazon. Most Flipkart shareholders also prefer a cashout deal as against a share-swap with Amazon, it said.
On Wednesday, CNBC TV18 reported that the global e-commerce behemoth has made a formal offer to Flipkart to buy a 60 per cent stake. The report added that the deal offered by the Jeff Bezos-run company proposed to merge Flipkart entirely with its Indian arm and sought a non-compete agreement with Flipkart's founders for 1-2 years. While the financial contours of this new deal on the table are broadly expected to match the Walmart proposal, Amazon is reportedly also offering a breakup fee of $2 billion to underscore its interest. This fee, also called a termination fee, comes into effect if the deal falls through halfway into negotiations.
The regulatory hurdles, however, may put a stop to Amazon's acquisition plans. Any Flipkart-Amazon deal is likely to come under the scanner of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), given the dominant market share these two entities have grabbed in the e-commerce space - around 70 per cent collectively. So Flipkart's investors will likely think twice about any such offer.
Walmart's bid for Flipkart, which is also its biggest e-commerce bet anywhere globally, is likely to boost its online expansion in Asian markets. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail major is expected to pump in over $12 billion in Flipkart for a majority stake in the company and this investment is likely to value the Indian unicorn at $18-20 billion. Its entry could also significantly shake up things for Flipkart's board. The buzz is that the American company could bag four of the 10 seats on the board but the top management is not expected to change.
Last year, Japan's SoftBank bought a 20 per cent stake in the country's leading e-tailer for $2.5 billion through its $100 billion technology-focused Vision Fund. It was the biggest ever private investment in an Indian tech firm at the time.
Walmart had earlier completed its due diligence for the Flipkart deal. Both Walmart and India's homegrown e-commerce leader stand to gain much if this long-speculated deal goes through. To begin with, they get to pool resources to compete against a common enemy, Amazon, in online as well as offline retail channels. Walmart also gets to grab a foothold in India's booming e-commerce industry.
Meanwhile, Flipkart stands to not only add financial muscle but also strengthen its supply chain and enhance efficiency in procurement, product assortment and retailing. India's leading e-tailer, besides, has been looking to open retail stores in India for a long time now but has been waiting for the right investment partner. As such, the partnership between Walmart and Flipkart already seems like a match made in heaven.
Cambridge Analytica shuts down operations, says it was vilified for doing 'legal' activities
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Cambridge Analytica (and its British parent SCL Elections Ltd) is finally shutting operations. The UK-based data analytics company was in the eye of the storm for illegally harvesting personal data of 87 million Facebook users.
Blaming the closure of operations on 'unfairly negative media coverage', Cambridge Analytica (CA) said it is no longer viable to continue operating the business as it was losing all its clients.
"Over the past several months, Cambridge Analytica has been the subject of numerous unfounded accusations and, despite the company's efforts to correct the record, has been vilified for activities that are not only legal, but also widely accepted as a standard component of online advertising in both the political and commercial arenas," CA said in a press note.
Cambridge Analytica said it has filed applications to commence insolvency proceedings in the UK. "The company is immediately ceasing all operations and the boards have applied to appoint insolvency practitioners Crowe Clark Whitehill LLP to act as the independent administrator for Cambridge Analytica," it said in a press release.
A parallel bankruptcy proceedings will soon be commenced in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, the company added.
Cambridge Analytica's bankruptcy proceedings come close on the heels of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's testimony in the US Congress. The data analytics company is already facing several legal challenges in United States and Europe after the Facebook data scandal came to light. The data analytics firm was hired by US President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign.
Cambridge Analytica said it intends to fully meet its obligations to its employees, including with respect to notice periods, severance terms, and redundancy entitlements.
After the announcement, Britain's data regulator said it would continue civil and criminal investigations of the firm and will pursue "individuals and directors as appropriate" despite the shutdown.
"We will also monitor closely any successor companies using our powers to audit and inspect, to ensure the public is safeguarded," a spokeswoman for the Information Commissioner's Office said in a statement.
Cambridge Analytica was created around 2013 initially with a focus on U.S. elections, with $15 million in backing from billionaire Republican donor Robert Mercer and a name chosen by future Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon, the New York Times reported.
Cambridge Analytica marketed itself as a provider of consumer research, targeted advertising and other data-related services to both political and corporate clients.
After Trump won the White House in 2016, in part with the firm's help, Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix went to more clients to pitch his services, the Times reported last year. The company boasted it could develop psychological profiles of consumers and voters which was a "secret sauce" it used to sway them more effectively than traditional advertising could.
Blaming the closure of operations on 'unfairly negative media coverage', Cambridge Analytica (CA) said it is no longer viable to continue operating the business as it was losing all its clients.
"Over the past several months, Cambridge Analytica has been the subject of numerous unfounded accusations and, despite the company's efforts to correct the record, has been vilified for activities that are not only legal, but also widely accepted as a standard component of online advertising in both the political and commercial arenas," CA said in a press note.
Cambridge Analytica said it has filed applications to commence insolvency proceedings in the UK. "The company is immediately ceasing all operations and the boards have applied to appoint insolvency practitioners Crowe Clark Whitehill LLP to act as the independent administrator for Cambridge Analytica," it said in a press release.
A parallel bankruptcy proceedings will soon be commenced in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, the company added.
Cambridge Analytica's bankruptcy proceedings come close on the heels of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's testimony in the US Congress. The data analytics company is already facing several legal challenges in United States and Europe after the Facebook data scandal came to light. The data analytics firm was hired by US President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign.
Cambridge Analytica said it intends to fully meet its obligations to its employees, including with respect to notice periods, severance terms, and redundancy entitlements.
After the announcement, Britain's data regulator said it would continue civil and criminal investigations of the firm and will pursue "individuals and directors as appropriate" despite the shutdown.
"We will also monitor closely any successor companies using our powers to audit and inspect, to ensure the public is safeguarded," a spokeswoman for the Information Commissioner's Office said in a statement.
Cambridge Analytica was created around 2013 initially with a focus on U.S. elections, with $15 million in backing from billionaire Republican donor Robert Mercer and a name chosen by future Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon, the New York Times reported.
Cambridge Analytica marketed itself as a provider of consumer research, targeted advertising and other data-related services to both political and corporate clients.
After Trump won the White House in 2016, in part with the firm's help, Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix went to more clients to pitch his services, the Times reported last year. The company boasted it could develop psychological profiles of consumers and voters which was a "secret sauce" it used to sway them more effectively than traditional advertising could.
Bill Gates endorses Aadhaar scheme; says it doesn't pose privacy issues
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Aadhaar has been a boiling issue in India for the past few months. Data theft cases for as little as Rs 500, fake software to create Aadhaar cards, and alleged 'loopholes' in the unique identity scheme have left a dent on its credibility. It has been facing increased scrutiny over privacy concerns following several instances of breaches and misuse. Despite all this, Aadhaar as a scheme has been appreciated by many prominent people all over the world. Bill Gates, founder of one of the world's biggest tech companies, Microsoft, has been a staunch supporter of the Aadhaar scheme since the very beginning of its rollout. This time, he has again come out openly saying the Aadhaar technology does not pose any privacy issue. Not only that, he also appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fully "embracing" the scheme, which was initiated during the previous UPA regime.
The founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation told PTI his organisation has funded the World Bank to "emulate" the project as it is worth doing so. Bill and Melinda want other countries to also adopt the scheme. "The bio-ID verification programme has multiple benefits," says Bill. To undertake this level of project in other countries, the World Bank and the Gates Foundation have reportedly roped in multi-billionaire Nandan Nilekani. The Infosys founder, who is also considered as the chief architect of Aadhaar, will consult and help the World Bank carry out the 'Aadhaar-like' project in other countries.
After the successful implantation of the Aadhaar scheme in India, other countries have also approached New Delhi for assistance in creating similar data base.
Appreciating India for successfully implementing the scheme, Gates said India's Aadhaar technology could be implemented across the world. Bill Gates thinks the Aadhaar-like scheme could help improve governance, which is directly linked to economic growth and the overall improvement in society.
"The benefits of that (basic ID -- Aadhaar) are very high. Yes, countries should adopt that approach because the quality of governance has a lot to do with how quickly countries are able to grow their economy and empower their people. Aadhaar in itself doesn't pose any privacy issue because it's just a bio ID verification scheme," said Gates.
One of the world's richest men, Bill Gates, also tried to sooth fears around the Aadhaar data misuse, saying individual application users need to properly check who can see information. He also defended financial institutions seeking Aadhaar details for opening an account. "Application by application, you have to make sure that's well-managed. In the case of the financial bank account, I think it's handled very well. (It uses) Aadhar to set up the accounts so that you can both get your cell phone and get your bank account," he said, reported the agency.
He said some of the initiatives carried out by the Narendra Modi government on digitisation could help improve the level of education in the country, and hence, the governance. Before this in 2016, Gates had said the Aadhaar is a scheme "never been done by any government before, not even in a rich country". The UIDAI's ambitious Aadhaar project is the world's largest biometric database with whopping 111 crore people of the total 125 crore Indians already connected with the identity scheme.
The founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation told PTI his organisation has funded the World Bank to "emulate" the project as it is worth doing so. Bill and Melinda want other countries to also adopt the scheme. "The bio-ID verification programme has multiple benefits," says Bill. To undertake this level of project in other countries, the World Bank and the Gates Foundation have reportedly roped in multi-billionaire Nandan Nilekani. The Infosys founder, who is also considered as the chief architect of Aadhaar, will consult and help the World Bank carry out the 'Aadhaar-like' project in other countries.
After the successful implantation of the Aadhaar scheme in India, other countries have also approached New Delhi for assistance in creating similar data base.
Appreciating India for successfully implementing the scheme, Gates said India's Aadhaar technology could be implemented across the world. Bill Gates thinks the Aadhaar-like scheme could help improve governance, which is directly linked to economic growth and the overall improvement in society.
"The benefits of that (basic ID -- Aadhaar) are very high. Yes, countries should adopt that approach because the quality of governance has a lot to do with how quickly countries are able to grow their economy and empower their people. Aadhaar in itself doesn't pose any privacy issue because it's just a bio ID verification scheme," said Gates.
One of the world's richest men, Bill Gates, also tried to sooth fears around the Aadhaar data misuse, saying individual application users need to properly check who can see information. He also defended financial institutions seeking Aadhaar details for opening an account. "Application by application, you have to make sure that's well-managed. In the case of the financial bank account, I think it's handled very well. (It uses) Aadhar to set up the accounts so that you can both get your cell phone and get your bank account," he said, reported the agency.
He said some of the initiatives carried out by the Narendra Modi government on digitisation could help improve the level of education in the country, and hence, the governance. Before this in 2016, Gates had said the Aadhaar is a scheme "never been done by any government before, not even in a rich country". The UIDAI's ambitious Aadhaar project is the world's largest biometric database with whopping 111 crore people of the total 125 crore Indians already connected with the identity scheme.
Sensex snaps four day gaining streak, Nifty falls 38 points to 10,679 level
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The Sensex broke its four-day winning streak to close over 73 points lower at 35,103 on Thursday as investors chose to trim their positions on weak global cues ahead of talks between China and the US on their trade dispute. Unabated capital outflows by foreign funds and lower-than-expected quarterly numbers by InterGlobe Aviation and some other companies too added to the caution, brokers said.
Investors kept an eye on high-level talks between China and the US on trade in Beijing today.
Back home, counters such as realty, capital goods, IT, teck, infrastructure, FMCG, consumer durables, oil and gas and auto suffered as participants pulled money off the table.
After opening higher, the 30-share Sensex quickly slipped into the red largely in line with weak Asian cues and hit a low of 35,020.08 before settling at 35,103.14, still down by 73.28 points, or 0.21 per cent.
The index had surged 675.15 points in the past four sessions, spurred by sustained buying by domestic institutional investors (DIIs) and encouraging quarterly earnings by some companies.
The 50-share NSE Nifty slipped below the 10,700-mark and finished at 10,679.65-down 38.40 points, or 0.36 per cent. During the day, it shuttled between 10,720.60 and 10,647.45.
Meanwhile, on a net basis, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 525.93 crore, while DIIs bought shares to the tune of Rs 165.84 crore in yesterday's trade, provisional data showed.
VK Sharma, head private client group & capital market strategy at HDFC Securities said, "Nifty fell for the second consecutive session, to close at 10679.65. Advance decline ratio remained very weak with 3 stocks declining against 1 stock rising. Support for the Nifty is seen at 10630, below which Nifty could extend the fall till 10560. As far as resistance is concerned, recent top of 10785 is a level to watch out for. Bank Nifty, which is currently placed at 25605 odd levels, has got strong support at 25400. Uncertainty related to Karnataka Elections and Iran- US nuclear deal will restrict the upside in the near term. The markets are likely to be in a wait and watch mode. In such a scenario, we advise taking some money off the table."
Sun Pharma (3.68%), NTPC (2.32%) and Tata Steel (1.84%) were the top gainers on Sensex.
Wipro (1.94%), Kotak Bank (1.90%) and Asian Paints (1.74%) were the top Sensex losers.
Market breadth was negative with 817 stocks closing higher against 1848 ending in the red on BSE.
Global markets
World stock markets were mixed on Thursday as investors analyzed the Fed's decision to keep interest rates unchanged and kept an eye out for developments from China-U.S. trade talks in Beijing.
European shares slipped in early trading. France's CAC 40 lost 0.3 percent to 5,155.00 and Germany's DAX fell 0.2 percent to 12,772.48. Britain's FTSE 100 dipped 0.1 percent to 7,539.62. Wall Street was poised to open higher. Dow futures added 0.2 percent to 23,871.00 and broader S&P 500 futures advanced 0.3 percent to 2,633.60.
Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng index dropped 1.2 percent to close at 30,313.37 and South Korea's Kospi dipped 0.7 percent to end at 2,487.25. The Shanghai Composite index rose 0.6 percent to 3,100.86 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 advanced 0.8 percent to 6,098.30. Taiwan shares fell and Southeast Asian indexes were mostly lower. Japan's markets were closed for a holiday.
Investors kept an eye on high-level talks between China and the US on trade in Beijing today.
Back home, counters such as realty, capital goods, IT, teck, infrastructure, FMCG, consumer durables, oil and gas and auto suffered as participants pulled money off the table.
After opening higher, the 30-share Sensex quickly slipped into the red largely in line with weak Asian cues and hit a low of 35,020.08 before settling at 35,103.14, still down by 73.28 points, or 0.21 per cent.
The index had surged 675.15 points in the past four sessions, spurred by sustained buying by domestic institutional investors (DIIs) and encouraging quarterly earnings by some companies.
The 50-share NSE Nifty slipped below the 10,700-mark and finished at 10,679.65-down 38.40 points, or 0.36 per cent. During the day, it shuttled between 10,720.60 and 10,647.45.
Meanwhile, on a net basis, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 525.93 crore, while DIIs bought shares to the tune of Rs 165.84 crore in yesterday's trade, provisional data showed.
VK Sharma, head private client group & capital market strategy at HDFC Securities said, "Nifty fell for the second consecutive session, to close at 10679.65. Advance decline ratio remained very weak with 3 stocks declining against 1 stock rising. Support for the Nifty is seen at 10630, below which Nifty could extend the fall till 10560. As far as resistance is concerned, recent top of 10785 is a level to watch out for. Bank Nifty, which is currently placed at 25605 odd levels, has got strong support at 25400. Uncertainty related to Karnataka Elections and Iran- US nuclear deal will restrict the upside in the near term. The markets are likely to be in a wait and watch mode. In such a scenario, we advise taking some money off the table."
Sun Pharma (3.68%), NTPC (2.32%) and Tata Steel (1.84%) were the top gainers on Sensex.
Wipro (1.94%), Kotak Bank (1.90%) and Asian Paints (1.74%) were the top Sensex losers.
Market breadth was negative with 817 stocks closing higher against 1848 ending in the red on BSE.
Global markets
World stock markets were mixed on Thursday as investors analyzed the Fed's decision to keep interest rates unchanged and kept an eye out for developments from China-U.S. trade talks in Beijing.
European shares slipped in early trading. France's CAC 40 lost 0.3 percent to 5,155.00 and Germany's DAX fell 0.2 percent to 12,772.48. Britain's FTSE 100 dipped 0.1 percent to 7,539.62. Wall Street was poised to open higher. Dow futures added 0.2 percent to 23,871.00 and broader S&P 500 futures advanced 0.3 percent to 2,633.60.
Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng index dropped 1.2 percent to close at 30,313.37 and South Korea's Kospi dipped 0.7 percent to end at 2,487.25. The Shanghai Composite index rose 0.6 percent to 3,100.86 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 advanced 0.8 percent to 6,098.30. Taiwan shares fell and Southeast Asian indexes were mostly lower. Japan's markets were closed for a holiday.
New telecom policy aims to provide broadband access to 50% households, create 4 million jobs
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The draft for the new national telecom policy, officially called National Digital Communications Policy, is out! Once cleared, this is going to be the fifth telecom policy ever introduced since the telecom sector took off in the country. The draft is divided into three broad areas: expanding the current telecom infrastructure, outlining plans for emerging technologies (like 5G, IoT, machine-to-machine communications) and data security.
It's a draft paper so expecting too much from it would be silly. The paper, for obvious reasons, lacks details on how the government is going to achieve the lofty targets that it has set under the policy. There are two timelines to achieve most targets - 2020 and 2022. Among other things, the draft aims to provide wireline broadband access to 50 per cent households, deploy 10 million Wi-Fi hotspots, attract investments of $100 billion, and create 4 million more jobs in the sector by 2022.
Interestingly, the draft, in a way, has also revised the standard speed of broadband in India - from 512 kilobits per second (kbps) to 50 megabits per second (mbps), a whopping 9765% jump. The draft tries to show a realistic picture of the mobile subscriber base in the country. While the total mobile subscriber base stood at 1,156.87 million in February 2018 with a tele-density of 90.11%, the unique subs - each subscriber is counted once, irrespective of multiple connections that one has subscribed to - are much lower. The aim is to take 'unique mobile subscriber density' to 55 by 2020 and 65 by 2022, as per the draft.
There are a lot of areas that could cheer up the private sector. The draft specifies the need to rationalize levies and fees paid by telecom operators at the moment, including license fee, universal service obligation fund (USOF) levy, spectrum usage charges (SUCs) - a long-pending demand of the operators - and levies on communications equipment. The draft also emphasizes that telecom should be recognized as essential infrastructure sector and therefore, becomes eligible for low-cost financing.
The expansion of telecom infrastructure, according to the draft, can be achieved with deeper broadband penetration, including expanding optical fibre cable (OFC) network; better utilization and higher availability of spectrum; and develop an ecosystem for satellite communications in India. For instance, India has about 1.5 million km of OFC, and less than one-fourth of the telecom towers are connected through fibre. The draft policy aims for fiberisation of at least 60% base stations to prepare for 4G/5G technologies.
In some portions, the draft seems to be dictating terms for the sector instead of making it less interfering. For instance, it says that all commercial, commercial, residential and office spaces have to mandatorily plan for telecom installations and the associated cabling and in-building solutions. This will be forced on the developers through amendments in the national building code of India.
Former telecom secretary R Chandrashekhar recently called the National Telecom Policy 1994 a "bit disaster" as it could not achieve much for the sector. A policy runs the risk of becoming irrelevant even if its intention - both in spirit and letter - is to grow a particular sector because the execution has always been the most crucial piece of the jigsaw puzzle.
It's a draft paper so expecting too much from it would be silly. The paper, for obvious reasons, lacks details on how the government is going to achieve the lofty targets that it has set under the policy. There are two timelines to achieve most targets - 2020 and 2022. Among other things, the draft aims to provide wireline broadband access to 50 per cent households, deploy 10 million Wi-Fi hotspots, attract investments of $100 billion, and create 4 million more jobs in the sector by 2022.
Interestingly, the draft, in a way, has also revised the standard speed of broadband in India - from 512 kilobits per second (kbps) to 50 megabits per second (mbps), a whopping 9765% jump. The draft tries to show a realistic picture of the mobile subscriber base in the country. While the total mobile subscriber base stood at 1,156.87 million in February 2018 with a tele-density of 90.11%, the unique subs - each subscriber is counted once, irrespective of multiple connections that one has subscribed to - are much lower. The aim is to take 'unique mobile subscriber density' to 55 by 2020 and 65 by 2022, as per the draft.
There are a lot of areas that could cheer up the private sector. The draft specifies the need to rationalize levies and fees paid by telecom operators at the moment, including license fee, universal service obligation fund (USOF) levy, spectrum usage charges (SUCs) - a long-pending demand of the operators - and levies on communications equipment. The draft also emphasizes that telecom should be recognized as essential infrastructure sector and therefore, becomes eligible for low-cost financing.
The expansion of telecom infrastructure, according to the draft, can be achieved with deeper broadband penetration, including expanding optical fibre cable (OFC) network; better utilization and higher availability of spectrum; and develop an ecosystem for satellite communications in India. For instance, India has about 1.5 million km of OFC, and less than one-fourth of the telecom towers are connected through fibre. The draft policy aims for fiberisation of at least 60% base stations to prepare for 4G/5G technologies.
In some portions, the draft seems to be dictating terms for the sector instead of making it less interfering. For instance, it says that all commercial, commercial, residential and office spaces have to mandatorily plan for telecom installations and the associated cabling and in-building solutions. This will be forced on the developers through amendments in the national building code of India.
Former telecom secretary R Chandrashekhar recently called the National Telecom Policy 1994 a "bit disaster" as it could not achieve much for the sector. A policy runs the risk of becoming irrelevant even if its intention - both in spirit and letter - is to grow a particular sector because the execution has always been the most crucial piece of the jigsaw puzzle.
General Awareness
Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana
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Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for the Umbrella Scheme, “Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana” in agriculture sector beyond 12th Five Year Plan for the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
The Umbrella scheme comprises of 11 Schemes/Missions. These schemes look to develop the agriculture and allied sector in a holistic and scientific manner to increase the income of farmers by enhancing production, productivity and better returns on produce.
Key objectives of the scheme:
Betterment of agricultural base.
Doubling of farmers’ earnings.
Development of appropriate agriculture infrastructure.
Adequate market for sale of produce.
The Schemes that are part of the Umbrella Schemes are:
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
National Food Security Mission (NFSM).
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
Submission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE).
Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP).
Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM).
Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plan Quarantine (SMPPQ).
Integrated Scheme on Agriculture Census, Economics and Statistics (ISACES).
Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation (ISAC).
Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Marketing (ISAM).
National e-Governance Plan (NeGP-A).
Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for the Umbrella Scheme, “Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana” in agriculture sector beyond 12th Five Year Plan for the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
The Umbrella scheme comprises of 11 Schemes/Missions. These schemes look to develop the agriculture and allied sector in a holistic and scientific manner to increase the income of farmers by enhancing production, productivity and better returns on produce.
Key objectives of the scheme:
Betterment of agricultural base.
Doubling of farmers’ earnings.
Development of appropriate agriculture infrastructure.
Adequate market for sale of produce.
The Schemes that are part of the Umbrella Schemes are:
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
National Food Security Mission (NFSM).
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
Submission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE).
Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP).
Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM).
Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plan Quarantine (SMPPQ).
Integrated Scheme on Agriculture Census, Economics and Statistics (ISACES).
Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation (ISAC).
Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Marketing (ISAM).
National e-Governance Plan (NeGP-A).
The Umbrella scheme comprises of 11 Schemes/Missions. These schemes look to develop the agriculture and allied sector in a holistic and scientific manner to increase the income of farmers by enhancing production, productivity and better returns on produce.
Key objectives of the scheme:
Betterment of agricultural base.
Doubling of farmers’ earnings.
Development of appropriate agriculture infrastructure.
Adequate market for sale of produce.
The Schemes that are part of the Umbrella Schemes are:
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
National Food Security Mission (NFSM).
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
Submission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE).
Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP).
Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM).
Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plan Quarantine (SMPPQ).
Integrated Scheme on Agriculture Census, Economics and Statistics (ISACES).
Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation (ISAC).
Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Marketing (ISAM).
National e-Governance Plan (NeGP-A).
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