Commerce Ministry Launched e-Marketplace for Goods Procurement
• The Commerce Ministry launched an e-marketplace for online purchase of goods and services by, various Central government Ministries and departments on July 16, 2016.
• The Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D) has developed the portal for the purpose. The department, which is under the Commerce Ministry, carries out the procurement.
• The move is aimed at bringing in more transparency, and streamlining the government procurement of goods and services.
Arvind Subramanian Committee Formed to Tackle Issues of Pulses
• The Union government on July 12, 2016 formed a panel headed by Chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian to study and suggest ways to contain the rising prices of pulses.
• The committee will frame a long-term policy, which will look into various aspects, including the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and bonus paid to farmers.
• The committee will consider the issue of subsidising farmers who wish to grow pulses. Over the past two years, food price inflation, led by the sharp rise in the price of pulses.
Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight’Launched
• The children were administered ORS by the ASHA workers while they also counselled about the benefits and the process of preparing it. According to the Health Ministry, although various virus, bacteria and protozoa like rotavirus, E.coli amongst others cause diarrhoea, the main reasons for diarrhoeal attacks amongst children are contaminated water, malnutrition, inadequate sanitation, poor hygiene and lack of immunisation.
See Also – Economy and Banking Current Affairs
Union Government Imposed Anti-dumping Duty on Chemical from 5 Countries
• The Revenue Department slapped anti-dumping duty of up to $ 168.76 per tonne on import of a chemical used in textile industry from five countries to protect domestic manufacturers on July 10, 2016.
• The import restrictive tax has been imposed for five years by the Revenue Department on recommendations of the DGAD, said a notification of CBEC.
• The imports of the chemical from the five countries (China, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan) will attract anti-dumping duty in the range of $ 83.08 per tonne to $ 168.76 per tonne.
KVK Portal for Monitoring of Farm Centres Launched
• Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched a Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) portal on July 7, 2016 for online monitoring and review of the KVK centres focussing on farm knowledge and research spread across the country and also to provide a platform for providing information and advisories to farmers.
• The mandate of KVK is technology assessment and demonstration for its application and capacity development. At present, 645 Krishi Vigyan Kendras are operational in the country. Each KVK has direct interface with at least 1000 farmers.
• The KVK portal will provide information related to all schemes, market development and weather updates, besides advisory to fanners. This portal will also facilitate online monitoring of KVKs.
