In News:

The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) recently marked a significant milestone with the signing of the Charter and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of its Secretariat in Colombo. This initiative aims to strengthen regional security collaboration among member states.

Key Features of the Colombo Security Conclave

1. Member States: The CSC comprises five member countries:
   • India
   • Bangladesh
   • Sri Lanka
   • Maldives
   • Mauritius

Additionally, Seychelles participates as an observer nation.

2. Core Objectives: The primary goal of the CSC is to enhance regional security by addressing transnational threats and challenges that are common concerns for member states. This includes a collaborative approach to ensure stability and safety in the region.

Origin and Evolution

• The CSC originated as the Trilateral for Maritime Security Cooperation, established through trilateral meetings among National Security Advisors (NSAs) and Deputy NSAs from India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka starting in 2011.
• The initiative faced a setback after 2014 due to heightened tensions between India and the Maldives.
• It was revived and rebranded as the CSC in 2020, expanding its membership to include Mauritius and, more recently, Bangladesh.

Structure and Cooperation

• The conclave facilitates interactions among NSAs and Deputy NSAs of member countries, fostering dialogue and cooperation on security matters.
• Cooperation under the CSC is organized around five key pillars:
  1. Maritime Safety and Security
  2. Countering Terrorism and Radicalization
  3. Combating Trafficking and Transnational Organized Crime
  4. Cybersecurity and Protection of Critical Infrastructure
  5. Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

Permanent Secretariat

• The establishment of a permanent Secretariat in Colombo is expected to enhance coordination and streamline operations among member states, bolstering the efficacy of the CSC in addressing regional security issues.

In News:

The Thanjavur Veena has the distinction of being the first musical instrument in India to receive the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, highlighting its cultural and artistic significance. Here’s an overview of its features, types, and craftsmanship:

About Thanjavur Veena

1. Construction:
   • The Thanjavur Veena is known for its unique construction, which comes in two main types:
     • Ekantha Veena: Carved from a single block of wood.
     • Sada Veena: Composed of three sections—resonator (kudam), neck (dandi), and head—with joints.
2. Design Features:
   • The instrument features 24 fixed frets (mettu), enabling musicians to play a wide range of ragas.
   • Traditionally made from the bark of the Jackfruit tree, the bark undergoes extensive testing to ensure quality and durability.
3. Craftsmanship:
   • The process of crafting a Thanjavur Veena can take 15-20 days, involving cutting, intricate carving, shaping, and assembly of the wood to form the integral parts of the instrument.

Types of Veena

The Thanjavur Veena is one of several types of veenas used in Indian classical music:

• Rudra Veena and Vichitra Veena: Predominantly used in Hindustani classical music.
• Saraswati Veena and Chitra Veena: Associated with Carnatic classical music, with the Saraswati Veena being unique to Thanjavur.

Cultural Significance

• The Saraswati Veena is particularly notable as it is often associated with Goddess Saraswati, the deity of learning and arts, who is frequently depicted holding a veena. This connection emphasizes the instrument's importance in Indian culture and music.

In News:

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, approved seven schemes to improve farmers’ lives and increase their incomes at a total outlay of Rs 14,235.30 Crore.

1. Digital Agriculture Mission: based on the structure of Digital Public Infrastructure, Digital Agriculture Mission will use technology for improving farmers’ lives. The Mission has a total outlay of Rs 2,817 crores. It comprises two foundational pillars

1. Agri Stack

1. Farmers registry
2. Village land maps registry
3. Crop Sown Registry

2. Krishi Decision Support System

1. Geospatial data
2. Drought/flood monitoring
3. Weather/satellite data
4. Groundwater/water availability data
5. Modelling for crop yield and insurance

 The Mission has provision for 

• Soil profile
• Digital crop estimation
• Digital yield modelling
• Connect for crop loan
• Modern technologies like AI and Big Data
• Connect with buyers
• Bring new knowledge on mobile phones

2. Crop science for food and nutritional security: with a total outlay of Rs 3,979 crore. The initiative will prepare farmers for climate resilience and provide for food security by 2047. It has following pillars:

1. Research and education
2. Plant genetic resource management
3. Genetic improvement for food and fodder crop
4. Pulse and oilseed crop improvement
5. Improvement of commercial crops
6. Research on insects, microbes, pollinators etc.

3. Strengthening Agricultural Education, Management and Social Sciences: with a total outlay of Rs 2,291 Crore the measure will prepare agriculture students and researchers for current challenges and comprises the following

1. Under Indian Council of Agri Research
2. Modernising agri research and education
3. In line with New Education Policy 2020
4. Use latest technology … Digital DPI, AI, big data, remote, etc
5. Include natural farming and climate resilience

4. Sustainable livestock health and production: with a total outlay of Rs 1,702 crore, the decision aims to Increase farmers income from livestock and dairy. It comprises the following

1. Animal health management and veterinary education
2. Dairy production and technology development
3. Animal genetic resource management, production and improvement
4. Animal nutrition and small ruminant production and development

5. Sustainable development of Horticulture: with a total outlay of Rs 1129.30 crore the measure is aimed at increasing farmers’ income from horticulture plants. It comprises the following

1. Tropical, sub-tropical and temperate horticulture crops
2. Root, tuber, bulbous and arid crops
3. Vegetable, floriculture, and mushroom crops
4.  Plantation, spices, medicinal, and aromatic plants

6. Strengthening of Krishi Vigyan Kendra with an outlay of Rs 1,202 crore

7. Natural Resource Management with an outlay of Rs 1,115 crore

Overview

India’s mental healthcare landscape is evolving, with increasing awareness and decreasing stigma around mental health issues. However, access to mental healthcare remains a significant challenge due to a shortage of professionals. Here are the key points:

Current State of Mental Healthcare in India

1. Rising Demand: Shifts in societal attitudes have led to more individuals seeking mental health support. Awareness and willingness to access treatment have notably increased.
2. Professional Shortage: Despite the rising demand, there are only 0.75 psychiatrists per one lakh population, far below the World Health Organization’s recommendation of three per lakh. As of the latest data, India has about 9,000 psychiatrists, while an estimated 36,000 are needed to meet the standard.
3. Slow Workforce Growth: Approximately 1,000 psychiatrists enter the workforce annually, but with attrition and unemployment, it could take around 27 years to reach the WHO target without intervention.
4. Comparative Analysis: India has one of the lowest psychiatrist-to-population ratios among BRICS nations, trailing only Ethiopia. However, it performs better than many South Asian countries.

Limitations of Current Data

1. Outdated Survey: The data largely relies on the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) conducted between 2015 and 2016, which is based on a limited sample size of around 40,000 people across 12 states.
2. Narrow Focus: The NMHS primarily addressed specific mental illnesses and overlooked milder conditions, emotional issues, and vulnerable populations like prisoners and the homeless.
3. Need for Updated Research: A second NMHS is scheduled for release next year, which may provide more comprehensive data and insights.

Improvements in Awareness and Attitudes

1. Positive Attitudinal Shift: A study by the LiveLoveLaugh Foundation found significant improvements in how Indians perceive mental health. For instance, the percentage of people believing that individuals with mental illnesses can handle responsibilities rose from 32% in 2018 to 65% in 2021.
2. Willingness to Seek Help: Over 90% of respondents in 2021 indicated they would seek treatment for themselves or support others in doing so, a substantial increase from 54% in 2018.
3. Increased Awareness: Awareness of mental health issues has grown, with 96% of respondents in 2021 recognizing mental health compared to 87% in 2018.

Conclusion

While India is making strides in reducing stigma and increasing awareness around mental health, the critical shortage of mental health professionals poses a significant barrier to accessing timely care. Addressing this issue requires targeted policy interventions and incentives to boost the supply of mental health professionals and improve the overall infrastructure for mental healthcare in the country.

Introduction

India's digital revolution has significantly transformed governance and service delivery in recent years by creating digital identities, secured payments and transactions. This progress has paved the way for a thriving digital ecosystem across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, education, and retail, positioning India as a leader in citizen-centric digital solutions.

For a similar transformation of the Agriculture Sector, the Union Cabinet Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the 'Digital Agriculture Mission' with a substantial financial outlay of Rs. 2,817 Crore, including a central government share of Rs. 1,940 Crore, on September 2, 2024.

The Digital Agriculture Mission is designed as an umbrella scheme to support various digital agriculture initiatives. These include creating Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), implementing the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), and supporting IT initiatives by the Central Government, State Governments, and Academic and Research Institutions.

The scheme is built on two foundational pillars:

• Agri Stack
• Krishi Decision Support System.

Additionally, the mission includes ‘Soil Profile Mapping’ and aims to enable farmer-centric digital services to provide timely and reliable information for the agriculture sector.

AgriStack: Kisan ki Pehchaan

AgriStack is designed as a farmer-centric Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to streamline services and scheme delivery to farmers. It comprises three key components:

1. Farmers' Registry

2. Geo-referenced village maps

3. Crop Sown Registry

• A crucial feature of AgriStack is the introduction of a 'Farmer ID', similar to Aadhaar card, serving as a trusted digital identity for farmers.
  • These IDs, created and maintained by the State Governments/ Union Territories, will be linked to various farmer-related data, including land records, livestock ownership, crops sown, and benefits availed.
• The implementation of AgriStack is progressing through partnerships between the Central and State Governments, with 19 states having signed MoUs with the Ministry of Agriculture. Pilot projects have been conducted in six states to test the creation of Farmer IDs and the Digital Crop Survey.
• The six states include Uttar Pradesh (Farrukhabad), Gujarat (Gandhinagar), Maharashtra (Beed), Haryana (Yamuna Nagar), Punjab (Fatehgarh Sahib), and Tamil Nadu (Virudhnagar).

Key targets include:

• Creating digital identities for 11 crore farmers over three years (6 crore in FY 2024-25, 3 crore in FY 2025-26, and 2 crore in FY 2026-27)
• Launching the Digital Crop Survey nationwide within two years, covering 400 districts in FY 2024-25 and all districts in FY 2025-26

 2. Krishi Decision Support System

• The Krishi Decision Support System (DSS) will integrate remote sensing data on crops, soil, weather, and water resources into a comprehensive geospatial system.

 3. Soil Profile Mapping

Under the mission, detailed soil profile maps on a 1:10,000 scale for approximately 142 million hectares of agricultural land have been envisaged, with 29 million hectares of soil profile inventory already being mapped.

• Further under the Digital Agriculture Mission, the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES) will be used for crop-cutting experiments to provide precise yield estimates, enhancing agricultural production accuracy.
• The mission is expected to create direct and indirect employment in agriculture, providing opportunities for around 2,50,000 trained local youth and Krishi Sakhis.
• By leveraging modern technologies like data analytics, AI, and remote sensing, the mission will improve service delivery for farmers, including streamlined access to government schemes, crop loans, and real-time advisories.

Key Components of the Mission

The Digital Agriculture Mission focuses on grassroots implementation, targeting farmers as the primary beneficiaries. Some of the key benefits of the mission include:

• Digital authentication for accessing services and benefits, reducing paperwork and the need for physical visits.
• Enhanced efficiency and transparency in government schemes, crop insurance, and loan systems through accurate data on crop area and yield.
• Crop map generation and monitoring for better disaster response and insurance claims.
• Development of digital infrastructure to optimize value chains and provide tailored advisory services for crop planning, health, pest management, and irrigation.

Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the Union Budget 2024-25 that the Government, in partnership with states, will implement Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture over the next three years.
• This initiative will cover farmers and their lands, with a digital crop survey for Kharif planned for 400 districts this year. The goal is to update registries with details of 6 crore farmers and their lands.
• The Union Budget 2023-24 had previously introduced the DPI for agriculture, which aims to provide comprehensive data on farmers, including demographic details, land holdings, and crops sown. The DPI will integrate with state and central digital infrastructures to offer a range of farmer-centric services, including information on livestock, fisheries, soil health, and available benefits. 

Conclusion

• The Union Cabinet also approved six major schemes alongside the Digital Agriculture Mission, with a total outlay of Rs 14,235.30 crore.
• These initiatives include Rs 3,979 crore for Crop Science aimed at ensuring food security and climate resilience by 2047, and Rs 2,291 crore for strengthening Agricultural Education, Management, and Social Sciences to support students and researchers. Rs 1,702 crore is allocated for Sustainable Livestock Health and Production to boost incomes from livestock and dairy, while Rs 1,129.30 crore is designated for Sustainable Development of Horticulture to increase income from horticulture. Additionally, Rs 1,202 crore will be invested in strengthening Krishi Vigyan Kendra, and Rs 1,115 crore towards Natural Resource Management.
• These comprehensive approaches leverage digital technologies to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability in India's agricultural sector, potentially transforming the lives of millions of farmers across the country. By extending the digital revolution to agriculture, India aims to further solidify its position as a global leader in innovative, technology-driven solutions for critical sectors of the economy.