Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches Safal common credit portal for farmers

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches Safal common credit portal for farmers

• Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik has launched a common credit portal SAFAL’ (Simplified Application for Agricultural Loans) for the welfare of farmers. 
• SAFAL is an abridged application for agricultural loans that will enable farmers and Agri-entrepreneurs to access over 300 term loan products from more than 40 partner banks. 
• It has also been integrated with Krushak Odisha and will have access to 70-plus model project reports. The application can revolutionise credit provisions for farmers and Agri-entrepreneurs.

21.4 lakh TB cases notified in India in 2021: Health Ministry

• India’s TB incidence for the year 2021 is 210 per 100,000 population – compared to the baseline year of 2015 (incidence was 256 per lakh population in India).
• There has been an 18% decline which is 7 percentage points better than the global average of 11%, said the Health Ministry on Friday, while reacting to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global TB Report 2022, released on October 27.
• Stating that India had done better in major metrics as compared to other countries over time, the Ministry said the figures placed India at the 36th position in terms of incidence rates (from the largest to the smallest incidence numbers).
• According to the WHO report, an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) in 2021, an increase of 4.5% from 2020, and 1.6 million people died from TB (including 187 000 among HIV positive people).
• The COVID­19 pandemic impacted TB Programmes across the world though India was able to successfully offset the disruptions caused through the introduction of critical interventions in 2020 and 2021 which led to the National TB Elimination Programme notifying over 21.4 lakh TB cases – 18% higher than 2020.

‘One nation, one police uniform’ is ideal: PM Modi

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday mooted the idea of ‘one nation, one police uniform.’ He said police uniforms should have a brand recall just like the red­and­black post boxes in the country.
• PM Modi said he was not imposing his views on States, but it was an idea worth deliberating on.
• This will benefit the police personnel as quality products will be available. The production of belts, caps and uniforms will be on a mass scale.
• Most police forces adorn shades of khaki, a few such as the police in Kolkata, Tamil Nadu, and Goa don white uniforms.

Gujarat announces assistance for farmers

• Barely a few days before the announcement of the Assembly polls schedule, the Gujarat government on Friday announced a special ₹ 630 crore package for farmers who had suffered crop losses during this monsoon.
• The compensation package will help nearly eight lakh farmers in 2,554 villages in 14 districts who had suffered crop losses owing to floods caused by the heavy rains during the monsoon period.
• The package was announced after a loss­assessment survey was carried out in 14 districts: Chhotaudepur, Narmada, Panchmahal, Navsari, Valsad, Dang, Tapi, Surat, Kutch, Junagadh, Morbi, Porbandar, Anand and Kheda.
• As per the package announced on Friday, those farmers who suffered a minimum of 33% of damages or losses will be eligible for compensation of ₹ 6,800 per hectare and a maximum of two hectares.

Plea to protect Tulu, Kodava languages in Kannada Bill

• Sections among Tulu and Kodava speakers in Karnataka have demanded priority for their languages too in the draft of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill, 2022, which aims to ensure the “extensive use and propagation” of Kannada in the State. 
• They have sought that various dialects spoken within Karnataka should get protection under the ambit of the Bill.
• Tabled by the Basavaraj Bommai led BJP government in the Assembly on September 22, the Bill seeks to provide reservation to Kannadigas in higher education, link incentives to industries with jobs for locals and give primacy to the Kannada language. 
• Several Tulu and Kodava activists say the Bill is unconstitutional and poses a threat to minority languages. Groups representing the two languages are preparing for a legal battle. 
• Both Dravidian languages, Kodava is spoken in Kodagu district while Tulu speakers are concentrated in two coastal districts of Karnataka and Kerala’s Kasaragod district.

Rajnath inaugurates 75 infra projects

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday launched 75 infrastructure projects constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) spread across six States and two Union Territories during his visit to Ladakh.
• These projects included 45 bridges, 27 roads, two helipads — one each in Hanle and Thakung in Eastern Ladakh and one carbon-neutral habitat.