The revised policy announced by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution aims to enhance food security & bolstering ethanol production.

• It set Rice Reserve Price (₹2,250 per quintal) for sale to State Governments, Corporations, & Community Kitchens, without e-auctions.
• The policy set reserve prices at ₹2,250 per quintal (slashed by ₹550) of rice to ethanol distilleries to aid ethanol production.

What is Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic)?

• About: Under this scheme, Food Corporation of India (FCI) sells surplus food grains (wheat & rice) from the central pool in open market via e-auction at pre-determined prices.
• Aim: To control market prices and curbs inflation.
• Eligibility: Processors / Atta Chakki / Flour Millers of Wheat Products. (Traders / Bulk Buyers are not allowed through e-auction. 
  • Usually, states are also allowed to procure food grains without participating in auctions.

IIT Madras has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on Project VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources)

About VISTAAR

• It is a "Network" of Networks (Al-augmented) and every State can build their own Agri-Advisory network.
• It is a comprehensive network that connects decentralized databases to provide seamless access to vital agricultural resources. 
• Objective: Enhance decision-making and resource utilization
• Significance
  • Expand access to high-quality advisory services on crop production, marketing, value addition, and supply chain management.
  • Provide farmers with information on relevant government schemes. 

LEADS 2024 is has been released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

About LEADS

• Objective: Provides insights into improvement of logistics performance at State/UT level.
  • LEADS was conceived on the lines of Logistics Performance Index (LPI) of World Bank in 2018.
    • While the LPI relies entirely on perception-based surveys, LEADS incorporates both perception as well as objectivity.
• Parameters: Evaluates logistics performance across four key pillars (refer to infographic). 
• Categories of State/UTs: They are categorised into four groups Coastal, Landlocked, Northeast and Union Territories.
  • And further they are given tags of Achievers, Fast movers, and Aspirers on the basis of their performance. 
• Performance Highlights of 2024 
  • Achievers: Gujarat, Haryana, Assam, Chandigarh, etc. 
  • Fast movers: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh etc. 
  • Aspirers: Kerala, West Bengal, Manipur, Chhattisgarh, etc.

The National eGovernance Division, under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has developed Entity Locker.

About Entity Locker

• It is a secure, cloud-based solution that simplifies  storage, sharing, and verification of documents for large organisations, corporations, micro, small, and medium Enterprises,etc.
  • It is a critical component of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure.
• Entity Locker offer:
  • Real-time access and verification of documents through integration with government databases
  • Consent-based mechanisms for secure sharing of sensitive information
  • Aadhaar-authenticated role-based access management to ensure accountability.
  • 10 GB of encrypted cloud storage and Legally valid digital signatures for authenticating documents. 

Prime Minister has inaugurated Z-Morh tunnel in Ganderbal’s Sonamarg area in J&K.

About Z Morh Tunnel

• Initially started by BRO in 2015 and evolved with National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.
  • APCO Infratech firm has been instrumental in executing the project.
• Situated at an altitude of 8,650 feet, it is a two-lane road tunnel equipped with parallel 7.5-metre-wide escape passage.
• Spanning 12 km that includes main 6.4 km main tunnel, an egress tunnel, and approach roads.
• Significance: 
  • Enhance all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and Sonamarg enroute to Leh.
  • Ensure safe and uninterrupted access to Ladakh region. 
• Promote tourism by transforming Sonamarg, boosting winter tourism, adventure sports, and local livelihoods.

The Banihal bypass has been completed. 

About Banihal Pass

• The pass is 2.35 km road section of NH-44 in Jammu and Kashmir,
  • NH44, also known as the Old NH 7, is the longest national highway in India. 
  • It stretches 3,745 kilometers, connecting Srinagar in the northern tip of Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari at the southernmost point of India.
• The bypass is particularly important for security forces, enabling rapid movement, and will also reduce the travel time between Kharpora, Banihal, and the Navyuga Tunnel to just seven minutes.

The Indian Railways has unveiled a monumental engineering achievement with the completion of the Anji Khad Bridge, India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge.

Anji Khad Bridge: Key Details

• Location: Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir, part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project.
• Dimensions:
  • Length: 725.5 meters
  • Height: 331 meters above the Anji River (a tributary of the Chenab).
• Significance:
  • Enhances connectivity between Katra and the Kashmir Valley.
  • Expected to boost tourism and foster economic growth in Jammu and Kashmir.