National Importance Sites

• Twenty sites have been identified for the ‘national importance’ tag.
• Two ancient mounds at Haryana’s Rakhigarhi and the age-old Anangtal in Delhi, have been identified for the national importance tag.
• The other sites include rock painting at Chintakunta, Andhra Pradesh; rock art site Murgi at Rdanag, Leh; Kaleshwar Mahadev Temple, Kalesar (Manyala Panchayat), Himachal Pradesh.
• Seven mounds (RGR 1-RGR 7) scattered around two villages (Rakhi Khas and Rakhi Shahpur) in the Hisar district of Haryana are part of the Harappan-era Rakhigarhi archaeological site.
• RGR 7 is a cemetery site when this was a well-organized city.
• The Rakhigarhi site is one of the “five iconic sites” declared by the Central government in the Union budget 2020-21.

Cotton Leaf Curl Disease (CLCuD)

• CLCuD is a viral disease that affects the overall growth of the cotton plant and hits its yield. Leaves of infected cotton curl both upward and downward.
• Though farmers are doing recommended sprays, the sprays are not 100 percent effective to control the disease.
• When whiteflies attack the crop, the CLCuD is expected because they transmit the virus further.

Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0

• Ministry of Women and Child Development has issued Operational Guidelines regarding the implementation of ‘Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0'.  
• Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is an Integrated Nutrition Support Programme.
• It seeks to address the challenges of malnutrition in children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers through a strategic shift in nutrition content and delivery and by creating a convergent eco-system to develop and promote practices that nurture health, wellness, and immunity.

Verticals of Poshan 2.0

• Nutrition Support for POSHAN through Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) for children of the age group of 06 months to 6 years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers (PWLM).
• And for Adolescent Girls aged 14 to 18 years in Aspirational Districts and North Eastern Region (NER).
• Early Childhood Care and Education [3-6 years] and early stimulation for (0-3 years).
• Anganwadi Infrastructure includes modern, upgraded Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan Abhiyaan.

Objectives of Poshan 2.0

• To contribute to the human capital development of the country;
• Address challenges of malnutrition;
• Promote nutrition awareness and good eating habits for sustainable health and wellbeing; and
• Address nutrition-related deficiencies through key strategies.

Mission Amrit Sarovar

• The Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April 2022 to celebrate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav with an objective to conserve water for the future.
• The Mission aims to develop and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in each district of the country.
• All the States including the States of Assam and Rajasthan are covered under the Mission.
• As on July 2022, 80,034 sites have been identified and work has commenced on 35, 364 sites. The work has been completed on 4,753 sites.
• The Mission works through the States and Districts, by refocusing on various schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, XV Finance Commission Grants, and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) sub-schemes such as Watershed Development Component, Har Khet Ko Pani besides States’ own schemes.
• It may also be mentioned that the Mission encourages the mobilization of citizen and non-government resources to supplement these efforts.

Agriculture Census

• Ministry of Agriculture has launched the 11th agricultural census to collect data on various parameters, including operational holdings.
• The agriculture Census is conducted every 5 years.
• The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare is implementing Agriculture Census Scheme since 1970-71.
• The Census will be conducted based on the broad guidelines of decennial World Census of Agriculture (WCA) evolved by FAO of United Nations.
• So far, 10 Agriculture Censuses have been conducted in the country. 
• The tenth edition of the census was conducted with the reference year 2015-16.
• The agricultural census is the main source of information on a variety of parameters, such as the number and area of operational holdings, their size, class-wise distribution, land use, tenancy, cropping pattern, etc.
• Agriculture Census Scheme was converted from a Centrally-Sponsored Scheme to a Central Sector Plan Scheme in 2007-08.
• Accordingly, 100 per cent financial assistance is provided to States/ UTs for payment of salaries, office expenses, honoraria, tabulation and printing of schedules, etc.
• The ministry said this is the first time that data collection for the agricultural census will be conducted on smartphones and tablets so that data is available in time.