Today's Brief 21/09/2024

Youtube English IE: https://youtu.be/OllREsnT1ho?feature=shared

Youtube Hindi JN: https://youtu.be/TFr2AL23ckU?si=IBd9UvfGZrp3EfBG

1. Milk Revolution 2.0: Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for "White Revolution 2.0" to enhance India's dairy sector. The initiative focuses on empowering women farmers, increasing milk production, improving dairy infrastructure, and boosting exports.

   
   

   The government plans to form and strengthen two lakh new cooperatives, including dairy and fishery societies, over five years. The goal is to raise milk procurement by 50%, with daily milk collection by cooperatives reaching 1,000 lakh litres.

   
   

   The original White Revolution, launched in 1970, transformed India into the world's largest milk producer by implementing a cooperative model and building dairy infrastructure. Despite success, the Indian dairy sector faces challenges such as low productivity, poor animal health, and infrastructure constraints.

   
   

   Government programs like the Rashtriya Gokul Mission and National Livestock Mission aim to address these issues. A coordinated approach involving improved technology, infrastructure, and policy is crucial for achieving sustainable growth in the dairy industry.

Milk production and stats,

• India produces around 220-230 million tonnes of milk annually (as of 2022-2023).

• The sector involves about 70 million dairy farmers, most of whom own small herds.

• The dairy industry contributes approximately 4% to India's GDP, with a focus on employment generation and rural livelihoods.

• Leading states in milk production include Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab.

• Uttar Pradesh is the top milk-producing state, contributing around 16-17% of India's total milk production.

• Ghee, butter, and milk powder are the primary dairy exports, with key markets in the Middle East, Africa, and neighboring countries.

2.Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh appointed as next Chief of Air Staff ir Marshal Amar Preet Singh, presently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Air Staff. Mr Singh will take over as the Chief of the Air Staff from Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari on the afternoon of the 30th of this month. Mr. Singh was commissioned into the fighter pilot stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1984

3.FATF report on India : The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), in its latest mutual assessment report, highlighted that Indian agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have made significant seizures from proscribed terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Additionally, assets related to terror financing and money laundering have also been seized.

The report acknowledged India's exposure to a wide variety of terrorism threats, which include Islamic State and Al Qaeda-affiliated groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as insurgent movements in other regions of India.

The FATF commended the expertise of Indian agencies in conducting complex financial investigations to trace and seize assets linked to terrorism and money laundering. It noted that between 2018 and 2023, 48 cases related to terror financing (TF) were referred to the ED, which has the capacity to initiate money laundering investigations related to these crimes.

However, the report identified a bottleneck in the judicial system, citing that many terror-related cases have remained unresolved due to lengthy court processes and frequent adjournments. While the NIA and ED have pursued numerous TF investigations and prosecutions, the report suggests that state-level counter-terrorism authorities could benefit from additional capacity and resources to handle these cases more effectively.

Furthermore, the FATF cited several prominent terror financing cases, including the Hurriyat and Popular Front of India cases, and acknowledged that Indian agencies have wide-ranging access to financial information to aid in these investigations. However, the need for legislative measures to expedite court proceedings and ensure timely case resolutions was also emphasized.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an intergovernmental organization established in 1989 to develop policies aimed at combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and other threats to the integrity of the global financial system. FATF sets international standards and promotes the effective implementation of legal, regulatory, and operational measures to fight these financial crimes.

FATF's primary objectives include:

1. Developing international standards: FATF creates guidelines and recommendations for countries to adopt in order to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing.

2. Monitoring compliance: It assesses member countries' efforts to comply with these standards and provides mutual evaluations through reports.

3. Identifying high-risk countries: FATF places countries on "black" or "grey" lists, depending on their lack of compliance with international standards. These designations alert the international financial community to increased risks of dealing with those countries.

4. Issuing sanctions: Countries that fail to comply with FATF's recommendations may face economic and financial sanctions, as well as reputational damage.

FATF currently has 39 members, including major economies like the United States, India, China, and the European Union. Its work is crucial for maintaining global financial stability and preventing the misuse of financial systems for criminal activities.

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