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Picture Courtesy: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/industry-niftem-k-unveils-sarthi-smart-reefer-transportation-to-curb-post-harvest-losses-3641613/
Samarth, Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, and Sarthi Schemes are in the news.
The "Samarth" Scheme is the initiative of the Ministry of Textiles, it helps people gain skills related to the textile industry.
Recently the government has extended the scheme for two more years, until March 2026, and announced a budget of Rs 495 crore, to train around 3 lakh people.
It helps people to learn the skills required to work in different areas of the textile industry (except for spinning and weaving).
It also supports traditional sectors like handloom, handicrafts, silk, and jute.
The program is designed to encourage the textile industry to create more jobs, and the training it offers is closely connected to what employers need.
Out of the 3.27 lakh people trained so far, 2.6 lakh (79.5%) have found jobs. The scheme also emphasizes women’s employment, with 2.89 lakh (88.3%) of the trained individuals being women.
The Scheme works through Implementing Partners (IPs), which include textile industry groups, state and central government agencies, and special organizations like the Central Wool Development Board and the Central Silk Board. They help in conducting the training programs and make sure they meet the needs of the modern job market.
The Scheme provides a safety net for people who are part of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
This scheme was started in 1976 to help families of workers if the worker passes away while still in service. The objective is to provide some financial security during such tough times.
In 2021, the government has raised the insurance benefits under the EDLI scheme:
These updated benefits were originally set for a period of three years and were scheduled to end on April 27, 2024. However, the government has now decided to extend these benefits beyond that date without setting an end date.
The EDLI scheme is significant because it helps protect the families of workers by offering them financial support if something unfortunate happens to the worker. It is a way to ensure that families don’t face a sudden financial crisis if they lose their main breadwinner.
The Labour Minister has announced plans to establish a committee to create a social security framework to bring social security benefits to gig and platform workers (like delivery drivers and app-based service providers), so they can get similar protection and benefits as regular employees.
The Solar Assisted Reefer Transportation with Hybrid Controls and Intelligence (SARTHI) is an innovative system developed by the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI).
This system aims to reduce post-harvest losses in the transportation of perishable foods like fruits and vegetables.
SARTHI has two compartments to store fruits and vegetables at their optimal temperatures; fruits are stored between 0-5°C, while vegetables are kept at 7-12°C. A compartment can maintain temperatures as low as -10°C for specific products.
This design helps in extending the shelf life of the produce and reduces losses due to chilling injury or moisture loss.
The system uses sensors to measure temperature, humidity, ethylene, and CO2 levels, data from the sensors are sent to a mobile app, which allows real-time quality assessment and decision-making during transportation.
Transporters can make knowledgeable decisions, such as rerouting produce to closer markets, in case spoilage is detected, which will help in cutting energy waste and reducing carbon footprints.
The system includes a solar-powered air handling unit that ensures temperature control even during halts, enhancing the sustainability of the transportation process.
SARTHI by maintaining optimal storage conditions and allowing real-time monitoring reduces spoilage and wastage of perishable goods.
It acts as a “true sarthi (companion)” for farmers, retailers, food processors, and entrepreneurs by reducing wastage and improving the quality of transported goods.
Under the system, the use of solar power and efficient routing decisions helps in reducing the carbon footprint associated with the transportation of perishable goods.
ISSUES FACED BY EPFO PENSIONERS
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q.Consider the following statements about the Samarth initiative: 1. It focuses on traditional sectors like silk and handloom. 2. It excludes sectors like spinning and weaving. 3. It is the initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. How many of the above statements are correct? A) Only one B) Only two C) All three D) None Answer: B Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: The Samarth initiative supports traditional sectors such as silk and handloom, it helps workers by providing them with training and skills to enhance their productivity. Statement 2 is correct: The Samarth scheme excludes spinning and weaving from its coverage; it focuses on other areas within the textile chain. Statement 3 is incorrect: The Samarth initiative was introduced by the Ministry of Textiles, to improve job opportunities in the textile sector through various training programs. |
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