The Centre has reiterated that the Indian Neutrino Observatory (INO) will be established in picturesque Theni in south Tamil Nadu.

The India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) Project is a multi-institutional effort aimed at building a world-class underground laboratory with a rock cover of approx.1200 m for non-accelerator based high energy and nuclear physics research in India. The initial goal of INO is to study neutrinos.

It is a mega-science project jointly funded by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

The project includes:

• Construction of an underground laboratory and associated surface facilities at Pottipuram in Bodi West hills of Theni District of Tamil Nadu.
• Construction of an Iron Calorimeter (ICAL) detector for studying neutrinos.
• Setting up of National Centre for High Energy Physics at Madurai, for the operation and maintenance of the underground laboratory, human resource development and detector R&D along with its applications.

• Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India is the Nodal Ministry for implementation of the scheme which will announce Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the selected MFPs with the technical support from TRIFED
• The scheme has been started with the objective of providing fair price to MFP gatherers, enhance their income level and ensure sustainable harvesting of MFPs.
• The Scheme has been implemented in eight States having Schedule areas as listed in the Fifth Schedule of the constitution of India. From November 2016, the scheme is applicable in all States
• Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED) has been directed to develop market linkage between state agencies (through State Nodal Department) and bulk users and buyers to enable implementation.
• TRIFED has also introduced the MFPnet portal which is designed to act as an adjunct and a catalyst for implementing the scheme of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP).
• MFPNet portal provides information about TRIFED, MFP trade in India, marketing prospects for MFPs, MFP development training and TRIFED's retail marketing activities, MSP for MFPs and its current status.

• United Nations Peacekeeping is a joint effort between the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support. Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the Security Council.
• The financial resources of UN Peacekeeping operations are the collective responsibility of UN Member States.
• According to UN Charter every Member State is legally obligated to pay their respective share for peacekeeping.

Refer: "

It aims to reduce maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, improve quality of care during delivery and immediate post-partum period and enhance satisfaction of beneficiaries and provide Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) to all pregnant women attending public health facilities.

Urea is an important supplier of nitrogen, which is necessary for the development of plants. But only 30-40 per cent of nitrogen present in the urea is utilised by crops.

When farmers use conventional urea, about half the applied nitrogen is not assimilated by the plant and leaches into the soil, causing extensive groundwater contamination.

Spraying urea with neem oil also slows the release of nitrogen, by about 10 to 15 per cent, concomitantly reducing consumption of the fertiliser.

The neem-coating also precludes an age-old malpractice of this cheap fertiliser being diverted for use in the chemical industry and, most harmfully in states like Punjab and Haryana, as an additive in milk to whiten it.

Chapter 9: Economic Survey 2015-16: Volume I;

Q2, CS(P) 2016: ;

In the news: http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/from-plate-to-plough-for-farmers-the-next-big-idea-4987307/ ;

- "