Few Important schemes

Three new sub-schemes have been introduced under RKVY (Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana) from 2010-11. 

1. First on extending green revolution to Eastern Region of the country - covering States of Bihar,
   Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Eastern UP and West Bengal, with objective of increasing crop productivity of region by intensive cultivation through promotion of recommended agricultural technologies and package of practices. Allocation of Rs. 400 crore for 2010-11 has been made for this, out of which Rs. 260.62 crore have been released to the States so far.
2. Second sub-scheme is special initiative for Pulses and Oilseeds in Dryland Areas during 2010- 11, with an allocation of Rs. 300 crore in current year and is operationalized by organizing 60,000 Pulse and Oilseeds Villages in identified watersheds by providing farm machinery and equipment on custom hiring basis to pulses and oilseed farmers and dovetailing with other existing central schemes having components for promotion of oilseeds and pulses production. Rs. 238.50 crore have been released to the States under this sub-scheme so far.
3. Third sub-scheme is National Mission for Saffron-Economic Revival of J&K Saffron Sector with allocation of Rs. 39.43 crore for current year. Out of this, first instalment of Rs. 19.72 crore has been released to Jammu & Kashmir. So now RKVY includes 9 sub components.  

• special initiative for pulses and oilseeds development in selected pulses and oilseed growing villages in rain-fed areas,
• scheme to bridge yield gap in agriculture in eastern India,
• initiative on vegetable clusters,
• accelerated fodder development programme,
• rain-fed area development programme,
• promotion of oil palm, nutri- cereals,
• national mission for protein supplements and
• saffron mission.

 Indira Awaas Yojana- 

• Aim of Indira Awaas Yojana is to provide financial assistance to the rural poor living Below the overty Line (BPL) for construction of a house.
• The benefits of the Scheme have since been extended to the families of Exservicemen of the armed forces & paramilitary forces killed in action.
• Besides 3% of the houses are reserved for the physically & mentally challenged persons of the rural BPL families.
• Funds are also been earmarked for coverage of minorities. Beneficiary is free to construct IAY house of their own choice. Hence, there is no architectural specification and layout given under IAY. A person is eligible for benefits even if he/ she has not plot.

Mega Food Park scheme-

• Launched in 2008, the scheme promotes fully-integrated food parks and provides half the total cost of the project, minus land and non-capital components such as operation and management costs.
• Such parks are expected to not only increase processing levels in the country — only six per cent of fruits and vegetables grown in the country are processed — but also promote cluster farming, benefiting farmers.
• For instance, each mega food park is to have a number of collection centres in a 120-km area around, where the farmer can directly sell his produce.
• The ministry has urged the state governments to adopt and implement its model State Agricultural Produce Marketing Act, so that the collection centres could be freed of mandi tax and farmers could get maximum returns, by dealing directly with buyer-companies.

Health insurance Portability is available to consumers from October 2011. The policy holder has to inform the new insurer about the time regarding the choice of switching. According to Irda guidelines, insurers need to be informed 45 days before renewing the existing policy. If the request for the portability is made after 45 days, the insurer may reject the request. Waiting period for certain illness varies from insurer to insurer. Hence, it is important for the policy holders to check the time period for pre-existing diseases. Besides the specific exclusions, other terms and conditions need to be scrutinised well before shifting.