PIB Snippets
4 Releases
UPSC Prelims & Mains
PIB Snippets — August 12, 2026
Today’s key PIB releases: Ayush Grid’s 24 e-governance platforms, Kalanamak rice’s GI-driven growth, PM-MKSSY’s fisheries formalisation, and the Sagarmala Startup and Innovation Initiative.
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Ayush Grid
Ayush Grid: News Context
- Minister of State (MoS) for Ayush provided Ayush Grid details in Rajya Sabha.
- 24 e-governance platforms have been developed under Ayush Grid and are accessible across the country.
Ayush Grid: Key Facts for Prelims
- Ayush Grid is a comprehensive IT backbone for the Ayush sector launched by the Ministry of Ayush.
- Aims to digitise service delivery across six functional areas: Healthcare, Research and Development, Education and Awareness, Drug Administration, Capacity Building, and Medicinal Plants.
- Integrates AI, ML, and other advanced technologies across functional areas.
- Follows design principles of IndEA 2.0, ABDM, and National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB).
Ayush Grid Platforms: Key Facts
- MAISP (My Ayush Integrated Services Portal): Master portal integrating all Ayush applications into a unified digital ecosystem with an AI-enabled chatbot.
- AHMIS (Ayush Hospital Management Information System): ABDM-compliant system for digitising Ayush healthcare delivery.
- Ayush Research Portal: AI-enabled repository of over 43,000 curated Ayush research publications.
- Ayush Anudan Portal: Streamlines submission, processing, approval, and monitoring of funding proposals under Central Sector Schemes.
- e-Charak Portal: Virtual marketplace for the medicinal plants sector connecting farmers, collectors, buyers, manufacturers, and exporters with AI assistant.
Source: PIB
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Kalanamak Rice
Kalanamak Rice Growth: News Context
- Kalanamak rice cultivation expanded significantly in the Terai region of eastern Uttar Pradesh with rising domestic and international demand.
- The variety received a GI (Geographical Indication) tag, boosting its export potential and farmer income.
Kalanamak Rice: Key Facts for Prelims
- Kalanamak is a traditional aromatic rice variety native to the Terai region of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
- Primarily grown in Siddharth Nagar, Basti, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Balrampur, and Sant Kabir Nagar districts of UP.
- It received a GI tag as an Uttar Pradesh product, protecting its geographical identity.
- Associated with Buddhist heritage: historically believed to have been gifted by Lord Buddha to the people of the Kapilavastu region.
Kalanamak Rice Characteristics & Government Support
- Known for its distinct black husk, giving it the name “Kalanamak” (black salt), with a fragrance comparable to Pandanus (Kewra) flowers.
- High in zinc, iron, and other micronutrients, with medicinal properties recognised in Ayurvedic texts.
- Improved semi-dwarf varieties (Kalanamak 3119, Pusa Kalanamak) retain aroma while improving yield and lodging resistance.
- One District One Product (ODOP): Kalanamak is the flagship product of Siddharth Nagar district under UP’s ODOP scheme.
- APEDA supports export of GI-tagged Kalanamak rice through international marketing assistance.
Source: PIB
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Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana
PM-MKSSY Implementation: News Context
- The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying reported significant progress in PM-MKSSY implementation across fisheries sector formalisation.
- Over 5 lakh fishers and fish farmers have been registered on the digital fisheries platform under the scheme.
PM-MKSSY: Key Facts for Prelims
- PM-MKSSY is a sub-scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
- Approved by the Union Cabinet with an outlay of ₹6,000 crore for FY 2023-24 to 2026-27.
- Implemented by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
- Objective: Formalise the fisheries sector, improve access to institutional credit, and enhance fish quality and safety standards.
PM-MKSSY Components & Financial Structure
- Components: formalisation of fisheries sector, access to institutional credit (fish vendor loans, KCC), fish safety and quality, insurance support, and micro-enterprise support.
- Central share: 60% for general states; 80% for North-Eastern and Himalayan states.
- The scheme works in convergence with PMMSY, which has a total outlay of ₹20,050 crore (2020-25) and targets 22 million tonnes of fish production by 2024-25.
Source: PIB
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Sagarmala Startup and Innovation Initiative (S2I2)
S2I2: News Context
- Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal provided S2I2 details in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.
S2I2: Key Facts for Prelims
- S2I2 (Sagarmala Startup and Innovation Initiative) was launched on March 19, 2025 to establish an innovation ecosystem for India’s maritime sector.
- Implementing agency: Maritime India Foundation (MIF), registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975, functioning under MoPSW (Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways).
- Maritime Innovation Hubs (MIHs) established at IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, and Indian Maritime University (IMU), Chennai.
MAR-a-THON 2025 & Thematic Areas
- MAR-a-THON 2025 is India’s first-ever Maritime Hackathon, launched at IIT Madras on August 25, 2025, receiving 330 applications for 51 problem statements.
- Thematic areas: Port Infrastructure; Smart and Integrated Port Operations; Integrated Logistics and Multimodal Connectivity; Green and Sustainable Maritime Sector; Advanced Safety, Security and Regulatory Compliance; Shipbuilding and Lifecycle Management.
Source: PIB
