PIB Snippets
8 Releases
UPSC Prelims & Mains
PIB Snippets — August 18, 2026
Today’s PIB round-up: PMNRF, Kharif sowing data, Sapt Dhara of Shakti, an India-US naval EOD exercise, the first Guide to Grasslands, and three social-welfare schemes — SEED, SMILE and Bharat Taxi.
🤲 PMNRF
🌾 Kharif Crops 2026
🌱 Sapt Dhara of Shakti
💣 IN-USN EOD Exercise
🌾 Guide to Grasslands
🌱 SEED Scheme
😊 SMILE Scheme
🚕 Bharat Taxi
🤲
Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF)
Establishment & Origin
- Established in January 1948 by the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru — originally to assist displaced persons from Pakistan during Partition.
- Created purely through public contributions — not by any budgetary allocation of the government, and not established by any Act of Parliament.
Purpose & Key Features
- Provides immediate relief to families affected by natural calamities, major accidents and riots, and helps with medical treatment costs (heart surgery, kidney transplant, cancer treatment, acid attack, etc.).
- Managed solely by the Prime Minister, who is also the sole trustee/chairperson.
Contributions are 100% exempt from Income Tax under Section 80(G) of the Income Tax Act.
Source: PIB
🌾
Kharif Crops & 2026 Area Coverage
News Context
- As of 14 August 2026, India’s total Kharif sown area stood at 1,016.57 lakh hectares, down 20.95 lakh hectares from 2025 — mainly due to a decline in rice sowing.
Key Concept — Three Cropping Seasons
- Kharif (Monsoon): June–July sowing, Sept–Oct harvest — rice, maize, cotton, soybean, bajra, jowar, groundnut, tur, urad, moong.
- Rabi (Winter): Oct–Dec sowing, March–April harvest — wheat, barley, gram, mustard, peas.
- Zaid (Summer): March–June — watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, moong.
2026 Highlights
- Rice down 14.37 lakh ha — major fall in Karnataka, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha; higher coverage in Assam (+3.93 lakh ha).
- Oilseeds down 0.89 lakh ha; soybean fell, but groundnut, sesamum and sunflower rose, led by UP.
Shree Anna = official term for millets, rebranded 2023; India is the world’s largest millet producer (~41%). Golden Fibre = Jute; Golden Bean = Soybean; Regur = Black cotton soil.
Source: PIB
🌱
Sapt Dhara of Shakti & Lakhpati Didi
News Context
- On 18 August 2026, the Agriculture Minister took the “Sapt Dhara of Shakti” (“Seven streams of strength”) pledge, following PM Modi’s Independence Day address, to create a roadmap for agriculture and rural development toward Viksit Bharat @2047.
Lakhpati Didi Programme
- Ministry of Rural Development; announced in the 2023 Independence Day speech, a flagship women-empowerment initiative.
- Enables rural SHG women (under DAY-NRLM) to earn a sustainable annual income of at least ₹1 lakh per household.
- 3 crore women have already become Lakhpati Didis; the new target is 6 crore.
Source: PIB
💣
IN–USN Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Exercise 2026
News Context
- The 8th India-US Navy EOD Exercise 2026 concluded at Southern Naval Command, Kochi, on 14 August 2026 — focused on Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD): detection, identification, render-safe, and neutralisation of explosive threats.
Major India-US Defence Exercises
- Yudh Abhyas (Army) · Cope India (Air Force) · Malabar (Naval, now quadrilateral with Japan, Australia) · Tiger Triumph (Tri-services, HADR) · Vajra Prahar (Special Forces) · Sangam (Naval EOD-related).
Source: PIB
🌾
Guide to Grasslands & Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) / UNCCD COP17
News Context
- India launched its first-ever “Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) of India” at UNCCD COP17 (17 August 2026), by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- ONEs are natural, largely treeless areas — grasslands, savannas, scrublands, deserts, ravines, coastal ecosystems — historically mislabelled as “wastelands.” Indian examples: Terai grasslands, Thar Desert, Banni grasslands, Deccan savannas.
About UNCCD
- Established 1994; one of the three Rio Conventions (with UNFCCC and CBD); secretariat in Bonn, Germany.
- India hosted UNCCD COP14 in 2019 (New Delhi) — gave the Delhi Declaration. Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) links to SDG 15.3.
Source: PIB
🌱
SEED Scheme & DNT/NT/SNT Communities
News Context
- The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is working for the welfare of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic (DNT/NT/SNT) communities through the SEED Scheme, implemented by DWBDNC.
- DNTs were “notified” as criminal tribes under the colonial Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, and later “de-notified” after its repeal in 1952.
Education
Free/quality coaching for competitive exams and professional courses.
Healthcare
Health insurance linked with PM-JAY/Ayushman Bharat.
Livelihoods
Support for community-level livelihood initiatives.
Housing
Financial assistance for house construction.
Source: PIB
😊
SMILE Scheme
News Context
- Full name: Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE) — an umbrella Central Sector Scheme, continued for the 16th Finance Commission cycle (2026–27 to 2030–31).
Beggary Rehabilitation
Goal: a “Bhiksha-Vritti-Mukt Bharat.” ~42,589 persons surveyed; ~12,710 rehabilitated.
Transgender Welfare
23 Garima Grehs shelter homes; ~33,303 identity cards issued; Transgender Protection Cells in 27 States/UTs.
Source: PIB
🚕
Bharat Taxi
News Context
- Bharat Taxi is India’s first cooperative-based ride-hailing platform, set up under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 (established 6 June 2025); Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Cooperation.
- Vision: “Sahkar se Samriddhi” and “Saarthi Hi Maalik” (the driver is the owner) — drivers are member-owners called “Sarathis.”
Key Features
- Zero Commission: drivers keep the full fare under a subscription model, no surge or platform fees.
- Women-friendly: Sarathi Didi and Bike Didi connect women passengers with women drivers.
- Social security: e-Shram, Ayushman Bharat (₹5 lakh health cover) and ₹5 lakh accident insurance.
Source: PIB
