'Adopt a Heritage 2.0' program The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will launch the "Adopt a Heritage 2.0 Programme," the Indian Heritage App and e-permission portal on September 4, 2023, to preserve India's cultural heritage. An Overview of the News • ASI protects 3696 monuments across India, which showcase the country's rich cultural heritage and contribute to its economic development. • ASI aims to enhance and maintain these heritage sites by launching the "Adopt a Heritage 2.0" program on 4th September 2023 at Samvet Auditorium, IGNCA, New Delhi. The revised program invites corporate stakeholders to use their CSR funds to enhance facilities at these monuments. Program Overview: • ASI's "Adopt a Heritage 2.0" program is a reimagined version of a scheme launched in 2017. • It clearly outlines the specific features required for various monuments as per the AMASR Act 1958. • Corporate Stakeholders A dedicated web portal: www. One can apply for the adoption of any monument or specific features through Indianheritage.gov.in. • The portal provides details about monuments available for adoption, gap analysis and estimated financial requirements. Importance of Cultural Heritage: • Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy emphasized the importance of cultural heritage in shaping India's identity. • Heritage monuments are not just structures; They represent the history, art and architecture of India. • The "Adopt a Heritage 2.0" program encourages corporate stakeholders to participate in preserving these monuments for future generations. Selection Process: • The selection process involves due diligence, discussions with various stakeholders, and assessment of economic and developmental opportunities at each monument. • The selected stakeholders will be responsible for developing, providing, and maintaining facilities related to cleanliness, access, safety, and knowledge. • Stakeholders adopting heritage sites will be recognized as responsible and heritage-friendly entities. • The initial term of appointment will be five years, which is likely to be extended for another five years. Indian Heritage Mobile App: • ASI will launch a user-friendly mobile app called "Indian Heritage" on September 4, 2023. • The app will showcase India's heritage monuments, including state-wise descriptions, photographs, a list of public facilities available, geo-tagged locations, and a feedback mechanism for citizens. • The launch of the app will be in phases, starting with ticketed monuments in Phase I, followed by the rest of the monuments. E-Permission Portal: • An e-permission portal will also be launched, which will be available at www.asipermissionportal.gov.in. • The portal streamlines the process of obtaining permission for photography, filming, and developmental projects at monuments. • It aims to remove the operational and logistical hassles associated with obtaining various permissions.

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'Adopt a Heritage 2.0' program
Context: -
The Archaeological Survey of India
(ASI) will launch the "Adopt a Heritage
2.0 Programme," the Indian Heritage
App and e-permission portal on
September 4, 2023, to preserve India's
cultural heritage.
An Overview of the News
 ASI protects 3696 monuments across India, which showcase the country's
rich cultural heritage and contribute to its economic development.
 ASI aims to enhance and maintain these heritage sites by launching the
"Adopt a Heritage 2.0" program on 4th September 2023 at Samvet
Auditorium, IGNCA, New Delhi. The revised program invites corporate
stakeholders to use their CSR funds to enhance facilities at these
monuments.
Program Overview:
 ASI's "Adopt a Heritage 2.0" program is a reimagined version of a scheme
launched in 2017.
 It clearly outlines the specific features required for various monuments as per
the AMASR Act 1958.
 Corporate Stakeholders A dedicated web portal: www. One can apply for the
adoption of any monument or specific features through Indianheritage.gov.in.
 The portal provides details about monuments available for adoption, gap
analysis and estimated financial requirements.
Importance of Cultural Heritage:
 Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern
Region G Kishan Reddy emphasized the importance of cultural heritage in
shaping India's identity.
 Heritage monuments are not just structures; They represent the history, art
and architecture of India.
 The "Adopt a Heritage 2.0" program encourages corporate stakeholders to
participate in preserving these monuments for future generations.
Selection Process:
 The selection process involves due diligence, discussions with various
stakeholders, and assessment of economic and developmental opportunities

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at each monument.
 The selected stakeholders will be responsible for developing, providing, and
maintaining facilities related to cleanliness, access, safety, and knowledge.
 Stakeholders adopting heritage sites will be recognized as responsible and
heritage-friendly entities.
 The initial term of appointment will be five years, which is likely to be
extended for another five years.
Indian Heritage Mobile App:
 ASI will launch a user-friendly mobile app called "Indian Heritage" on
September 4, 2023.
 The app will showcase India's heritage monuments, including state-wise
descriptions, photographs, a list of public facilities available, geo-tagged
locations, and a feedback mechanism for citizens.
 The launch of the app will be in phases, starting with ticketed monuments in
Phase I, followed by the rest of the monuments.
E-Permission Portal:
 An e-permission portal will also be launched, which will be available at
www.asipermissionportal.gov.in.
 The portal streamlines the process of obtaining permission for photography,
filming, and developmental projects at monuments.
 It aims to remove the operational and logistical hassles associated with
obtaining various permissions.
'Hindu Heritage Month'
Context: -
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp officially
declared October as 'Hindu Heritage
Month'.
An Overview of the News
 It aims to celebrate Hindu
heritage while emphasizing the
rich cultural and spiritual
traditions of India.
 It recognizes and appreciates the valuable contributions made by the Hindu-
American community in the state of Georgia.
 Hinduism is accepted as the third largest religion globally, with one billion
followers worldwide and about three million followers in the United States.

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 Throughout October 2023, the Hindu community in Georgia will collectively
celebrate its heritage by focusing on the culture and diverse spiritual
traditions of India.
Georgia's historic resolution against Hinduphobia:
 In April 2023, Georgia passed a historic resolution condemning
Hinduphobia, making it the first US state to do so.
 The resolution condemns Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu prejudice,
emphasizing the widespread and ancient nature of Hinduism, with more than
1.2 billion adherents in more than 100 countries.
 It outlines the diverse traditions and belief systems within Hinduism, all
based on the principles of acceptance, mutual respect, and peace.
 According to the Hindu American Foundation, Hindu Heritage Month
(HHM) serves as a global effort to highlight the longstanding tradition of
Hinduism and its significant contributions to humanity.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY)
Context: -
The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar
Yojana (ABRY) has surpassed its
initial employment generation
targets, demonstrating its effectiveness
in promoting job creation and aiding
the recovery efforts amidst the Covid-
19 pandemic.
What is Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY)?
 About & Aim:
o The ABRY came into effect on October 1, 2020, with the primary goal
of stimulating the creation of new job opportunities.
o It achieved this by offering financial assistance to employers of
enterprises registered with the Employees' Provident Fund
Organisation (EPFO).
o The scheme specifically aimed to incentivise the employment of
individuals, including those who had lost their jobs due to the
pandemic.
o It covered both employee and employer contributions, equivalent to
24% of earnings, for businesses employing up to 1000 workers.

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o For larger firms with over 1000 employees, the scheme covered only
the employee's EPF payments, equivalent to 12% of salaries.
 Achievements:
o As of July 31, 2023, the ABRY exceeded its initial employment
generation target by enrolling approximately 7.58 million new
employees.
 Significance:
o The initiative has played a significant role in reviving the job market,
contributing to the broader economic recovery during the pandemic.
Curbs on Rice Exports
Context: -
Recently, government has levied certain restrictions on rice export to check the
domestic rise in prices and to ensure domestic food security.
What is the status of rice production in India?
 Production – Globally, the top rice-producing country is China, followed by
India.
 As per Second Advance Estimates, the estimated production of Rice for
2022-23 is 1308.37 Lakh Tonnes.
 West Bengal is the largest rice producer in India.
 Rabi season- According to the 3rd
Advanced Estimate of the Department of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,
o 2021-2022: Rice production was 184.71 lakh tonnes
o 2022-23: Rice production was 13.8% less, at 158.95 lakh tonnes
 Kharif sowing data- As on August 25, rice is sown on 384.05 lakh hectares
this year.

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 Delayed sowing- In States such as Tamil Nadu where the Samba crop
sowing starts usually in August in the Cauvery delta area, there will be
delayed sowing due to a shortfall in the south west monsoon.
 Price rise- During 2022, the paddy prices were ₹27 per kg, but now it stands
at ₹33 a kg.
 Export status- India is the largest rice exporter globally with a 45% share in
the world rice market.
Item Year/Period Status
Overall rice export April-May 2023
21.1% higher compared with same
period last financial year.
Basmati rice May 2023
10.86% higher than exports in May
2022
Non- Basmati rice 2022-23
Export is 7.5% more despite 20%
export duty on white rice and
prohibition of broken rice export
What are the restrictions on rice export?
 Categories of Rice export-
o Basmati rice
o Parboiled non-basmati rice
o Raw white rice
o Broken non-basmati rice
 The Government has prohibited the export of white rice and broken rice.
 It levied a 20% duty on Parboiled non-basmati rice till October 15.
 It permitted the export of Basmati rice for contracts with value of 1,200
dollars a tonne or above.
 Rice is the 3rd
major agricultural commodity in India to face restrictions on
overseas sales in 2022-23.
How the restrictions will benefit farmers?
 Increase in MSP- The government has increased the Minimum Support Price
(MSP) for rice.
 Increase in price- Paddy procurement by rice millers are at a price higher
than the MSP.
 Check in price rise- The prices will not decline for farmers, restrictions on
exports will ensure that there is no steep climb in rice prices in the market.
 Benchmark price- If the bench mark price set by the government is high, the
farmers will realise better prices.

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 Domestic consumers- Though there is a slight increase in rice prices at
present, in the long run, availability is secured and prices are not expected to
spiral.
How the restrictions will affect the world economy?
 Global food crisis- India’s move could trigger a global food crisis as India is
the world’s top rice exporter, accounting around 40% of the global trade in
the cereal.
 Africa countries- India has banned 100% of broken rice which few poor
countries import for human consumption, though the variety is mainly used
for feed purposes.
 Food inflation- Rice is the staple food for half of the population, with Asia
producing and consuming about 90% of the global supply.
 This will further pressure on countries that are struggling with drought, heat
waves and Russia invasion of Ukraine.
 Ban on broken rice- It is mainly used for animal feed, prices have jumped
this year on increasing export demand.
 Top buyers including China uses it for livestock feed, some African countries
import it for food. It accounts for almost 20% of the shipments abroad.
 Shift to other countries- With 20% duty Indian rice shipments may becomes
uncompetitive in the market and buyers could shift to Vietnam and Thailand .
 Exemption- India has granted Singapore an exemption on rice export, stating
that the country is its close strategic partner.
What is the opinion of the exporters?
 High International demand- The prices of Indian par-boiled rice in the
international market is competitive even with the levy of a 20% duty.
 Countries such as Indonesia, which are rice exporters, are looking at raw rice
imports now.
 Issues with classification- The government should look at classifying rice as
common rice and speciality rice for export policy decisions rather than
classifying as Basmati and non-Basmati.
 Include GI recognition- As many as 12 varieties of rice have Geographical
Indication (GI) recognition and these should be insulated from general market
interventions.
 Basmati rice- The government should have permitted exports to continue or
fixed the minimum value for exports at $900 a tonne.
 Affect farmers- Exporters will not buy paddy if there is no demand. This will
only affect the farmers.
 No need of restrictions- Export demand raised as Indian rice quality and the
consistency in supply is good.

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 Basmati is a speciality rice and new crop arrivals will start soon and there is
no need for restrictions.
One-Liner
 NCERT Granted Deemed University Status
 Piyush Goyal unveils statue of RK Shanmugam Chetty in Coimbatore
 China includes Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin in its new 'standard map'
 Parul breaks national record at World Athletics Championships
 India's new warship Mahendragiri launched in Mumbai
 Former CJI Raman appointed as a member of the Singapore International
Mediator Panel
 Jaya Verma Sinha becomes first woman to lead Indian Railways as Chairman
and CEO
 MS Dhoni Appointed as the Brand Ambassador of Swaraj Tractors
 Vumlunmang Vualnam assumes the role of Secretary, Ministry of Civil
Aviation, Government of India
 Hyderabad gets India’s first solar roof cycling track
 Small Industry Day 2023 : 30 August