JCI's "Paat-Mitro" app aids jute farmers efficiently UPSC

PAAT-MITRO

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Context: The Jute Corporation of India Limited (JCI) has developed a mobile application called “Paat-Mitro” to help jute farmers with important information about MSP and agronomy.

Key Highlights

The app was launched by the Secretary, Ministry of Textiles during the ‘Jute Symposium’ in New Delhi. The app is available in 6 languages and can be downloaded for free from Google Play Store.
“Paat-Mitro” provides jute farmers with the latest agronomic practices and Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for their crops.
It gives information about Jute Gradation Parameters, Farmer-centric schemes like ‘Jute-ICARE’, weather forecasts, JCI’s Purchase Centers’ locations, Procurement Policies and more.
Farmers can track the status of their payments for the raw jute sold to JCI under MSP Operation. The app also features a Chatbot that can answer their queries.

Jute

●Jute thrives in a sub-tropical, warm-humid climate with well-distributed rainfall (150-250 cm) and temperatures between 20°C and 27°C.

●It prefers fertile alluvial soil, especially riverine plains like the Ganges Delta.

●Over 85% of global jute cultivation is concentrated in the Ganges Delta, spanning parts of India and Bangladesh.

●India is the world's largest producer, followed closely by Bangladesh. Other producers include China, Thailand, Nepal, and Myanmar.

●Jute cultivation has shaped agricultural landscapes in areas like West Bengal and Bangladesh. Its monoculture patterns and intensive water usage can pose environmental challenges like soil erosion and depletion of organic matter.

●Jute supports the livelihoods of millions of farmers, processors, and traders across its production and trade chain. In India alone, it employs over 4 million farm families and 0.37 million workers in mills and allied activities.

●Jute is a crucial export commodity for India and Bangladesh, generating valuable foreign exchange. However, competition from synthetic fibres and shifting consumer preferences has posed challenges to the industry's economic viability.

●To stay relevant, jute producers are diversifying into niche products like blended fabrics, handicrafts, and bio-composites, leveraging jute's biodegradable and eco-friendly qualities.

Must Read Articles:

MSP FOR RAW JUTE: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/msp-for-raw-jute

RESERVATION NORMS FOR JUTE PACKAGING MATERIALS: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/reservation-norms-for-jute-packaging-materials

JUTE INDUSTRY: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/jute-industry-26

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. The "Paat-Mitro" mobile application recently gained attention due to its association with:

A. Weather forecasting services

B. Digital marketing for agricultural products

C. Jute cultivation information and MSP details

D. Livestock healthcare updates

Answer: C

Explanation: The "Paat-Mitro" mobile app has been in the news for providing crucial information about jute cultivation techniques, along with essential details regarding Minimum Support Price (MSP) for jute farmers, thereby aiding them in their agricultural practices.