Economic Development

Economic pact between India and EFTA States

Why in news ?

Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) Negotiations between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) on a trade deal have run into a logjam because of Switzerland’s concerns.

About European Free Trade Association (EFTA):

• It is an intergovernmental organization established in 1960 by the Stockholm Convention.
• Objective: Promotes free trade and economic integration between its members within Europe and globally.
• EFTA currently has 4 member countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
• The EFTA countries have developed one of the largest networks of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). These FTAs span over 60 countries and territories, including the European Union (EU).

Governance Structure:

• EFTA’s highest governing body is the EFTA Council. It generally meets 8 times a year at the ambassadorial level and twice a year at the ministerial level.
• The headquarters of the EFTA Secretariat is located in Geneva. It assists the EFTA Council in the management of relations between the 4 EFTA States and deals with the negotiation and operation of EFTA’s FTAs.

What is the European Economic Area (EEA)?

• It consists of the Member States of the European Union (EU) and three countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)(Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, excluding Switzerland).
• The Agreement on the EEA entered into force on 1 January 1994.

Source – Indian Express

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RAMP Scheme for MSMEs

Why in news ?

Recently, the Union Minister for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) launched three sub-schemes under the aegis of the RAMP programme.

What is the RAMP Scheme?

• It is a World Bank assisted Central Sector Scheme, supporting various CoronaVirus Disease 2019 (Covid) Resilience and Recovery Interventions of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME).

Aimed at:

• Improving access to market and credit
• Strengthening institutions and governance at the Centre and State
• Improving Centre-State linkages and partnerships

How will this Scheme be Beneficial?

Address Challenges in the MSME Sector:

The RAMP programme will address the generic and Covid related challenges in the MSME sector by way of impact enhancement of existing MSME schemes, especially, on the competitiveness front.1

Address inadequately Addressed Blocks in MSME:

The programme will bolster the inadequately addressed blocks of capacity building, handholding, skill development, quality enrichment, technological upgradation, digitization, outreach and marketing promotion, amongst other things.

Source – Indian Express

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Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2023 

Why in news ? 

Estimates of poverty reduction by a United Nations agency offer cause for satisfaction.

About the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)

• This report presents a compact update on the state of multidimensional poverty in the world.
• It compiles data from 110 developing countries covering 6.1 billion people, accounting for 92 percent of the population in developing countries.
• It tells an important and persistent story about how prevalent poverty is in the world and provides insights into the lives of poor people, their deprivations and how intense their poverty is—to inform and accelerate efforts to end poverty in all its forms.

What is the National Multidimensional Poverty Index?

• NITI Aayog, as the nodal agency for MPI, has been responsible for constructing an indigenised index for monitoring the performance of States and Union Territories (UTs) in addressing multidimensional poverty.
• In order to institutionalise this, NITI Aayog constituted an inter-ministerial MPI Coordination Committee (MPICC) including Ministries and departments pertaining to areas such as health, education, nutrition, rural development, drinking water, sanitation, electricity, and urban development, among others.

Significance of India’s success:

• Some of these gains may have the current government’s social development schemes to thank.
• Rapid economic expansion has been criticized for not benefiting the poor, but these estimates suggest that fast growth is indeed improving the lives of those who are the worst off.

Source – The Hindu

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International Container Transhipment Port (ICTP)        

Why in news ?

The Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) recently inspected the location of the planned International Container Transhipment Port (ICTP) on Galathea Bay, Great Nicobar Island.

Main body

• The flagship program Sagarmala under MoPSW aims to modernize, mechanize, and enhance capacity of existing ports, making them more efficient and environment friendly. Upgrading & unlocking capacity at major & non-major ports is critical for supporting economic activities in the hinterland since ports serve as a vital link between sea and land transit. In the last 9 years under Port modernization, 94 Projects worth Rs. 31,129 Cr. have been completed, resulting in capacity addition of more than 230 MTPA. In terms of engaging the private sector, 21 projects worth more than Rs. 23,000 Cr. have been successfully operationalized under PPP, since 2014, indicating the considerable progress made in leveraging public-private partnerships.
• India has a significant potential to set-up mega ports and compete with global ports. There are four key intervention areas highlighted under Maritime India Vision 2030, which include capacity augmentation; developing world-class Mega Ports; development of transshipment hubs in Southern India; and infrastructure modernization. Currently, India has 5 Major Ports and 2 Non-Major Ports with greater than 100 MTPA capacities. With this, there is a significant opportunity for India to set up Mega Ports and compete with global ports. Based on detailed evaluation across key criteria for Mega Ports and emerging growth potential of clusters, 3 Mega Ports – Vadhavan-JNPT Cluster, Paradip Port, and Deendayal Port have been identified to be developed into Mega Ports with >300 M TPA capacity.
• The infrastructure initiatives marked in Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 focus upon development of four port clusters with capacity of >300 MTPA and 2 port clusters with capacity >500 MTPA. In addition to creating port clusters around the existing major ports, 2 new major ports – Vadhavan and Galathea Bay port are envisaged to be developed.
• Vadhavan has a natural draft of about 20 meter and is therefore well suited for accommodating larger ships. Development of this port will enable cargo container vessels of 16,000-25,000 TEUs capacity. Similarly, proposed Galathea Bay Port, due to its strategic location in proximity to the East-West world-shipping corridor, is suitable to attract both gateway and transshipped cargo.
• Ports in the country would also need to have higher draft available to accommodate larger vessels. Out of five ports from eight namely DPA, Vadhavan, VoCPA, Galathea Bay and PPA to have draft in the range of 18 meters to 23 meters by 2030. Further, 3 ports NMPA, CoPA and JNPA would be drafted in the range of 20 meters to 23 meters by 2047 in order to align with global standards.
• Currently, nearly 75% of India’s transshipped cargo is handled at ports outside India. Colombo, Singapore and Klang handle more than 85% of this cargo with 45% of this cargo handled at Colombo Port. The strategic location of Galathea Bay is a huge advantage to EXIM trade as it lies on International shipping route. With the development of ICTP at Galathea Bay, Indian ports will be able to attract more transshipment cargo. Also, developing Galathea Bay Transshipment Port will accrue significant benefits such as forex savings, foreign direct investment, increased economic activity at other Indian Ports, enhanced logistics infrastructure and thus, efficiencies, employment generation, and increased revenue share.

What is a Transshipment Port?

• A transshipment hub serves as a location where cargo or containers are transferred from one ship to another for onward transportation to their ultimate destination.
• Unlike a traditional port where goods are unloaded and transported to the interior of the country via rail, road, or air, a transshipment hub facilitates the direct transfer of cargo between ships, streamlining the shipping process.

Significance of Project

Geo-Strategic: The islands play a crucial role in maritime security due to their strategic positioning within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Improved infrastructure and connectivity will empower India to bolster its military and naval capabilities in the region.

Economic Benefits: This initiative aims to diminish inefficiencies in Indian trade logistics, addressing the significant cost, approximately 14 percent of the GDP. Consequently, it will enhance the country’s export competitiveness and open avenues for India to emerge as a major hub for container traffic trade between Asia-Africa and Asia-US/Europe.

Source – PIB

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Global Digital Public Infrastructure

WHY IN NEWS ?

Prime Minister announced the launch of two India-led initiatives: the Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository and a Social Impact Fund.

Main body –

• The G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG), chaired by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has led the advancement of the global DPI Agenda. The DEWG’s rigorous negotiation efforts have culminated in the first-ever multilateral consensus on DPI.
• The Digital Economy Ministers’ Meeting (DEMM) unanimously endorsed three DPI deliverables, which included: a Framework for building DPI, mobilizing finances for DPI development in Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), and the creation of a Global DPI Repository (GDPIR) for the exchange of information and best practices.
• This landmark consensus was also affirmed as a part of the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration (NDLD).

Aim

It is aimed at addressing the existing knowledge gap around the right practices to design, build, and deploy population scale DPI.

Important Feature

Each participant, based on whether their DPI is built on open platforms, APIs, standards, and protocols, can choose to display any information at their discretion, which can help others to develop their DPI.

What purpose does the repository serve?

• The IT Ministry-developed repository serves as a “resource hub” for global DPI projects by various governments.
• Current examples on the website include India’s Aadhaar and DigiLocker, Singapore’s National Digital Identity system, the European Union’s Digital Identity Wallet, and more.
• Its primary aim is to bridge the knowledge gap in the choices and methodologies required for the design, construction, deployment, and governance of DPIs.

What is India Stack?

India Stack is a set of APIs (Application programming interface) that allows governments, businesses, startups and developers to utilize a unique digital Infrastructure to solve India’s hard problems towards presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery.

It aims to unlock the economic primitives of identity, data, and payments at population scale.

The vision of India Stack is not limited to one country; it can be applied to any nation, be it a developed one or an emerging one.

Source – The Hindu

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Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code

Why in news ?

The Supreme Court refused to give reprieve to personal guarantors in case of default by a company under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

Introduction: The IBC was introduced by the Central Government in 2016.

Objective:

• To streamline and expedite the process of resolving insolvency, which was historically a lengthy and economically challenging procedure.
• The IBC covers a wide range of insolvency-related matters and is designed to protect the interests of small investors.
• Resolution Timeframe: IBC establishes a time-bound process for resolving insolvency cases. Companies are required to complete the entire insolvency exercise within 180 days.
• For smaller companies, including startups with an annual turnover of Rs 1 crore, the deadline is set at 90 days, with a possible extension of 45 days.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016

• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 provides a time-bound process for resolving insolvency in companies and among individuals.
• Insolvency is a situation where individuals or companies are unable to repay their outstanding debt.
• Bankruptcy, on the other hand, is a situation whereby a court of competent jurisdiction has declared a person or other entity insolvent, having passed appropriate orders to resolve it and protect the rights of the creditors. It is a legal declaration of one’s inability to pay off debts.
• The Government implemented the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to consolidate all laws related to insolvency and bankruptcy and to tackle Non-Performing Assets (NPA), a problem that has been pulling the Indian economy down for years.

Source – The Hindu

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Angel Tax

Why in News ?

• Recently, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has taken this step amid notices being sent to startups. Angel taxes are tax funds raised by startups if they exceed the fair market value of the company.

With Reference to Angel Tax:             

• The provision known as ‘Angel Tax’ was initially introduced in 2012 to discourage the generation and use of unaccounted wealth through investments in closely owned companies.
• Angel tax is a tax paid by unlisted companies when they receive funds from angel investors through share issuance.
• Companies that perform very well operationally use their brand value to obtain funding and issue shares at prices higher than fair market value.

New proposal on Angel Tax:

• This tax is related to the premium received. If an Indian unlisted company receives additional premium on sale of shares to a foreign investor, the premium is treated as “income from other sources” and is taxable.
• Before this proposal in Budget 2023-24, angel tax was levied only on investments made by resident investors.

Proposed Changes in Assessment Rules of Angel Tax:

• Amendment is necessary in the Finance Bill, 2023. In this, it has been proposed to amend Section 56(2) VII B of the Income Tax Act.
• In this, foreign investors will be included in the tax net. When a start-up raises funds from a foreign investor, this will also be counted as income and taxable after amendment.
• However, this consideration should not exceed the total consideration received from the notified entity within 90 days of the issue of shares.
• There are some exceptions, such as it mentions that foreign investors will not have to pay any angel tax when investing in government-recognized (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) registered) startups in India.

Who are Angel Investors?

• Angel investors are high net worth individuals who invest their personal income in business start-ups or small and medium scale companies.
• Angel investors are usually entrepreneurs, who may also be friends or relatives of the person starting the startup company.
• Angel investors believe in the company’s founders as well as their business concept and provide the capital needed to set up the company, usually at easier terms than other lenders.

Source – Indian Express

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UMEED Scheme

Why In News?

• Recently a flower nursery has been started by a Self Help Group (SHG) under UMEED Scheme in Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Regarding UMEED Scheme:

• UMEED Scheme under Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission (JKRLM) is a centrally sponsored scheme to encourage women to become self-reliant.
• The main objective of the scheme is to help the rural poor across Jammu and Kashmir.
• It also encourages women to make small savings, so that their Self Help Groups (SHGs) can eventually become bankable at lower interest rates.
• It helps women entrepreneurs in showcasing and marketing their products.

Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission (JKRLM):

• JKRLM is a poverty alleviation program focused on women empowerment through self-managed and sustainable institutional platforms, financial inclusion and sustainable livelihoods, aimed at alleviating rural poverty.
• This scheme focuses on promoting self-employment and organization of the rural poor. The basic idea behind this program is to organize the poor into SHG (Self Help Groups) groups and enable them to become self-employed.
• The scheme provides various platforms (Self Help Groups, Village Organizations, Cluster Level Federation and Block Level Federation) to the rural women at the block level.
• To reduce poverty by enabling poor households to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities, which will result in appreciable improvement in the livelihoods of the poor on a sustainable basis through building strong grassroots level institutions.

Source – The Hindu

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Delhi Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)

Why in News ?

• Recently National Transport Corporation launched the first rapid rail in the country. It has been named ‘RAPIDX’. This metro will run on the RRTS corridor which will connect key urban junctions across the NCR. India’s first regional rapid train has been named “Namo Bharat”.

In terms of Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS):     

• At the core of semi-high-speed rail connectivity, the RRTS is an integrated, mass transit network.
• RRTS is different from Metro, as it facilitates passengers traveling relatively long distances with fewer stops and higher speeds.
• According to the NCRTC project, RRTS is a very reliable and dedicated travel experience. With this, RAPIDEX will provide comfortable rail service to its passengers at all major interchanges across NCR.

Objectives of Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS):

• It aims to ensure balanced and sustainable urban growth through better connectivity and accessibility across the NCR.
• RRTS aims to unlock the entire potential of NCR in various ways besides enhancing multi-modal connectivity at existing transport hubs.
• The most important objective of the project is to motivate passengers towards public transport.
• The project aims to boost employment generation and open new commercial hubs along the existing framework of NCR.
• The reduced travel time is expected to increase the overall economic productivity of the region.

Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor:

• The 17 km long priority section of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor will connect Sahibabad with ‘Duhai Depot’ along with Ghaziabad, Guldhar and Duhai stations.
• The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor on March 8, 2019.
• The speed of RRTS is three times more than normal metros. Its running speed is 160-180 km per hour. The train has the capacity to cover a distance of 10 km within 1 hour.
• A total of eight RRTS corridors have been identified to be built in the National Capital Region (NCR), out of which three corridors have been given priority for implementation in Phase-I, namely Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor; Delhi-Gurugram-SNB-Alwar corridor and Delhi-Panipat corridor are included.

How is RRTS different from existing metro or railway systems?

• Metro is a public transport system that operates in the national capital. The RRTS train has been designed to provide faster and more convenient travel between various cities around the national capital.
• RRTS trains are specially designed to run at a speed of 180 kilometers per hour, covering a distance of up to 100 kilometers in just 60 minutes. In contrast, Delhi Metro trains run at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

Features of Namo Bharat:

• The current travel time between Delhi and Meerut will reduce from 3 hours to less than 1 hour.
• Seamless multi-modal connectivity with other modes of public transport.
• Better access to global education, health and housing.
• The cost of the project is Rs 30 thousand crores.
• Reserved coach for women in every train.
• There will be drinking water, washroom, diaper changing facilities at every station.
• For safe travel, there will be 24-hour surveillance at every station through platform screen doors and CCTV.
• Construction of trainsets and high-speed blastless tracks is being done in India under the Make-in-India campaign.

Source – PIB

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Setu Bandhan Yojana

Why In News ?

• Recently the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways announced the approval of Setu Bandhan Scheme for seven bridge projects in Arunachal Pradesh under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF).

Objective:

• These projects aim to increase connectivity across all regions and promote economic growth. These projects are in line with the commitment to improve the overall quality of life and promote socio-economic development of Arunachal Pradesh.

Key facts about Central Road and Infrastructure Fund:       

• These projects with a combined cost of Rs 118.50 crore are scheduled for implementation during the financial year 2023-24.
• The Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (earlier known as the Central Road Fund) was established in 2000 under the Central Road Fund Act, 2000.
• This fund includes cess imposed along with excise duty on petrol and diesel.
• The administrative control of CRIF comes under the Ministry of Finance.
• Earlier it was under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Provisions in the Central Road Fund Act (Amendment), 2018:

• Following the Central Road Fund Act (Amendment), 2018, the Central Road Fund has been renamed as Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF).
• This amendment allowed the use of road cess proceeds under CRIF to finance waterways, parts of railway infrastructure and social infrastructure and other infrastructure projects including educational institutions, medical colleges etc.

Regarding Setu Bandhan Yojana:

• “Setu Bandhan Yojana” program has been launched by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways with an objective to facilitate the construction work of Rail Over Bridges (ROBs), Rail Under Bridges (RUBs) and other bridges on the state roads.
• This program is designed to increase road safety by constructing bridges in place of existing crossings/level crossings, which will ultimately reduce accidents at these locations.

Source – PIB

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Global Hunger Index 2023

Why In News ?

• India is ranked 111th out of 125 countries in the recently released Global Hunger Index 2023, which the government has termed as “false and malicious”.

In terms of Global Hunger Index (GHI):             

• In general view, starvation refers to the problems caused by lack of food. However, the GHI does not measure hunger on this basis alone, rather it considers the multidimensional nature of hunger.

For this GHI considers four bases:

• Undernutrition: The portion of the population whose calorie intake is inadequate. It makes up 1/3 of the GHI score.
• Child stunting: The share of children under 5 years of age who are short for their age, reflecting severe undernutrition. It constitutes 1/6 of the GHI score.
• Child wasting: The share of children under 5 years of age who are underweight for their height, indicating acute undernutrition. This also constitutes 1/6 of the GHI score.
• Child mortality: The share of children who die before the age of five, reflecting a deadly combination of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments. It makes up 1/3 of the GHI score.
• Countries are ranked on a 100-point scale, with 0 and 100 being the best and worst possible scores, respectively.

Results and implications of the Global Hunger Index:

• Hunger is one of the major problems in the world and hence it is one of the most important challenges.
• Hunger and undernutrition create a vicious cycle, which is often “passed down” from generation to generation.
• Children of poor parents are often born with low birth weight and have lower resistance to disease; They grow up in conditions that impair their intellectual abilities throughout their lives.
• Factors contributing to the high global hunger index have been identified as: low income and poverty, war and violent conflict, general lack of freedom, low status of women, and poorly targeted and delivered health and nutrition programs.

Important Point:

• India ranks 111th out of 125 countries in the Global Hunger Index-2023 and the country has the highest wasting rate among children (18.7 %).
• India was ranked 107th out of 121 countries in the Global Hunger Index-2022.
• According to a report based on the index, the level of hunger in India is serious with a score of 28.7 in the Global Hunger Index-2023.
• India’s neighboring countries Pakistan (102), Bangladesh (81), Nepal (69) and Sri Lanka (60) have performed better in the index.
• South Asia and the southern countries of the African continent are the regions with the highest hunger levels in the world, each with a GHI score of 27, indicating severe hunger.

Reasons for criticism of GHI 2023 by the Government of India:

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) once again questioned the GHI, calling it a “flawed measure of hunger, which does not reflect the actual situation in India”.
• It said data recorded on its nutrition tracker portal showed that the prevalence of child wasting among a total of 7.24 crore children under five years of age was 7.2%, while the GHI reported a value of 18.7% for child wasting.
• The Ministry further said that the two other indicators, stunting and wasting, are the result of a complex interaction of several other factors such as access to sanitation, genetics, environment and food intake, apart from hunger, which are considered as causative/consequence factors for stunting and wasting. Is taken in.
• The GHI has stated that it does not use surveys, but instead relies on data from India’s food balance sheet to calculate undernutrition.
• The ministry argued that three of the four indicators used to calculate the index relate to children’s health and may not represent the entire population.

Major initiatives taken by the government to tackle hunger:

• POSHAN Campaign (POSHAN)
• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
• Food Fortification
• Mission Indradhanush
• Eat Right India Movement

Source – Indian Express

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Nobel Prize in Economics (2023)

Why In News ?

• Recently, Claudia Goldie won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2023 for her research on gender discrimination in the workplace, which is an important milestone in the field of economics and gender discrimination studies.

In reference to Claudia Goldie:

• The 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm.
• The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which decides the awards, said Goldin had been awarded the prize “for advancing our understanding of women’s labor market outcomes”.
• Claudia Goldin is the third woman to receive the Nobel Prize for Economics. The other two women are Elinor Oostrom of Indiana University Bloomington (in 2009) and Esther Duflo of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (in 2019).
• Despite decades of progress, women remain underrepresented in the workforce and have lower incomes than men.
• Claudia Goldin, after analyzing more than 200 years of US labor force data, shows that employment rates and the gender wage gap depend not only on the economy, but also on evolving social norms related to women’s education and roles in the home and family.

Importance of Goldin’s research:

• Goldin’s research doesn’t provide solutions, but it does allow policymakers to grapple with the thorny problem.
• She explains the source of the difference, and how it has changed over time and how it changes with stage of development.

Important points:

• Claudia Goldin’s Nobel Prize highlights the growing recognition of gender economics as an important field of study. This field focuses on understanding the economic implications of gender inequalities and the factors that contribute to them.
• Goldin’s research reveals the complexity of gender inequality in the labor market. By showing the U-shaped curve of female labor force participation and the persistent gender wage gap, she underlines that gender inequality is not static, but evolves over time.
• In historical context, Goldin’s workplace gender inequality shows that women’s participation in the labor force has not followed a linear path. This historical perspective is essential to understanding the roots of contemporary gender inequalities.
• Goldin’s research identifies various factors that have contributed to narrowing the gender pay gap, including technological advances, increased access to education for women, and changes in social norms. Understanding these factors is important to address pay inequality.
• Although progress has been made, Goldin’s work also highlights persistent challenges such as occupational segregation and lack of affordable childhood care. These challenges need to be addressed to achieve true gender equality in the workplace.
• Goldin’s research provides valuable insights for policymakers and employers seeking to create a more equitable workplace. It informs the development of policies and practices that can help close the gender gap in pay and opportunities.
• Gender inequality in the workplace is not limited to any one country; This is a global issue. Goldin’s research has implications beyond the United States, as gender disparities exist around the world. Her work contributes to the international dialogue on gender economics.

Regarding Nobel Prize in Economics:

• The Nobel Prize in Economics was established in 1968, but was first awarded in 1969.
• The first Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded in 1969 to Ragnar Frisch and Jan Tinbergen “for developing and applying dynamic models to the analysis of economic processes”.
• Its winners are announced along with the Nobel Prize recipients, and it is presented at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony. It is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm.

Nobel Prize in Economics awarded to an Indian person:

• In the year 1998, Amartya Sen became the first economist to be given this award for Public Welfare Economics.
• The latest winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2019 was awarded to Professor Abhijeet for his work reducing global poverty.

Source – Indian Express

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First edition of India AI Report

WHY IN NEWS ?

Seven working groups of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) submitted the first edition of IndiaAI report.

Background

• AI will be the kinetic enabler of India’s digital economy and make Governance smarter and more data-led. AI is expected to add USD 967 Bn to the Indian economy by 2035 and USD 450–500 billion to India’s GDP by 2025, accounting for 10% of the country’s USD 5 trillion GDP target.
• The Program is in line with the inclusive development philosophy of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Prayas’.

INDIA ALL PROGRAM

• Seven working groups of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) submitted the first edition of IndiaAI report today. The report was officially handed over to Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT. He expressed that this report is set to serve as India’s guiding roadmap for the development of its AI ecosystem.
• “After months of dedicated research, the seven working groups that were constituted to build the core goals of the IndiaAI program, have submitted their formal report today. This comprehensive report lays out what will be the fulcrum of the IndiaAI strategy that was envisaged by PM Modi. He had talked about India for AI and AI for India. Through this roadmap IndiaAI will work to be a kinetic enabler of the 1 trillion dollar digital economy,” the Minister said.
• The Government of India’s approach to AI has been holistic and ambitious, as evidenced by the breadth and scope of government interventions under the umbrella programme – IndiaAI.
• IndiaAI has a mission-centric approach which ensures a precise and cohesive strategy to bridge the gaps in existing AI ecosystem viz-a-viz Compute infrastructure, Data, AI financing, Research and Innovation, targeted Skilling and institutional capacity for Data to maximize the potential of AI for advancing India’s progress.
• Minister Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar highlighted how IndiaAI will not only catalyse and support the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem but also other areas like that of India datasets program and India AI Compute Platform.
• “Apart from supporting startups and providing skilling programs, the India AI program will comprise several key components. One crucial component will be that of India Datasets Platform, which will be one of the largest collections of anonymized datasets that will be used by Indian researchers to train their multi parameter models. Then there will be the India AI Compute Platform, a public-private partnership project that will create substantial GPU (Graphics processing unit) capacity for our startups and researchers. In addition to skilling, India AI will also support the development of AI chips in partnership with the Semicon India program,” the Minister further added.
• The working groups detailed out the operational aspects of establishing Centers of Excellence (CoEs), and the institutional framework on governing data collection, management, processing and storage by the National Data Management Office (NDMO). The report also has recommendations on how India can leverage its demographic dividend and play to its strengths as an IT superpower to further the penetration of AI skills in the country, strengthening of the AI compute infrastructure in India to support the AI innovation through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
• The report provides the recommendations on Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme that aims to offer financial incentives as well as design infrastructure support to domestic companies and start- ups/ MSMEs.

SOURCE – PIB

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Goan Cashew 

WHY IN NEWS ? 

Recently, Goan cashew (kernel) got the geographical indication (GI) tag.

BACKGROUND

Cashew was native to northeast Brazil in Latin America and was introduced to Goa by the Portuguese in the 16th century (1570).

At the time of its introduction on Indian coasts, cashew was known mainly as a crop for afforestation and soil conservation.

However, the economic value of cashew nuts was discovered by Goan prisoners exiled to the Portuguese territory of Africa (Mozambique) during Goa’s freedom movement in the mid-18th century.

According to research, the first cashew factory in Goa started operations in 1926 and the first consignment of cashew kernels was exported in 1930.

In the 10 years before Goa was liberated in 1961, it exported on average over Rs 20 lakh worth of processed cashew nuts, some of which were locally grown and others imported and processed in seven units.

Climatic condition

• Soil and climate: Well-drained deep sandy loam soils are the best for growing cashew. In general, all soils from sandy to laterite are well suited for this crop.
• It is very well adapted to Indian coastal area under hot humid conditions
• Temperature: In the range of 20 to38 o C, relative humidity in the range of 60 to 95%.
• Rain fall: Annual precipitation in the range of 2000 to 3500mm.
• Extreme low temperature and frost are not conducive to raise cashew plantations.

Significance:

• The GI tag would help consumers differentiate between authentic Goan cashews and cashews sourced from outside the state, which are often marketed as ‘Goan cashews’.
• Goan cashew will come with the GI logo. Traders cannot use Goa cashew logo on the packets without registration and the government will take steps to promote it.

SOURCE – Indian Express

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PLFS Annual Report 2022-2023

WHY IN NEWS ?

The  sixth Annual Report is being brought out by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) on the basis of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).

The objective of PLFS is primarily twofold:

1. to estimate the key employment and unemployment indicators (viz. Worker Population Ratio, Labour Force Participation Rate, Unemployment Rate) in the short time interval of three months for the urban areas only in the ‘Current Weekly Status’ (CWS).
2. to estimate employment and unemployment indicators in both ‘Usual Status’ (ps+ss) and CWS in both rural and urban areas annually.

• Five Annual Reports covering both rural and urban areas giving estimates of all important parameters of employment and unemployment in both usual status (ps+ss) and current weekly status (CWS) have been released. These five Annual Reports are brought out on the basis of data collected in PLFS during July 2017- June 2018, July 2018-June 2019, July 2019-June 2020, July 2020 – June 2021 and July 2021-June 2022.
• Now the sixth Annual Report is being brought out by NSSO on the basis of Periodic Labour Force Survey conducted during July 2022-June 2023.

 PLFS fieldwork during July 2022 – June 2023

• The field work for collection of information in respect of the samples, allotted for the period July 2022 – June 2023, was completed timely for the first visit as well as revisit samples, except for 51 first visit and 68 revisit FSUs for the State of Manipur, allotted in the last quarter i.e., April-June 2023, which were treated as casualties, due to disturbed field situation and unavailability of internet services.
• Canvassing of revisit schedules is undertaken mostly in telephonic mode since June 2020 when field work was resumed after the suspension due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Sample Design of PLFS

• A rotational panel sampling design has been used in urban areas. In this rotational panel scheme, each, selected household in urban areas is visited four times, in the beginning with ‘First Visit Schedule’ and thrice periodically later with a ‘Revisit Schedule’. In urban area, samples for a panel within each stratum were drawn in the form of two independent sub-samples. The scheme of rotation ensures that 75% of the first-stage sampling units (FSUs) are matched between two consecutive visits. There was no revisit in the rural samples. For rural areas, samples for a stratum/sub-stratum were drawn randomly in the form of two independent sub-samples. For rural areas, in each quarter of the survey period, 25% FSUs of annual allocation were covered.

Sampling method

• Sample Size for First Visit during July 2022- June 2023 in rural and urban areas for the Annual Report: Out of the total number of 12,800 FSUs (7,024 villages and 5,776 UFS blocks) allotted for the survey at the all-India level during July 2022 – June 2023, a total of 12,714 FSUs (6,982 villages and 5,732 urban blocks) were surveyed for canvassing the PLFS schedule (Schedule 10.4). The number of households surveyed was 1,01,655 (55,844 in rural areas and 45,811 in urban areas) and number of persons surveyed was 4,19,512 (2,43,971 in rural areas and 1,75,541 in urban areas). Among the persons surveyed, total number of persons of age 15 years and above was 3,20,260 (1,81,049 in rural areas and 1,39,211 in urban areas).
• Conceptual Framework of Key Employment and Unemployment Indicators: The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) gives estimates of Key employment and unemployment Indicators like, the Labour Force Participation Rates (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), Unemployment Rate (UR), etc. These indicators, and the ‘Usual Status’ and ‘Current Weekly Status’ are defined as follows:
• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): LFPR is defined as the percentage of persons in labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work)in the population.
• Worker Population Ratio (WPR): WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.
• Unemployment Rate (UR): UR is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.
• Activity Status- Usual Status: The activity status of a person is determined on the basis of the activities pursued by the person during the specified reference period. When the activity status is determined on the basis of the reference period of last 365 days preceding the date of survey, it is known as the usual activity status of the person.

Key Findings of PLFS, Annual Report 2022- 2023

• Estimates of key labour market indicators in usual status (ps+ss)
• Increasing Trend in Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for persons of age 15 years and above

In rural areas, LFPR increased from 50.7% in 2017-18 to 60.8% in 2022-23 while for urban areas it increased from 47.6% to 50.4%. LFPR for male in India increased from 75.8% in 2017-18 to 78.5% in 2022-23 and corresponding increase in LFPR for female was from 23.3% to 37.0%.

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Money Bill

WHY IN NEWS ?

Chief Justice of India said that a seven-judge bench will soon be set up to hear a batch of pleas challenging the Centre’s use of the money bill route to pass certain key legislations.

Finance Bill

• In a general sense, any Bill that relates to revenue or expenditure is a financial Bill.
• A money Bill is also a specific type of financial Bill, that must deal only with matters specified in Article 110 (1) (a) to (g).
• Financial bills are responsible for the fiscal matters such as government spending or revenue.
• It specifies the amount of money to be spent by the government and the way it is to be spent.

Money Bill

• Article 110 defines a money Bill as one containing provisions dealing with taxes, regulation of the government’s borrowing of money, and expenditure or receipt of money from the Consolidated Fund of India, among others.
• Article 109 delineates the procedure for the passage of such a Bill and confers an overriding authority on the Lok Sabha in the passage of money Bills.
• The Speaker certifies a Bill as a Money Bill, and the Speaker’s decision is final.

What is the difference between money Bills and financial Bills?

• While all Money Bills are Financial Bills, all Financial Bills are not Money Bills.
• g., the Finance Bill which only contains provisions related to tax proposals would be a Money Bill.
• While an ordinary Bill can originate in either house, a money Bill can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha, as laid down in Article 117 (1).
• Additionally, no one can introduce or move money Bills in the Lok Sabha, except on the President’s recommendation.
• Amendments relating to the reduction or abolition of any tax are exempt from the requirement of the President’s recommendation.

Background of the present case

• regarding the validity of PMLA
• In July 2022, a three-judge bench had upheld the PMLA and the vast powers of the ED.
• However, the bench had left the validity of amendments to the PMLA through the Money Bill route open for a larger Constitution bench to hear.

Aadhaar as money bill

• The first major challenge on whether a bill qualified to be a money bill under the Constitution was in the Aadhaar case.
• In a 4:1 majority, the Supreme Court in 2018, had ruled in favour of the government and had cleared the Aadhaar Act as a valid money bill under Article 110 of the Constitution.

Tribunal reform

• In November 2019, in Roger Matthew vs Union of India, the SC heard the challenge against tweaks in the service conditions of tribunal members which was also introduced as a money bill in the Finance Act, 2017.
• While a five judge bench of the court struck down the law as unconstitutional for interfering with judicial independence, it referred the money bill aspect to a larger constitution bench.

SOURCE – THE HINDU

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NABARD lists first social impact bond

Why in news ?

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) announced the listing of its ‘Social Bonds’ on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

About the bond :

• The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has listed the country’s first social impact bond to the tune of Rs.1, 000 crore.
• The social bonds issued by NABARD have received ‘AAA’ ratings from CRISIL and ICRA, and they will be listed on the BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange).

What are Social Bonds?

• Social bonds are fixed-income securities whose proceeds are typically earmarked to finance or re-finance new and existing social impact projects, especially for identified target populations such as low-income groups, unemployed, or vulnerable.
• A social impact bond (SIB) is a contract with the public sector or governing authority, whereby it pays for better social outcomes in certain areas and passes on part of the savings achieved to investors.
• A social impact bond is not a bond, per se, since repayment and return on investment (ROI) are contingent upon the achievement of desired social outcomes.

Need of such bonds:

• Environmental factors such as greenhouse gas emission, resource depletion, pollution, deforestation, climate change.
• Social factors such as working conditions, health, safety, employee relations and conflict.
• Governance factors such as tax strategy, donations and political lobbying, executive remuneration, bribery, corruption and structure.

Key Features of Social Impact Bonds:

• The outcome of Social Impact bonds is completely dependent on success of social outcome.
• They are not affected by variables such as reinvestment risk, interest rate risk or market risk.
• They are subjected to inflation risk.
• It is hard to determine the success of Social Impact Bonds as they are based on social impacts.

Bombay Stock exchange (BSE)

• The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) is one of the oldest stock exchanges in Asia, founded in 1875.
• BSE is known for its benchmark stock market index, the Sensex, which tracks the performance of 30 large and well-established companies listed on the exchange.
• BSE lists a wide range of financial instruments, including equities, mutual funds, bonds, and derivatives, making it a versatile platform for investors.

Source – Indian express

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Palm Oil Production

Why In News? 

• In recent years the European Union (EU) has taken important steps to prevent deforestation and address environmental concerns through the European Union Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR) regarding palm oil production.
• The European Union has made large-scale efforts to phase out palm-oil-based biofuels by 2030 through the Deforestation-Free Regulation.

 

In the context of the European Union Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR):      

• On 6 December 2022, the EU reached an agreement on a new law to prevent companies from placing goods linked to deforestation and forest degradation on the EU market or exporting them from the EU.
• EUDR aims to eliminate deforestation from the supply chains of goods used every day in the EU.
• Keeping the year 2030 as the target, a law was introduced in the year 2023 in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, and administrative burden was imposed on palm-oil exporters wishing to sell in the European Union.
• The EUDR provides that the regulation requires companies to ensure that product exported to the EU is grown on land where deforestation has not occurred after December 31, 2020.

 

Important facts related to palm oil:

• According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), palm oil is the world’s most widely used vegetable oil, with global production exceeding 73 million tonnes (MT) in 2020.
• Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil obtained from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the oil palm fruit.
• The oil is used in food manufacturing, beauty products, and as a biofuel.
• This makes palm oil easier to stabilize and maintain flavor and consistency quality in processed foods, so it is often used by food manufacturers.
• Demand for palm oil has also increased for other uses, such as cosmetics and biofuels, creating greater demand on supply that encourages the growth of palm oil plantations in tropical countries.
• The largest producing countries of palm oil are Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Nigeria. Indonesia produces biodiesel mainly from palm oil.

India’s position in palm oil imports:

• India is the largest importer of palm oil, accounting for 40% of its total vegetable oil consumption.
• India imports half of its annual 8.3 metric tonne palm oil requirement from Indonesia.
• India unveiled the National Mission on Edible Oil-Palm Oil in the year 2021 to boost its domestic palm oil production.
• Given the benefits associated with palm oil for India’s cooking needs, Indian farmers should be encouraged to intensify palm oil acreage expansion efforts to increase palm oil production in the country.

SOURCE – PIB

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M.S. Swaminathan: Father of the Indian Green Revolution

Why In News?

Agricultural scientist Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminatha (Dr. M.S. Swaminathan), the man behind India’s Green Revolution, passed away.

The Genesis of Green Revolution

Swaminathan’s legacy finds its roots in his development of high-yielding varieties (HYV) of wheat during the 1960s. Collaborating with scientist like Norman Borlaug, he played a pivotal role in averting a potential mass famine in India. This break-through marked the genesis of the Green Revolution in the country, earning Swaminathan his distinguished title.

Leadership and Global Impact

Swaminathan’s contribution transcended national borders. He served as the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research from 1972-1979, influencing key agricultural policies. Later he assumed the role of Principal Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation from 1979-1980.

Honors

Swaminathan’s contributions led him to receive various honors and awards which are as follows:

• Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 1961
• Padma Vibhushan in 1989
• Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971
• UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Gold Medal in 1999

How Swaminathan contributed to the Green Revolution

• After Swaminathan’s work on rice, he and other scientists would work on doing the same to enhance productivity for the wheat crop.
• “Wheat was a different story because we had to get Norin dwarfing genes from Norman Borlaug in Mexico,” Swaminathan said. Borlaug was an American scientist who was working on developing more productive crop varieties. He would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 .

The side effects of the Green Revolution

Despite its landmark role in achieving food sufficient in India, the Green Revolution has been criticised on multiple counts, such as benefiting the already prosperous farmers as it was introduced in states with higher productivity.

Contributions to Kuttanad and Kerala’s biodiversity:

• Kuttanad Package: The over ₹1,800-crore Kuttanad Package, recommended by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), recommended declaring the wetland system a ‘Special Agricultural Zone,‘ protecting water spread areas, modernizing infrastructure, and encouraging short-duration paddy varieties.
• Biodiversity Conservation: The MSSRF’s 2008 report on the Idukki District (the Idukki Package) and the establishment of the ‘Community Agrobiodiversity Centre’ in Wayanad reflected his commitment to biodiversity conservation.
• He advocated public awareness, community participation, and economic incentives for in situ and on-farm conservation traditions.

Benefits of the Green Revolution

• It has positive effects on the overall food security in India. It led to an increase in agricultural production, especially in Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.
• The Green Revolution led to the high productivity of crops through adapted measures, such as
• Increased area under farming,
• Double-cropping, which includes planting two crops rather than one, annually,
• Adoption of HYV of seeds,

Source – Indian Express

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Global innovation Index 2023

Why In News:

• Recently, the Global Innovation Index 2023 was released by the Geneva-based World Intellectual Property Organization, in which India is ranked 40th among 132 countries.

Important point:             

• India is ranked 40th out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023 ranking published by the World Intellectual Property Organization.
• India was ranked 46th in 2021 and 81st in 2015.
• The steady improvement in GII ranking is due to greater knowledge capital investment, vibrant start-up ecosystem and amazing work done by public and private research organizations.
• All departments of the Government, including scientific departments such as the Department of Science and Technology; Along with Departments like Department of Biotechnology, Department of Space and Atomic Energy and Ministry of Electronics and IT, Department of Telecommunications, Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Department of Health Research have played an important role in enriching the national innovation ecosystem.
• NITI Aayog is working tirelessly to ensure optimization of national efforts to bring policy-led innovations in various sectors like electric vehicles, biotechnology, nanotechnology, space, alternative energy sources etc.
• This year, NITI Aayog in partnership with CII and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is hosting the India launch of GII 2023.

India’s performance:

• India is an innovation leader in the lower middle income group.
• It is a world leader in exports of ICT services, along with top rankings on other indicators including venture capital realization value, finance for startups and scaleups, graduates in science and engineering, labor productivity growth and domestic industry diversification.

About Global Innovation Index (GII):

• The Global Innovation Index (GII) is an annual index prepared on the basis of countries’ capacity and success in innovation.
• A large number of countries use the GII to assess and improve their innovation ecosystems and use the GII as a reference in economic planning and policies.
• The GII has been recognized by the United Nations Economic and Social Council as an official benchmark in the 2019 resolution on Science, Technology and Innovation for Development to measure innovation in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With reference to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO):

• WIPO is the global platform for intellectual property (IP) services, policy, information and cooperation.
• It is a self-financing agency of the United Nations with 193 member states.
• Its purpose is to lead the development of a balanced and effective international IP system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all.
• Its mandate, governing bodies and procedures are set out in the WIPO Convention, which established WIPO in the year 1967.

Source – PIB

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World Tourism Day 2023

WHY IN NEWS ?

The World Tourism Day  is celebrated every year on 27 September.

Theme of World Tourism Day 2023

This World Tourism Day 2023, the UNWTO, under the theme “Tourism and green investment” highlights the need for more and better-targeted investments for the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN roadmap for a better world by 2030. Now is the time for new and innovative solutions, not just traditional investments that promote and underpin economic growth and productivity.

historical backfround

The World Tourism Day 2023 was celebrated for the first time during 1980. This day was coined to raise awareness regarding the importance of the tourism industry. The UNWTO General Assembly established the day. This day was decided to be celebrated as the adoption of the UNWTO Statutes that was initiated on 7 September 1970.

Significance

When we talk about World Tourism Day, it reflects an immense significance. This day serves as a reminder to make the audience understand the influence of tourism. Moreover, it also regards cultural exchange and economic growth among different countries.

What is the Scenario of Tourism in India?

• India attracted a lot of travellers in the past due to its fabled wealth. Visit of Hieun-tsang, a devout Chinese Buddhist is an example of this.
• Pilgrim Travel got a boost when Emperors like Ashoka and Harsha started building rest houses for pilgrims.
• Arthashastra’ pointing out the importance of the travel infrastructure for the state, which played an important role in the past.

What are the Initiatives Related to Tourism?

1. Buddhist Conclave
2. Swadesh Darshan Scheme
3. Dekho Apna Desh Initiative
4. Iconic Tourist Site

Source – DOWN TO EARTH

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Promotion of Tribal Products for North East Region (PTP-NER 2.0)

Why in news

The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED) has launched phase 2 of the ‘Promotion of Tribal Products for North East Region’ (PTP-NER 2.0) scheme.

About the Promotion of Tribal Products for North East Region’ (PTP-NER 2.0) scheme:

• It is a Central Sector schemewhich was launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Vision: To strengthen livelihood opportunities for tribal artisans through increased efficiency in procurement, logistics and marketing of tribal products.
• It will be implemented in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.

It is being implemented in two phases:

• In the First Phaseof the scheme, 8 states and 38 districts were covered. Organisation of 64 Tribal Artisans Empanelment Melas (TAeM) were done by the teams of TRIFED and North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC).
• In the Second Phase of the scheme, 29 districts will be covered by the teams of TRIFED and NEHHDC to reach out to tribal artisans and showcase their cultural heritage.

Significance of the Scheme

• It will strengthen the job opportunities for tribal artisans by promoting their products.
• It will improve tribal products’ global value chain and create sustainable livelihoods for tribal communities.
• The scheme would uplift the socio-economic status of tribal artisans while preserving and promoting their rich traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage.

Source – PIB

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State of Working India 2023 Report

In News:

• Recently the “State of Working India 2023” report was published by the Center for Sustainable Employment of Azim Premji University, which provides information about the Indian workforce.
• The report analyzes unemployment rates, women’s participation, inter-generational mobility and caste-based workforce mobility.

Important points of the report:

Changes in regular salaried jobs:            

• The share of workers receiving wages on a regular or monthly basis has increased since 2004, after stagnation since the 1980s.
• Between 2004 and 2019, the share of regular wage or salaried workers increased from 18% to 25% for men and from 10% to 25% for women.
• Nearly 5 million regular-wage jobs were created annually between 2017 and 2019, up from 3 million before 2017.

Gender Pay Gap:

• In 2004, female salaried workers’ earnings were 70% of men’s earnings.
• By 2017, this gap had narrowed and women’s income was 76% of men’s total income. Since then this gap has remained stable till the year 2021-22.

Unemployment rate and education status:

• The overall unemployment rate declined from 8.7% in 2017-18 to 6.6% in 2021-22.
• Graduates under the age of 25 had a high unemployment rate of 42.3%.
• The unemployment rate for persons who had completed upper secondary education was 21.4%.

Post-pandemic workforce:

• After the Covid-19 pandemic, 60% of women were self-employed, whereas earlier this figure was 50%.
• Self-employment income also declined along with the increase in workforce participation.

Intergenerational and caste mobility:

• Inter-generational upward mobility increased, indicating socio-economic progress.
• Compared to the general castes, the trend of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes still remains quite weak.
• In the year 2018, sons of 75.6% of SC/ST men engaged in casual wage work were also involved in casual wage work.
• In comparison, the figure was 86.5% in 2004, indicating that sons of casual wage workers belonging to SC/ST category have joined other forms of employment, especially informal regular wage work.
• Workforce participation by caste has changed over the years. The share of Scheduled Caste workers in casual wage work has declined significantly, but this decline is more pronounced in the General Caste category.

Challenges faced in job creation and salaried employment:

• Economic growth does not create jobs proportionately; Employment generation capacity decreases with GDP growth.
• Transition from agriculture to other sectors does not guarantee salaried employment. Jobs with reasonable benefits and good wages are becoming less important.

Initiatives taken by the government to control unemployment:

• Employment fair
• Start-up India Scheme
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA)
• PM DAKSH Scheme (PM-DAKSH)
• SMILE Scheme

Source – Indian Express

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General Crop Estimation Survey

Why in news

The mobile application and the web portal for the General Crop Estimation Survey (GCES) have been launched.

About the Portal

This revolutionary portal and mobile application have been designed to transform agricultural practices across the nation.

Developed by:  Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.

Objectives: It has been designed to enhance data accuracy and improve digital data governance in agriculture.

• To provide more accurate and real time monitoring of crop yields.

Key Features: Comprehensive Information: It provides a comprehensive repository of yield estimation including village wise plan and plot details where the crop cutting experiments are conducted, post harvesting crop weight and driage weight of the crop.

Geo-referencing: It is one of the key features which enables the primary worker to draw the boundary of the experimental plot and upload photos of the plot as well as of the crops. It will ensure transparency and accuracy of the data as well.

Key Challenges Addressed by GCES Web Portal and Mobile Application:

1. Delay in Reporting– Till date data collection, compilation and yield estimation is completely manual process which cause delay in reporting by states. In the new process, the field data will be collected using GPS enabled mobile application and will be stored in the server which ensures on time reporting of crop statistics.
2. Transparency– GPS enabled devices provide precise latitude and longitude coordinates for data collection points. This information ensures that data is linked to specific geographic locations, leaving no room for ambiguity or manipulation of data regarding where it was collected.

Key Features of the GCES Web Portal and Mobile Application:

1. Comprehensive Information- The portal and the app provide a comprehensive repository of yield estimation including village wise GCES plan and plot details where the crop cutting experiments are conducted, post harvesting crop weight and driage weight of the crop.
2. Geo-referencing- Geo-referencing is one of the key features of the mobile application, which enables the primary worker to draw the boundary of the experimental plot and upload photos of the plot as well as of the crops through it. This feature will ensure transparency and accuracy of the data as well.

Source – Hindustan Times

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PM Vishwakarma Scheme

Why in News?

Recently, the Prime Minister of India has launched the ‘Prime Minister (PM) Vishwakarma Scheme’ on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti.

About

PM Vishwakarma, is a Central Sector Scheme with an outlay of ₹13,000 crore  to provide end-to-end support to artisans and craftspeople who work with their hands and tools.

It has been launched to improve the quality as well as the reach of products and services of artisans and craftspeople in rural and urban areas across India.

The Scheme covers artisans and craftspeople engaged in 18 trades, such as carpenter (Suthar); boat maker; armourer; blacksmith; potter; sculptor, tailor; fishing net maker etc.

The Scheme envisages provisioning of the following benefits to the artisans and crafts persons:

(i) Recognition: Recognition of artisans and craftspeople through PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card.

(ii) Skill Upgradation: Basic Training of 5-7 days and Advanced Training of 15 days or more, with a stipend of Rs. 500 per day;

(iii) Toolkit Incentive: A toolkit incentive of upto Rs. 15,000 in the form of e-vouchers at the beginning of Basic Skill Training.

(iv) Credit Support: Collateral free ‘Enterprise Development Loans’ of upto Rs. 3 lakh in two tranches of Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh with tenures of 18 months and 30 months, respectively, at a concessional rate of interest fixed at 5%, with Government of India subvention to the extent of 8%. Beneficiaries who have completed Basic Training will be eligible to avail the first tranche of credit support of upto Rs. 1 lakh. The second loan tranche will be available to beneficiaries who have availed the 1st tranche and maintained a standard loan account and have adopted digital transactions in their business or have undergone Advanced Training.

(v) Incentive for Digital Transaction: An amount of Re. 1 per digital transaction, upto maximum 100 transactions monthly will be credited to the beneficiary’s account for each digital pay-out or receipt.

(vi) Marketing Support: Marketing support will be provided to the artisans and craftspeople in the form of quality certification, branding, onboarding on e-commerce platforms such as GeM, advertising, publicity and other marketing activities to improve linkage to value chain.

Objectives:

• To ensure that artisans are seamlessly integrated into both domestic and global value chains, thus enhancing their market access and opportunities.
• Preservation and promotion of India’s rich cultural heritage of traditional crafts.
• Assisting artisans in transitioning to the formal economy and integrating them into global value chains.

Significance:

• Vishwakarmas (Traditional Artisans) play a critical role in society regardless of technological advancements.
• There is a need to recognize and support these artisans and integrate them into the global supply chain.

What are the Government Initiatives for the Upliftment of Artisans?

• Mega Cluster Scheme
• One District One Product
• Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme
• Atmanirbhar Hastshilpkar Scheme
• Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts
• National Handicraft Development Programme
• Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana

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Salem Sago Gets GI Tag 

Salem Starch and Sago Manufacturers Service Industrial Cooperative Society Limited (popularly known as SAGOSERVE), has recently received the Geographical Indication tag or GI tag for Salem Sago.

Sagoserva, established in 1981, is a co-operative society with 374 members from various districts including Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Erode, Perambalur, Trichy, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram. This recognition of Salem sago with GI tag is expected to boost business opportunities for sago farmers and traders in the region.

Tamil Nadu contributes significantly to the national sago production, accounting for 40% of the total production. Salem holds the leading position in sago production in Tamil Nadu.

How to get sago:

• Sago is manufactured from crushed wet starch powder from tapioca roots.
• Tapioca is a major horticultural crop, cultivated in about 3 lakh hectares in Tamil Nadu, producing 60 lakh tonnes of the crop.
• Sago was first produced in Salem district, which is the main center of cottage scale sago production in the country.
• Sago obtained from raw tapioca (cassava) is in the form of small hard globules or pearls and is white in color.

Geographical Indication:

• The term Geographical Indication is defined under Article 22(1) of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
• Any producer in India, be it an individual, group of people, organization or legal entity, can apply for the GI tag.
• GI tag is given mainly to agricultural, natural or manufactured goods having unique properties, fame or other characteristic features attributed to its geographical origin.
• A GI tag is a type of intellectual property right (IPR) that differs from other forms of IPR in that it reflects community exclusivity in a specifically defined location.
• According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Geographical Indications Tag is a type of label in which a product is given special geographical identity.
• GI tag is given by the Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade under the Ministry of Commerce.
• In India, registration of GI tag is regulated by the ‘Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. Its registration is valid for 10 years, and after 10 years the registration can be renewed again.

Benefits of GI Tag:

• It provides legal protection to geographical indications in India and prevents unauthorized use of registered geographical indications by others.
• It promotes economic prosperity of the producers of goods produced/manufactured in the geographical area.

Source – Indian Express

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Inauguration of border infrastructure projects

Recently Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 90 border infrastructure projects including the Nechiphu Tunnel providing all-weather connectivity to the strategic Tawang region of Arunachal Pradesh. Of the 90 projects of the Border Roads Organisation, 64 are in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Sikkim.

Projects worth over Rs 2,900 crore include the Nechiphu Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh, two helipads along with two airfields in West Bengal, 22 roads and 63 bridges. Other major projects inaugurated include Bagdogra and Barrackpore airfields in West Bengal.

The 500 meter long Nechiphu Tunnel on Balipara-Charduar-Tawang Road, along with the Se La Tunnel currently under construction, will provide year-round connectivity to the strategic Tawang sector on the LAC.

These projects will help in rapid movement of troops and equipment along the Line of Actual Control in case of a contingency. The overall connectivity for the population will also improve. Along with this, the foundation stone project of a major military airfield at Nyoma in Eastern Ladakh was inaugurated.

The Border Roads Organization (BRO) has achieved a major achievement by constructing the world’s highest combat airfield at Nyoma in Ladakh. The Nyoma airfield will act as a staging ground for Indian troops at forward positions in eastern Ladakh and will be a game-changer for our armed forces.

Importance of Tawang area-

• Provides easiest access to the Brahmaputra plains and shortest route to Tezpur in Assam.
• Lines of communication from Tawang also extend to the Guwahati and Siliguri corridors, making it militarily important.
• Also inaugurated Devak Bridge on Bishnah-Kaulpur-Phulpur Road in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Shinku La Tunnel

• The Defense Minister said that BRO will soon set a record with the construction of Shinku La Tunnel, the world’s highest tunnel at an altitude of 15,855 feet.
• It will connect Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh to Zanskar Valley in Ladakh and provide all-weather connectivity.
• With the inauguration of 90 projects, 295 infrastructure projects of BRO have been inaugurated from 2021 at a total cost of Rs 8,000 crore.

Border Roads Organization (BRO):

• BRO was conceived and established in the year 1960 by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to coordinate rapid development of road construction in the northern and north-eastern border areas of the country.
• It functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence.
• BRO develops and maintains the road network in the border areas of India and friendly neighboring countries.
• BRO has created a Guinness World Record for “Highest Altitude Road” at Umling La in November 2021.

Source – Indian Express

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Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2023

A report titled “Progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The Gender Snapshot 2023” has recently been released by UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA).

The report notes that despite global efforts, the world is failing to achieve gender equality.

Gender Equality:

Gender equality refers to equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their sex. This includes ensuring that women and men have equal access to resources, education, employment and decision-making processes.

Key points of the report:

• SDG-1 (Poverty Eradication): If global efforts continue at this pace, more than 340 million women and girls will still be living in extreme poverty by 2030. This would be about 8% of the total female population, hence the current rate of progress needs to be accelerated by 26 times to achieve the target of SDG-1 by the year 2030.
• SDG-2 (End hunger): Nearly 1 in 4 women and girls will face moderate or severe food insecurity by 2030. Older women face higher rates of poverty and violence than older men, many of whom do not have access to pensions.
• Addressing gender gaps in agri-food systems can reduce food insecurity. Also, global gross domestic product (GDP) could be increased by about $1 trillion.
• SDG-4 (Quality Education): Only 60 percent of girls have completed higher secondary level schooling. However, this is better than the average of 57 percent boys.
• SDG-5 (Gender equality): Women spend 2.3 hours more per day on unpaid care and domestic work than men.
• SDG-10 (Reducing Inequality): Women are twice as likely to face gender-based discrimination as men. At the same time, the chances of facing discrimination on the basis of marital status are also almost twice that of men.
• SDG – 13 (Climate Action): Up to 158 million women and girls globally could fall below the poverty line as a direct consequence of climate change.
• Apart from this, the gap between labor and earnings continues to remain high. Globally, for every dollar men earn in labor income, women earn only 51 cents. Achieving the Global Goals for gender equality and women’s empowerment requires an investment of an additional $360 billion per year.

Challenges in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

• Violence against women continues, inequality exists in education,
• Low participation of women in the labor force and inequalities in remuneration etc.

Recommendations of the report:

• The report calls for greater cooperation, funding and policy actions to address gender inequalities.
• Also emphasizes that failure to prioritize gender equality could jeopardize the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Addressing the gender gap in agri-food systems could reduce food insecurity and boost global GDP by nearly $1

Source – UN Women

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Bamboo-based Reusable Straw

Recently the Botanical Survey of India has received a patent for bamboo-based reusable straws developed from the bamboo species ‘Schizostachyum andamanicum’ found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The Patent Office of the Government of India has granted a patent to the Botanical Survey of India for ‘Bamboo based reusable straw and its manufacture’.

The morpho-anatomical structure of bamboo was similar to that of modern synthetic drinking straws, which has inspired this eco-friendly invention.

This highlights the economic potential of bamboo to replace plastic straws with organic alternatives.

Key Points:

• The bamboo species Schizostachyum andamanicum was discovered about three decades ago on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Granting of patent to reusable straw and its manufacturing will boost its economic potential.
• This species of bamboo is characterized by a thin large hollow erect culm (stem) with long internodes and the ability to grow into a straw form. This is a new way to replace plastic straws with organic alternatives.
• This is a future technology to enhance the economy of farmers and bamboo growers of Andaman and Nicobar Islands island, if they cultivate this endemic bamboo species on a commercial scale.
• The patent was applied for in 2018 and the patent received in 2023. The morphological-anatomical structure of the pen internodes of endemic bamboo was similar to that of modern synthetic drinking straws, leading to the idea of the invention of straws.

Botanical Survey of India

• It is a botanical scientific institute under the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Government of India. It was established in the year 1890.
• Its objective was to survey the plant resources of the British Empire. Its headquarters is located in Kolkata.
• It is a premier organization of India responsible for scientific research and documentation of the country’s plant diversity.

Source – PIB

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Malaviya Mission – Teacher Training Program

Recently, the Union Ministry of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched ‘Malaviya Mission – Teacher Training Programme’.

Malviya Mission – Teacher Training Program is organized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

Mission Objectives:

• The objective of this initiative is to provide tailored training programs for teachers and enhance the quality of education in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). For this, they will be trained in different training centers within two years.
• This program will enable 15 lakh teachers across India through 111 Malviya Mission Centres. It may be noted that the name of Human Resource Development Centers (HRDC) has been changed to ‘Madan Mohan Malviya Teacher Training Centre’.
• It aims to prepare teachers for the future, improve the quality of training, build leadership skills and align with the goals of the ‘National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’.
• This program will help in developing innovative teaching methods and high level institutional facilities in all component areas of higher education.

Teacher Training Program at Elementary (School) Level

National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement -NISHTHA

• ‘Nishtha’ is the largest teacher training program of its kind in the world. This was started by the Department of School Education and Literacy of the Ministry of Education in 2019-20.
• Nishtha Yojana is a national mission under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha, which aims to improve learning outcomes at the elementary level through an integrated teacher training programme.
• It is a capacity building program to “improve the quality of school education through integrated teacher training”.
• It aims to build competencies among all teachers and school principals at the elementary level. It is the world’s largest teacher training program of its kind.
• The primary objective of the Nishtha Yojana training program is to motivate and equip teachers to encourage and promote critical thinking among students.

Source – PIB

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