PDF Economics 2024 Handouts Compress

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy
Economy Page 2
Table of Contents
Agriculture
Genecally Modied (GM) crops – coon, mustards, etc. 10
11
Food Procurement
Organic Farming and Distribuon 12
GI(Geographical Indicator) Tags 12
Minimum Support Prices for Agricultural Produce 14
Ferlizer Sector reforms – NBS, bio-ferliz
bio-ferlizers,
ers, Neem coang, etc. 14
Agricultural Sector and Markeng Reforms
Reforms 15
Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries Sector 16
Water Management – Instuonal Reforms, Conservaon Eorts, etc. 16
Finance and Banking

RBI Nocaons 17
Banking Sector Reforms 19

NPA Crisis 20
Capital Markets: Challenges and Developments
D evelopments 22
Climate Change Impact on India and World – Internaonal
Reports, Key Observaons, etc. 24
Start-up Ecosystem In India 24
Financial Inclusion in India and Its Challenges 25
Digital India Iniaves 25
Cashless Society – Digital Payments, Demonezaon, etc. 26
Industries
Innovaon Ecosystem in India 27
Road and Highway Safety – Naonal Road Safety Policy,
Good Samaritans, etc. 27
Intellectual Property Rights in India 27
Coal and Mining Sector 27
Make in India: Challenges & Prospects 28
Food Processing Industry: Issues and Developments 28
Industrial Sector Updates – Industrial Policy,
Policy, Ease of Doing Business, etc. 28
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Infrastructure
Renewable Energy – Wind, Tidal, Geothermal, etc. 30
Electric and Hybrid Cars – FAME, Naonal Electric Mobility Mission, etc. 30
Oil and Gas Sector – HELP, Open Acreage Policy, etc. 30
Roads, Highways, Cargo, Air-Cargo and Logiscs
infrastructure – Bharatmala, LEEP, SetuBharatam, etc. 31
Telecom and Postal Sector – Spectrum Allocaon,
Call Drops, Predatory Pricing, etc 31
Urban Transformaon – Smart Cies, AMRUT, etc. 33
Civil Aviaon Sector – CA Policy 2016, UDAN, Open Skies, etc. 35
e-Commerce: The New Boom 36
Railway Reforms 36
Energy
Renewable Energy – Wind, Tidal, Geothermal, etc. 37
Biofuel Policy 37
UDAY Scheme for Discoms 37
Oil and Gas Sector – HELP, Open Acreage Policy, etc. 38

Coal and Mining Sector 38
Sugar Industry – FRP, SAP, Rangarajan Commiee, EBP, MIEQ, etc. 39
Foreign Policy Watch:
Watch: India-Bangladesh 39
Nuclear Energy 39
External Sector
Trade Sector Updates – Falling Exports, TIES, MEIS,
Foreign Trade Policy, etc. 41
act ion.
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Agriculture
Genecally Modied (GM) crops – coon, mustards, etc.

Cro ps: Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana deferred a proposal to test a new Trans-
Transgenic Crops
genic Coon Seed with gene Cry2Ai • Cry2Ai gene makes coon resistant
resistant to pink bollworm, a major pest
• Approval from States is required for tesng as Agriculture being State Subject • GMO and transgenic
organism are used interchangeably • Tr Transgenic
ansgenic organism is a GMO with genes from a dierent species
• All transgenic organisms are GMOs,
GMOs, but not all GMOs are transgenic • Coon is the only commercially
commercially
culvated GM crop in India • Trials
Trials underwa
underwayy for transgenic brinjal, tomato, maize, and chickpea • Legal
case in Supreme Court quesons permission for transgenic food crops • Previous instances include ap-
proval of GM mustard and indenite moratorium on GM brinjal • Regula
Regulaonon of all GMOs: MoEFCC under
Environmentt (Protecon) Act, 1986 • Genec Engineering Appraisal Commiee (GEAC) under MoEFCC is
Environmen
review, monitor and approve all acvies • GM foods are subjected to regulaons by FSSAI
authorised to review,
under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 • All Acts and Rules: Environment Protecon Act, 1986
(EPA), Biological Diversity Act, 2002,
2002 , Plant Quaranne Order, 2003, GM policy under Foreign Trade Policy
Policy,,
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Drugs and Cosmecs Rule (8th Amendment), 1988.
The Hindu
Pusa-44 Paddy: Punjab bans PUSA-44 paddy variety • Developed by ICAR in 1993,
1993, it gained wide
popularity in Punjab • Covered
Covered 70-80% of culvaon
culvaon area by the end of 2010s • Yields 85-100 mann
(34-40 quintals) per acre compared to 28-30 quintals for other variees • 160 daysdays to mature,
mature, requiring
5-6 extra irrigaon cycles • Aim to conserve irrigaon water and address groundwater depleon • Exac-
erbates stubble burning issue, generang 2% more stubble • ICAR is an autonomous organizaon
organizaon under
the Ministry of Agriculture
A griculture and Farmers Welfare
Welfare • Established on July 16, 1929,
1929, to coordinate and manage
agricultural research and educaon • Oversees 113 ICAR instutes
instutes and 71 agricultural
agric ultural universies across
India • Headquarter: Pusa, New Delhi.
The Indian Express
Pusa-2090: IARI developed Pusa-2090, an improved Pusa-44 version with similar yields and shorter
maturity • Cross between Pusa-44 and Japonica rice line CB-501, CB-501, early-maturing rice in 120-125 days
• Blends Pusa-44’s high yield traits with CB-501’s quick maturaon
maturaon,, addressing stubble burning concerns
• Tested
Tested in All-India
All- India Coordinated Rice Improvement Project
Project,, it’s suitable for culvaon in Delhi and Odis-
ha • Pusa-44, an IARI long-duraon
long-duraon paddy variety,
variety, contributes to stubble burning • 155-160 day gr growth
owth
cycle leads to late October maturity,
maturity, forcing stubble burning due to short eld preparaon me • High
yields (35-36 quintals per acre) make it popular among farmers.
The Indian Express
act ion.
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Food Procurement and Distribuon

Grain Storage Plan: World’s largest grain storage plan in the cooperave sector to be estab-
lished • Inter-Ministerial
Inter-Ministerial Commiee
Commiee (IMC) constuted by the Centre • Ministry of Cooperaon
Cooperaon will set
up integrated grain storage facilies through Primary Agricultural Credit Sociees (PACS) • Over 100000
PACS idened spread across the country with more than 13 crore farmer members • IMC chaired chaired by
Minister of Cooperaon and includes ministers of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Consumer Aairs,
Food and Public Distribuon, and Food Processing Industries • Convergence of 8 schemes: (A) 2 schemes
of Ministry of Agriculture: Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Agricultural Markeng Infrastructure
Scheme (AMI), Mission for Integrated Development of Horculture (MIDH), and Sub Mission on Agricultur-
al Mechanisaon (SMAM) • (B) 2 schemes of Ministry of Food Processing Industries: PM Formalisaon
of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME), and PM Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) • (C) 2
schemes of Ministry of Consumer Aairs: Allocaon of food grains under Naonal
Naonal Food Security Act, and
Procurement operaons at Minimum Support Price • About PACS: Lowest er of the Short-Term Coop -
erave Credit (STCC) structure in India directly dealing with Farmers • 1904- First P
PACS
ACS was established
• Headed by State Cooperave Banks (SCB) at the state level • Credit from the SCBs is transferred to the
District Central Cooperave Banks (DCCBs) which operate at the district level • PPACS
ACS directly work with
farmers and play a crucial
cr ucial role in providing short-term lending
lending..
The Indian Express
Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS): Centre to procure rice from the FCI under the
OMSS for consumer sales • OMSS aims to sell government-owned
government-owned wheat and rice in the open market,
enhancing supply and moderang prices during lean seasons and in decit regions • Implemenng Agen-
cy: Food Corporaon of India (FCI) • Components:1)
Components:1) Sale of wheat to bulk consumers/private traders via
e-aucon • 2) Sale of wheat through
through e-aucon with dedicated movement • 3) Sale of Raw Rice Grade ‘A’
to bulk consumers/private
consumers/private traders via e-aucon • Sales are conducted through e-aucons for transpar-
ency, held weekly on the NCDEX plaorm • States /UTs/UTs and private enes can parcipate in e-aucons
• States use OMSS to procure addional food grains for distribuon under the Naonal Food Security Act,
2013 (NFSA) • About Food Corporaon of India (FCI): Established in 1965 under the Food Corporaon
Act, 1964, as part of the Ministry of Consumer Aairs, Food and Public Distribuon, Government of India
• Created in response to grain shortages,
shortages, parcularly wheat.
The Hindu
Annapurna Food Packet Scheme: Rajasthan launched the Scheme • Over 1.04 crore crore
families in the state to receive free food packets monthly • Ensures no one sleeps hungry in the state
• Each packet contains: 1 kg Chana dal, sugar, iodized salt, 1 litre soybean rened edible oil, 100g chilli
powder, 100g coriander powder, and 50g turmeric powder • Distribut
Distributed
ed via POS machines to address
NFSA limitaons • About 32 lakh NFSA and non-NFSA
non-NFSA families received Rs 5500 during Covid pandemic
• Non-NFSA
creased fromfamilies also
Rs 4 to Rs 10to benet
per packetfrom Annapurna
• Raon Raon
dealers Kit Scheme
exempted • Raon
from fees dealer
without commission
commission
POS machines.
machines . in-
The Hindu
PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY): Extended for 5 more years • Inia
Iniated
ted in
March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic • Operated by Department of Food and Public Distribuon,
Ministry of Consumer Aairs • World’s
World’s largest food security program,
program, aims to feed India’s poorest ci-
zens • Provides 5 kg of rice (Rs
(Rs 3 per kg)
kg) or wheat (Rs
(Rs 2 per kg)
kg) (based on dietary preferences)
preferences) and 1 kg of
pulse per person/month at Central Issue Prices (CIPs) • Benets priority households,
households, including raon card
holders and Antyodaya
Antyodaya Anna Yojana beneciaries • Naonal Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 oers highly
subsidized rates • NFSA includes: Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
scheme and the Public Distribuon System (PDS).
The Hindu
act ion.
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Bharat Aa: Subsidized packaged wheat our,

our , Bharat Aa, for all consumers • Price reducon
of ₹2 per kg, making it ₹27.50 from ₹29.50, benets regular consumers • Ret
Retail
ail sales to boost market
market
supplies at aordable prices, ensuring price stability • Procurement
Procurement under Open Market Sale Scheme
(OMSS): NAFED and NCSS will procure 250,000 tonnes of wheat at ₹21.50 per kg • Available at: Kendriya
Bhandar, NAFED, NCCF, government cooperave outlets, and food vans operated by NAFED and NCCF.
NCCF .
The Hindu
Organic Farming
Kerala Organic Farming Mission: To expand organic farming to 5,000 hectares in 5 years
• Annual target: Convert 1,000 hectares to organic farming each year • Gov
Governance
ernance structure
structure includes
a governing council chaired by Agriculture Minister • Beneciaries commit to at least 5 years of organic
farming • Focus on enhancing cercaon,
cercaon, branding, and markeng • Implement organic farming
farming pro-
tocols aligned with standards • Ensure
Ensure access to quality seeds and producon equipment • Collecve
channels: Karshika Karma Sena, Kudumbasree, Krishisree Centre, Agro Service Centres • Complements
Poshaka Samriddhi Mission dedicated to millet and vegetable producon for sustainable agriculture.
The Hindu
GI(Geographical Indicator) Tags

Kari Ishad Mango: GI tag granted to Kari Ishad mango, prominently grown in Ankola taluk of Ut-
tara Kannada • Features: Unique aroma, luscious taste, high amount of pulp, and disncve shape and size
• Large and oblique oval shape • Each panicle bears only one fruit,
fruit, and a well-grown tree can produce up
to 2,000 fruits in a season • 5 days short shelf life • Another variants: Bili Ishad,
Ishad, which has thick skin, less
pulp, and sweetness • GI Nodal Agency: Department for Promoon of Industry and Internal TradeTrade (DPIIT),
Ministry of Commerce
Commerce and InduIndustry
stry • Dened under Arcle 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Relat-
ed Aspects of Intellectual Property
Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreemen
Agreementt • 10 years validity
validity..
The Hindu
Chokuwa Saul Rice gets GI Tag: Rice from Assam’s Ahom dynasty obtains GI tag
• Semi-glunous Sali Rice with Bora and Chokuwa variants • Low in amylose,amylose, yields so Komal Chaul rice
• Needs soaking, not cooking before consumpon • Used in delicacies like Pithe and local dishes in As-
sam • Mainly grown in Brahmaputra region and parts of Assam: Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur,
Sivasagar,, Jorhat, Golaghat, Nagaon, Morigaon • GI Nodal Agency:
Sivasagar Agency: Department for Promoon of Industry
and Internal Trade
Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Indus
Industry
try • Dened under Arcle 22 (1) of the WTO
Agreement on Trade-Related
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement • 10 years validity
validity..
The Times Of India
Basma Rice: Nave to the Himalayan foothills in India and Pakistan, is a fragrant, long-grain
rice variety • Known for its slender grains that elongate during cooking and a natural aromac fragrance
• Dierent variees: Basma 370, Basma 386, and Basma 1121 • GI tags tags for origin and quality • Pusa
Basma-1 (PB-1) in 1989 improved traits and boosted exports • PB-1121 in 2003 had exceponal grain
quality,, gaining popularity • PB-1509 combined yield potenal and grain quality with a shorter crop cycle
quality
in 2013 • Disease-resistant
Disease-resistant variees:
variees: PB-1885 and PB-1847 to maintain rice quality.
quality .
The Indian Express
act ion.
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Goan Cashew gets GI Tag: Swayampurna Goa mission’

missi on’ss objecves aligns the GI Tag • Intro-
duced by Portuguese in 1570,
1570, cashew became economically valuable • Planted for aorestaon
aorestaon and soil
conservaon back then • Evolved from
from a coage industry
industry to a major contributor
contributor to Goa’s economy, es-
pecially due to US demand • Well-drained
Well-drained sandy loam soils are ideal for cashew culvaon • Suit
Suitable
able for
for
Indian coastal regions with 60-95% humidity and 2000-3500 mm annual precipitaon • GI Nodal Agen Agen-
cy: Department for Promoon of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• Dened under Arcle 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights (TRIPS) Agreement • 10 years validity
validity..
The Indian Express
GI tag for Sea Buckthorn: ‘Ladakh Sea Buckthorn’ has been granted a Geographical Indica-
on (GI) tag • Fourth GI tag for Ladakh, following Apricot (Raktsey Karpo), Pashmina, and Ladakhi Wood
Carving • Found in Europe and Asia, thrives in the Himalayas, notably in Ladakh and Spi’s cold deserts
• Yellow
Yellow berries Vitamin-rich, sour orange • Adaptable to extreme tempertemperatures,
atures, it’
it ’s well-suited for cold
desert condions • All parts of the plant are
are useful: berries, leaves, twigs, roots, and thorns for medicine,
food, fuel, and fencing • Provides food
food for birds
birds and nutrious fodder for livestock like sheep, goats,
donkeys,, cale, and camels • Known as the ‘Wonder
donkeys ‘Wonder Plant,’
Plant,’ ‘Ladakh Gold,’ ‘Golden Bush,’ or ‘Gold Mine’
of the cold deserts • GI Nodal Agency: Department for Promoon of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT),
Ministry of Commerce
Commerce and Indu
Industry
stry • Dened under Arcle 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Relat-
ed Aspects of Intellectual Property
Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreemen
Agreementt • 10 years validity
validity..
CD
Kerala is boosng culvaon,

culvaon, a unique agricultural product • Received
Onaukara
Onaukar a Sesame:
its GI tag in January • Onaukara
Onaukara region
region spans: Alappuzha, Kollam, and Pathanamthia districts • Known
for medicinal properes and high quality • Used tradionally
tradionally since 18th century
century for treang rheumasm
and skin protecon • Rich in vitamin E, anoxidants
anoxidants,, and essenal fay acids like oleic, linoleic, and pal-
mitoleic acids • Variees
Variees include ‘ayali,’
‘ayali,’ Kayamkulam-1,
Kayamkulam-1, thilak, thilathara,
thilathara, and thilarani, developed by
ORARS, Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam • Current
Current pricing: Sesame seeds at ₹200 to ₹250 per kilogram, sesame oil at ₹500 to
₹600 per kilogram.
The Hindu
Recent GI tags awarded: Jaderi Namaka: White clay scks used for adorning idols, men,
and temple elephants
elephants in Jaderi village, Tamil
Tamil Nadu • Basohli Pashmina: Super so, ne, lightweight ma-
terial from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua
Kathua district, made from Capra hircus moun
mountain
tain goats’ wool • Marcha
Rice: Grown in select West Champaran district blocks, Bihar, known for unique aroma and taste, culvat-
ed by Marcha Dhan Utpadak
Utpadak Pragasheel
Pragasheel Samuh • Atreyapuram Pootharekulu: Tradional sweet from
Atreyapuram village, Andhra Pradesh, featuring paper-thin rice our sheets coated with ghee and lled
with jaggery or sugar dust, may include dry fruits like pistachios and almonds, made from MTU-3626 rice
variety.
The Hindu
act ion.
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Economy Page 8
Minimum Support Prices for Agricultural Produce

Minimum Support Price (MSP): Centre raised MSP ahead of
of Rabi Season • Food Grain
Price Commiee was formed in 1964 to advocate for MSP under PM Lal Bahadur Shastri , and rst MSP
announcement was made in 1967 • Agricultural
Agricultural Prices Commission (later renamed Commission for Ag-
ricultural Costs and Prices) was established to x MSP for crops • Announced by Cabinet Commiee
Commiee on
Economic Aairs based on recommendaons from CACP at beginning of sowing season for certain crops
• 22 mandated crops under MSPs • FRP for for sugarcane (fair and remunerave price) • Budget for 2018-19
introduced principle of xing MSPs at 1.5 mes producon costs for crops • CACP esmates three types
of producon costs for each crop: A2, A2+FL, and C2, • A2: Represents paid-out costs incurred by farmer
• A2+FL: Adds unpaid family labor to A2 costs • C2: Comprehensive cost calculaon including A2+FL and
addional factors.
factors.
The Hindu
Ferlizer Sector reforms – NBS, bio-ferlizers, Neem coang, etc.

Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme: Implemented since 2010 by the Department of Fer-
lisers • Provides subsidised
subsidised ferlisers based
based on nutrients like
like N, P,
P, K, S • Excludes urea-based ferlisers
• Addional subsidies are given for fored ferlisers with secondary nutrients and micronutrients • Cen-
tre announces annually xed subsidy rates on nutrients • Farmers
Farmers purchase
purchase non-urea ferlisers below
market rates • Ferliser companies receive
receive the subsidy,
subsidy, beneng farmers who pay pay lower rates
rates • Subsi-
dies are paid through a Direct Benet Transfer (DBT) system linked to the e-Urvarak DBT portal • Ferliser
sales data, along with buyer details and biometric authencaon, are recorded on point-of-sale (PoS) de-
vices • E-Urvarak plaorm process subsidy claims • The exclusion of urea from NBS has led to a ferliser
imbalance • Resulted in increased urea usage by farmers.
The Hindu
Ferlizer Subsidy: Centre revised subsidy rates by nutrient type and period • Three main ferl-
izers: Urea, Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), and Muriate of Potash (MOP) • Urea: Most produced (86%),
consumed (74%), and imported (52%) • Urea receives largest
largest subsidy (around 70% of total) • DAP and
MOP based on Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) formula (N, P, K in 4:2:1 rao) • Iniated during Green Rev-
oluon for agricultural producvity • Benet reaches farmers,
farmers, lowering market ferlizer prices • DBT
system since March 2018 implemented naonwide • Subsidy payments to companies
companies made post-sales
through retailers • Retailers
Retailers use PoS
PoS machines linked to Ferlizers’ e-Urvarak DBT portal • Example:
Neem-coated urea MRP set at Rs 5,922.
5,922.22 per tonne, while producon costs Rs 17,000 per tonne • Cen-
tral bears cost dierence through subsidies.
subsidies.
Business Stan
PM-PRANAM Scheme: Cabinet approved PM-PRANAM scheme (announced in budget 2023-

24) • Abbreviaon
Abbreviaon for: PM Programme for Restoraon, Awareness, Generaon, Nourishment and Ame-
lioraon of Mother Earth • Aims to reduce
reduce use of chemical ferlisers
ferlisers by incenvising the state • States
that adopt alternave ferlisers will be incenvised
i ncenvised with the subsidy that is saved by reducing the use of
chemical ferlisers • Funding mechanism: NO separate budget • Financed by ferliser subsidies savings
under exisng schemes • Half savings will be passed to State that saves the money as a grant • Out of
this, 70% can be used to create assets related to the technological adopon of alternate ferlisers at the
village block, and district levels • Remaining 30% to reward
reward and encourage farmers, panchaya
panchayats,
ts, and other
stakeholders involved in ferliser reducon and awareness generaon • Integ Integrated
rated Ferlisers Manage-
ment System (iFMS) is the plaorm envisaged to track the use of ferlisers.
ferlisers.
The Hindu
act ion.
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Economy Page 9
Urea Gold: PM launched “Urea Gold” in Sikar,

Sikar, Rajasthan • Urea infused with 17% Sulphur (S), 37%
nitrogen (N) • Procote Technolo
Technology
gy adds micronutrient coang for ecacy • Addr
Addresses
esses S deciency
deciency,, low-
ers farmers’ costs • Urea
Urea Gold more economical and ecient than Neem-coated urea • Norm Normal
al urea has
46% Nitrogen (N) • Sulphur-coated urea releases nitrogen gradually, aids crop uptake • Humic Acid in
Urea Gold extends ferlizer life • 15 kg Urea Gold = benets of 20 kg convenonal urea.
urea.
The Indian Express
Agricultural Sector and Markeng Reforms

PM-Kisan Bhai Scheme: Bhandaran Incenve to be implemented soon • To assist small
farmers in storing crops instead of immediate selling • Minimum of 3 months
months stor
storage
age for harvested crops
• Two components for farmers and farmer producer organizaons are proposed in the scheme • 1) W Ware
are-
housing Rental Subsidy (WRS):
(WRS): A subsidy of ₹4 per quintal per month for up to three months, excluding
storage under 15 days, is to be provided • 2) Prompt
Prompt Repayment Incenve (PRI):
(PRI): 3% addional interest
subvenon under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme for farmers pledging their produce and obtaining
loans at subsidized interest rates • Power is shied to stockists
stockists from October by the scheme, aecng the
selling meline of farmers • Traders’
Traders’ dominance challenged in seng crop prices by the iniave • Flexi-
bility for farmers to sell crops beyond the usual 23-month harvest period is allowed by the scheme • Use
of e-NWR trade on e-NAM for beer pricing and wider buyer access is encouraged for farmers • Tesng
in several states,
states, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu,
and Uar Pradesh, is planned.
planned.
The Hindu
Dr. MS Swaminathan passes away: Father of Green Revoluon passed away at 98

• Inially aimed for civil services but shied to agriculture due to his farming fascinaon • Beng
Bengal
al famine
of 1942-43 inuenced his focus on agriculture • Born on August 7, 1925, in Kumbakonam, Madras Pres-
idency • Conducted
Conducted UNESCO fellowship
fellowship research on potato crop parasites and earned a PhD from the
University of Cambridge (1949-1954) • Specialized in Solanum genus and researched ferlizer
ferlizerss and high-
yield wheat variees (1954) • Collaborated
Collaborated with Dr Norman Borlaug,
Borlaug, pioneering India’s
India’s Green Revoluon
(1965-70) • Served in various government
government roles,
roles, including Director-General of the Indian Council of Agri-
cultural Research and Director General of the Internaonal Rice Research Instute (1979-1982) • Awarded
rst World Food Prize (1987) • Appointed Chair of Naonal Commission on Farmers (2004) • Elected as
President of Pugwash Conferences on science and world aairs (2002) • Increased Ind India’s
ia’s wheat
wheat produc-
on from 6 million to 17 million tonnes • Contribuons to the Green Revoluon: Developed semi-dwarf
wheat variees • Collaborated
Collaborated with Norman Borlaug on dwarng genes in spring wheat • Yield gap
reducon through high-yield variees (HYVs) • Experse in cytogenecs
cytogenecs and trait idencaon • Advo-
cated for fair MSP and addressed soil ferlity, pescide use, and water management as the head of the
Naonal Commission on Farmers • Recognions and awards: Internaonal awards: Ramon Magsaysay
Award, Albert Einstein World Science Award, UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize, and more • Naonal
awards (India): Lal Bahadur Shastri Naonal Award, Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and De-
velopment • Civilian awards (India): Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan • Over 80 honor honorary
ary
doctorates from universies worldwide • Civilian awards
awards from other naons like the Philippines, France,
Cambodia, and China.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com
Economy Page 10
Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries Sector

PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): 2 nd
year celebraons of PMMSY • Aims
to create 68 lakh employment opportunies by 2024-25 • Part of ‘Atma ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ package with
a record investment of Rs 20,050 crores • Supports shermen with insurance, nancial assistance, and
Kisan Credit Cards • Insurance
Insurance coverage
coverage to 31.47 lakh farmers across 22 states and 7 UTs • Umbrella
scheme with 2 components:
components: Central Sector Scheme and Centrally Sponsored Scheme • FocusesFocuses on rural
development and aims to transform the sheries sector • Fisheries seen impressive growth
growth,, with a 14.
14.3%
increase from 2019-20 to 2021-22 • Fish producon reached a record
record high of 161.
161.87 lakh tons in 2021-22
• Exports of sh and seafood reached 13.13.64 lakh tonnes, valued at Rs 57,587 crore • Exports go toto 123
countries, including China, Japan, the United States, and others.
others.
The Hindu
Water
Water Management – Instuonal Reforms, Conservaon Eorts, etc.
Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR): Water
Water-saving
-saving method of sowing paddy, also known as the
‘broadcasng seed technique’ • Seeds are directly
directly drilled into elds,
elds, saving groundwater compared to the
tradional transplanng method • No nursery
nursery preparaon
preparaon or transplantaon
transplantaon is involved; farmers only
need to level the land and provide one pre-sowing irrigaon • Matur
Mature
e 7-10 days earlier than puddle-trans-
planted crops, allowing for beer management of paddy straw • Yield increase
increase of one to two quintals per
acre compared to puddle-transplanted rice • Recharges groundwater by prevenng the development of
hard crust beneath the plough layer • Major issues include extreme climate condions such as high tem-
peratures and decient rainfall • Farmers
Farmers hesitate to choose due to the negave impact of heatwaves on
their wheat crops.
crops.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com
Economy Page 11
Finance and Banking
RBI Nocaons
Gold Reserves of RBI: India’s Forex Reserves comprise 1.Gold Reserves 2.Special Drawing
Rights(SDR) 3.Foreign Currency Assets(FCA) 4.India’s reserve tranche posion with the Internaonal
Monetary Fund • Gold is a safer asset being secure and
and more liquid • Performs beer during mes of
crisis of
Bank • RBI is Act,
India among the
1934 top 5 Central
provides Banks thatlegal
the overarching are framework
buying goldfor
(a/c
thetodeployment
World
World Goldof
Council) • in
reserves Reserve
dier-
ent foreign currency assets and gold.
The Hindu
Global Financial Innovaon Network (GFIN): RBI parcipated in GFIN’s Green-

washing TechSpri
TechSprint
nt event • Against malpracces of making exaggerated,
exaggerated, misleading, or unsubstanated
unsubstanated
claims ( aka greenwashing) about the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) credenals of a prod-
uct, service, or company
company • January 2019, GFIN
GFIN ocially launched • Collaboraon under Project Global
Sandbox between 11 nancial regulators
regulators during a cross-border pilot proje
project
ct in 2018 • Members: regulato-
ry authories, central banks, and supervisory bbodies
odies • Benets of regulatory cooperaon and informaon
sharing in fostering
fostering responsible innovaon
innovaon in the nancial sector • Consists of nancial regulators and
related organizaons
organizaons from around the world.
The Hindu
RBI Surplus Transfer to Govt: RBI approved the transfer of ₹87,416 crore as surplus to
the Union government
government for the accounng year year 2022-23 • Surplus transfer
transfer is mandated by Secon 47
of RBI Act, 1935 • Two types of reserves are held by the RBI: (1) Currency & Gold Revaluaon Account
(CGRA)- value of gold and foreign currency held by the RBI on behalf of India (2) Conngency Fund (CF) –
a provision to meet unexpected conngencies arising from the RBI’s monetary policy and exchange rate
operaons • RBI’s
RBI’s surplus is calculated from income minus expenses, including CF provisions • RBI is
exempted from paying income tax or any other tax tax as per Secon 48 of the RBI Act • RBI earns income
from– managing
managing government
government and state
state government borrowings, regulang banks andand non-banking
non-banking nance
companies, and managing currency and payment systems,
systems, returns on foreign currency assets, interest on
local rupee-denominated government bonds, lending to banks, and management commission for han-
dling government and state
state government
government borrowings • Expenditures- include currency prinng costs, sta
salaries, commissions toto banks, and payments
payments to primary dealers
dealers • Y H Malegam Commiee (2013) rec-
transferred • Bimal
ommended a higher transfer to the government, increasing the percentage of surplus transferred
Jalan Commiee (2018) made recommendaons on realized equity, Expected Shorall, Conngent Risk
Buer,, surplus distribuon, and periodic review of the Economic Capital Framework.
Buer
The Hindu
Public Tech Plaorm for Friconless Credit: RBI launches pilot to test ‘Public
Tech Plaorm for Friconless Credit’
Credit’ • Aims to enable smooth credit delivery by sharing digital info with
lenders • Integrat
Integrates
es services
servi ces like Aadhaar e-KYC,
e-KYC, land records, satellite
satellite data, and more
more • Developed by
RBI’s subsidiary,
subsidiary, Reserve Innovaon Hub (RBIH) • Benets: Reduced costs, quicker loan disbursals,
Reserve Bank Innovaon
improved risk assessment
assessment • Features open architecture with open APIs • Objecve: Eciently exchange
digital data for
for credit evaluaon
evaluaon • Consolidates data from various sources intointo a unied repository • Kisan
Credit Card lending feasibility successfully tested.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com
Economy Page 12
UDGAM Portal: RBI launches UDGAM (Unclaimed Deposits – Gateway to Access inforMaon)
web portal • ToTo assist public
public in locang
locang unclaimed deposits across mulple banks easily • Collabora-
ve development by: RBI, ReBIT, IFTAS, and parcipang banks work together • FFacilitates
acilitates d
depositors
epositors to
search for unclaimed deposits from various banks • Users
Users can claim deposit amount or acvate deposit
accounts • Registraon using mobile number • Search under depositor’s name with PAN, voter ID, driving
licence, passport inputs • Depositors
Depositors complete KYC at their respecve bank branch to retrieve deposits
• Nominee submits documents if depositor is deceased • Unclaimed deposits inacve savings/current
savings/current
accounts for
for 10 years • Unwithdrawn FDs for 10 years post maturity.
maturity.
The Hindu
UPI-CBDC Interoperability:
Interoperability: Means all UPI QR codes work with CBDC apps • Inially, e₹-R
users had to scan specic QR codes for transacons • Now, they can use a single QR code • e₹ is held in
a digital wallet linked to a savings bank account • UPI is directly linked
linked to a customer’s account • Stream-
lines transacons between customers and merchants • Digital rupee users can pay pay for groceries
groceries and
medicines by scanning any UPI QR code • Merchants don’t need a separate QR code for digital rupee
payments • Can accept CBDC payments on their exisng QR code • If a mer merchant
chant has a CBDC account,
account,
the payment goes to the CBDC wallet • If not, payment can be made using UPI.
The Indian Express
Incremental Cash Reserve Rao (I-CRR): RBI to phase out I-CRR due to liquidity
issues • CRR is a percentage
percentage of total deposits (currently 4 • 5%) banks must keep as liquid cash with the
RBI • CRR ensures banks
banks have enough cash for depositor payments and cannot use it for lending or invest-
ments •
period • Introduced
I-CRR is an to
addional cash
cessbalance
absorb excess
ex liquidityimposed by RBIfactors
due to various on banks over and
• August above
2023, RBICRR for a specic
mandated a 10%
I-CRR on the increase in banks’ net demand and me liabilies (NDTL) between May 19, 2023, and July 28,
2023 • Excessive
Excessive liquidity poses risks to price and nancial stability • Liquidity turned decit for the rst
rst
me in the current scal on August 21 aer the I-CRR mandate • Tight liquidity also due to GST oulows
and RBI selling dollars to stabilize the rupee.
rupee.
The Hindu
Card-on-File Tokenisaon (CoFT): RBI proposed Card-on-File Tokenisaon (CoFT) • CoFT

replaces card details with a unique token for card, token requestor, and device • Enhances security by
not disclosing actual card details during transacons • Cardholders
Cardholders generally
generally input card details ex. CVV,
OTP for each online purchase • Card-on-File
Card-on-File transacon
transacon authorizes merchants to securely store payment
informaon • Simplies checkout
checkout process for consumers, providing convenience and eciency.
The Indian Express
RBI’s Forex Swap: Upcoming maturity of a $5 billion forex swap between RBI and banks signals
RBI’s strategic liquidity management and inaon migaon • A ttool ool for currency
currency ex
exchange
change with banks
• Two variants: Buy/Sell Swap, where RBI buys/sells dollars for Indian Rupees with commitment to reverse
• Have predetermined terms,
terms, reducing exchange rate and market risks • RBI iniated a $5.135 billion
swap with banks, aiming to repurchase dollars at a minimal premium aer two years • Bank Bankss bidding at
the lower premium range have beer aucon success • Surplus liquidity of Rs 7.5 lakh crore in the Indi-
an nancial system necessitates inaon control measures • Tr Tradional
adional methods like repo
repo rate or CRR
increase may negavely impact the economy • RBI tried Variable
Variable Rate Reverse Repo
Repo Aucon (VRRR) but
faced under-subscripon due to beer cash market yields • RBI turnsturns to forex aucons
aucons as a longer-te
longer-term
rm
liquidity adjustment tool.
The Indian Express
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com
Economy Page 13
‘Risk Weights’ hike by RBI: Refers to cost implicaon of every rupee lent by banks on their
capital posion • Hiked
Hiked on consumer credit
credit for banks and NBFCs to 125% from 100% • Raises cost cost of
funds for banks and non-bank nancial companies (NBFCs) • Assets are used to calculate the minimum
capital required by banks based on their lending acvies’ risk prole • Introdu
Introduced
ced in India in April 1992,
1992,
aligning with Basel Commiee‘s
Commiee‘s Capital Adequacy Norms • Lower risk weights generally
generally lead to
to lower
interest rates, indirectly aecng borrowers through loan pricing • Increase will raise funding
funding costs for
NBFCs and aect their capital requirements.
The Hindu
Card-on-File Tokenisaon (CoFT): RBI has expanded the scope of CoFT services to in-
clude card-issuing banks and instuons, enhancing the security of digital payments • CoFT replaces card
details with a unique token for card, token requestor, and device • Enhances security by not disclosing
actual card details during transacons • Cardholders generally
generally input card details
details ex. CVV, OTP for each on-
line purchase • CoF transacon authorizes merchants to securely store payment informaon • Simplies
checkout process for consumers, providing convenience and eciency.
Live Mint
S. Venkitaramanan and 1991 Economic Reforms: Recently passed away;

away; for-
mer RBI Governor from 1990 to 1992 • Appointed 18th Governor of RBI in 1990 • Guided RBI during
the 1990 BoP crisis,
crisis, economic reforms, and the Harshad Mehta scam • Play
Played
ed a key role in crisis man-
agement and implemenng reforms under PM Manmohan Singh • 1991 Economic Crisis: India faced a
severe BoP crisis with depleted foreign exchange reserves; struggled with substanal external debt and
risk of default
getary • Slow
imbalances led growth,
growth , ineciencies,
to increased borrowingand• bureaucrac hurdles
Global factors • High
like rising scal decit
oil prices and large
largdue
and sancons e bud
to-
India’ss nuclear program worsened the situaon • Sold nearly 47 tonnes of conscated gold,
India’ gold, raising about
$400 million • Devalued
Devalued the Indian Rupee by about 20% to improve export compeveness • Iniated
economic liberalizaon,
liberalizaon, reducing trade barriers and promong FDI • Started privazing state-owned
enterprises • Eased regulaons and bureaucrac hurdles for businesses • Introduced Special Economic
Zones (SEZs) to aract foreign investment • Embarked
Embarked on structural
structural reforms
reforms in taxaon
taxaon,, labor laws, and
infrastructure • 1991-92 budget
budget by Manmohan Singh connued reform measures, including increased
corporate tax rates and a scheme for declaring unaccounted wealth.
The Hindu
Banking Sector Reforms

Liberalised Remiance Scheme (LRS): RBI has amended rules under FEMA to bring
internaonal credit card spends outside India under the purview of the LRS • Internaonal credit card for
expenses abroad was previously not covered
covered by the LRS • Such spending will now aract a higher rate of
Tax Collected at Source (TCS)
(TCS) at 20% • TCS is a direct tax levy collected by sellers of specied goods from
buyers and deposited to the government • Taxpayers
Taxpayers can claim refunds on TCS levy during the process of
ling tax returns • LRS is a part of the Foreign
Foreign Exchange Management
Management Act (FEMA) 1999 1999,, which provides
guidelines for outward remiances from India • Under LRS, all residents
residents allowed to freely remit up to
USD 250,000 per nancial year (April – March) for permissible current or capital account transacons, or a
combinaon of both • Permied
Permied reasons- for remiance under the LRS include travel and tourism to for-
eign countries (excep
exceptt Nepal and Bhutan), going abroad for employment, emigraon, maintenance of close
relaves living abroad, expenses related to medical treatment abroad, and paying for educaon abroad abroad..
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com
Economy Page 14
Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI): Digital payment methods stored value • PPIs can
be issued by banks or authorized enes under the Payment and Selement Systems Act 2007, in forms
like cards, mobile wallets, or online accounts • PPIs lack protecon
protecon against fraud or unauthorized trans-
acons • Commiee has recommended extending DICGC (Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Cor-
poraon) cover to PPIs • It would provide compensaon to PPI holders in case of loss due to fraud or
issuer failure, oering them greater security • Many banks and non-bank enes have been permied
to issue and operate PPIs • DICGC is a specialized division of RBI that provides deposit insurance to bank
customers in India • Deposit insurance covers various types of bank deposits up to a limit of Rs. 500,000
per depositor per bank,
bank, increased from Rs.
Rs. 100,000 in 2020 • Insured banks pay the premium
premium for deposit
insurance, ensuring depositors do not bear the cost • Failure to pay the premium can result in cancella-
on of a bank’s registraon.
The Indian Express
Fraconal-Reserve Banking: Economists debate Full-Reserve Banking vs.

vs. Fraconal-Re-
serve Banking • Full-Reserve Banking: Banks hold 100% of demand deposits,
deposits, no lending, acts as custodi-
ans reducing the risk of bank runs • Fraconal-Reserve Banking: Banks lend more than cash held,
held, relies
on electronic money • Bank runs are a risk in fraconal-reserve
fraconal-reserve system,
system, central banks provide emergency
cash • Supporters
Supporters argue
argue fraconal-reserve
fraconal-reserve spurs growth, while full-reserve prevents crises • Demand
Deposits: Withdraw anyme, low interest, high liquidity • Time Deposits: Fixed period, higher interest,
penalty for early withdrawal.
withdrawal.
The Hindu
Urban Cooperave Banks (UCBs): RBI Governor addresses UCBs’ issues and vulnerabili-
es • UCBs serve small borrowers
borrowers and bu
businesses
sinesses in urban and semi-urban areas • Oper
Operate
ate under: Bank-
ing Regulaons Act, 1949, Banking Laws (Cooperave Sociees) Act, 1955, and State Cooperav
Cooperave e Sociees
Act • Inially, UCBs lent for non-agricultural
non-agricultural purposes
purposes;; they diversied since 1996 • About 79% of UCBs
are concentrated in Andhra Pradesh,
P radesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu • Categorized by
RBI based on deposit size:Tier
size:Tier 1: Deposits up to Rs 100 crore • Tier 2: Deposits Rs 100 to 1,000 crore • Tier
3: Deposits Rs 1,000 to 10,000 crore • Tier 4: Deposits exceeding Rs 10,000 crore.
crore .
The Hindu
Naonal Bank for Financing Infrastructure & Development (NaB -

FID): NaBFID provides long-term non-recourse nance for infrastructure projects and develops the
bond and derivaves markets • Established
Established in 2021 through The Naonal Bank for Financing Infrastruc-
ture and Development Act, 2021, NaBFID is a specialized Development Finance Instuon (DFI) • Capital
of a
as ₹1grant
lakh crore,
crore
• RBI, regulates
with ₹20,000
and crores invested
supervises by as
NaBFID theancentral government
All-India as equity and
Financial Instuon (AIFI)₹5,000
• Cancrores
raise
funds domescally and internaonally through various instruments • Objecves- Addressing nance
gaps, strengthening bond and derivaves markets, and promong sustainable economic growth • DFIs are
government-owned
government -owned instuons that fund infrastructure and large-scale projects, providing medium-term
and large-scale funds.
funds.
The Hindu
NPA Crisis
Expected Credit Loss Norms: Banks have sought a one-year extension from RBI for imple-
mentaon of the Expected Credit Loss (ECL)-based loan loss provisioning framework • ECL is a method of
accounng for credit risk • It is based on loss likely to occur on a loan or porolio of loans • Classicaon
of nancial assets: Under the ECL norms, banks will be required to classify their nancial assets into three
categories – Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3 • Esmates
Esmates forward-looking probability of default for each loan.
CD
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com
Economy Page 15
SARFAESI Act: RBI direcve for Regulated Enes (commercial banks and NBFCs) to disclose bor-
rower informaon • Disclosure relates
relates to borrowers whose secured assets were repossessed under the
SARFAESI Act • SARFAESI
SARFAESI Act, 2002,
2002, aims to protect nancial instuons from loan defaults • Empowers
banks to seize, manage, or sell collateral without court intervenon • Applies naonwide to all types of
assets given as security • Streamlines NPA
NPA recovery and enables asset aucons • Applies when a borrow-
er defaults for over 6 months • Lender issues a 60-day noce to clear dues; if not, assets can be possessed
• Defaulters can appeal within 30 days of receiving the noce • Deals with registraon of asset reconrecon-
strucon companies,
companies, asset rights acquision, reconstrucon measures, and dispute resoluon.
The Hindu
Prompt Correcve Acon (PCA) Framework: PCA framework extended to govt

NBFCs from October 1, 2024, excluding Base Layer NBFCs • Government-owned
Government-owned NBFCs like PFC, REC, IRFC,
and IFCI fall under the PCA framework
f ramework • Idenes nancially weak banks and imposes operaonal restric-
ons • Applies only to commercial
commercial banks and not cooperave banks or NBFCs • Introd
Introduced
uced in December
December
2002 as an early intervenon mechanism • Last Updated in January,
January, 2022,
2022, emphasizes capital adequacy,
asset quality, and leverage • Capital-to-Risk Weighted
Weighted Assets Rao (CRAR) below 9% triggers acons, in-
cluding capital restoraon plans and business restricons • Net Non-Performing
Non-Performing Assets (NPA) exceeding
10% but below 15% iniates measures to reduce bad loans • Return on Assets (RoA)
(RoA) below 0.25% leads
to restricons on deposit renewal, costly deposits, and new business entry.
Live Mint
Germany’s Debt Brake Rule: 2009 policy enshrined in the German constuon • Celebrat-
ed as a victory for scal rectude and a break from past proigacy • Seen as a major mistak
mistake
e in economic
policy,, especially in light of recent budget crises • Limits on public decits seen as too strict • Hinders
policy
government spending in mes of crisis • Constuonal
Constuonal court ruling disrupted
disrupted spending plans; Finance
minister declared 2023 a year of emergency to suspend the debt rule • Risk of destabilizing Germany’s
budgetary system and potenal knock-on eects for the eurozone • Crisis in condence in the state’s state’s
eecveness;; calls for reform or abolishment of the debt brake • Debate over the exibility
eecveness exibility of the debt
brake and the need for its reform to nance future
f uture investmen
investments
ts • Diculty in amen
amending
ding the cons
constuon
tuon,,
Bundestag.
which requires a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag.
The Hindu
Alternave Investment
Investment Funds (AIFs): RBI has implemented stricter norms for Regulat-
ed Enes to prevent loan evergreening via investments in Alternave Investment Funds (AIFs) • AIFs are
privately pooled investments in India, collecng funds from sophiscated investors for invesng • Gov-
erned by the SEBI (Alternave Investment Funds) Regulaons, 2012 • Can be set up as a company, LLP,
trust, etc • Targets
Targets high rollers, including domesc and foreign investors
investors in India,
India, typically favored by
instuons and high net worth individuals due to high investment amounts • Types: Category I: Invests
in start-ups, early-stage ventures,
ventures, SMEs, etc • Includes venture capital funds, angel funds, etc • Cate-
gory III: Employs complex trading strategies,
strategies, may use leverage • Includes hedge funds funds,, PIPE Funds, etc
• Category II: Includes funds not in Category I/III,
I/III, like real estate funds, debt funds, etc • No leverage or
borrowing except for operaonal needs • Category
Category I and II AIFs mustmust be close-ended with a minimum
tenure of 3 years • Category
Category III AIFs can be either open-ended or close-ended.
close-ended.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com
Economy Page 16
Capital Markets: Challenges and Developments

Global Depository Receipts (GDRs): GDR is a foreign currency-denominat currency-denominateded and ne-
goable nancial instrument • Can be denominated as mulple forms of freely converble currency
• Cercates issued by a depository bank,
bank, which purchases foreign company shares and deposits them in
the account • Used to raise capital from internaonal investors through public stock oerings or private
placement • Indian companies can get
get their shares listed on foreign exchanges only through GDRs • They
can get foreign funds and gain access to internaonal
internaonal capital
capital • Depository bank is the intermediary that
acts as the custodian of the shares issued
issued by the Indian company
company • Can convert GDRs into shares and
trade them on the domesc
domesc stock exchanges
exchanges • Only companies with a 3-year sound nancial record can
get access to GDRs • Clearance is must get from Ministry of Finance and Foreign Investment Promoon
Board (FIPB) to obtain GDRs.
The Hindu
AT-1 Bond: SBI’s Addional Tier-1 (AT-1) bond issue received a low response • Perpetual bonds
issued by banks to strengthen their core capital base • Regulated
Regulated by RBI in India • Lon Long-term
g-term and dodo
not have a specic maturity date,
date, oering higher yields due to their higher risk • Funds serve as a buer
buer
for the bank • Have a call opon
opon that allows banks to repurchase the bonds from investor
investorss • Introduced
aer 2008 nancial crisis to absorb losses • Known as conngent converble bonds or CoCos • Bonds
are mandatory under Basel-III norms • Required to maintain
maintain a minimum capital raorao,, with 9.
9.5% in Tier-1
capital, which includes AT-1 bonds.
bonds .
The Hindu
Oer-for-Sale (OFS): Share sale method for listed companies • Introduced in 2012 by SEBI
• Allow promoters to comply with minimum public shareholding norms by dilung their stake through
share sales on an exchange plaorm • Govt also uses OFS to divest its shareholding in public sector en-
terprises • Promoters
Promoters sell shares to retail investors, companies, FIIs, and QIBs in an OFS • Promoters or
shareholders holding more than 10% of share capital can conduct an OFS • Available to the top 200 com-
panies in terms of market capitalizaon • Minimum of 25% of shares oered are reserved for MFs and
insurance companies • No single bidder,
bidder, other than MFs and insurance companies, can be allocated more
than 25% of the oering size • At least 10% of oer size is reserved for retail investors • A seller can oer
a discount to retail investors on the bid or nal allotment price • Companies must inform
inform 2 banking days
prior to the OFS to the stock exchanges.
exchanges.
The Hindu
REITs and InvIT

I nvITs:
s: SEBI approves changes in REITs and InvITs regulaons • REIT: Created for invest-
ing in income-producing real estate • Funcons like mutual
mutual funds,
funds, oering liquid real estate investment
investment
• Provides: income, diversicaon, and capital appreciaon • Can be listed
listed on stock exchanges • Intro-
duced in 2007 by SEBI for rst me • InvIT: Collecve Investment Scheme like mutual funds • Allows
direct investment in infrastructure projects • Earns
Earns a poron of income as returns • Listed on exchanges
through IPO • Regulated
Regulated by SEBI (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulaons, 2014.
2014 .
Live Mint
One-Hour Trade Selement: SEBI plans to implement One-Hour trade Selement by

March 2024 • India transioned to T+1 selement earlier,
earlier, improving fund transfers and eciency • In-
stantaneous selement is the ulmate goal but requires more technology development • 1-hour sele-
ment will precede iinstantan
nstantaneous
eous selement • T+1, the seller receives funds the day day aer a trade,
trade, while
one-hour selement means receiving funds or shares within an hour • T+1 se selement
lement requires transac-
ons to be completed within 24 hours • Earlier,
Earlier, stock markets
markets used weekly selement,
selement, then moved to
T+3, and later T+2 in 2003 • In 2020, SEBI moved to T+1 due to opposion from foreign investors.
The Indian Express
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com
Economy Page 17
India’ss inclusion in GBI-EM Index: JPMorgan to include India in the GBI-EM index start-
India’
ing June 2024 • Expected to bring signicant inows to India and broaden the investor base • Potenal
impact on the Rupee’s
Rupee’s appreciaon • Tracks
Tracks Sovereign Bonds
Bonds in local-currency-d
local-currency-denominated
enominated from emerg-
ing markets • Benchmark for xed income market in emerging economies • Includes government bonds
from various emerging market countries • Includes 23 Indian government
government bonds worth a total of USD
330 billion • Government bonds areare issued by central and state
state governments
governments to fund their acvies and
regulate the money supply • TTo raise funds for infrastructure development and other expenditures • RBI
o raise
regulates such bonds.
bonds.
Reuters
50-year Government Bonds: First-ever issuance of 50-year government bonds and 30-year
green bonds • To To raise ₹6.55 trillion ($78 • 73 billion) through bond sales from October to March • ₹300
billion allocated for the central government’s rst aucon of such bonds • Long-t Long-term
erm investors,
investors, espe-
cially insurers, nd these bonds suitable for asset-liability management • Part of Government Securies
(G-Sec),, with tenures from 5 to 40 years • Types of Government Bonds: Fixed-Rate Bonds: Oer stable
(G-Sec)
interest rates throughout the tenure • Floang Rate BondsBonds (FRBs): Adjust interest
interest rates periodically based
on aucons • Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs): Tax-exempt gold investments with prices linked to gold value
• Inaon-Indexed Bonds: Adjust principal and interest based on inaon indices • 7.75% GOI Savings
Bond: Features a 7.75% interest rate, available to individuals and more • B Bonds
onds with Call/Put Opon:
Allow issuer or investor to buy back or sell bonds, usually aer 5 years • Zero-Coupon Bonds: Generate
earnings from price dierence, no interest income • Benets oered: Sovereign Guarantee backed by
government commitment • Protects against rising prices, prices, preserving real investment value • Provides
semi-annual interest disbursements, ensuring regular income.
income.
The Hindu
Direct Lisng on Foreign Exchanges: India allows certain rms to directly list on for-
eign stock exchanges for global capital access • Eecve
Eecve since October
October 30, 2023,
2023, introduced via the Com-
panies (Amendment) Act, 2020 • Allows specic domesc public companies
companies to list securies on foreign
foreign
exchanges,, including GIFT IFSC in Ahmedabad, with exempons from certain requirements • Lets lisng
exchanges
shares without issuing new shares or raising capital • Diers
Diers from tradional IPO
IPO,, where shares sold to
public for capital • Disnct from
from depository receipt (DR) route,
route, where shares issued to custodian bank,
investors • Benets: Access
which then issues DRs to foreign investors Access diverse investor
investor pool,
pool, enhance visibility, im-
prove governance, compliance • Indian rmsrms currently use ADRs/GDRs for foreign lisngs via custodian
banks • Direct foreign lisng benets: Larger, more liquid market; broader investor base; cost and me
savings (IPO, DR process fees).
The Indian Express
Acve and Passive Equity Funds: Acve funds saw huge inows compared to passive
equity funds • An equity fund primarily
primarily invests in stocks
stocks and can be acve or passive (index fund) • Equi-
ty funds, also known as stock funds,
funds, vary by company size, investment style, and geography • Managers
make decisions on buying, holding, or selling securies • Acve funds aim to outperform the benchmark
index • Risk and return
return depend on their adopted strategy • Passive funds replicate a specic index or
benchmark • Fund managers
managers in passive funds have
have a minimal role in stock selecon • Decisions in pas-
sive funds align with the benchmark index,
index , focusing on minimal tracking error.
error .
The Indian Express
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com
Economy Page 18
MSCI Emerging Markets Index: 9 Indian stocks recently added to the MSCI EM index
• India 2nd-highest aer China, to 131 stocks • MSCI, owned by Morgan Stanley, Stanley, is an investment re-
search rm oering indexes, analycs, and tools to instuonal investors and hedge funds • Includes over
160,000 indices,
indices, aiding in porolio construcon and monitoring • Oer
Oerss a range
range of indices, country-spe-
cic, regional, emerging market, developed market, small cap, all cap, and Islamic indices • MSCI selects
stocks for its equity indexes based on ease of trading, liquidity, and high free oat, giving more weight to
companies with higher free oat • MSCI India Index
Index measures the performance of the large and mid-cap
segments of the Indian market • Firm priorizes stocks with acve investor parcipaon and without
owner restricons • With 113 constuents, it covers about 85% of Indian equity universe; undergoes
quarterly reviews.
Live Mint
Parcipatory Notes: India saw a rise in P-notes investments,

investments , reaching ₹1.31 lakh crore by
November end • Oshore derivave instruments with Indian shares as underlying assets • Issued by
registered FIIs (Foreign Instuonal Invest
Investors)
ors) to overseas investors
investors • Enable foforeign
reign investors to invest
in Indian stock markets without direct registraon • Oers anonymity,
anonymity, keeping beneciary details un-
disclosed to Indian regulators • Regulated by SEBI (Securies and Exchange Board of India) • FIIs must
comply with KYC norms and other regulatory standards • Linked to risks like money laundering and mar-
ket volality • Source
Source of foreign porolio investment,
investment, aecng market senment and investor behavior
• Usually reect foreign porolio investor (FPI) trends • In global risk scenarios, P-note in
investments
vestments tend
tend
to rise, and decrease when risks subsides.
The Hindu
Climate Change Impact on India and World – Internaonal Reports, Key Observa-
ons, etc.
Green Credit Program (GCP): Centre launched GCP for earning and trading Green Credits
• For market-based environmental acons across stakeholders • Nodal Agency: Ministry of Environment,
Environment,
Forest, and Climate Change • Voluntary
Voluntary parcipaon underscores inclusivity • Open to: individuals, in-
dustries, FPOs, ULBs, gram panchayats, private sectors • Tradable on a domesc market plaorm • Green
Credit cercates to applicants upon approval • Qualifying acvies: tree plantaon, water conservaon,
sustainable agriculture, waste management,
management, air polluon reducon, mangrove conservaon, eco-mark ini-
aves, sustainable building, and infrastructure development
development • Credit calculaon based on mulple pa-
rameters • Green Credit Registry
Registry manages credit tracking and management • Trading plaorm overseen
by administrators for Green Credits • Non-tradable
Non-tradable for credits obtained for legal compliance • Indepen-
dent of Carbon Credit Trading Scheme,
Scheme, 2023, under the Energy Conservaon Act, 2001.
The Hindu
Start-up Ecosystem
Ecosystem In India
North East Venture
Venture Fund (NEVF): NEVF serves as a catalyst for startups in the North East
region • Launched
Launched in 2017,
2017, boosng regional startups • SEBI Category
Category I VCF under AIF Regulaons, 2012
• Independent Investment Commiee includes professionals from venture funding, private equity, and
developmental
development al banking for sound investment
investment decisions • RBI and CAG monitor NEVF operaons
operaons,, ensuring
compliance through regular audits • Established
Established as a closed-end fund,
fund, aiming for a Rs100 crore corpus
• Contributors: Rs 30 crore from NE Development
D evelopment Finance Corporaon
Corporaon Ltd (NEDFi), Rs 25 crore from SIDBI,
Rs 45 crore from MDoNER.
FE
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com
Economy Page 19
Angel Tax
Tax Provisions:
Provisions : Revised angel tax provisions targeng premium investments by non-res-
ident investors in startups • Income Tax Act, 1961: Secon 56(2)
56( 2) (vii-b) governs Angel Tax • Unusual tax
on capital receipts,
receipts, specic to India for prevenng misuse • Introduced in 2012 to curb black money
laundering via premium investments
investments • Inially applied to all private
private business enes, extended to start-
ups in 2016 • Complex
Complex VC VC fundraising
fundraising with oshore enes raises concerns about misuse • Aimed at
prevenng money laundering and round-tripping • Startups taxed at 9% on investments exceeding fair
market value • Investors cancan claim 100% tax exempon
exempon on the excess investment • Condions: Investor
net worth ≥ ₹2 crores or income > ₹25 lakh in past 3 scal years.
The Hindu
Financial Inclusion in India and Its Challenges

Bima Trinity: Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) released ‘Vision
Insurance for All’ by 2047 • Bima Trinity to increase
increase insurance penetraon in India • 1. Bima Sugam is
a unied plaorm that combines insurers and distributors, simplifying policy purchases, service requests,
and claims selement
selement for customers • 2. Bima Vistar is a comprehensive bundled policy that covers life,
health, property,
property, and accidents, ensuring quick claim payouts without the need forfor surveyors • 3. Bima
Vaahaks,, a women-centric workforce at the Gram Sabha level, educates and convinces women about the
Vaahaks
benets of comprehensive
comprehensive insurance
insurance • IRDAI, founded in 1999,
1999, is a regulatory body created to protect the
interests of insurance customers, operang under the jurisdicon of the Ministry of Finance // / Regulates
and develops the insurance industry while monitoring insurance-relat
insurance-relateded acvies.
The Hindu
Naonal Pension Scheme (NPS): Introduced in January 2004 (except for armed forces)
• PFRDA implements and regulates • Naonal Pension SystemSystem Trust
Trust (NPST) is the registered owner of
all assets under the NPS • Two
Two ers structure: Tier-I account: Non-withdrawable permanent rerement
account where accumulaons are deposited and invested based on the subscriber’s choice • Tier-II ac-
count: Volunt
Voluntary
ary withdrawable account that can only be opened if there is an acve Tier-I account in the
subscriber’s name • Available to all cizens (both resident and non-resident) of India from May 2009
• 18-65 years age group of can join • Not eligible: OCI and PIO card holders, as well as Hindu Undivided
(HUFs).
Families (HUFs).
The Hindu
PM Jan Dhan Yojana: Celebrates 9 years with 50 crore+ bank accounts and ₹2 lakh crore+
deposits • Launched in 2014 as a nancial inclusion program by the Indian government • Aims to provide
provide
aordable access to nancial services like basic savings & deposit accounts, remiance, credit, insurance,
and pension • Oers Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) accounts with no minimum balance requirement
requirement
• Interest earned on deposits in PMJDY accounts • Rupay
Rupay Debit card for account holders • Includes an
Accident Insurance of ₹1 lakh (₹2 lakh for new accounts aer 28-8-2018) • Overd
Overdra
ra (OD) facility of up
to ₹10,000.
₹10,000.
The Hindu
Digital India Iniaves

New UPI Features: NPCI introduces innovave features on the UPI plaorm • “Hello! UPI”
enables voice-enabled UPI payments in Hindi and English • Voice commands for UPI payments via apps,
telecom calls, and IoT devices • “Credit Line on UPI” for streamlined access to credit, oers interest-free
credit periods • UPI Lite X introduces oine money transfers
transfers for areas with poor network coverage • UPI
Tap & Pay allows NFC-enabled QR code payments for added convenience • BillPay Connect introduces a
naonalized number for simplied bill payments across India • Payment
Paymentss can be made through messaging
apps, missed calls,
calls, and voice-assisted devices.
devices.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 20
Naonal Internet Exchange of India (NIXI): NIXI marked its 20th Foundaon Day
• Not-for-prot Organizaon under Secon 8 of the Companies Act 2013 and was registered on 19th June
2003 • MeitY:
MeitY: Nodal ministry under vision 1000 days • For increasing
increasing Internet penetraon
penetraon and adopon
in India by facilitang infrastructure aspects • NIXI provides four key services: Internet Exchange Points,
.IN Registry management, IPv4/IPv6 address adopon, and data center services • Key iniaves: IPv6
Expert Panel (IP Guru), NIXI Academy,
Academy, NIXI-IP-INDEX.
NIXI-IP-INDEX.
PIB
BharatNet Project: Approved ₹1.39 lakh crore for last-mile connecvity to 6.

6.4 lakh villages
• Originally Naonal Opcal Fibre Network (NOFN) launched in 2011 • In 2015 became BharatNet Proj-
ect • Connects villages with broadband via opcal bre • Executed by BBNL BBNL (Bharat Broadband Net-
work Limited) SPV • 1.94 lakh villages connected
connected,, rest in 2.
2.5 years • World’s Largest Rural Connecvity
• Aimed 100 Mbps to 2. 2.5 lakh gram
g ram panchayats • Provides 2 Mbps to 20 Mbps broadband to households
• Pilot project by 3,800 entrepreneur
entrepreneurss with 3 • 51 lakh connecons • Connected villages see average 175
GB data consumpon per month.
month.
The Hindu
Cashless Society – Digital Payments, Demonezaon, etc.

Lightweight and Portable Payment System (LPSS): RBI plans to introduce a
LPSS for emergencies,
emergencies, as outlined in the RBI’s
RBI’s annual report for 2022-23 • Aims to provide resilience and
connuity during emergencies • LPSS is independent of convenonal technologies and wired networks
used in exisng payment systems like UPI, NEFT, and RTGS • Under the ‘Utkarsh 2.0’ iniave, RBI will
establish a resilient oversight framework for Centralized Payment Systems (NEFT and RTGS) and upgrade
the RTGS system • LPSS ensures
ensures payment system resilience in extreme situaons by oering a portable
and easily acvated soluon, operated
operated remotely with minimal resources • It handles crical transacons,
while simplied authencaon and vericaon processes maintain transacon integrity • LPSS mini-
mizes downme,
downme, facilitates essenal payment services, boosts public condence in digital payments, and
aacks • Challenges include stakeholder coordinaon, tesng, training, and
acts as a deterrent against aacks
monitoring for readiness and eecveness.
The Indian Express
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 21
Industries
Innovaon Ecosystem in India

Naonal Manufacturing Innovaon Survey 2021-22: Released by the De-
partment of Science and Technology with UN Industrial Development Organizaon • To evaluate inno-
vaon performance of manufacturing rms in India • Two
Two specic components: (1) Firm-level Survey:
It captured data related to types of innovaons and innovave measures taken by rms, including the
process of innovaon, access to nance, resources, and informaon for innovaon • (2) Sectorial System
Survey: It mapped the manufacturing innovaon system and its enabling role in achieving innovaons in
rms • Karnataka
Karnataka is most “innovave”
“innovave” State followed by Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Hary-
ana • Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand reporng the lowest share of such rms.
The Hindu
Road and Highway Safety – Naonal Road Safety Policy, Good Samaritans, etc.
Bharat New Car Assessment Programme
Programme (NCAP): NCAP for four-wheelers from
1 October • Program
Program awards ‘Star Rangs’ based on crash test performance • Applies to type-approved
type-approved
vehicles of M1 category with GVW < 3 • 5 tonnes, made or imported in India • Ca Category
tegory M1 vehicles
design: Passenger carriage with eight seats, excluding the driver’s seat • Volun
Voluntary
tary for car manufacturers
manufacturers,,
tesng upon their request • Rangs based on Adult Occupant Protecon (AOP), Child Occupant Protecon
(COP), and Safety Assist Technologies (SAT) • 3 types of crash
crash tests: frontal, side, and pole-side impact
tests • Frontal
Frontal tests at 64 kmph, side, and pole-side tests at 50 kmph and 29 kmph • 5-star rrang
ang requires
at least 27 out of 32 points for adult safety and 41 out of 49 points for child safety.
safety.
Live Mint
Intellectual Property Rights in India

Dra Patents
Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2023: Raised concerns among advocacy groups
• Patents granted by: India Patent Oce, led by the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trade
Marks • Governed by the Indian Patents Act, 1970 • Replaced Indian Patents and Designs Act, 1911
• Based on Ayyangar Commiee Report headed by Jusce N • Rajagopala Ayyangar • India joined TRIPS
System (Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights • India signed the Paris
Paris Convenon and the Patent Co-
operaon Treaty
Treaty in 1998
19 98 and the Budapest Treaty in 2001 • India had to amend its Patents Act to comply
• Most recent amendment before 2023 was the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2021 • Changes proposed
include:Pre-Grant
include:Pre-Grant Opposion: Controller can dismiss a pre-grant opposion if found frivolous • Controller
can decide on maintainability without a hearing • Reply
Reply me noce reduced from 3 months to 2 months
• Decision within 3 months from proceedings compleon • Reduced Request
Request for Examinao
Examinaonn (RFE) me-
line: Proposed RFE ling me is 31 months, down from 48 months • Annual W Working
orking Report: To
To be led
every 3 nancial years,
years, unlike the current annual requirement
The Hindu
Coal and Mining Sector

Royalty Rates for Strategic Minerals: 2nd Schedule of MMDR Act (Mines and Minerals
(Development and Regulaon) Amendment Act, 2023) amended for royalty rates • Crical minerals aectaected:
ed:
Lithium, Niobium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs) • Enables the rst-me
rst-me aucon of blocks for these minerals
in India • 2023 Amendment wef wef August 2023 delisted six minerals,
minerals, including Lithium and Niobium, from
atomic minerals • Mineral royalty is government revenue
revenue for mineral resource extracon • India’s high roy-
alty rates aect mining sector compeveness • Lithium mining carries a 3%royalty
3% royalty based on London Metal
Exchange prices • Niobium aracts
aracts a 3% royalty based on Average Sale Price (ASP) • REEs ha
have
ve a 1% royalty
based on the ASP of Rare Earth Oxide • Ministry of Mines denes ASP calculaon, impacng bid parameters.
parameters.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 22
Make in India: Challenges & Prospects

5th Posive Indigenizaon List (PIL): 5th PIL unveiled comprising 98 items for armed
service procurement from domesc suppliers • Includes: items exclusively procured from domesc manu-
facturers, fostering indigenous defense producon • Part of Make in India: to reduce reliance on imported
arms and promote local defense equipment manufacturing • Introduced in 2020 Defence Acquision
Procedure (DAP) • Focuses on import substuon for major systems, plaorms, weapon systems, sen-
sors, and munions • Aims to generate rm orders within 5 to 10 years • Item
Itemss covered:
covered: infantry combat
vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, precision kill system
systems,
s, radars, and more.
PIB
Kavro Doma 360: MKU Limited Kanpur,

Kanpur, recently introduced the Kavro Doma 360 at Milipol Paris
• World’s rst rie-rated ballisc helmet ever made in India • Oer
Oerss uniform protecon against AK-47
MSC, M80 NATO
NATO BALL, and M193 rie bullets • Protects all ve head zones
zones (front, back, le, right, crown)
uniformly • Only boltless rie protecon
protecon helmet in the world
world,, eliminang the risk of bolt penetraon on
impact • 40% more
more protecon
protecon area than standard helmets, even against AK-47 assault ries • First hel-
met with a Back Face Signature/Trauma
Signature/Trauma of less than 20 mm from AK-47 bullet impacts • ‘‘Back Back Face
Face Sig-
nature’ measures helmet deformaon or indentaon from high-energy bullet impacts • Protects against
both straight and rotaonal/angular impacts,
impacts, which can cause concussions or brain injuries • Features
top-to-chin and side-to-side harness adjustment for stability and t • Oer
Oerss maximum ccompability
ompability with
MACS,, allowing integraon with head-mounted devices and combat equipment.
MACS
FE
Food Processing Industry: Issues and Developments

QR Code on Food Products: FSSAI recommends QR codes on food products for visually
impaired • A statutory
statutory body under India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare • Established in 2008
under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 • Regulates
Regulates and supervises foodfood safety
safety,, protecng public
health • Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulaons 2020: Includes mandatory info
on allergen, nutrient contribuons, expiry dates, new symbols, etc. • MandaMandates
tes e-commerce
e-commerce plaorms
plaorms
to label food products for sale • Brings large
large chain restaurant
restaurant operators under its scope • Labels should
be accessible to all consumers, including the visually impaired • RPWD Act 2016 emphasizes accessibility
• QR codes should provide comprehensive product details, details, including ingredients, nutrion, allergens,
dates, warnings, and contact info • Complement mandatory label informaon as per regulaons.
The Hindu
Industrial Sector Updates – Industrial Policy

Policy,, Ease of Doing Business, etc.
Surat
Minister Diamond
• Located Bourse
Located in Surat City • ToWorld’s
, DREAM(SDB): expandlargest oce project,
and consolidate to be trading
diamond inaugurated by Prime
business from
Mumbai to Surat • Surat is a major hub for cung and polishing diamonds • SDB intends to centralize all
diamond-related acvies and infrastructure • The bourse spans an area of 66 lakh square feet
feet • ‘Panch
Tatva’ theme,
theme, represenng the ve elements of nature.
nature.
The Indian Express
Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI): Services PMI reached a 13-year high of 62.3 in July
• S&P Global survey-based measure providing insights on changes in business variables compared to the
previous month • It informs decision makers, analysts, and investors about current and future business
condions • Calculated for manufacturing and services sectors separately,
separately , with a composite index also
constructed • Scores range from 0 to 100,
100 , where above 50 indicates expansion,
expansion, below 50 denotes con-
tracon,, and 50 represents no change • A higher previous month’s PMI compared to the current month
tracon
suggests economic contracon • PMI, released monthly, serves as a indicator of economic acvity • IHS
Markit compiles PMI for over 40 economies worldwide.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 23
Leniency Plus Norms: CCI releases dra of revised lesser penalty regulaons introducing a
“leniency plus” program • Part of the Compeon
Compeon (Amendment) Act Act 2023,
2023, it
it’’s an antrust enforcement
strategy • Encourages
Encourages companies under invesgaon
invesgaon for one cartel to report other unknown cartels
• Benets include: reduced penales for disclosing informaon about the rst cartel, without aecng
penales for the newly disclosed one • Similar rregimes
egimes in the UK, US, Singapore, and Brazil • Compe-
on Commission of India: Statutory body established in March 2009 under the Compeon Act, 2002
• Aims to create fair compeon,
compeon, ensure consumer welfare, and protect against an-compeve prac-
ces • Mandate includes prohibing
prohibing an-compeve agreements,
agreements, regulang mergers and acquisions,
and promong compeon • Comprises one chairperson
chairperson and six addional members
members appointed by the
Central Government • Headquarters in New Delhi • Cartelisaon: Businesses colluding to keep prices
high.
The Hindu
“Group of Companies’ Doctrine: SC ruled that non-signatories can be bound by an ar-

bitraon agreement under the “group of companies” doctrine • Non-signatory can be bound if they’re
part of the group that signed it • Doctrine assumes mutual intent
intent for non-signatories to be bound • Rec-
ognized in India since 2013 Case:
Case : Chloro Controls India Pvt Ltd vs. Severn Trent Water
Water Puricaon Inc • In-
dian courts have since applied this doctrine to bind group companies to arbitraon agreements • Factors
for Applying the Doctrine: Mutual intent, relaonship of non-signatories to signatories, subject-maer
commonality,, transacon’s composite nature, and contract performance.
commonality
HT
India’s Core Sector: India’s eight core

core sectors
sectors grew
grew by
by 7 • 8% in November, a decrease from
12% in October • Key industries in an economy • India idenes idenes eight sectors as core
core in decreasing
order of their weightage: Renery Products> Electricity> Steel> Coal> Crude Oil> Natural Gas> Cement>
Ferlizers • Monthly IndIndex
ex of Eight
Eight Core
Core Industries
Industries (ICI) measures producon volume • ICI assesses
both collecve and individual performance in these eight industries • Inially, six industries (Coal, Ce-
ment, Finished Steel, Electricity, Crude petroleum, Renery products) formed the index • Ferlizer and
Natural Gas were added in the 2004-05 series,
series , maintaining eight core industries in the ICI series with base
2011-12 • Components of the Eight Industries: Coal: Excludes Coking coal producon • Crude Oil: To-
tal producon • Natural Gas: Total producon • Renery Products: Tot Total
al producon in terms of Crude
Throughput • Ferlizer: Includes Urea, Ammonium Sulphate, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate, Ammonium
chloride, Diammonium Phosphate, Complex Grade Ferlizer,
Ferlizer, and Single superphosphate • Steel: Alloy and
Non-Alloy Steel producon • Cement: Producon from Large and Mini Plants • Electricity: Generaon
from Thermal, Nuclear, Hydro sources, and imports from Bhutan.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 24
Infrastructure
Renewable Energy – Wind, Tidal, Geothermal, etc.

Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP): Largest hydel project (2000MW)
undertaken in India • Height of 116 meters
undertaken meters a gravity dam from the river bed level • Located on the Sub-
ansiri River 2 • 3 km upstream in Arunachal Pradesh • Near North Lakhimpur on the border of Arunachal
and Assam • Developed by: State-run Naonal Hydro Power Corporaon (NHPC) • Subansiri originates in
Tibet Plateau and is the largest tributary of the Brahmaputra River • Strategic signicance is heightened
by its proximity to the India-China border.
border.
The Times Of India
Electric and Hybrid Cars – FAME, Naonal Electric Mobility Mission, etc.
PM E-Bus Seva Scheme: Scheme approved for city bus enhancement • 10,000 e-buses to
be deployed across cies • PPP mode (Public-Private Partnership) for city bus operaons • Support for
10 years • Centre to oer subsidies,
subsidies, Rs 57,613 crore allocated • Cies with 3 lakhs+ populaon covered,
priority for those without bus services • Two segments: Augmenng city buses, Green Urban Mobility
• Upgradaon: Depot infrastructure development,
development, Power infrastructure for e-buses created.
created.
The Hindu
VGF Scheme Union Cabinet approved Viability Gap Fund-

ing (VGF) Sc heme forfor
Scheme Baery
Baery Infrastructure:
Energy Storage Systems (BESS) • BESS devices store energy from renewables
renewables
like solar and wind for later use • Govt provides
provides up toto 40% capital
capital cost support via VGF to reduce BESS
costs • To
To provide clean and aordable electricity through renewable sources • A m minimum
inimum of 85% BESS
BESS
capacity to be available to Distribuon Companies (Discoms) • Enhances renewable energy energy integraon
integraon
into the grid and minimizes infrastructure costs • To develop 4,000 MWh of BESS projects by 2030-31
• For a Levelised Cost of Storage (LCoS) between Rs.5.50-6.60 per kWh.
kWh.
The Hindu
EV Charging Standard for Bikes and Scooters: BIS approves charging connector
standard for Light Electric Vehicles (LEVs) • Named as: ISI7017 (Part 2/Sec 7) 2023 • D
Developed
eveloped collabo-
ravely with NITI Aayog,
Aayog, Department of Science and Technology, Ather Energy, and others • Key Feature:
Combines AC and DC charging, enhancing interoperability and compability • Diverse Charging Stan-
dards: Indian EV manufacturers follow varied standards, similar to past smartphone diversity • Dierent
Charging
States: Standards Worldwide:
Collaboraon China: Uses GB/T,
among EV manufacturers with a dense
to establish network
common of charging
standards staons
• Europe: • United
Dominated by
Combined Charging System (CCS) standard, promoted by EU • Japan: CHAdeMO standard, being phased
out in North America for common standards.
The Indian Express
Oil and Gas Sector – HELP,

HELP, Open Acreage Policy, etc.
West Coast Mega Renery Project: I ndia and Saudi Arabia to expedite $50 billion
West Coast renery project • Also known as Ratnagiri Renery and Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL) • India’s
largest Greeneld renery,
renery, with 60 million tonnes per annum capacity • Located in B Barsu
arsu Village, Ratnag-
iri, Maharashtra, on India’s western coast • Expected to produce 1.2 million barrels of oil daily and various
petroleum products • Joint venture
venture partnership
partnership called RRPCL,
RRPCL, comprising a 50:25:25 rao between IOCL,
BPCL, and HPCL • In 2019, Saudi Aramco and ADNOC acquired a 50% stake in the project.
project.
The Indian Express
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 25
Roads, Highways, Cargo, Air-Cargo and Logiscs infrastructur

infrastructure
e – Bharatmala,
LEEP, SetuBharatam, etc.
Project Dantak: Established on April 24, 1961 • Agreement between the third king of Bhutan and
then PM Nehru • Crucial role in the socio-economic dev elopment and growth of Bhutan • Indo-Bhutan
development
Treaty
Trea ty of Peace and Friendship, 1949 provided for this • Motorized transportaon road in Bhutan • Infra
development too: Contributed to the establishment of medical and educaonal facilies in remote areas
of India • Takthi Canteen operated serves
serves as a major stop for travellers
travellers • Major projects undertaken: Paro
Internaonal Airport built in 1968, Thimphu – Trashigang Highway,
Highway, India House Estate (Indian Embassy in
Bhutan).
PIB
Setu Bandhan Scheme: Approved for 7 bridge projects in Arunachal Pradesh • Nodal agency:
Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) • Objecve: To enhance
inter-state
inter-state connecvity,
connecvity, especially in rural border areas • Focuses on replacing railway line Level Crossings
(LCs) with Road Over Bridges (ROBs) or Rail under Bridges (RUBs) • CRIF established in 2000 through the
Central Road Fund Act • Previously
Previously known as the Central Road Fund (under Ministry of Finance) • Funded
through a Cess levied in conjuncon with excise duty on petrol and diesel.
PIB
LEADS Report, 2023: MCI released 5th edion of “Logiscs Ease Across Dierent State (LEADS)
2023” report • Indigenous
Indigenous index
index assessing logiscs infrastructure
infrastructure,, services, and human resources across
all 36 States and UTs • Conceived in 2018 with World
World Bank’s
Bank’s LPI (Logiscs Performance Index) and has
evolved since • Evaluates
Evaluates logiscs performance
performance based on logiscs infrastructure
infrastructure,, services, and operang
and regulatory environment
environment • Based on a pan-India primary
primary survey
survey conducted between May and July
2023, with over 7,300 responses and insights from 750 stakeholder consultaons • Achievers: 13 states/
UTs, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, and Gujarat, recognized for ecient
logiscs services aiding export promoon and economic growth • Fast Movers: Kerala, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland noted for signicant logis-
cal improvements • Aspirers: Goa, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhasgarh, Himachal Pradesh, and
Jharkhand idened as regions with growth potenal in logiscs.
The Hindu
Telecom and Postal Sector – Spectrum Allocaon, Call Drops, Predatory Pricing,
etc
All India Radio (AIR) : Radio broadcasng began with the Radio Club of Bombay’s rst com-
mercial transmission in 1923 • 1927 establishment of the Indian Broadcasng Company (IBC) • 1930
establishment of the Indian State Broadcasng Service (ISBS) • 1936 renamed as All India Radio(AIR)
• Coverage was limited to just 2% of India’s land area and only reached 11% of its populaon
popul aon • Today,
Today, AIR
has a vast network of over 262 radio staons that cover 92 percent of India’India ’s area and nearly all of its pop-
ulaon • AIR broadcasts
broadcasts in 23 languages and 146 dialects,
dialects , 16 foreign languages,
languages, reaching out to over 100
countries • Its News
News Services Division broadcasts 647 bullens daily,
daily, for nearly
nearly 56 hours in total • Addi-
onally,, AIR has 18 FM stereo channels,
onally channels, and FM broadcasng began began in Chennai in 1977 • Name change to
exclusively refer
refer to AIR as Akashvani is in line with the Prasar Bhara Act, 1990,
1990, passed by the Parliament,
and is more in tune with listeners’ emoonal connect, as well as the law that came into being iin n 1997.
The Indian Express
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 26
Submarine Cables in India: TRAI has issued recommendaons on rules governing undersea
cables connecng Indian telecom networks to the global internet • A cable laid on the seabed to to transmit
telecommunicaon signals between land-based staons • Uses ber-opc technology for data transmis-
sion • More
More reliable,
reliable, cost
cost-ecient
-ecient,, and have larger capacity compared to satellites • Examples: MIST
Submarine Cable System (connecng India with Myanmar,
Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore) • India Asia
Xpress (IAX) (India to the Maldives,
Maldives, Singapore, Sri Lanka,
Lanka, and Thailand) • India Europe Xpress (IEX) (India
to Italy via Saudi Arabia and Greece)
Greece) • SeaMeWe-6 project (Singapore to France via India, Bangladesh, and
Maldives) • Africa2 Cable (India with the UK via several African countries).
The Hindu
Naonal Broadcasng Day (July 23): Radio broadcasng began with the Radio Club
of Bombay’s rst commercial transmission in 1923 • 1927 establishment of the Indian Broadcasng
Company (IBC) • 1930 establishment of the Indian State Broadcasng Service (ISBS) • 1936 renamed
as All India Radio(AIR) • Coverage was limited to just
just 2% of India’s land
land area and only reached 11% of its
populaon
popula on • TToday,
oday, AIR has a vast network of over 262 radio staons that cover 92 percent of India’s area
and nearly all of its populaon • AIR broadcasts
broadcasts in 23 languages and 146 dialects,
dialects , 16 foreign languages,
languages,
reaching out to over 100 countries • Its News
News Services Division broadcasts
broadcasts 647 bullens daily,
daily, for nearly
56 hours in total • Addionally,
Addionally, AIR has 18 FM stereo channels,
channels, and FM broadcasng began in Chennai in
1977 • Name change to exclusively
exclusively refer
refer to AIR as Akashvani is in line with the Prasar Bhara Act, 1990,
1990,
passed by the Parliament, and is more in tune with listeners’ emoonal connect, as well as the law that
came into being in 1997.
The Indian Express
Sanchar Saathi: Ministry of Communicaons launched the Sanchar Saathi portal • It is a ci-
zen-centric iniave to empower mobile subscribers,
subscribers, strengthen their security and increase awareness
• Developed by: C-DoT under the Department of Telecommunicaons (DoT) • CEIR (Central Equipment
Identy Register) for blocking stolen/lost mobiles • Know your mobile connecons
connecons: To know mobile con-
necons registered in your name • ASTR (Arcial Intelligence and Facial Recognion powered Soluon
for Telecom
Telecom SIM Subscriber Vericaon): To idenfy fraudulent subscribers • Vericaon: Check the con-
necons registered on their names, Report fraudulent or unrequired connecons, Block the mobile phones
which are stolen/lost and Check IMEI genuineness before buying a mobile phone.
phone.
The Hindu
Telecommunicaons Bill, 2023: Passed by both the houses • Replaces two major laws:
the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 • Central government
authorizaon
trum is will
allocaon needed for be
mainly telecom networks
networks,
through aucons
aucons,, service provision,
, with some or radioeequipment
administrave
administrav possession
assignments • Telecom• inter
Spec--
cepon is permied for state security,
security , public order, or prevenng oences,
oences, with similar criteria for service
suspension • Facilitates
Facilitates right of way
way for telecom infrastructure
infrastructure on both public and private properes
• User protecon measures include consent for message receipt and a do not disturb register • Delegates
intercepon procedures and safeguards to Centre, raising inclusion concerns • Potenal for mass sur-
veillance under the Bill may conict with the right to privacy • Absence of detailed procedural safeguards
for premise and vehicle searches • Biometric vericaon for users might violate privacy rights • Broad
denion of telecommunicaon services could include internet-based
internet-based services • Centralizes regulatory
funcons in the government • Government
Government can modify oences in the Bill through nocaons,
nocaons, ques-
oning the need for parliamentary acts for such changes.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 27
Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) Broadcasng: DoT and Prasar Bhara are exploring D2M
broadcasng technology for broadcasng content to mobile phones without needing an internet connec-
on • Aimed
Aimed atat improving
improving broadband
broadband consumpon and spectrum ulizaon • Merges broadband and
broadcast,, enabling mobile phones to receive terrestrial digital TV • Similar to FM radio on phones,
broadcast phones, D2M
allows direct recepon of mulmedia content • Allows streaming of live news, sportssports,, etc • , on mobile
phones without internet data usage • Mulmedia access at a low cost, VoD, or OTT content without mo-
bile data; in rural areas with limited internet • Shi video trac
trac from mobile
mobile to broadcast
broadcast networks
networks, eas-
ing mobile spectrum congeson • Enhances mobile spectrum eciency, eciency, potenally reducing call drops
and improving data speeds • DoT has set up a commiee to assess the feasibility of a spectrum band for
direct broadcast to smartphones • 526-582 MHz band is under consideraon for integraon with mobile
and broadcast services • Prasar Bhara and IIT Kanpur collaborated last year to test the technology’s
feasibility.
FE
Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Opcal Fiber Connecon

(KLI-SOFC) Project: PM inaugurat
i naugurated
ed KLI-SOFC project, improving Lakshadweep’
Lakshadweep’ss digital connec-
vity • Total link distance of the project is 1,868 kms • Addresses Lakshadweep’s
Lakshadweep’s digital needs,
needs, over-
coming satellite communicaon limits and bandwidth issues • Submarine Opc Fiber Cable connecvity
to Lakshadweep for the rst me • Fiber opcs technology
technology uses light pulses for data transmission along
glass or plasc bers • Funded
Funded by the Department
Department of Telecommunicaons
Telecommunicaons through the Universal Ser-
vices Obligaon Fund, BSNL executed
executed the project • Links Kochi to eleven Lakshadweep Islands:
Islands: Kavara,
Aga, Amini, Kadmat, Chetlet, Kalpeni, Minicoy,
Minicoy, Androth, Kiltan, Bangaram, and Bitra • Supports ‘Digital
India’
nance,and ‘Naonal
Tourism, Broadband
Educaon, Mission’
Mission’,
Health, , aiding
Commerce
Commerce, e-governance
, and Industries in
in Lakshadweep • Sectors
Lakshadweep will benetlike e-Gover-
signicantly
• Local populaon will access high-speed broadband and 5G/4G mobile networks • Bandwidth will be
available to all Telecom Service Providers,
Providers, enhancing telecom services in the islands.
PIB
Urban Transformaon – Smart Cies, AMRUT, etc.

Naon First Transit Card: SBI introduced India’s rst NFTC for digital fare payments • En-
ables digital ckeng for mulple modes of transport and parking on a single card • Str
Streamlines
eamlines commut-
ing and digital payments for metro, buses, ferries, and parking • Ulizes RuPay and Naonal Common
Mobility Card (NCMC) technology • Launched on March 4, 2019 • Concept originated from the RBI’s Nan-
dan Nilekani commiee • Ministry of Housing and Urban Aairs’ iniave for cashless transacons and
unied payments • Oers a contactless transport soluon through RuPay, developed by NPCI • Funcons
as an automac fare collecon system for metro, bus, and suburban railways
railways..
The Hindu
YashoBhoomi Convenon Centre: Inaugurated India Internaonal Convenon and

Expo Centre’s (IICC) rst phase, YashoBhoomi, in New Delhi’s Dwarka • Modern convenon center for
MICE (Meengs, Incenves, Conferences, and Exhibions) in Dwarka • Among the world’s world’s largest MICE
desnaons,, it features a Convenon Centre, Exhibion halls, and more • Pr
desnaons Project
oject spans 8.9 lakh sqm
with a cost of Rs 5400
540 0 crores • Infr
Infrastructure details: 15 rooms, Main Auditorium, Grand Ballroom, and 13
astructure details:
meeng rooms with a 11,000-delegate capacity • Largest LED media facade in India • Plenary hall seats
around 6,000 guests • Exhibion halls cover over 1.07 lakh sqm for exhibions, trade fairs, and business
events • Equipped with a wastewater
wastewater treatment
treatment system for 100% reuse and rainwat
rainwater
er harvesng provi-
sions.
CD
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 28
‘Namo Bharat’ Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS): First 17km priority
secon inaugurated for Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor • NCRTC oversees RRTS projects,
projects, a joint venture
between the Centre and Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and UP governments • Inial staons: Sahibabad,
Ghaziabad Guldhar, Duhai, Duhai depot • Trains
Trains run every 15 minutes
minutes,, potenal for 5-minute intervals;
designed and made
made in India • Eight corridors idened;
idened; Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut, Delhi-Gurugram-SNB-Al-
war, Delhi-Panipat priorized rst • 180 km
kmph
ph,, operaonal speed of 160 kmph.
The Indian Express
Cantonments Boards: Centre has kicked o a plan to abolish the 62 cantonments around the
country as “archaic colonial legacies” • The rst one is Yol in Himachal Pradesh • Cantonments are perma-
legacies”
nent military staons governed by the Cantonments
Cantonments Act, 2006 • There are 62 cantonments
cantonments in India that
are maintained by the Defence Estates Organizaon (DEO) under the Ministry of Defence • Cantonments
are considered to have beer infrastructure and facilies compared to other parts of the country, and Can-
tonment Boards are democrac
democrac bodies comprising elected and nominated members • The Cantonments
Act, 2006, replaced the Cantonments Act, 1924,
1924, to provide greater autonomy and accountability to the
Cantonment Boards • Cantonments
Cantonments are categorized based on the populaon residing inside them, with
four categories ranging from more than 50,000 to industrial or training Cantonments irrespecve
irrespecve of their
populaon size.
The Times Of India
Meri LiFE Mera Swachh Shehar Campaign: Ministry for Housing and Urban Aairs
(MoHUA) has launched the
the campaign • Objecve is to establish
establish ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) Centres’
inRRR
• cies • Cizens
Centres can contribute
to deposit clothes,
unused or shoes,
used items,
items old books,
, which toys,
will then and used plasc
be refurbished for into
or made reuse or products
new recycling
by dierent stakeholders • Aims at creang a circular economy and reducing waste
waste generaon
generaon • India in-
troduced LiFE Movement @ 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Pares- COP26 in Glasgow in 2021
• It promotes an environmentally conscious lifestyle that emphasizes mindful and deliberate ulizaon
instead of mindless and wasteful consumpon.
PIB
Smart Cies Mission: Iniave of MoHUA (Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Aairs)
• Launched on June 25, 2015 by Prime Minister
Minister • To improve municipal services and enhance liveability
across cies • Centrally Sponsored Scheme,
Scheme, with the Centre
Centre providing
providing nancial support of Rs • 48,000
crores over
over 5 years,
years, averaging
averaging Rs • 100 crore per
per city per year
year • 100 cies were selected for the Mission
over ve rounds between
between January 2016 and June
June 2018 • Objecve: provide corecore infrastructure,
infrastructure, a clean
and sustainable environment,
environment, and a decent quality of life thr
through
ough the applicaon of smart soluons • Eco-
nomic growth
physical, and improved
and instuonal
and quality
aspects of life
of the cityare targeted through
• Matching comprehensive
funds are work
to be provided on social,
by the economic,
State/ULB • Ad-
dional resources will be raised
raised through convergence
convergence • ULB’s own funds and grants under the Finance
Commission, Municipal Bonds, government programs, and borrowings.
The Hindu
City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) Project:

Centre has approved the second phase of CITIIS • A project
project under the Smart Cies Mission,
Mission, focusing on
integrated
integrated waste management
management and climate-oriented reform
reform acons • It will be implemented in 18 cies
selected through compeon over a four-year period from 2023 to 2027 • CITIIS 2.0 aims to support cir- cir-
cular economy and waste management projects at the city level l evel,, climate reform acons at the State level,
and knowledge disseminaon at the levell • Implemented in partnership with the French Devel-
the naonal leve
opment Agency (AFD), Kreditanstalt fur Wiederauau (KfW), the European Union (EU), and the Naonal
Instute of Urban Aairs (NIU
(NIUA)
A) • Components include nancial and technical support for climate-resilient
projects in smart cies, intervenons to enhance climate governance, and promoon of climate adapta-
on and migaon measures.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 29
Cantonments Boards: Centre has kicked o a plan to abolish the 62 cantonments around the
legacies” • The rst one is Yol in Himachal Pradesh • Cantonments are perma-
country as “archaic colonial legacies”
nent military staons governed by the Cantonments
Cantonments Act, 2006 • There are 62 cantonments
cantonments in India that
are maintained by the Defence Estates Organizaon (DEO) under the Ministry of Defence • Cantonments
are considered to have beer infrastructure and facilies compared to other parts of the country, and Can-
tonment Boards are democrac
democrac bodies comprising elected and nominated members • The Cantonments
Act, 2006, replaced the Cantonments Act, 1924,
1924, to provide greater autonomy and accountability to the
Cantonments are categorized based on the populaon residing inside them, with
Cantonment Boards • Cantonments
four categories ranging from more than 50,000 to industrial or training Cantonments irrespecve
irrespecve of their
populaon size.
The Hindu
Ampli 2.0 Portal: MoHUA launched Ampli 2.0 portal to support data-driven policymaking
• Acronym for: Assessment and Monitoring Plaorm for Liveable, Inclusive, and Future-Ready Urban India
• Provides easy access to raw data from Indian cies,
cies, aiding researchers, academics, and stakeholders
in urban policy formulaon • 258 ULBs are onboarded,
onboarded, with data for 150 cies available on the plaorm
• Accessible data from all 3,739 municipal corporaons • Oers diverse data,
data, including consumpon,
water quality,
quality, healthcare spending, slum populaon, and road accident fatalies.
The Hindu
AAINA Dashboard for Cies: MoHUA launched ‘AAINA Dashboard for Cies’ portal (www.
aaina.gov.in) • Comprehensive database of ULBs (Urban Local Bodies’) key performance metrics • Enable
cies to compare their performance with others • Highlight potenal improvements
improvements and inspire cies
• Facilitate learning and engagement with leading cies • Will NOT rank
rank ULBs but will be a comparave
tool for peer learning • 5 Pillars: Polical & Administrave Structure; Finance; Planning; Cizen Centric
Governance; Delivery of Basic Services.
CD
Civil Aviaon Sector – CA Policy 2016, UDAN, Open Skies, etc.

UDAN 5.1 : Recently launched by Ministry of Civil Aviaon to further enhance connecvity to
remote areas and achieve last mile connecvity through helicopt
helicopters
ers • Designed for helicopter routes,
routes,
allowing priority areas for either origin or desnaon locaon • Reducon of airfare caps by 25% aims to
make ying in helicopters
helicopters more aordable for for passengers • Viability Gap Funding (VGF) caps for operators
have been substanally
substanally increased for both single and twin-engine helicopters • Reects deeper democra-
zaon of air travel with a focus on last-mile connecvity and a growing interest in helicopters for tourism
• Previous rounds of scheme have already operaonalized 46 helicopter routes • Beneng hilly and NE
states, and this round aims to cover a larger number of routes.
CD
DigiY
igiYatra Inia ve: Facial scans and barcoded e-ckets,
atra Iniave e-ckets, are installed at 13 airports, with plans
for 25 more next year • Enables paperless
paperless airport entry with facial recognion technology • Aims for pa-
perless, contactless checkpoints,
checkpoints, linking facial features to boarding passes • Automates passenger entry
at airport entry, security checks, and boarding • Implemen
Implementedted by
by the DigiYatra
DigiYatra Foundaon
Foundaon,, a joint ven-
ture including the Airports Authority of India and major Indian airports • Airpor
Airports
ts Authority of India has a
26% stake,
stake, with ve major airports sharing the remaining 74% • Passengers register on the DigiYatra app
with Aadhaar validaon and a self-captured image • Scan their boarding pass, pass, sharing credenals with
airport authories • Special e-gate
e-gate validates identy and travel documents through facial recognion.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 30
e-Commerce: The New Boom

Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC): India Post is expected to join ONDC
• Established by the DPIIT,
DPIIT, ONDC comes under
under Ministry of Commer
Commercece and Industry • Private non-prot
company under Secon 8 of Companies Act • Open e-commerce is the the move behind • Established in
2021:: inial investments from the Quality Council of India and Protean eGov Technologies
2021 Technologies Limited • UPI of
e-commerce • Government-backed plaorm that aims to democraze
democraze e-commerce
e-commerce • Address violaons
of Consumer Protecon (E-Commerce)
(E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2021 by Big T Tech
ech companies • Ulizes a “free
soware” methodology,
methodology, open specicaons, and an open networknetwork protocol • Backend is built on the
Beckn Protocol, which is an open and interoperable protocol for decentralized
decentralized digital commerce • Beckn
Gateways provide anonymized aggregated data from the network.
The Hindu
Railway Reforms
TCAS-Kavach: Recent train collision in Andhra Pradesh highlighted the absence of Tr
Trac
ac Collision
Avoidance Systems (TCAS), including the indigenous ‘Kavach’ system • Kav
Kavach
ach is a cab signaling train con-
trol system with an-collision features developed by RDSO and three Indian vendors • India’s Naonal
Automac Train Protecon (ATP) System,
System, adhering to Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4) standards • Alerts
loco pilots of ‘red signals’ and applies automac brakes if needed to prevent overshoong • Relay SoS
messages during emergencies and oers centralized live train monitoring through the Network Monitor
System • 3 components: First Component: RFID technology incorporated into tracks for object idenca-
on without physical contact • Second Component: Locomove equipped with RFID readers readers,, a computer
compu ter,,
and brake interface equipment • Third Component: Radio infrastructure (towers, modems) at railway
staons •for
challenge Deployment cost is
comprehensive ₹50 lakh per km,
implementaon km , withthe
across limited coverage
68,000 of approximately
km rail network.
network . 1,500 km • Big
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 31
Energy
Renewable Energy – Wind, Tidal, Geothermal, etc.

PUSHp Portal: NPC seeks State input on incenves via PUSHp surplus power portal • Ministry
of Power launched High Price Day Ahead Market (HP-DAM) and Surplus Power Portal (PUSHp) • Aims to
enhance peak power availability beyond Rs 12 per unit ceiling • DISCOMs can list surplus power in block
mes on the portal • Power-needing DISCOMs can request surplus power • New buyer pays pays variable
charge (VC) and xed cost (FC) determined by Regulators • Reassigned power’s original beneciary loses
recall right, shis FC liability to new beneciary • DISCOMs benet from reduced xed cost burden and
full generaon capacity ulizaon • Day Ahead Market: Physical electricity trading within 24 hours from
midnight • Traded
Traded in 15-minute blocks,
blocks, prices and electricity determined by aucon bidding.
bidding.
The Hindu
White Hydrogen: Vast white hydrogen reservoir found while searching for fossil fuels in north-
eastern France • Also known as “natural,” “gold,”
“gold,” or ““geologi
geologic”
c” hydrogen,
hydrogen, it occurs
oc curs naturally in the Earth’s
crust and oers clean energy potenal • Typically found combined with other molecules • Advantages
oered: Produces no CO2 emissions when used as fuel • Compable with exisng H2 infrastructure and
technologies • More cost-eecve
cost-eecve and ecient
ecient than steam reforming or electrolysis • Abundant and
renewable • Deposits exist worldwide,
worldwide, including the US, Eastern Europe, Russia, Australia, France, and
more • Types of Hydrogen: Grey Hydrogen: Produced from coal or lignite gasicaon, or steam meth-
ane reformaon (SMR), oen carbon-intensive • Blue Hydrogen: Produced via gasicaon with carbon
capture technologies to reduce emissions • Gr
Green
een Hydrogen: Generated through water electrolysis using
Hydrogen:
renewable energy.
energy.
CD
Biofuel Policy
Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA): 14th Clean Energy Ministerial conference in Goa,
Goa, July 19-
22, 2023, to establish GBA • GBA draws inspiraon from the Internaonal Solar Alliance (ISA) • Priority
under India’s G20 Presidency • Non-G20 countries can be member • US and Brazil, global leaders in
biofuels, working with India for GBA; account for 55% and 27% of global ethanol producon • Supported
by internaonal organizaons like World Economic Forum, Internaonal Energy Forum, and Internaon-
al Energy Agency • Objecve: Facilitate cooperaon and intensify sustainable biofuel use, especially in
transportaon sector • Focus on strengthening
strengthening markets, global biofuels trade
trade,, policy lesson-sharing, and
technical
Down support for naonal biofuels programs.
to Earth programs.
UDAY Scheme for Discoms

Time-of-Day Tari: Amendment to Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020,
2020 , introducing
me-of-day (ToD) tari provisions • Unit prices will vary with day-me
day-me under ToD tari, electricity • Tar-
is will be stac, predetermined for dierent me blocks of the day • For ““solar
solar hours” tari
tari will be at
least 20% lower than normal taris, as specied by State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) • Peak
hour taris will be 20% higher for commercial customer and at least 10% higher for others • Applicable
from April 2024 for Commercial (max • 10 KW and above), and from April 2025 for others (accept agri-
cultural) • Require
Require smart meters
meters,, already implemented for large commercial and industrial consumers by
most SERCs • Benets
Benets oered:
oered: Reduce electricity bills for consumers, reduced peak hour load.
Live Mint
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 32
Oil and Gas Sector – HELP,

HELP, Open Acreage Policy, etc.
PM Ujjwala Scheme: LPG cylinder subsidy increase from ₹200 to ₹300 under PM Ujjwala
Scheme • Applies to 12 rells per year for beneciaries • PMUY launched
launched in May
May 2016 to provide depos-
it-free LPG connecons to adult women in poor households • Objecves: Promote clean cooking fuel (LPG)
for women’s
women’s and children’s health, empower rural women through connecons in their names • Ujjwala
2.0 (2021-22) aiming to provide deposit-free LPG connecons to more low-income families • Total bene-
ciaries: As of March 1, 2023, there are 9.59 crore PMUY beneciaries.
beneciaries.
The Hindu
India’s First Reference Fuel: Self-reliance with the producon of ‘reference’ petrol and
diesel • Previously imported from Europe and the US • High-value
High-value Petrol
Petrol and Diesel used for vehicle
calibraon and tesng • Strict specicaons like Cetane number, ash point, viscosity, sulphur content,
etc. • Have octane numbers
numbers of 97,
97, exceeding regular and premium fuels • Indian Oil Corporaon
Corporaon (IOC)
developed reference petrol in Paradip and diesel in Panipat • Die
Dierent
rent ethanol-gasoline
ethanol-gasoline blends (E0, E5,
E10, E20, E85, E100) from Paradip • Panipat renery produces
produces B7 grade reference diesel fuel • Domesc
producon lowers costs signicantly compared to imported reference fuel • Oers shorter lead mes and
import substuon at a beer price • Ethanol blending reduces carbon footprint and emissions in gaso-
line vehicles • Diesel B
B7
7 contains up to 7% biocomponents • Oct
Octane
ane number
number measures fuel resistance to
engine knocking • Cetane number indicates diesel ignion quality • Flash point is the lowest temperature
for vapor ignion • Viscosity measures uid resistance to ow • Acid number gauges the amount of acidic
substance in oil.
The Economic Times
Mozambique LNG Project: India reviews $20 billion project for LNG in Mozambique • Proj-
ect iniated in 2010 with the discovery of signicant natural gas reserves o northern Mozambique • 3
Indian PSUs have a 30% stake in the project • Mozambique’s
Mozambiq ue’s strategic locaon near India’s west coast
enhances its importance as an LNG source • India seeks to increase natural
natural gas in its energy mix, with LNG
imports playing a vital role • Other companies halted operaons in April 2021 due to security concerns
• Humanitarian mission in December 2022 recommended acons to address local issues • India acvely
engages project partners to restart the project since May 2023 • Geopolically signican
signicantt as India diver-
sies LNG suppliers beyond reliance on Qatar
Qatar..
CD
Coal and Mining Sector

Naonal Coal Index (NCI): Recent NCI surge in September,
September, rst rise since April 2023 • Price
index reecng coal price changes relave to a xed base year FY 2017-18 • Released monthly by the
Ministry of Coal • Introduced
Introduced on June 4, 2020,
2020, to monitor coal price uctuaons • Combines coal prices
from: noed prices, aucon prices, and import prices • Crucial for
for determining premium rates
rates,, either
per ton or through revenue sharing, using a market-based approach • NCI comprises ve sub-indices:
three for Non-Coking Coal and two for Coking Coal • Sub-indices are
are merged
merged to create
c reate separate
separate indices for
Non-Coking (has higher ash content) and Coking Coal.
Coal .
Live Mint
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 33
Tantalum reserves in Sutlej Basin: IIT-R

IIT-Ropar
opar researchers discovered tantalum in Pun-
jab’s soil in the Sutlej River Basin • Rare metal
jab’s metal with atomic number 73, 73, is named aer the Greek myth-
ological gure Tantalus • Grey,
Grey, heavy, hard,
hard, and highly corrosion-resistant • Forms a tough oxide layerlayer
when exposed to air, resisng strong acids • Ducle when pure, pure, can be drawn into thin wires • Resistant
to chemical aacks below 150°C,
150°C, except by hydrouoric acid, uoride ion soluons, and sulphur trioxide
• Extremely high melng point,point, surpassed only by tungsten and rhenium • Widely used in electronic
capacitors for storing electricity eciently in small sizes • Ideal for portable
portable devices like smartphones,
laptops, and digital cameras • Used in chemical plants, plants, nuclear power plants, airplanes, and missiles
• Non-reacve with bodily uids,
uids , suitable for surgical tools and implants like arcial joints • Tantalum
carbide (TaC) and graphite composite is one of the hardest materials used in high-speed machine tools
• About SUTLEJ River: Starts from Lake Rakshastal in Tibet, Tibet, near Mount Kailash • About 1,500 km (930
miles); Longest of the ve rivers of Punjab • Flows through
through Tibet, India (Himachal Pradesh, Punjab), and
Pakistan • Major tributary includes the Beas River in India • Part of Indus River System
System,, joins the Chenab
River in Pakistan • Crucial for irrigaon,
irrigaon, and hydroelectric power (Bhakra Nangal Dam) • Governed by
Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan.
The Indian Express
Sugar Industry – FRP, SAP, Rangarajan Commiee, EBP, MIEQ, etc.

Pressmud from Sugar Industry: India to leverage Pressmud,
Pressmud, a sugar industry by-product,
for green energy producon, specically Compressed Biogas (CBG) • W World’s
orld’s leading sugar producer since
2021-22 and second-largest exporter,
exporter, India has a signicant role in the global sugar economy • Press-
mud, or lter cake,
cake, is recognized for its potenal in green energy producon • Yield is 3-4% by weight of
processed sugarcane • Feedstock
Feedstock for biogas
biogas producon via anaerobic digeson • Anaerobic digeson
involves bacteria breaking down organic maer without oxygen • Could pr produce
oduce about 460,000 tonnes of
CBG, valued at Rs 2,484 crore under the SATA (Sustainable Alternave towards Aordable Transportaon
scheme) scheme • Advantages: Consistent quality and simple sourcing • Simplied supply chain chain com-
pared to agricultural residue • Farmers engaged for agricultural residue • Higher conversion eciency,
eciency,
requiring less quanty than cale dung • Lower costcost (Rs 0.4-0.6 per kg) and no pre-treatment costs,
costs, as it
lacks lignin found in agri-residue
ag ri-residue • CBG Conversion: 25 tonnes of Pressmud needed for one tonne of CBG,
versus 50 tonnes of cale dung.
dung.
Down to Earth
Foreign Policy Watch: India-Bangladesh

Maitree Super Thermal Power Project: BHEL announced the synchronisaon of Maitree with
the electricity grid in Bangladesh • 1,320MW coal-red
coal-red power staon in Rampal, Bangladesh • Devel-
oped on site on bank of Passur River,
River, approximately 14km away from the Sundarbans • 50:50 joint
venture between India’s NTPC and Bangladesh • April 2017 construcon commenced • Consist of two two
ultra-supercrical coal-red units of 660MW capacity each, with a stack height of over 275m • Twin-ue
steel-lined reinforced concrete chimney and ue gas desulfurizaon (FGD) and dry boom ash-handling
systems for emissions control • Financed by EXIM Bank of India through a $1.$1.6bn loan signed in March
2017.
The Hindu
Nuclear Energy
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): SMRs oer India a promising soluon achieve its am-
bious clean energy goals • Capacity up to 300 MW(e) per unit (1/3 of tradional reactors) • SMRs prproo-
duce signicant low-carbon electricity,
electricity, being small, modular, and using nuclear ssion • TYPES: Small:
Fracon of tradional reactor size • Modular: Factory-assembled, transported, and installed • Ulize
nuclear ssion for energy generaon • Enhanced safety features
features reduce radioacve material release risk
• Designed
The Hindu for 40-60 years operaon,
operaon, capacity factors >90%.
>90%.
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 34
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant: First shipment of Russian uranium arrives at Bangladesh’s
Bangladesh’s
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant • Rooppur plant situated on Ganges River eastern bank of the, 160 km
from Dhaka • Bangladesh’s
Bangladesh’s rst
rst nuclear power facility • Part of an Indo-Russian
Indo-Russian agreement for atomic
energy projects in third naons • Supported
Supported by IAEA
IAEA (Internaonal Atomic Energy Agency) for safe and
sustainable nuclear power adopon • IAEA is an intergovernmental
intergovernmental org
organizaon
anizaon for nuclear science and
tech cooperaon, established in 1957 • IAEA’s
IAEA’s Milestones
Milesto nes Approach assists countries in planning their rst
nuclear power plant • Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 35
External Sector
Trade Sector Updates – Falling Exports, TIES, MEIS, Foreign Trade

Trade Policy, etc.
London Interbank Oered Rate (LIBOR): Represents the average interest rate at which major
London banks lend funds to each other • Calculated daily through submissions from a panel of banks,
esmang borrowing rates for dierent currencies and me periods • Administered by Interconnental
Interconnental
Exchange
contracts and averages
• Various these submissions
currencies to determine
included: USD, GBP, LIBOR
EUR, GBP, JPY, rates,
JPY, CHF serving instuons
• Financial as a benchmark
instu forLIBOR
ons rely on nancial
for
pricing loans, derivaves, bonds, and other instruments • Concerns: Reliability and and manipulaon • Al-
ternave is MIFOR:
MIFOR: Mumbai Interbank Forward Outright Rate is a benchmark rate used in Indian nancial
markets • Represents the forward premium or discount on the USD-INR exchange rate based on the
LIBOR rate.
The Hindu
Export Preparedness Index, 2022: NITI Aayog released the 3rd edion of EPI for States/
UT
UTss of India in 2022 • Analyzes export-related
export-related parameters
parameters for States and UTs across to idenfy strengths
and weaknesses • 4 Pillars include: Policy, Business Ecosystem, Export Ecosystem, and Export Performance
• 10 sub-pillars: such as Export Promoon Policy, Infrastructure,
Infrastructure, Trade
Trade Support, and Export Diversicaon
• Tamil Nadu topped EPI 2022,
2022, followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka • Uarakhand rranked
anked rst among
hilly/Himalayan states,
states, followed by Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya,
Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram • Haryana topped topped the chart
chart among landlocked
landlocked regions
regions,, followed by
Telangana, Uar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan
Rajasthan..
Live Mint
Dual-Use Items: DGFT emphasizes enhanced export control of dual-use items • Primarily de-
signed for civilian use but can also be ulized for military or prohibited purposes • Ex
Examples
amples include pre-
cursor chemicals like sarin gas and components like centrifuges • India m maintains
aintains a specialized SCOMET
list (speciality chemicals, organisms, materials, equipment, and technologies) for dual-use items • Subject
to regulaon as per India’s Foreign Trade Policy • Missile and dual-use export control regimes
regimes (MECRs)
especially related to proliferaon of Weapons of Mass Destrucon (WMD) • India member of 3 out of four
MECRs,, excluding the one related to nuclear technology • 4 key
MECRs key MECRs include: Nuclear Supplier
Supplierss Group
Group
(NSG) for nuclear technology control • Australia Group (AG) for chemical and biological technology con-
trol • Missile Technology
Technology Control Regime (MTCR) for rockets and aerial vehicles related to WMD delivery
• Wassenaar Arrangement
Arrangement for convenonal arms and dual-use goods and technologies.
technologies .
The Economic Times
Gresham’s Law: Aributed to Thomas Gresham Lanka’s 2022 economic

• Played a role in Sri Lanka’s
crisis • Led to rupee
rupee being considered more valuable than its actual worth and the USD being under-
valued, resulng in fewer USD • People
People started
started avoiding
avoiding using US dollars in ocial transacons • “Bad
money drives out good:” Bad money is equal or less in value than its face value, while good money has the
potenal for greater value • People tend to hoard
hoard more valuable money and spend less valuable money,
causing the less valuable money to dominate the market • Applies when governments x exchange
exchange rates,
rates,
creang a gap between ocial and market rates, aecng not only paper but also commodity currencies
and goods • Contrast to Gresham’s Law: Thiers’ Law: “Good money drives out bad:” In a free exchange
rate environment,
environment, people prefer higher-quality currencies and discard inferior ones.
ones.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

Economy Page 36
Remission of Dues and Taxes

Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) Scheme:
US and EU imposed countervailing dues (CVDs) on four Indian products in response to India’s RoDTEP
scheme for exports since January 2021 • CVDs: taris on imported goods to to oset
oset subsidies given to
producers in the exporng country • Directorate
Directorate General of Trade
Trade Remedies (DGTR) under the Ministry
of Commerce & Industry administers trade remedies, including CVDs • Aim to equalize compeon be-
tween domesc and foreign producers who benet from government subsidies • WTO allows its mem-
bers to impose CVDs • WTO Subsidies and Countervailing Measures Agreement covers regulaons on
subsidies and countervailing measures against subsidized import injuries • Aconable subsidies cause
injury, prejudice, or nullicaon of benets • Tr Transion
ansion rules allow certain exempons for developing
countries and market economy transions • RoDTEP Scheme osets taxes taxes and dues on exported goods
goods
not refunded otherwise, enhancing global market compeveness • Extended unl June 30, 2024, main-
taining exisng export item rates • RODTEP:
RODTEP: Scheme for Remission of Dues and Taxes on Exported Prod-
ucts • Operaonal since January 1, 2021,
2021, replacing MEIS due to WTO ruling • Rebate based on Free on
Board value,
value, issued as transferable
transferable duty credit/e-scrip
credit/e-scrip by CBIC • RoDTEP Commiee in the Department of
Revenue sets sector-specic
sector-speci c rates • Aims to support exporters by reming dues, taxes at central, state,
and local levels • Rs 15,070 crore allocated for RoDTEP in FY 2023-24 • Commiee engages with Export
local levels
Promoon Councils (EPCs) and Chambers of Commerce.
The Hindu | The Hindu
India tops Global Remiance Inows in 2023: Highest global remiance in-
ows at USD 125 billion • India’s currency agreement with the UAE inuenced this surge • World Bank
reported a slowdown in India’s remiance growth to 12 • 4% in 2023, from 24 • 4% in 2022 • India’s
share of South Asian remiances is projected to increase to 66% in 2023, up from 63% in 2022 • Other
top remiance-receiving countries include Mexico (USD 67 billion), China (USD 50 billion), the Philippines
(USD 40 billion), and Egypt (USD 24 billion) • Declining inaon and strong labor markets
markets in high-income
countries boosted remiances • Major remiance sources: US, the UK, Singapore, and the GCC, espe-
cially the UAE • UAE
UAE is the second-largest
second-largest source of remiances to India, contribung 18% of the total.
The Indian Express
Developing Countries Trading

Trading Scheme (DCTS): UK has introduced DCTS • Oers
duty-free, quota-free trade to Least Developed Countries (LDCs) on all goods except arms • Aims to
enhance the integraon of developing countries into the global economy and strengthen trade and in-
vestment partnerships • Allows for
for the use of components from other countries without losing
l osing duty-free
status • Indian goods might
might lose their concessional duty access worth $960
$9 60 million to the UK market.
market.
The Hindu
act ion.
Civilsdaily
www.civilsdaily.com

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| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

Finance and Banking

Banking Sector Reforms 19

Oil and Gas Sector – HELP, Open Acreage Policy, etc. 38

Genecally Modied (GM) crops – coon, mustards, etc.

Food Procurement and Distribuon

Bharat Aa: Subsidized packaged wheat our,

GI(Geographical Indicator) Tags

Goan Cashew gets GI Tag: Swayampurna Goa mission’

Kerala is boosng culvaon,

Minimum Support Prices for Agricultural Produce

Ferlizer Sector reforms – NBS, bio-ferlizers, Neem coang, etc.

PM-PRANAM Scheme: Cabinet approved PM-PRANAM scheme (announced in budget 2023-

Urea Gold: PM launched “Urea Gold” in Sikar,

Agricultural Sector and Markeng Reforms

Dr. MS Swaminathan passes away: Father of Green Revoluon passed away at 98

Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries Sector

Finance and Banking

Global Financial Innovaon Network (GFIN): RBI parcipated in GFIN’s Green-

Card-on-File Tokenisaon (CoFT): RBI proposed Card-on-File Tokenisaon (CoFT) • CoFT

S. Venkitaramanan and 1991 Economic Reforms: Recently passed away;

Banking Sector Reforms

Fraconal-Reserve Banking: Economists debate Full-Reserve Banking vs.

Naonal Bank for Financing Infrastructure & Development (NaB -

Prompt Correcve Acon (PCA) Framework: PCA framework extended to govt

Capital Markets: Challenges and Developments

REITs and InvIT

One-Hour Trade Selement: SEBI plans to implement One-Hour trade Selement by

Parcipatory Notes: India saw a rise in P-notes investments,

Financial Inclusion in India and Its Challenges

Digital India Iniaves

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

BharatNet Project: Approved ₹1.39 lakh crore for last-mile connecvity to 6.

Cashless Society – Digital Payments, Demonezaon, etc.

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

Innovaon Ecosystem in India

Intellectual Property Rights in India

Coal and Mining Sector

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

Make in India: Challenges & Prospects

Kavro Doma 360: MKU Limited Kanpur,

Food Processing Industry: Issues and Developments

Industrial Sector Updates – Industrial Policy

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

“Group of Companies’ Doctrine: SC ruled that non-signatories can be bound by an ar-

India’s Core Sector: India’s eight core

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

Renewable Energy – Wind, Tidal, Geothermal, etc.

VGF Scheme Union Cabinet approved Viability Gap Fund-

Oil and Gas Sector – HELP,

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

Roads, Highways, Cargo, Air-Cargo and Logiscs infrastructur

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Opcal Fiber Connecon

Urban Transformaon – Smart Cies, AMRUT, etc.

YashoBhoomi Convenon Centre: Inaugurated India Internaonal Convenon and

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) Project:

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

Civil Aviaon Sector – CA Policy 2016, UDAN, Open Skies, etc.

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy

e-Commerce: The New Boom

| Dominate Prelims 2024 - Economy