Daily Current Affairs Summary 9th APRIL 2025

10 Years of Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana: Empowering Small Enterprises and Fostering Entrepreneurship
 

1. The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), a flagship initiative by the Government of India, has completed 10 years of empowering the country’s micro and small businesses by providing essential financial support.
2. Launched in 2015, this ambitious programme has helped in funding a significant number of non-corporate, non-farm small and micro enterprises, promoting entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.

About PMMY:

The primary feature of this programme is the provision of collateral-free loans of up to ₹20 lakh by a wide network of Member Lending Institutions (MLIs), which include:

1. Scheduled Commercial Banks
2. Regional Rural Banks
3. Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)
4. Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)

Categories of Loans under PMMY:

The programme offers financial support across four distinct categories based on the loan amount, ensuring that businesses at various stages of growth have access to the funds they need:

1. Shishu: Loans up to ₹50,000 for very small enterprises and startups.
2. Kishor: Loans ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh for enterprises in the growth stage.
3. Tarun: Loans from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh for businesses in a more established phase.
4. Tarun Plus: Loans above ₹10 lakh and up to ₹20 lakh for scaling up larger small businesses.

Achievements of PMMY:

The impact of PMMY in the past decade is evident through several key achievements that highlight the programme's role in fostering entrepreneurship, promoting financial inclusion, and empowering women:

1. Entrepreneurship Revolution: Over the last 10 years, PMMY has sanctioned more than 52 crore loans totaling a staggering ₹32.61 lakh crore. This massive funding has been pivotal in creating a new wave of entrepreneurship, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.
2. Growth in MSME Funding: Since the launch of PMMY, the MSME lending has witnessed an exponential rise.

1. From ₹8.51 lakh crore in FY14, it surged to ₹27.25 lakh crore in FY24, with projections indicating that the MSME sector will cross ₹30 lakh crore in FY25.
2. This growth signifies the increasing importance of MSMEs in India's economy and the role of PMMY in fueling this expansion.

3. Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs: A notable aspect of PMMY's success is its contribution to women empowerment. A remarkable 68% of Mudra beneficiaries are women, reflecting the scheme’s significant impact on promoting women-led enterprises across India. This focus on women entrepreneurship is a crucial step toward achieving gender parity in the business landscape.
4. Promotion of Financial Inclusion: PMMY has been instrumental in advancing financial inclusion. Approximately 50% of Mudra loan accounts are held by entrepreneurs from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).

• Furthermore, 11% of Mudra loan holders belong to minority communities, highlighting the programme's role in ensuring that traditionally marginalized groups have access to financial resources.

UNCTAD's Technology and Innovation Report 2025

1. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released its Technology and Innovation Report 2025, focusing on the crucial role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shaping future economies.
2. The report emphasizes how AI can drive inclusive growth while highlighting the need to address the potential risks of deepening societal divides.

Key Findings from the Report:

1. AI Market Potential: AI is projected to have a $4.8 trillion global market value by 2033, showcasing its growing significance in global economic development.
2. Impact on Employment: AI could affect up to 40% of jobs worldwide, offering significant productivity gains but also raising concerns about automation-driven job displacement.
3. Market Concentration:
   1. 40% of global corporate Research and Development (R&D) spending is concentrated in just 100 firms, predominantly based in the US and China.
   2. The United States alone accounts for 70% of global private investment in AI, highlighting the dominance of a few countries in AI development.

Inclusive AI: Moving Forward

To ensure AI benefits all sectors of society, the report outlines strategies for promoting inclusive AI adoption:

1. AI Adoption in Developing Countries: For AI to benefit developing nations, solutions must be tailored to locally available digital infrastructure, and efforts should be made to lower skill barriers. Additionally, fostering international partnerships is crucial.
2. Worker-Centric Approach: Job workflows and tasks should be adapted to integrate AI effectively, ensuring that workers are not displaced but instead enhanced by AI capabilities.
3. Role of Governments: Governments are encouraged to assess national AI capacities across three main pillars: infrastructure, data, and skills, to build a sustainable and inclusive AI ecosystem.

India's Position in AI and Technology:

India has made significant strides in embracing frontier technologies. Here are some key insights related to India from the report:

1. Readiness for Frontier Technologies Index: India ranked 36th in the UNCTAD's 2024 Readiness for Frontier Technologies Index, reflecting its ongoing progress and areas for improvement in AI and digital technologies.
2. Talent Pool: India boasts a large developer pool with over 13 million developers on GitHub (as of 2023), indicating the country’s growing technical workforce.
3. Government Initiatives: The India AI Mission (2024) aims to create an inclusive AI ecosystem, focusing on the adoption and development of AI solutions that can benefit diverse sectors of the economy.
4. Case Study – Tata Steel: A successful example of AI implementation in India comes from Tata Steel, which has integrated around 250 machine learning systems into its production processes, significantly improving operational efficiency.

Revised Classification of Industries by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

1. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has updated its industry classification system, categorizing a total of 419 sectors into five distinct categories based on their environmental pollution potential.
2. These categories are Red, Orange, Green, White, and Blue.
3. This new classification system aims to enhance environmental management by using a Pollution Index (PI) that reflects the impact of water, air, and hazardous waste generated by each sector.

Key Features of the New Classification System:

1. Pollution Index (PI) Methodology: The revised classification system is based on the Pollution Index (PI), which was developed in 2016.

• The index assigns equal weight to the pollution scores from water, air, and hazardous waste, providing a balanced approach to determining the environmental impact of industries.

2. Categories and Their Criteria: The industries are divided into five categories according to their PI score:
   1. 1. Red (PI > 80)
      2. Orange (55 ≤ PI < 80)
      3. Green (25 ≤ PI < 55)
      4. White (PI < 25)
      5. Blue (Based on CPCB’s formula)
3. Blue Category:
   1. The Blue category is reserved for Essential Environmental Services, which include industries and facilities that manage pollution from domestic and industrial activities. These services are critical for controlling, reducing, and mitigating environmental pollution.
   2. Examples in this category include municipal solid waste management and sewage treatment plants.
4. Classification of Compressed Biogas Plants (CBP): Compressed Biogas (CBG) Plants are categorized based on the type of feedstock used:
   1. 1. CBG plants using municipal solid waste, agro-residue, or energy crops may be placed under the Blue category due to their low environmental impact.
      2. CBG plants that process industrial or process waste will continue to fall under the Red category due to higher pollution potential.
5. Incentives for Environmental Management: Industries that successfully implement environmental management measures may receive incentives, such as extended permits for their operations. This encourages better compliance with pollution control standards.

Industry Classification Based on Pollution Index (PI):

1. Red Category (PI > 80): These industries have the highest environmental impact and include sectors such as:
   1. 1. Cement manufacturing
      2. Automobile manufacturing
      3. Distilleries
2. Orange Category (55 ≤ PI < 80): Industries in this category have moderate pollution potential, including:
   1. Brick manufacturing
   2. Dry cell battery production
   3. Coal washeries
3. Green Category (25 ≤ PI < 55): These industries have a lower pollution impact and include:
   1. Manufacturing of compact discs (CDs/DVDs)
   2. Chilling plants
4. White Category (PI < 25): Industries in the White category have minimal environmental impact. Examples include:

1. Assembly of air coolers
2. Cardboard manufacturing
3. Medical oxygen production

5. Blue Category: Industries that provide Essential Environmental Services, which manage waste and mitigate pollution from both domestic and industrial sources, fall into this category. Examples include:

1. Sanitary landfills
2. Integrated sewage treatment plants

First successful De-extinction of Dire Wolfs executed

The Return of the Dire Wolf

1. Colossal Biosciences has achieved the first successful de-extinction of the dire wolf, a species that went extinct between 10,000 and 13,000 years ago. By using a combination of cloning and gene-editing techniques, scientists have successfully created three dire wolf pups from ancient DNA samples.
2. Instead of the traditional method of cloning, Colossal Biosciences employed a more innovative approach. They used endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from gray wolves, the closest living relatives of the dire wolf.
3. These cells were then gene-edited to closely match the genetic makeup of the extinct species, leading to the birth of the pups. This marks a significant milestone in de-extinction science and demonstrates the potential for reviving extinct species through modern genetic technology.
4. In addition to the dire wolf project, Colossal Biosciences is also working to bring back the pink pigeon, an extinct species native to Mauritius.
5. The process involves extracting primordial germ cells (PGCs) from a fertilized egg of a pink pigeon. These cells are the precursors to sperm and eggs and carry crucial genetic information, which can be used to regenerate the species.

What Is Cloning?

Cloning refers to the process of creating an identical copy of an organism. There are two primary types of cloning:

1. Reproductive Cloning: This involves creating genetically identical individuals. The first successful instance of this was Dolly the sheep in 1996, who was cloned using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The goal of reproductive cloning is to produce organisms that are exact genetic replicas of the original.
2. Therapeutic Cloning (Embryonic Cloning): This type of cloning involves creating embryos for research purposes. The embryos are typically used to study diseases or develop treatments, rather than to create fully developed organisms.

Cloning Methods

1. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT): In this process, the nucleus of a somatic cell (a regular body cell) is transferred into an egg cell that has had its nucleus removed. This technique is commonly used in reproductive cloning.
2. Embryo Splitting: This method involves dividing an early-stage embryo into two or more parts, each of which can develop into a genetically identical organism.

Ethical Considerations in Cloning

The practice of cloning raises several ethical issues, particularly when it comes to the treatment of animals and humans:

1. Commodification of Animals: Cloning may be seen as treating animals as mere commodities, devoid of individual rights or autonomy. This could be seen as a violation of the principle of consent, as animals cannot choose to be cloned.
2. Violation of Bioethics: Cloning can be viewed as interference in the natural process of reproduction. For instance, the idea of creating “designer babies” — humans with selected traits — raises concerns about how far humans should go in manipulating the natural genetic process.
3. Kantian Ethics: From a Kantian perspective, which emphasizes treating others as ends in themselves rather than as means to an end, cloning may be deemed unethical. The act of cloning could be viewed as using organisms solely for human benefit, without regard for their inherent value.

Government Pushes for Saline Aquaculture Hubs in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh

Saline aquaculture refers to the practice of farming aquatic organisms such as fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic plants in saline-affected lands, which are often unsuitable for traditional agriculture. This method utilizes inland saline areas to boost aquaculture production.

Significance of Saline Aquaculture

1. Saline aquaculture has the potential to create significant employment and livelihood opportunities, particularly by tapping into saline land resources that would otherwise go unused.
2. It can help improve aquaculture productivity and contribute to overall economic growth in regions with large areas of saline land.

Saline Aquaculture Potential in India

1. India has vast untapped potential for saline aquaculture. While 58,000 hectares of saline land have been identified in states like Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, only about 2,608 hectares are currently being used for this purpose.
2. India is the second-largest producer of cultured shrimp in the world, with shrimp accounting for 65% of its seafood exports.
3. There is a significant opportunity to further expand and capitalize on this industry through the increased use of saline aquaculture.

Key Challenges for Farmers

Farmers engaged in saline aquaculture face several challenges that hinder the full potential of this sector:

1. Policy Challenges:
   1. Inadequate Subsidy: Current subsidies for saline aquaculture are insufficient to support farmers.
   2. High Land Lease Rates: The cost of leasing land is often too high, making it less feasible for farmers to start or expand their operations.
   3. Limited Unit Size: Restrictions on unit size, typically limited to 2 hectares, can constrain production capacity.
2. Input Challenges:
   1. High Setup Costs: The initial investment required to establish saline aquaculture operations is high.
   2. Fluctuating Salinity Levels: Managing salinity levels in the water is critical to aquaculture success, but fluctuations can make it difficult to maintain optimal conditions.
   3. Lack of High-Quality Seed: Locally available, high-quality seed for farming is scarce, which impacts the productivity of aquaculture.
3. Output Challenges:
   1. Absence of Proper Marketing Infrastructure: There is a lack of effective infrastructure for marketing and selling aquaculture products.
   2. Low Market Prices: The prices for aquaculture products, such as shrimp, can be low, reducing profitability for farmers.

Measures to tap the potential of Saline Aquaculture

1. Policy Reforms: Increasing the area limit from 2 hectares to 5 hectares, a National Level Committee toprepare a roadmap for the sustainable development of saline aquaculture in North Indian states.
2. Improved marketing channels: Recommendations for establishment of an Integrated Aqua Park in Sirsa to improved marketing channels to be considered.  
3. Dissemination of Technical Knowledge: States to leverage Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to identify new areas for saline aquaculture, and conduct outreach-based research. 

China Builds the World’s First Permanent Undersea Research Station for Gas Hydrates

China is currently constructing the world’s first permanent undersea research station, designed to study gas hydrates—an emerging energy source that may hold more potential than the entire oil reserves of the Persian Gulf.

What Are Gas Hydrates?

Gas hydrates are crystalline solids made up of water and gas, predominantly methane. These compounds are considered unconventional hydrocarbons because extracting them requires advanced, non-traditional technologies.

Where Are Gas Hydrates Found?

1. Gas hydrates are found in vast quantities within marine sediments, forming layers several hundred meters thick beneath the ocean floor.
2. They are also associated with permafrost regions in the Arctic. The energy contained in these hydrates is enormous, and tapping into this resource could significantly impact global energy supply.

Gas Hydrates in India

1. In India, significant deposits of gas hydrates have been identified around the Andaman Islands and, in the Krishna, -Godavari offshore region. These areas hold immense potential for future energy production, and ongoing research could unlock new energy avenues for the country.
2. The ongoing undersea research efforts, particularly China’s station, will be critical in advancing our understanding of gas hydrates and developing methods for their safe and efficient extraction.

First Record of Small Hive Beetle (SHB) in India

The Small Hive Beetle (Aethina tumida), a non-native insect, has been recorded for the first time in India, specifically in West Bengal. This marks a new environmental challenge for the country, as the beetle is known for its destructive impact on beehives.

About the Small Hive Beetle (SHB)

1. Native Habitat: The Small Hive Beetle is originally from Sub-Saharan Africa, where it causes minimal damage. However, it has proven to be much more harmful in other parts of the world, including the United States and Australia.
2. Physical Characteristics: The SHB is an oval-shaped, reddish-brown beetle that measures about 5-7 mm in length. Its life cycle includes four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

Impact on Beekeeping

1. The damage caused by the Small Hive Beetle is significant. Female beetles invade beehives by squeezing through cracks and crevices.
2. Once inside, they lay their eggs, which hatch into larvae that feed on the stored honey, pollen, and even honeybee eggs.
3. The larvae also defecate inside the honeycomb, rendering the honey unfit for human consumption.
4. This behavior not only destroys the honey but can also severely weaken the hive, leading to reduced productivity or even colony collapse.
5. The recent discovery of SHB in India calls for increased vigilance in beekeeping areas, as it poses a threat to honey production and the health of bee colonies across the country.

IIT Kharagpur Develops Graphene-Based Technology for Oil-Water Separation

Researchers at IIT Kharagpur have developed an energy-efficient, graphene-based technology that has the potential to revolutionize oil spill management. This new approach enhances the separation of oil and water, offering a more effective solution for addressing environmental challenges posed by oil spills.

What is Graphene?

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice structure, which is a form of graphite. It is one of the most remarkable materials discovered due to its unique properties.

Key Properties of Graphene:

1. Strength: Graphene is about 200 times stronger than steel, making it incredibly durable.
2. Lightweight and Transparent: Despite its strength, it is both lightweight and transparent.
3. Elasticity and Flexibility: It is highly elastic, allowing it to bend and stretch without breaking.
4. Thermal Conductivity: Graphene has excellent thermal conductivity, making it highly efficient in heat management.

Applications of Graphene:

Graphene’s unique properties make it useful in a wide range of applications, including:

1. Electronics: It is used in the manufacture of microchips and other electronic components due to its conductivity and flexibility.
2. Energy Storage: Graphene is utilized in advanced batteries, improving their efficiency and storage capacity.
3. Biomedical Fields: It is explored for various medical applications, including drug delivery systems and biosensors.

Made-in-India Organ-on-Chip Developed by IISC Researchers

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISC) in Bengaluru have developed a domestic Organ-on-Chip (OoC), which was previously imported into India. This innovation allows for advanced study of fluid and drug interactions on a micro-scale.

What is Organ-on-Chip?

1. An Organ-on-Chip (OoC) is a small, bioengineered device that mimics the structure and function of human organs on a miniature scale.
2. These devices are made from flexible polymers and are designed to replicate the environment of real human tissues.
3. Various organ models, such as the lung-on-a-chip and liver-on-a-chip, have been developed to study specific organ functions.

How Does It Work?

1. The device contains tiny channels where living human cells are cultured and interact. These cells behave similarly to how they would in the human body, allowing for the simulation of real tissue environments.
2. Fluids like blood or drugs are passed through these channels to observe their effects on the cells. This setup provides valuable insights into the interactions between cells, fluids, and drugs, which can be useful for testing new medical treatments and understanding disease mechanisms.
3. This advancement in Organ-on-Chip technology represents a significant leap in India’s biomedical research capabilities, reducing reliance on imported models and offering the potential for more localized and cost-effective solutions.

Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)

1. Under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), as outlined by the Ministry of Home Affairs, any organization registered under the FCRA must seek prior permission before accepting any foreign contributions.
2. The validity period for receiving foreign funds is three years, while the funds must be utilized within four years from the date of receipt.

Overview of the FCRA, 2010

1. Purpose: The primary aim of the FCRA is to regulate the acceptance and use of foreign contributions and foreign hospitality by individuals and organizations. It also prohibits the use of foreign funds for activities that could harm national interests.
2. History: The FCRA, 2010, replaced the earlier Foreign Contribution Regulation Act of 1976 to ensure stricter regulation of foreign funding.
3. 2020 Amendment: Several key changes were made in 2020, including a prohibition on the domestic transfer of foreign funds. It also restricted the administrative expenses of organizations receiving foreign funds to 20% of the total contribution.
4. Restrictions: Certain individuals and groups are prohibited from receiving foreign contributions under the FCRA. These include election candidates, Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs), political parties, public servants, and judges.

 

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