Social Justice
Gender Samvaad

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Gender Samvaad)
What's the NEWS

• The Second Gender Samvaad was organised by the Ministry of Rural Development's Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and the Initiative for What Works to Advance Women and Girls in the Economy (IWWAGE) at LEAD.
• This edition of the Gender Samvaad, held virtually, focused on the best practices of various states and from women's collectives under DAY-NRLM in responding to the COVID-19 crisis, particularly the second wave that has disrupted the lives and livelihoods of many people.

Know! about Gender Samvaad

• Gender Samvaad is an attempt to create a common platform for generating greater awareness on NRLM's interventions, and the impact of its gender operational strategy, across the country.
• The Samvaad focuses on highlighting best practices and the lessons learnt in implementing gender responsive interventions, with a focus on hearing voices from the states and the field.
• Two compendiums were released on this occasion. This included a compendium on the DAY-NRLM's efforts towards strengthening Food, Nutrition, Health and WASH through State Missions and community institutions.
• It highlighted the work being done on key themes under the POSHAN Maah such as breastfeeding, complementary feeding, importance of early identification of severe-acute malnutrition and promotion of nutrition gardens for diet diversity.
• The second compendium captures stories of resilience from rural India during the COVID related pandemic in 2021, and how SHGs responded to the needs of women during and after the second wave.

Prelims Factoids
Statistics Day 2021
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Statistics day + about NIF)
What's the NEWS

• Recognizing the importance of Statistics in day-to-day life and to popularize its use, the Government of India has been celebrating birth Anniversary of the legendary Statistician, late Prof. P. C. Mahalanobis, on 29th June, as "Statistics Day".
• The theme selected for the "Statistics Day" 2021 was Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) - 2 (End Hunger, Achieve Food Security and Improved Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Agriculture).
• As a part of celebrations of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, an initiative of the Government, Ministry also released Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - National Indicator Framework (NIF)-Version 3.1, NIF Progress Report 2021, and Data Snapshot on SDGs' NIF Progress Report 2021 (Version 3.1).

National Indicator Framework (NIF)

• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been entrusted with the responsibility of developing the National Indicator Framework (NIF) which will help in monitoring the progress of the SDGs and associated targets.
• Statistical indicators of National Indicator Frameworks (NIF) will be the backbone of monitoring of SDGs at the national and state level and will scientifically measure the outcomes of the policies to achieve the targets under different SDGs.
• National Indicator Framework has been finalized and needs to be monitored and in this context and to support its SDGs work in India. Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is responsible for implementation and monitoring of SDG targets related to environment.
• A cell has been established in MoEF&CC to support the SDG implementation.
• UN in India is partnering with MoEF&CC to further strengthen the indicator framework for the environmental SDGs.
• Services of a qualified and experienced expert (Research Officer- Environment and SDGs) in the area of environment including work on statistics are required.

National Statistics Day

• It is celebrated on June 29 on the birth anniversary of late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.
• Often referred to as the 'father of Indian statistics', Mahalanobis, was born on June 29, 1893, in Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal.
• PC Mahalanobis is best remembered for the Mahalanobis distance, a statistical measure and for being one of the members of the first Planning Commission of India.
• The formula is used to find the distance between a point and a distribution, based on measurements in multiple dimensions.
• It is widely used in the field of cluster analysis and classification.
• He founded the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and contributed to the design of large-scale sample surveys. For his contributions, Mahalanobis has been considered the father of modern statistics in India.
• Statistics helps in forming economic plans and policies. It presents facts in a precise and definitive form. Statistics plays a vital role in the health field and helps conduct social surveys. It is also an essential part of Mathematics.
• End Hunger, Achieve Food Security and Improved Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Agriculture (Sustainable Development Goal or SDG 2 of the UN) is the theme of this year's National Statistics Day.
• Goal 2 seeks "sustainable solutions to end hunger in all its forms by 2030 and to achieve food security."

Social Issues
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about DAY-NRLM) + Mains ( GS II Social issues+ government policies and interventions)
What's the NEWS

• Union Minister of Rural Development released a compendium on best practices gathered from all over India on how DAY-NRLM is addressing gender issues through Social Action Committees of SHG federations.
• The compendium was released at a virtual event organised to share insights and stories from Village Organisation Social Action Committees, who have been at the forefront of providing support to women and girls.
• The virtual event highlighted voices of women and girls who have sought support from the Village Organisation Social Action Committees to address a range of issues - such as prevention of child marriages, violence against women, the practice of witch hunting; generating employment and supporting livelihoods for women

Deendayal AntyodayaYojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)

• It is a flagship scheme implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development to address multi-dimensional poverty through building strong institutions of the poor.
• The unique feature of this scheme is that poor women from different cross sections of class and caste form into Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations, provide financial, economic and social development services to their members for enhancing their income and quality of life.
• Community Resource persons (SHG members who came out of poverty through SHG platform) are acting as change agents and supporting in the implementation of the programme. Currently, NRLM covers 6,758 blocks, mobilizing 76.2 million rural households into 69.9 lakh SHGs.
• With over 76 million women mobilised to be part of one of India's largest livelihoods programme, the DAY-NRLM holds great promise for advancing women's socio-economic empowerment by organising them into SHGs and federations of the rural poor.
• To address various social development issues, the SHGs federations with support of their Social Action Committees have initiated various interventions.

Infrastructure Development
Cabinet approves BharatNet implementation through Public Private Partnership Model in 16 States with optical fibre connectivity to all inhabited villages

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Bharat Net) + Mains ( GS III infrastructure development)
What's the NEWS

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister accorded approval for revised implementation strategy of BharatNet through Public Private Partnership mode in 16 States of the country.
• BharatNet will now extend upto all inhabited villages beyond Gram Panchayats (GPs), in the said States.
• The revised strategy also includes creation, upgradation, operation, maintenance and utilization of BharatNet by the concessionaire who will be selected by a competitive international bidding process.
• The estimated maximum viability gap funding approved for the above PPP model is Rs. 19,041 crores.
• The Cabinet also accorded in principle approval for extending BharatNet to cover all inhabited villages in the remaining States and UTs. Department of Telecommunication will separately workout the modalities for these (remaining) States/UTs.

BharatNet implementation through Public Private Partnership Model

• The PPP Model will leverage Private Sector efficiency for operation, maintenance, utilization and revenue generation and is expected to result in faster roll out of BharatNet.
• The selected concessionaire (Private Sector Partner) is expected to provide reliable, high speed broadband services as per pre-defined Services Level Agreement (SLA).
• Extension of reach of BharatNet to all inhabited villages with reliable, quality, high speed broadband will enable better access of e-services offered by various Central and State Government agencies.
• It will also enable online education, telemedicine, skill development, e-commerce and other applications of broadband.
• It is expected that revenue will be generated from different sources including proliferation of broadband connections to individuals & institutions, sale of dark fibre, Fiberization of mobile towers, e-commerce etc.

Benefits

• Proliferation of broadband in rural areas will bridge the rural-urban divide of digital access and accelerate the achievement of Digital India.
• The penetration and proliferation of broadband is also expected to increase direct and indirect employment and income generation.
• The States where PPP Model is envisaged, will facilitate free Right of Way.

BharatNet PPP Model will bring in following consumer friendly advantages:
(a) Use of innovative technology by the Private Sector Provider for the consumers;
(b) High quality of service and Service Level to consumers;
(c) Faster deployment of network and quick connectivity to consumers;
(d) Competitive tariffs for services;
(e) Variety of services on high-speed broadband including Over the top (OTT) services and multi-media services as part of packages offered to consumers, and
(f) Access to all online services.

BharatNet project

• The BharatNet project is intended to bring broadband internet connectivity to each of the more than 2.5 lakh gram panchayats across the country.
• It is being implemented by the Bharat Broadband Network Ltd (BBNL), a special purpose vehicle of the government
• BharatNet is a project of national importance to establish, by 2017, a highly scalable network infrastructure accessible on a non-discriminatory basis, to provide on demand, affordable broadband connectivity of 2 Mbps to 20 Mbps for all households and on demand capacity to all institutions, to realise the vision of Digital India, in partnership with States and the private sector.
• The entire project is being funded by Universal service Obligation Fund (USOF), which was set up for improving telecom services in rural and remote areas of the country.
• The objective is to facilitate the delivery of e-governance, e-health, e-education, e-banking, Internet and other services to the rural India.
• The project is a Centre-State collaborative project, with the States contributing free Rights of Way for establishing the Optical Fibre Network.
• According to the Digital India portal, it will bring more 600 million people living in rural India on to the information superhighway as it connects "gram panchayat level offices like schools, panchayat offices, post offices, etc." and ensures internet for all.
• Thus, the project essentially entails the government creating broadband infrastructure to address issues of internet penetration in rural India at a time when the digital revolution represents the next big leap in the economic and social spheres.
• As part of BharatNet project, the Centre will also provide last mile connectivity through Wi-Fi and other means and is setting up Wi-Fi hotspots in all gram panchayats.
• According to the government, "funds for the BharatNet project are allocated as a whole and not state/Union Territory-wise.
• A lump sum amount is allocated and disbursed from Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to BBNL for execution of BharatNet project".
• USOF is name for the levies collected by the Centre from telecom companies with a view to ensuring funding and development of communication services in rural and underserved areas.

Economy
Cabinet approves Loan Guarantee Scheme for Covid Affected Sectors (LGSCAS) and to enhance the corpus of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about LGSCAS and ECLGS and terns associated with it) + Mains ( GS III( financial inclusion)
What's the NEWS

• On account of the disruptions caused by the second wave of COVID 19 specially on healthcare sector, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister has approved Loan Guarantee Scheme for Covid Affected Sectors (LGSCAS) enabling funding to the tune of Rs. 50,000 crore to provide financial guarantee cover for brownfield expansion and greenfield projects related to health/ medical infrastructure.
• The Cabinet has also approved introduction of a scheme for other sectors/lenders including those allied to better healthcare.
• The Cabinet has also approved additional funding up to Rs. 1,50,000 crore under Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS).

Know! about LGSCAS:

• The LGSCAS has been formulated as a specific response to an exceptional situation the country has witnessed due to lack of adequate health infrastructure in the light of second wave of Covid-19.
• The approved scheme is expected to help the country in shoring up its much-needed healthcare infrastructure along with creating more employment opportunities.
• The main objective of LGSCAS is to partially mitigate credit risk (primarily construction risk) and facilitate bank credit at lower rates of interest.
• The proposed LGSCAS is aimed at upscaling the medical infrastructure in the country, specifically targeting underserved areas.
• LGSCAS would provide a guarantee of 50 percent for brownfield projects and 75 per cent to greenfield projects for loans sanctioned up to Rs.100 crore, set up at urban or rural locations other than 8 Metropolitan Tier 1 cities (Class X cities). For aspirational districts, the guarantee cover for both brownfield expansion and greenfield projects shall be 75%.

ECLGS

• lt is a continuing scheme and recently, on account of the disruptions caused by the second wave of COVID 19 pandemic to businesses across various sectors of the economy, Government has further enlarged the scope of ECLGS.
• The enhancement is expected to provide much needed relief to various sectors of the economy by incentivizing lending institutions to provide additional credit of up to Rs. 1.5 lakh crore at low cost, thereby enabling business enterprises to meet their operational liabilities and continue their businesses.
• Besides supporting MSMEs to continue functioning during the current unprecedented situation, the Scheme is also expected to have a positive impact on the economy and support its revival.
• The design of ECGLS provides flexibility to quickly respond to emerging needs, as has been evidenced by the introduction of ECLGS 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 as well as changes announced on 30.05.2021, all of which were within available headroom of Rs 3 lakh crore.
• Currently, about Rs. 2.6 lakh crore of loans have been sanctioned under ECLGS. A further uptick is expected due to changes announced recently, extension of limit of one time restructuring to Rs. 50 crore by RBI on 04.06.2021 and the continuing adverse impact of COVID on businesses.

Know! the associated terms
Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL)

• The GECL is a loan for which 100% guarantee would be provided by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC) to Member Lending Institutions (MLIs), and which will be extended in the form of additional working capital term loan facility in case of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) and Financial Institutions (FIs), and additional term loan facility in case of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), to eligible MSMEs/ Business Enterprises and interested Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) borrowers.
• Credit under GECL would be up to 20% of the borrower's total outstanding credit up to Rs. 25 crore, excluding off-balance sheet and non-fund based exposures , as on 29th February, 2020, i.e., additional credit shall be up to Rs. 5 crore.

Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme

• The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme provides 100% guarantee coverage by NCGTC to MLIs on GECL of up to Rs. 3 lakh crore to eligible MSMEs.
• MSMEs for the purpose of this Scheme will include MSMEs/ Business Enterprises which are constituted as Proprietorships, Partnerships, Registered Companies, Trusts and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), and also interested borrowers under PMMY.
• All SCBs are eligible as MLIs. NBFCs which have been in operation for at least 2 years as on 29.2.2020, and FIs will also be eligible as MLIs under the Scheme.
• The entire funding provided under GECL shall be provided with a 100% credit guarantee coverage by NCGTC under the Scheme.

National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd (NCGTC)

• It is a private limited company incorporated under the Companies Act 1956 on March 28, 2014, established by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, as a wholly owned company of the Government of India, to act as a common trustee company for multiple credit guarantee funds.
• Credit guarantee programmes are designed to share the lending risk of the lenders and in turn, facilitate access to finance for the prospective borrowers.
• The common architecture of NCGTC has been designed to handle multiple guarantee programmes under a single umbrella organization.
• This is with a view to achieve operational efficiencies and economies of scale through sharing of resources such as Technology, premises, manpower, risk management solutions and other support services.
• The intent of NCGTC is therefore, to manage multiple guarantee schemes as part of a larger financial inclusion programme of the government covering different cross-sections and segments of the economy like students, micro entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, SMEs, skill and vocational training needs, etc.
• Presently, there are five dedicated credit guarantee Trusts under the Management of NCGTC viz. Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Educational Loans (CGFEL), Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Skill Development (CGFSD), Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Factoring (CGFF), Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units (CGFMU) and Credit Guarantee Fund for Stand Up India (CGFSI).
• Cumulatively, these five Trusts have a committed credit guarantee corpus of Rs. 13,000 crore.

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