UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelim Bits 17-03-2025

 MSME Bodies Recommendations to RBI on Regulations for e-Commerce Exports

Why in the news?

MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) industry bodies are urging the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to revise its regulations for e-commerce exports.

Recommendations from MSME industry bodies to RBI

• Automated Reconciliation System- Develop an AI-powered system within Export Data Processing and Monitoring System to match inward remittances (IRMs) with shipping bills, even when amounts vary due to marketplace fees or refunds.
• Bulk Transaction Uploads-Enable exporters to upload transactions in bulk, reducing manual processing.
• Simplified Compliance for Small Exporters- Remove the requirement for CA certificates for MSMEs with an annual turnover of Rs 5 crore or less, replacing it with self-declaration forms.
• Digital Verification System-Link bank accounts to a digital verification system for seamless tracking and authentication.
• Digital Dispute Resolution Portal- Establish an online platform to address issues like unfair penalties and delayed processing, ensuring resolution within seven days.
• Cost Reduction Measures
  • Standardize fees for shipping bill regularization.
  • Introduce a fixed annual reconciliation fee.
  • Limit per-bill charges to Rs 100 for transactions over $1,000.

Reference

Business Standard | MSME industry bodies on e-commerce exports

Artificial intelligence-based pollution sensors

Why in the news?

AI-powered air sensors offer a cost-effective, real-time, and practical way to monitor air pollution and protect public health.

New AI-Driven Roaming Sensors

• Compact air sensors are the size of a thick mobile phone and cost a few thousand pounds.
• These sensors can be attached to vehicles like buses, vans, and garbage trucks to collect real-time data.
• They measure pollutants such as:
  • Particulate matter (soot)
  • Carbon monoxide
  • Ozone
  • Nitrogen dioxide
  • Sulphur dioxide
• These sensors send data every minute to a central system.
• Advantages - Affordable and practical alternative to expensive monitoring stations.
• Provides real-time air quality maps in local areas.
• Helps identify pollution sources and plan emergency measures.
• Can guide individuals to safer areas (e.g., joggers choosing cleaner routes, parents finding safer playgrounds).
• Ensures better air quality awareness and health protection for the public.

Right to breathe clean air is a fundamental right under Article 21.

Reference

Down to Earth | AI sensors

Women in Blue Collar Jobs

Why in the News?

A recent study finds that Women hold just one in five blue-collar jobs.

The term blue-collar worker refers to individuals who engage in hard manual labor, typically in the agriculture, manufacturing, construction, mining, or maintenance sectors of the economy.

• Covered Industries - Across 14 industries, including automobile, BFSI, e-commerce, travel & hospitality, FMCG, and manufacturing.
• Covered Cities - Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Chandigarh, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.
• Recent Findings - While 73% of the surveyed employers said they hired women for blue-collar roles in 2024, female participation remained stagnant at 20% across India.
• Industries such as retail (32%), healthcare and pharmaceuticals (32%), construction and real estate (30%), and travel and hospitality (28%) showed increased female representation.
• However, telecommunications, BFSI, and IT/ITeS lagged, with female participation below 10%.
• Upcoming Demand - During the survey, 78% of employers revealed plans to hire more women in blue-collar roles in 2025, an encouraging 5% increase in hiring intent compared to 2024.
• Industries like retail (94%), healthcare and pharma (93%), and e-commerce (93%) showed the strongest demand.
• The Reality Gap - As per the survey, while more women are seeking blue-collar jobs primarily for financial independence (70%), workplace realities remain harsh.
• It identified 3 major challenges that continue to push women to the margins.
  • Rigid work schedules,
  • Wage inequality, and
  • Lack of upskilling opportunities.
• More than half of the surveyed women cited a lack of flexible shifts as a barrier.
• Several blue-collar jobs often demanded strict shift timings, making it difficult for women to balance work and personal responsibilities.
• Around 42% of women reported being underpaid compared to their male counterparts, with fewer opportunities for promotions.
• In industries like automobile, FMCG, and travel & hospitality, more than half of the women surveyed felt their wages did not reflect their work.
• Every second woman surveyed preferred upskilling, but access to relevant training remained a challenge.
• Without structured learning pathways, career progression remains limited.

India’s blue-collar sector is expected to see more than 2 million job seekers in 2025.

Reference

The Hindu | Women in blue-collar jobs

Kuki Tribes

Why in the News?

An armoured vehicle of the central security forces came under heavy attacks by protesters from the Kuki tribes in Manipur on the first day of the Centre's order to ensure free movement of people.

• The Kukis are an ethnic group including multiple tribes originally inhabiting the Northeastern States of India, including Manipur (30%) and Mizoram, Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura, and Nagaland.
• They also inhabit parts of Burma (now Myanmar), and Sylhet district and Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh.

The Chin people of Myanmar, and the Mizo people of Mizoram are kindred tribes of kukis and collectively known as Zo people.

• Ethnicity - Kuki-Zomi-Mizo-Chin people migrated from inner Asia or mainland China.
• It is believed that Kuki people are native to the Mizo Hills (formerly Lushai), a mountainous region in the south-eastern part of Mizoram in India.
• Kuki is not a term coined by the ethnic group itself, the tribes associated with it came to be generically called Kuki under the colonial rule.
• They were further divided by the British into ‘old Kukis’ and ‘new Kukis’.
• Occupation - They engaged in shifting or Jhum cultivation resulting in their expansion through the forested tracts.
• Religion - Kuki-Zomi clans mostly follow Christianity.
• Social Groups - Kuki society features rich cultural institutions like Sawm (boys' community center) and Lawm (youth club), fostering social cohesion and practical skills.
• Around 50 tribes of Kuki people in India are recognized as scheduled tribes based on the dialect spoken and region of origin.

Reference

NDTV | Kuki tribes

POLG Disease

Why in the News?

The son of Prince Robert of Luxembourg and Princess Julie of Nassau, Prince Frederik recently died from POLG disease.

• POLG disease is a genetic disorder that depletes the body’s cells of energy.
• This in turn causes progressive multiple organ dysfunction and failure.
• It is a rare, incurable condition caused by inherited gene mutations.
• Cause - The condition affects mitochondria, the “powerhouse” of the cell which converts food into ATP, the primary energy our body uses to function.
• Mitochondria contain their own DNA which requires a specific enzyme to replicate, found in host cell’s POLG and POLG2 genes.
• Mutations in these genes therefore impact the ability of mitochondria to replicate.
• Symptoms - Can start from early childhood to adulthood and can be mild to severe.
• The most frequent symptoms include muscle weakness, ophthalmoplegia (weakness of paralysis of the eye), epilepsy and liver failure.
• It could also affect a person’s vision due to the involvement of affected brain structures.
• People with PolG likely end up bedridden and unable to function in daily activities.
• Diagnosis -It can be very difficult to diagnose because it affects a wide variety of organs and has many symptoms.
• Treatment - There is currently no treatment or cure for POLG.
• Prevalence – It affects 1 in 5,000 people.

References

1. The Hindu | POLG Disease
2. News 18 | What is POLG?

India Microfinance Equity Fund (IMEF)

Why in the News?

Sa-dhan, the self-regulatory organisation for microfinance institutions (MFIs), has recently sought the setting up of a new refinancing body and greater flexibility in the India Microfinance Equity Fund (IMEF).

• Created by – Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services with an initial corpus of Rs.100 crore in 2012, focused on smaller microfinance institutions (MFIs).
• Objective – To alleviate poverty and achieve long term sustainability of operations in un-served and under-served parts of the country.
• Aids borrowers – The fund is utilized for extending equity, quasi equity or subordinated debt to Tier II (between 50,000 to 2,50,000 borrowers) and Tier III (less than 50,000 borrowers) MFIs.
• Issues with IMEF:
  • Limited utilization (only Rs 19 crore sanctioned to 10 MFIs).
  • Restrictive cap of Rs 5 crore per MFI.
  • Need for increased corpus beyond current Rs 300 crore.
• Proposals by – Sa-dhan (self-regulatory organisation for MFIs).
• Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Bank (MUDRA Bank) – To be converted into an exclusive provider of refinance for dedicated microfinance institutions (MFIs).

MUDRA is a refinancing Institution and does not lend directly to the micro entrepreneurs / individuals.

MUDRA Bank lends at low interest rates to MFIs and non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs), which, in turn, finance small businesses.

• Funding Architecture Challenges – Strengthening and expanding the existing financial resource system for MFIs to reduce dependence on banks for funding.

References

1. The Business Standard| Sa-dhan’s India Microfinance Equity Fund (IMEF)
2. PIB| India Micro finance Equity Fund (IMEF)
3. Sa-Dhan| Sa-Dhan & its Objectives