Daily Current Affairs 2025  

17/08/2025

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CA-17/08/2025

 
Why in news?
In the Union Budget 2025–26, the Ministry of Tourism has dedicated 4.3% of the total scheme outlay under the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) component of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme.
 
Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD 2.0) focuses on:

• Integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits
• Enhancement of infrastructure, human capital, and destination management
• Promoting sustainability and a destination-centric approach.

PM-JUGA is mentioned as a government initiative aiming to:

• Drive inclusive and sustainable growth
• Empower tribal communities by merging existing government schemes
• Focus on overcoming basic infrastructure and socio-economic challenges for tribal areas.

Impact Assessment:

• There has been no specific, stand-alone impact assessment focused exclusively on the participation of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), or Other Backward Classes (OBC) in Swadesh Darshan or Dekho Apna Desh schemes.

Recent Updates             

• Union Budget 2025–26: The Ministry of Tourism has earmarked 4.3% of the total Swadesh Darshan Scheme outlay—about ?103crore under TSP, with ?88crore for the Tribal Area Sub Plan and ?15crore for the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PM-JUGA).
• Focus of Investment: Dedicated funds aim to promote tourism infrastructure, cultural preservation, and upliftment of tribal communities. Projects under the “Tribal Circuit” theme enhance tribal heritage visibility and integrate communities into the tourism industry.
• Homestays in Tribal Areas: Guidelines released for “Development of Homestays in Tribal Areas”—supporting development of 1,000 homestays with up to ?5lakh for village/community needs, ?5lakh for new construction (two rooms per household), and ?3lakh for renovations. No funds have been released under the scheme as of August 2025.

• Skill Development: SC and ST candidates receive fee exemption for the Ministry’s Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) certification program.
• Monitoring & Transparency: The Ministry puts emphasis on transparency and expects States/UTs to ensure inclusive planning. However, there is no formal mechanism for community-wise verification of beneficiary data, nor any separate impact assessment for SC/ST/OBC groups under these tourism schemes. A 2019 third-party assessment found positive impacts on local livelihoods and employment.
• Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA): A 5-year umbrella initiative (2024-25 to 2028-29) is underway for holistic tribal area development, with TSP funds supporting these efforts. Coverage includes 549 districts and 2,911 blocks across 26 states and 4 UTs, aiming for saturation of tribal-majority villages.

Key Takeaways

• The government has made significant new allocations for tribal tourism and development under the TSP in 2025.
• New initiatives, such as the homestay scheme and broader DAJGUA program, target infrastructure, livelihoods, and inclusion in tribal regions.
• Implementation and fund release are still in initial stages, with emphasis on transparency and inclusive planning but lacking direct community-level impact assessments.

 
 
  The PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) is a government initiative launched by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs on June 1, 2020, designed to empower street vendors in urban areas by providing them with financial assistance and supporting their overall development.
 
Key Features

• Collateral-Free Working Capital Loans:
• Initial loan of up to ?10,000 for one year.
• Subsequent loans can be ?20,000 and ?50,000, available based on repayment history.

Interest Subsidy:

• 7% per annum interest subsidy for regular loan repayment.
• Digital Transaction Incentives:
• Cashback up to ?1,200 per year for prescribed digital payments.

Eligibility for Enhanced Loan:

• Regular repayments can make vendors eligible for larger subsequent loans.
• No Collateral or Security Required:
• Loans are provided without collateral or security, and there are no processing charges or prepayment penalties.

Eligibility

• The scheme is available for:
• All street vendors engaged in vending in urban areas as on or before March 24, 2020.
• Vendors identified and issued a Certificate of Vending/Identity Card by urban local bodies.
• Those identified by Urban Local Bodies (ULB) or Town Vending Committees (TVC), including those from peri-urban/rural areas vending in ULB limits, if recommended by the ULB/TVC.
• Vendors who missed formal surveys but received Letters of Recommendation.

Application Process

• Vendors can apply online via the PM SVANidhi portal or at nearby Common Service Centres.
• They must ensure their mobile number is linked to Aadhaar and check eligibility per scheme rules before applying.

Scheme Period and Updates

• The lending under PM SVANidhi is extended until December 2024, with guarantee and interest subsidy claims available until March 2028.

Additional Benefits

• Encourages digital transactions by providing rewards.
• Issuance of Rupay Debit cards to beneficiaries for digital banking and payments.

The PM SVANidhi scheme continues to support street vendors, helping them recover and grow economically in the post-pandemic environment with easy and affordable credit, digital transaction incentives, and minimal bureaucratic hurdles.
 
Recent Updates on PM SVANidhi Scheme (2025)
 
1. Revamped Scheme Announced in Union Budget 2025

• As per the Union Budget 2025, the PM SVANidhi Scheme has been revamped with several new features to further support street vendors:

• Enhanced Loans: The scheme now offers enhanced credit facilities from banks.
• UPI-linked Credit Cards: Introduction of UPI-linked credit cards with a ?30,000 limit for street vendors.
• Capacity-building Support: The scheme emphasizes increasing financial and digital literacy among beneficiaries to ensure better utilization of resources and services.

• Over 68 lakh street vendors have benefited from the scheme to date, significantly reducing dependence on high-interest informal loans and improving their economic well-being.

2. Interest Subsidy and Digital Transactions

• Street vendors benefit from a central government interest subsidy of 7% and in certain states, additional subsidy from state governments.
• Adoption of digital transactions is incentivized, with digital tools like QR codes and monthly cashback provided for UPI or similar payments.

3. Integration with Other Welfare Schemes

• The scheme under its ‘SVANidhi Se Samridhi’ initiative is integrating beneficiaries and their families with eight central government welfare schemes (including Jan Dhan, Jeevan Jyoti Bima, Shram Yogi Maandhan, and others) for broader social security.

4. State-level Implementation Highlights

• For example, in Uttarakhand by July 2025, loans of ?65.61 crore had been disbursed to over 42,790 street vendors, with three phases of loan enhancement (?10,000, ?20,000, ?50,000).
• Digital literacy for vendors is being mainstreamed, with most now enabled for QR code payments.

The PM SVANidhi Scheme in 2025 features enhanced loan limits, UPI-linked credit cards, digital transaction incentives, state-level interest subsidies, and integration with other welfare schemes. It continues to be pivotal in empowering millions of street vendors and supporting their businesses in urban India.
 
 
   
Why in news?
Konkan Shadowdamsel and Crimson Shadowdamsel are two newly discovered species of damselflies in the Western Ghats region of India, announced in August 2025.
 
Discovery and Habitat

• Konkan Shadowdamsel was discovered in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district.
• Crimson Shadowdamsel (scientifically named Protosticta sanguinithorax) was found in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram district.
• Both species belong to the group commonly called Shadowdamsels, known for their affinity to well-shaded forest habitats.

Appearance

• The Konkan Shadowdamsel features a coffee-brown ground colouration.
• The Crimson Shadowdamsel stands out with a reddish body.
• These traits distinguish them from the previously known Red-spot Shadowdamsel (Protosticta sanguinostigma), which is jet black.

Ecological Significance

• Shadowdamsels thrive in pristine forest habitats and small streams.
• They are sensitive to environmental changes and can act as indicators of forest health and pollution, surviving only in habitats with clean water and robust canopy cover.
• Many species in this group are microendemics, restricted to small hill ranges in the Western Ghats.

Conservation Relevance

• The newly found species were discovered outside protected areas, raising concerns over threats from habitat loss, plantation expansion, and cutting down of shade trees essential for their survival.
• Their conservation status still needs to be formally assessed.

Damselflies Overview

• Damselflies (Order: Odonata) are predatory, aerial insects found near shallow, freshwater habitats.
• They are generally more delicate and fly more weakly compared to dragonflies, featuring slender bodies and net-veined wings.

These discoveries highlight the rich biodiversity and endemism of the Western Ghats, reinforcing the need for conservation and further surveys in these forested landscapes.
 
 
   
Why in news?
The "High-Power Demography Mission" was announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2025, during the 79th Independence Day address.
 
Key points about the High-Power Demography Mission:

• The mission is launched to tackle what PM Modi described as a "well-thought-out conspiracy" to alter India's demographic composition through illegal immigration.
• It targets the infiltration that is said to snatch livelihoods from the youth, target women and daughters of India, mislead indigenous tribal people, and capture their land.
• The demographic changes in border regions are seen as a threat to national security and social unity.
• The mission will involve analyzing and acting upon demographic shifts, especially related to illegal immigration in border areas.

Planned measures for identity verification and illegal immigration control:

• Strict identity verification measures: Enhanced checks will be implemented, particularly in border regions and areas with high reported illegal entry. This may involve expanding biometric data collection, use of digital identity systems, and rigorous validation of identity documents to ensure authenticity and uniqueness.
• Border surveillance and fencing: Strengthened physical border controls, including upgrading border fencing and surveillance systems, are planned to prevent unauthorized entry and monitor demographic changes in vulnerable districts.
• Mapping demographic changes: Authorities will use census data, border security intelligence, and local administrative records to identify shifts in population and suspicious changes in land ownership, especially in tribal and border regions.
• Land protection drives: Special efforts to safeguard local and indigenous community land against fraudulent occupation by outsiders, with legal and administrative reforms recommended to strengthen land rights.
• Coordinated action: Central agencies, state governments, and local bodies will collaborate to identify, verify, and act against individuals unlawfully occupying land or resources, and to deport illegal immigrants where possible.
• Ongoing crackdowns: As part of current enforcement, authorities have stepped up deportation efforts, especially targeting Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants, alongside intensified identity and documentation checks in multiple states since May 2025.
• Community protection focus: Measures will aim to protect tribal and backward communities from being misled or displaced due to illegal immigration and will seek to preserve land, livelihood, and cultural integrity.

Legal reforms needed to support immigration control
India is enacting significant legal reforms through the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025. The main legal changes proposed or introduced include:

• Consolidation and modernization of laws: The new bill replaces four older statutes (Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; Foreigners Act, 1946; Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000), providing a unified and clearer framework for immigration and foreigner management.
• Stricter enforcement against illegal immigration and overstaying: The law enhances tracking, registration, and deportation procedures for foreigners who overstay visas or enter without authorization.
• Digital transformation: Immigration processes including visa issuance, entry/exit monitoring, and enforcement actions will be digitized. This facilitates better data management and rapid identity verification.
• Enhanced border and land sale restrictions: Certain states, like Assam, have already introduced laws requiring approval for land transactions in sensitive border districts, aimed at safeguarding against land capture by illegal immigrants.
• Legal clarity for detention, surveillance, and deportation: The new law provides clear guidelines for surveillance, detention, and removal of foreign nationals found to be residing illegally.
• Data coordination and record keeping: There will be improved systems for tracking and managing records of foreigners, aligned with international best practices.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy focused on securing India's demographic balance and national security in the face of infiltration and demographic challenges highlighted in recent political discourse and security concerns.
 

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