Expansion of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Expansion of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme.

▪️Why in News

✅ Recently, the government has extended the Rs. 3-lakh-crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) until 30th June 2021, and also widened its scope to new sectors, including hospitality, travel and tourism.

✅ ECLGS was rolled out in May 2020 as part of the Centre’s Atmanirbhar package in response to the Covid-19 crisis.

🔸The objective was to support small businesses struggling to meet their operational liabilities due to the imposition of a nationwide lockdown.

Key Points

▪️ECLGS 1.0:

✅ To provide fully guaranteed and collateral free additional credit to MSMEs, business enterprises, MUDRA borrowers and individual loans for business purposes to the extent of 20% of their credit outstanding as on 29th February, 2020.

✅ MSMEs with up to Rs 25. crore outstanding and Rs. 100 crore turnover were eligible.

✅ However, the turnover cap was removed post amendment to ECLGS 2.0 in November 2020.

▪️ECLGS 2.0:

✅ The amended version focused on entities in 26 stressed sectors identified by the Kamath Committee along with the healthcare sector with credit outstanding of more than Rs. 50 crore and up to Rs. 500 crore as of 29th February, 2020.

✅ The scheme also mandated borrower accounts to be less than or equal to 30 days past due as of 29th February, 2020, that is, they should not have been classified as SMA 1, SMA 2, or NPA by any of the lenders as of 29th February 2020.

🔸SMAs are special mention accounts, which show signs of incipient stress, that lead to the borrower defaulting in servicing the debt.

🔸While SMA-0 are accounts having payments partially or wholly overdue for 1-30 days, SMA-1 and SMA-2 accounts have payments overdue for 31-60 days and 61-90 days respectively.

🔸The revised scheme also has a five-year repayment window up from four years in ECLGS 1.0.

▪️ECLGS 3.0:

✅ It involves extending credit of up to 40% of total credit outstanding across all lending institutions as on 29th February 2020.

✅ The tenor of loans granted under ECLGS 3.0 would be 6 years, including a moratorium period of 2 years.

✅ Covers business enterprises in Hospitality, Travel & Tourism, Leisure & Sporting sectors,Which had, as on 29th february 2020.

🔸Total credit outstanding not exceeding Rs. 500 crore and overdues, if any, were for 60 days or less.

✅ National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC) is the guarantee provider under the ECLGS scheme.

The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Expansion of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme.

Multifunctional Electronic Materials & Processing- 2021 - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Multifunctional Electronic Materials & Processing- 2021.

▪️Why in News

✅ On the occasion of 30th foundation day of Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Shri Sanjay Dhotre, the Union Minister of State for Education, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, has inaugurated the International Conference on Multifunctional Electronic Materials & Processing (MEMP 2021).

▪️Background

✅ Electronic materials and components are core of all electronic devices.

✅ Materials are the back-bone of capacity and functionality of any electronic gadget.

✅ The performance of electronic products is directly dependent on the components used.

✅ Substantial financial support in Research & Development on emerging materials has continuously been provided, although commercialization of the R&D outcome is a challenge. C-MET was, hence, established in 1990 to fill th gap between R&D and production of critical electronic materials.

✅ C-MET has been producing Hafnium and Silicon Carbide for strategic sectors (DRDO and ISRO) for years.

▪️About C-MET

✅ The Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), functions as an scientific society under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India.

✅ Besides augmenting care competence, C-MET envisions attainment of self- sufficiency in the sphere of Electronic materials, components and devices to cater to India's strategic and industrial applications, exploiting indigenous resources of raw materials.

✅ R&D activities in C-MET include development of polymer glasses for electronics, specialty chemicals, ultra high purity and refractory metals, semiconductors, photovoltaic materials and Quantum Materials, C-MET has core competence in all kind of nanostructured materials for electrochemical energy storage (L-ion, Na-ion batteries), solar Hydrogen generation, fuel cells and Hydrogen storage C-MET has Centre of Excellences in Rechargeable Battery Technology and Additive Manufacturing.

✅ C-MET undertakes joint R&D, sponsored research, technology transfer and consultancy projects and provides technical services.

▪️About MEMP

✅ Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Pune is organizing an International Conference on Multifunctional Electronic Materials & Processing (MEMP 2021) at Pune, India during 8-10 March 2021.

✅ MEMP-2021 will provide an opportunity to scientists, researchers, academicians and young students to interact with eminent scientists technologists working in the field of multifunctional electronic materials for various applications & their processing for making devices.

✅ Materials required for energy storage, energy generation, Nanostructured materials, Quantum dots, Sensors, Neutrino Energy Conversion /storage. Flexible devices, Photonic devices and processing techniques like Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) will be discussed.

✅ This transformation could become possible due to novel R&D initiatives that have occurred in above areas.

✅ MEMP 2021 will serve as a common platform for discussing the new ideas developments/ breakthroughs and future prospects pertaining to multifunctional electronic materials with some of the leading scientists technologists as well as to be acquainted with their experience and knowledge.

The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Multifunctional Electronic Materials & Processing- 2021.

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).

✅ The Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers has launched 8 immunity boosting products under PMBJP for sale through Janaushadhi Kendras across the country.

✅ PMBJP is a campaign launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals. It was first launched in November 2008 under the name Jan Aushadhi Campaign.

✅ Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) under Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers is the implementation agency.

✅ PMBJK can be located within government hospital premises as well as private hospital premises or anywhere outside.

✅ Credit facility will be given to all Jan Aushadhi Kendras for 30 days against post dated cheques.

✅ Tendering of medicines shall be only through e-tendering.

✅ Under the Jan Aushadhi Scheme, State Governments are required to provide space in Government Hospital premises or any other suitable locations for running of Jan Aushadhi Kendra.

The above Article can also be read using the link below:

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).