Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana
Published On:
1. Objective: Address housing needs of one crore urban poor and middle-class families.
2. Investment: Total investment of ₹10 lakh crore.
3.Interest Subsidy: Provision for affordable loan rates.
4. Policies and Regulations: Enable efficient and transparent rental housing markets.
5.PMAY-U ended on December 31, 2023, thus relaunched.
6. Implementation Timeline: Launch planned within first 100 days of Modi government's third term.
7. Rural and Urban Housing: Three crore additional houses approved.
Urban Planning and Development
1. Growth Hubs: Government to work with states to transform cities into growth hubs through transit planning and orderly peri-urban area development.
2. Brownfield Redevelopment: Formulate a framework for policies, market mechanisms, and regulation for redevelopment of existing cities.
3.Water Supply and Waste Management: Projects for 100 large cities in partnership with state governments and multilateral development banks.
8.Other Initiatives:
a.Urban Planning and Design: ₹1,000 crore allocated for setting up centers of excellence.
b. Electric Bus Service: ₹1,300 crore for PM e-Bus Sewa.
c. Urban Land Records Digitization: GIS mapping for urban land records.
E-Commerce Export Hubs
1. Aim: Establishment of e-commerce export hubs across India.
2. Objective: Enable MSMEs and traditional artisans to sell products in international markets.
a.Increase India's share in global e-commerce exports.
3.Mode: Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
4.Framework: Seamless regulatory and logistic framework to facilitate trade and export-related services under one roof. Current E-Commerce Export Scenario
1. India's Position:-
a .Current e-commerce exports: $5 billion.
b.Total goods exports: $450 billion.
c.E-commerce exports represent a small fraction of total exports.
2.Global Comparison
a.China's e-commerce exports: Over $300 billion.
b.Southeast Asian countries benefiting from rapid e-commerce export growth.
3.Examples: MSMEs in China, South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam have significantly benefited from e-commerce exports.
Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) Updates
1. Increased consignment-wise cap on e-commerce exports through courier:
a.Previous limit: ₹5 Lakh
b. New limit: ₹10 lakh
2. Export Potential: Ministry's projection: $200 to $300 billion by 2030.
Government Initiatives and Policies:
1.Commerce and Industry Ministry's FTP:
a. Increased consignment-wise cap on e-commerce exports through courier from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
b. Projected e-commerce export potential: $200 to $300 billion by 2030.
2.Popular Export Items:
a.Art & Handicrafts.
b. Books.
Challenges and Recommendations:
1.Current Issues
High compliance burden on small firms
2. Disruptions:
a. Russia-Ukraine war.
b. Container shortages due to US-China trade tensions.
3. Recommendations (by Global Trade Research Initiative)
a. Issue a separate e-commerce export policy
b. Address all e-commerce export issues Comprehensive lay
4. Impact: Goods exports slipped by 5% in the last financial year.
Internship for youth
1.Overview
Internship opportunities for one crore youth in 500 top companies over five years.
2. Financial Details:
a. Target: 1 crore youth in 5 years.
b. Participating companies: 500 top companies.
c. Internship allowance: ₹5,000 per month.
d.One-time assistance: ₹6,000.
3. Funding Structure:
a.Government contribution: Major portion.
b.Company contribution: 10% of internship cost + training cost.
c.Funding source for companies: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
4.Total Cost: Estimated at ₹66,000 crore.
5. Corporate Contribution: Each company expected to contribute over ₹13 crore.
6.Positive Aspects:
a. Addresses youth unemployment.
b. Fills talent void in industries.
c.Provides initial employment opportunities.
d.Potential to boost sectors like garments, leather goods, and electronics.
Challenges:
1.Company Selection
a. Criteria for selecting 500 top companies is unclear.
b. Potential for bureaucratic hurdles in the decision-making process.
2.Mandatory Participation:
Uncertainty about whether the scheme is mandatory for selected companies.
3.Eligibility Criteria:
Lack of clarity on who can be beneficiaries (undergraduates, graduates, school dropouts).
4. Legal and Labor Law Considerations
a. Ambiguity on whether internships fall under Apprenticeship Act.
b. Unclear status of "allowance" in labor law context.
5. Financial Implications
Questions about companies' readiness to execute the plan.
Opinions:
1. Optimistic Views
a. Seen as a reasonable attempt to incentivize lower-end job creation.
b. Potential to target key sectors for job creation.
2. Cautious Opinions
a. Need for more details on implementation.
b. Concerns about workability and mandatory nature of the scheme.
