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Distribution: yearly

  • SC backs TN position on Jallikattu

    jallikattu

    Central Idea

    • The Supreme Court Constitution Bench has upheld the amendments made by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
    • The decision overturns a previous verdict that banned practices such as Jallikattu, a traditional bull-taming sport.

    Overturning the previous verdict

    • The court rejected the 2014 verdict of the Welfare Board of India v. A. Nagaraja case that deemed Jallikattu incompatible with animal rights.
    • The Constitution Bench emphasized that Jallikattu has been a part of Tamil Nadu’s cultural heritage for at least a century.

    Significance of Pongal and Jallikattu

    • Pongal is a harvest festival in Tamil Nadu, celebrated with thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest and rituals honoring cattle.
    • Jallikattu, a bull-taming event, is an integral part of the festival and showcases the strength and skill of farm hands in southern Tamil Nadu.

    Supreme Court’s 2014 verdict and animal rights perspective

    • The previous two-judge Bench ruling emphasized the importance of animal rights and suggested elevating them to the level of constitutional rights.
    • Animal welfare organizations presented evidence of physical and mental torture inflicted on the animals during Jallikattu.

    Issue with the sport

    An investigation by the Animal Welfare Board of India concluded that “Jallikattu is inherently cruel to animals”.

    • Human deaths: The event has caused several human deaths and injuries and there are several instances of fatalities to the bulls.
    • Manhandling of animals: Animal welfare concerns are related to the handling of the bulls before they are released and also during the competitor’s attempts to subdue the bull.
    • Cruelty to animal: Practices, before the bull is released, include prodding the bull with sharp sticks or scythes, extreme bending of the tail which can fracture the vertebrae, and biting of the bull’s tail.
    • Animal intoxication:  There are also reports of the bulls being forced to drink alcohol to disorient them, or chilli peppers being rubbed in their eyes to aggravate the bull.

    Arguments in favour

    • Native breed conservation: According to its protagonists, it is not a leisure sport available but a way to promote and preserve the native livestock.
    • Cultural significance: Jallikattu has been known to be practiced during the Tamil classical period (400-100 BCE) and finds mention in Sangam texts.
    • Man-animal relationship: Some believe that the sport also symbolizes a cordial man-animal relationship.
    • Agrarian pride: It represents a cultural infirmity to urban modernity that marginalizes rural and agrarian values.

    Conclusion

    • Tradition and culture should be considered in the rights discourse, recognizing the cultural context of practices like Jallikattu.
    • Engagement and negotiation between animal rights advocates and local culture and tradition are necessary for a balanced approach.

     

     

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  • Credit cards put under Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS)

    Central Idea: The Centre has amended rules under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) Rules, bringing international credit card spends under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS).

    Changes introduced

    • Credit card spends outside India now fall under the LRS, allowing for the application of a higher TCS rate.
    • The amendment removes the exclusion of credit card transactions from the LRS, which was previously covered under Rule 7 of the Foreign Exchange Management (Current Account Transaction) Rules, 2000.
    • The changes do not apply to payments for the purchase of foreign goods/services from India.

    What is Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS)?

    • LRS is a facility provided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to resident individuals to remit funds abroad for permitted current or capital account transactions or a combination of both.
    • The scheme was introduced in 2004 and has been periodically reviewed and revised by the RBI.
    • Under the scheme, resident individuals can remit up to a certain amount in a financial year for permissible transactions including education, travel, medical treatment, gifts, and investments in equity and debt securities, among others.
    • The limit for LRS is currently set at USD 250,000 per financial year.

    Eligibility for LRS

    • LRS is open to everyone including non-residents, NRIs, persons of Indian origin (PIOs), foreign citizens with PIO status and foreign nationals of Indian origin.
    • The Scheme is NOT available to corporations, partnership firms, Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), Trusts etc.

    Benefits provided by LRS

    • LRS is an easy process that anyone can use to transfer money between two countries.
    • It’s especially useful for businesses because they can use it to transfer funds to India, and investors can receive their investments back home.
    • LRS also has some added benefits, like fast transfer timing and no issues with exchange rates.

    Concerns with credit card spends

    • The amendment aims to achieve parity between the usage of credit and debit cards, which were already covered under the LRS.
    • Instances of disproportionately high LRS payments compared to disclose incomes prompted the amendment.
    • Business visits of employees, where costs are borne by the employer, are not covered under the LRS.
    • The data collected from major money remitters under the LRS indicated that international credit cards were being issued with limits exceeding the prescribed norm.

    Exclusions and impact of the Scheme

    • The government assured that the LRS scheme would not cover genuine business visits abroad by employees.
    • The imposition of a 20% tax collection on source (TCS) for foreign remittances would primarily affect tour travel packages, gifts to non-residents, and domestic high net-worth individuals investing in assets like real estate, bonds, and stocks outside India.
    • The Ministry emphasized that the 5% TCS levied on medical or education expenses abroad, allowed up to ₹7 lakh per year, and would remain unchanged.

  • RBI regulations on Green Deposits

    Central Idea: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced a regulatory framework to govern the acceptance of green deposits by banks, ensuring transparency and accountability in their investments.

    What are Green Deposits?

    • Green deposits are financial products offered by banks that are similar to regular deposits, but the money received is specifically earmarked for environmentally friendly projects.
    • These deposits support projects aimed at combating climate change, such as renewable energy initiatives, while avoiding investments in activities that harm the environment, like fossil fuel projects.
    • They are part of a broader range of financial products, including green bonds and green shares that enable investors to contribute to environmentally sustainable projects.

    Regulatory framework for accepting Green Deposits

    • The RBI’s framework mandates that banks establish a set of rules or policies, approved by their respective Boards, to guide the investment of green deposits.
    • These rules must be made public on the banks’ websites, ensuring transparency and enabling customers to make informed decisions.
    • Banks are required to disclose information on the amount of green deposits received, how these funds are allocated to different green projects, and the environmental impact of such investments.
    • To verify the banks’ claims and the sustainability credentials of the projects, a third-party is appointed to conduct independent verification.

    Sectors eligible for green deposits

    • The RBI has identified a list of sectors classified as sustainable, which are eligible to receive green deposits.
    • These sectors include renewable energy, waste management, clean transportation, energy efficiency, and afforestation.
    • Banks are prohibited from investing green deposits in sectors considered detrimental to the environment, such as fossil fuels, nuclear power, tobacco, gambling, palm oil, and hydropower generation.

    Addressing greenwashing

    • Greenwashing refers to the practice of making misleading claims about the positive environmental impact of an activity or investment.
    • The RBI’s regulatory framework aims to prevent greenwashing in the banking sector by ensuring that the actual impact of green deposits is accurately represented.
    • By requiring transparency, disclosure, and third-party verification, the framework aims to protect customers from deceptive practices and ensure genuine environmental benefits.

    Impact and controversies

    • Depositors who prioritize environmental concerns may find satisfaction in investing their money in environmentally sustainable products like green deposits.
    • However, some critics argue that green investment products may primarily serve to make investors feel good without generating significant environmental benefits.
    • Additionally, the range of projects available for investment through green deposits may be limited, posing challenges in achieving broad environmental impact.

    Key challenge: Assessing environmental sustainability

    • Evaluating the true environmental sustainability of a project can be challenging in a complex world with interconnected systems and second-order effects that are difficult to anticipate.
    • It is essential to consider the indirect consequences and long-term effects of actions to determine if a project genuinely contributes to environmental sustainability.
    • Uncertainty surrounding the actual environmental impact of green projects highlights the need for rigorous evaluation and ongoing monitoring to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved.

     

     

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  • Trend of unnecessary Hysterectomies

    hyster

    Central Idea: The Health Ministry in India is concerned about the high incidence of unnecessary hysterectomies, particularly among poor, less-educated women in rural areas.

    Why in news?

    • The Supreme Court has directed States and Union Territories to implement health guidelines formulated by the Centre to monitor and prevent unnecessary hysterectomies.

    What is Hysterectomy?

    • Hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the uterus, and sometimes surrounding organs and tissues.
    • It can be classified as a partial hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix), or radical hysterectomy (removal of the uterus, cervix, part of the vagina, and surrounding tissues).
    • The procedure can be performed through the vagina or through an incision in the abdomen.

    Issues with such surgery

    • Overuse and unnecessary procedures: Hysterectomy can be performed without exploring alternative treatments.
    • Psychological and emotional impact: The procedure may lead to feelings of loss and changes in body image.
    • Surgical risks and complications: Hysterectomy carries risks such as infection and damage to surrounding organs.
    • Long-term health effects: Removal of the uterus may have impacts on hormones and bone health.
    • Patient autonomy and informed consent: Patients should be fully informed about the procedure and involved in decision-making.
    • Access and equity: Disparities in access to healthcare may contribute to overuse, particularly among marginalized communities.

    Concerns and Petition

    A public interest litigation (PIL) highlighted the occurrence of unnecessary hysterectomies in the states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan under government healthcare schemes.

    • Marginalized women were targeted: Women from marginalized communities, such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Communities, were disproportionately affected.
    • Misuse and Insurance Fraud: Healthcare institutions were found to be misusing hysterectomies to claim high insurance fees from the government under various health insurance schemes.

    Key issue: Violation of Fundamental Rights

    • The recent judgement acknowledges that rising hysterectomy rates among young women in India deviate from trends observed in developed countries.
    • It recognizes the violation of fundamental rights, stating that unnecessary hysterectomies infringe upon the right to health and the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

    Government action and guidelines

    • The Health Ministry has closely monitored the issue of hysterectomies and requested States to share data on hysterectomy cases before and after the implementation of guidelines.
    • Compulsory audits for all hysterectomies are advised, similar to those conducted for maternal mortality, in both public and private healthcare institutions.
    • In 2022, the Health Ministry issued guidelines to prevent unnecessary hysterectomies and urged States to comply with them.

     

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  • India-EU discuss ways to resolve Carbon Border Tax

    Central Idea

    Why such move?

    • The EU is India’s second-largest trading partner and export market.
    • India has expressed confidence that the intention behind CBAM was not to create a trade barrier but to promote sustainability.
    • CBAM has potential impact on India’s Steel and Aluminum sectors.

    Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

    Proposed by European Union (EU)
    Purpose To reduce carbon emissions from imported goods and prevent competitive disadvantage against countries with weaker environmental regulations
    Objectives Reduce carbon emissions from imported goods

    Promote a level playing field between the EU and its trading partners

    Protect EU companies that have invested in green technologies

     

    How does CBAM work?

    Coverage Applies to imported goods that are carbon-intensive
    Integration Covered by the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS), which currently covers industries like power generation, steel, and cement
    Implementation CBAM taxes would be imposed on the carbon content of imported goods at the border, and the tax rates would be based on the carbon price in the EU ETS
    Exemptions Possible exemptions for countries that have implemented comparable carbon pricing systems
    Revenue Use Revenue generated from CBAM taxes could be used to fund the EU’s climate objectives, such as financing climate-friendly investments and supporting developing countries’ climate efforts

     

    Who will be affected by CBAM?

    Details
    Countries Non-EU countries, including India, that export carbon-intensive goods to the EU
    Items Initially covers iron and steel, cement, aluminium, fertilisers, and electric energy production
    Expansion The scope of the CBAM may expand to other sectors in the future

    Advantages offered

    • Encourages non-EU countries to adopt more stringent environmental regulations, reducing global carbon emissions.
    • Prevents carbon leakage by discouraging companies from relocating to countries with weaker environmental regulations.
    • Generates revenue that could be used to support EU climate policies.

    Challenges with CBAM

    • Difficulty in accurately measuring the carbon emissions of imported goods, especially for countries without comprehensive carbon accounting systems.
    • Potential for trade tensions with the EU’s trading partners, especially if other countries implement retaliatory measures.

    Ways to ease impact of CBAM

    To minimize the impact of CBAM, India can consider several actions:

    • Set up a carbon trading mechanism: To reflect the level of development and adjust the carbon tax paid domestically when paying CBT to the EU.
    • Re-designate taxes on essential products: Make these as carbon taxes, which could help lower the net impact of CBT.
    • Create a cadre of energy auditors: To ensure fair assessment of carbon emissions for products and help the industry calculate carbon intensity and adopt cleaner technologies.
    • Start an industry awareness program: To educate sectors affected by CBT and create a dedicated group involving government, industry associations, and researchers.
    • Devise a WTO-compatible retaliation mechanism: To counter CBT, considering that developing countries exporting to developed nations will also suffer from it.
    • Sign new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): After resolving the CBT issue, as high CBT would undermine the benefits of zero import duties.
    • Expose the perceived hypocrisy: Utilize global platforms to expose offshoring pollution of developed countries and proposing to tax imports, while not addressing their own consumption patterns.

    Conclusion

    • The CBAM is a proposed policy by the EU to reduce carbon emissions from imported goods and to promote a level playing field between the EU and its trading partners.
    • Although the CBAM has its challenges, it has the potential to incentivize non-EU countries to adopt more stringent environmental regulations and reduce global carbon emissions.

     

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  • Cabinet nod for ₹1.08 lakh crore kharif Fertilizer Subsidy

    Central Idea

    • The Union Cabinet has approved a fertilizer subsidy of ₹1.08 lakh crore for the ongoing kharif or monsoon season.
    • ₹38,000 crore will be allocated for Nitrogen, phosphatic and potassic (NPK) fertilizers, while ₹70,000 crore will go towards the urea subsidy.

    Fertilizer consumption and subsidies

    • The country’s total consumption of urea is approximately 325 to 350 lakh metric tonnes (LMT).
    • Other fertilizers sold in the country include 100 to 125 LMT of DAP, 100 to 125 LMT of NPK, and 50 to 60 LMT of Muriate of Potash (MoP).
    • The fertilizer subsidy per hectare of land is about ₹8,909, and each farmer receives a subsidy of ₹21,223.
    1. DAP: The actual price of a bag of DAP is ₹4,000, but farmers receive it at a subsidized rate of ₹1,350 per bag, with a subsidy of ₹2,461 per bag.
    2. NPK: This subsidy is ₹1,639 per bag, and the MoP subsidy amounts to ₹734 per bag.
    3. Urea: The Centre spends ₹2,196 per bag of urea.

    Fertilizer Subsidy in India

    • Subsidy as a concept originated during the Green Revolution of the 1970s-80s.
    • Fertiliser subsidy is purchasing by the farmer at a price below MRP (Maximum Retail Price), that is, below the usual demand-and-supply-rate, or regular production and import cost.
    • The rate of subsidy is based on the average price of imported fertilizer in the last six months.

    How is the subsidy paid and who gets it?

    • The subsidy goes to fertiliser companies, although its ultimate beneficiary is the farmer who pays MRPs less than the market-determined rates.
    • From March 2018, a new so-called direct benefit transfer (DBT) system was introduced, wherein subsidy payment to the companies would happen only after actual sales to farmers by retailers.
    • With the DBT system, each retailer — there is over 2.3 lakh of them across India — now has a point-of-sale (PoS) machine linked to the Department of Fertilizers’ e-Urvarak DBT portal.

    How does this system work?

    • A popular example of how this system works is that of the neem-coated urea fertiliser.
    • Its MRP is fixed by the government at Rs. 5922.22 per tonne.
    • The average cost of domestic production is at Rs 17,000 per tonne. The difference is footed by the centre in the form of subsidy.

    What about non-urea fertilizers?

    • The non-urea fertiliser is decontrolled or fixed by the companies.
    • The non- urea fertilizers are further divided into two parts, DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) and MOP (Muriate of Phosphate).
    • The government pays a flat per tonne subsidy to maintain the nutrition content of the soil, and ensure other fertilizers are economical to use.

    Issues with such subsidies

    • Low NUE: Indian soil has low Nitrogen use efficiency, which is the main constituent of Urea.
    • Groundwater pollution: Consequently, excess usage contaminates groundwater.
    • Overuse beyond prescription: The bulk of urea applied to the soil is lost as NH3 (Ammonia) and Nitrogen Oxides. The WHO has prescribed limits been breached by Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
    • Health hazards: For human beings, “blue baby syndrome” is a common side ailment caused by Nitrate contaminated water.

     

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  • Quantum Biology: Unveiling the Quantum Secrets of Life

    biology

    Central Idea: The article introduces the concept of quantum biology, which explores the influence of quantum effects on living systems.

    Nature and Quantum Mechanics

    • Quantum effects refer to phenomena that occur between atoms and molecules that cannot be explained by classical physics.
    • Quantum mechanics, which governs the behavior of objects at atomic scales, differs from classical mechanics, leading to counterintuitive phenomena like particle tunnelling and superposition.

    Quantumness in Biology

    • Quantum biology is an emerging field that explores the role of quantum mechanics in biological processes and living systems.
    • It investigates how quantum phenomena and effects, which typically occur at atomic and subatomic scales, influence and contribute to the functioning and behavior of biological systems.
    • It aims to uncover and understand the quantum nature of biological molecules, processes, and interactions.
    • It seeks to study how quantum mechanics may impact various biological phenomena such as photosynthesis, enzyme reactions, and navigation in birds.

    Evidence of Quantum Effects in Biology

    • Research on chemical reactions in biomolecules like proteins and genetic material suggests the influence of quantum effects.
    • Nanoscopic quantum effects can drive macroscopic physiological processes, including enzyme activity, sensing magnetic fields, cell metabolism, and electron transport.

    Studying Quantum Biology

    • Studying quantum effects in biology requires tools to measure short time scales, small length scales, and subtle differences in quantum states.
    • Researchers can apply tailored magnetic fields to control the spins of electrons, influencing physiological processes that respond to magnetic fields.

    Potential applications

    • Therapeutic devices: Understanding and fine-tuning quantum properties in nature could lead to non-invasive, remotely controlled therapeutic devices accessible through mobile phones.
    • Bio-manufacturing: Electromagnetic treatments based on quantum principles could be used for disease prevention and treatment, such as brain tumors, as well as in bio-manufacturing.

    Scope quantum biology’ study

    • Multi-disciplinary: Quantum biology is an interdisciplinary field that brings together researchers from various disciplines, including quantum physics, biophysics, medicine, chemistry, and biology.
    • Many applications: Collaboration and cross-disciplinary research are crucial for advancing quantum biology and unlocking its transformative potential in biology, medicine, and technology.

     

    Facts for Prelims

    Superposition: A quantum phenomenon where particles can exist in multiple states simultaneously until measured or observed, in contrast to classical physics where objects have definite properties.

    Spins: Quantum properties of electrons that define their interaction with magnetic fields, analogous to the way charge defines their interaction with electric fields.

    Deterministic Codebook: A comprehensive understanding of the relationship between quantum causes and physiological outcomes, providing a guide for mapping quantum phenomena to specific biological effects.

     

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  • DoT develops Facial Recognition Tool ‘ASTR’

    astr

    Central Idea: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has developed an artificial-intelligence-based facial recognition tool called Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition powered Solution for Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification (ASTR).

    What is ASTR?

    • ASTR is designed to check subscriber databases of telecom operators to identify multiple connections associated with the same person.
    • The goal of ASTR is to detect and block fraudulent mobile connections, thereby reducing cyber frauds.

    Development of ASTR

    • In 2012, DoT issued an order requiring telecom operators to share their subscriber database, including users’ pictures, with the department.
    • These images serve as the core database for facial recognition using ASTR.
    • The ASTR project was conceptualized and designed by the DoT’s unit in Haryana between April 2021 and July 2021.
    • A pilot project was conducted in Haryana’s Mewat region to test the feasibility of ASTR, where a significant number of fraudulent SIMs were detected.

    How ASTR works?

    • ASTR uses convolutional neural network (CNN) models to encode human faces in subscribers’ images, accounting for various factors like face tilt, angle, image opaqueness, and dark color.
    • A face comparison is performed for each face against all faces in the database, grouping similar faces under one directory.
    • ASTR considers two faces to be identical if they match to a minimum extent of 97.5%.
    • It can detect all SIMs associated with a suspected face within 10 seconds from a database of 1 crore (10 million) images.
    • After matching faces, ASTR’s algorithm utilizes “fuzzy logic” to find approximate matches for subscriber names, considering variations, typographical errors, and related results.

    Impact and Results

    • In the first phase, ASTR analyzed over 87 crore (870 million) mobile connections and detected more than 40 lakh (4 million) cases of people using a single photograph to obtain multiple connections.
    • After verification, over 36 lakh (3.6 million) connections were discontinued by telecom operators.
    • The list of fraudulent connections is also shared with banks, payment wallets, and social media platforms to disengage these numbers from their respective platforms.
    • WhatsApp collaborated with the government to disable accounts created using such numbers, and similar efforts are being made with other social media platforms.

    Facts for Prelims

    Convolutional Neural Network (CNN): A type of deep learning algorithm commonly used for image recognition tasks, where it extracts features and patterns from images by applying convolution operations.

    Fuzzy Logic: A form of logic that deals with approximate or qualitative reasoning rather than strict binary true/false values. In the context of ASTR, it is used to find similarity or approximate matches for subscriber names, accounting for variations and typographical errors.

     

     

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  • India’s export of Russian oil to West

    oil

    Central Idea

    • The article discusses India’s increased imports of Russian oil and the potential circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russian oil products.

    Why in news?

    • An EU parliamentarian accused India of profiting from cheaply bought Russian oil and indirectly supporting the Russian economy.
    • India justified its purchase by emphasizing its energy demands and the challenges of higher prices due to its reliance on energy imports and significant poverty levels.

    Reasons: Sanctions against Russian Oil

    • After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Western countries and Europe aimed to reduce their dependency on Russian energy imports to weaken the Russian economy.
    • Measures were taken, such as Germany suspending the launch of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline and Canada and the US banning the import of Russian crude oil.
    • Stricter sanctions were imposed on Russia, including a “price cap” from trading Russian oil above $60 per barrel.
    • The price cap aimed to cripple Moscow’s economy and limit its ability to fund the war in Ukraine.
    • However, Russia increased its oil exports to India and China as a response.

    India’s role in meeting West’s energy demand

    • India, exempt from the sanctions on Russian oil, has seen a significant increase in fuel imports from Russia, which is then refined and supplied to Europe and the US.
    • The refined oil from Russian crude, once processed in India, is not considered of Russian origin.
    • India’s oil imports have helped it meet its own energy demands and also assist Western nations facing energy crises due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
    • India has become a net exporter of refined petroleum products, supplying the West to alleviate current energy shortages.

    Impact of Indian imports on Western markets

    • Indian refiners have ramped up exports of refined petroleum products, including diesel and vacuum gas oil (VGO), to Europe and the US.
    • VGO is a feedstock in the refining process that can be further processed to produce gasoline, diesel, and other fuel products.
    • Diesel exports to Europe from India have increased by 12-16% in the last fiscal year.
    • The US has become a major recipient of Indian VGO shipments, receiving 11,000-12,000 barrels per day (bpd) or 65-81% of India’s VGO exports.
    • These exports from India have helped ease the energy tightness and supply constraints in Western markets.

     

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  • Govt doubles outlay on PLI for IT hardware

    Central Idea

    PLI Scheme for IT Hardware

    • The PLI scheme for IT hardware was initially introduced in March 2021.
    • It provides incentives of over 4% for incremental investment in domestic manufacturing for eligible companies, such as Dell and Flextronics.
    • The scheme aims to boost domestic manufacturing, increase exports, and make India a prominent player in the IT hardware sector.
    • The scheme will have a tenure of six years, providing a long-term incentive for eligible companies to invest in domestic IT hardware manufacturing.

    Growth in indigenous IT hardware

    • The government highlighted the growth of electronics manufacturing in India.
    • There is a 17% compound annual growth rate over the past 8 years and a production benchmark of $105 billion, including $11 billion in mobile phone exports.

    New changes introduced

    • The budgetary outlay for the PLI scheme for IT hardware manufacturing has been set at ₹17,000 crore.
    • The incentive rate has been increased to 5%, offering a higher benefit to companies investing in domestic manufacturing.
    • An additional optional incentive has been introduced for using domestically produced components, although the specific rates of these incentives are not specified.
    • If the optional incentives are utilized as intended, the total incentive under the scheme could amount to 8-9%.

    Achievements in Telecom hardware manufacturing

    • Telecom hardware manufacturing has surpassed the projected ₹900 crore and reached ₹1,600 crore.
    • Some Indian companies have become significant exporters of complex radio equipment worldwide.

     

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