Daily Current Affairs | March 12 2025 |

1) Jan Vishwas 2.0

• Despite concerted efforts to combat corruption, red-tapism & bribery remain formidable barriers to business growth in India.

• A recent “India Business Corruption Survey 2024” presents a troubling picture : 66% of business entities admit to paying bribes, with 54% stating they were coerced to expedite government processes, obtain permits, ensure compliance, or acquire duplicate licences.

Problem with Rigidity

• DPIIT is working on about 100 rules & laws of various departments to bring Jan Vishwas 2.0 bill to achieve a greater ease of doing business environment in the country.

• To support the “Make in India” initiative, the Govt. had enacted the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023.

• With objective of decriminalising minor offences across 42 Central Acts, the Act eliminates 183 criminal provisions across 19 Ministries/ Departments.

Economic Consequences of Regulatory Burden

• Increased Cost of Doing Business - Forced bribes increase compliance and operational costs for businesses.

• Adverse Impact on MSMEs & Start-ups - Startups & MSMEs struggle to navigate complex regulations, delaying permits and increasing costs, limiting their ability to scale.

• Investor Confidence & Damage to ‘Make in India’ - India’s reputation as a complex regulatory environment discourages long-term foreign investment, limiting the benefits of initiatives like Make in India.

• Brain Drain - Burdensome regulations are driving Indian start-

  ups to relocate to more business-friendly nations.

Other Reforms by Government

• ‘One Nation, One Business’ Identity System - 23 identifiers (such as PAN, GSTIN, and CIN) have been consolidated into a unified identity system.

• DigiLocker for Businesses - A tamper-proof document repository where businesses can upload verified documents reducing opportunities for corruption in approval processes.

• FSSAI’s Annual Update Model - Food label regulatory changes would now be made once a year, improving compliance.

2) Krishi Rakshak Portal

• To improve the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), Govt. has established Krishi Rakshak Portal and Helpline (KRPH), for grievance redressal.

• A single Pan-India toll free number 14447 has been deployed and linked to the insurance companies database, where farmers can raise their grievances/issues.

About PMKSY

• An Insurance programme introduced in the country from Kharif 2016 season, available for all States/UTs and is voluntary for the States as well as farmers.

• At present, 23 States/UTs are implementing the scheme.

• The scheme provides uniform premium for Kharif(2%), Rabi(1.5%) and Commercial crops(5%), along with tech support for faster claim settlement & grievance redressal.

Digital Support for Farmers

• Krishi Rakshak Portal and Helpline (KRPH) - This platform provides multilingual support, enabling transparent communication and real-time resolution of grievances related to compensation delays and insurance queries.

• Learning Management System (LMS) Platform - Provides stakeholders, including farmers, insurance companies, Government officials, state Government representatives, and participants in PMFBY, with the essential skills and knowledge needed for efficient crop insurance and agricultural credit.

• Agri-Insurance Sandbox Framework Platform SARTHI - Recognising the multifaceted risks faced by farmers beyond crop losses, this digital insurance platform provides coverage to health, life, home, shop, agriculture implements, motor, and parametric products.

3) AAHAR 2025

• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority(APEDA) showcases India's agricultural and processed food excellence at 39th edition of AAHAR 2025.

• It was organised by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) from 4th to 8th March at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

• 95 exhibitors from 17 States and UTs participated in this event.

About APEDA

• It is a statutory body, established under APEDA Act 1985, that functions under Ministry Commerce & Industry, with its headquarters in New Delhi.

• Chairperson and members are appointed by Govt. of India, with its advisory board having members from diverse fields.

• Functions - Export promotion & development; Quality standardisation & certification; financial incentives & support for exporters etc.

4) New Immigration Law

• Minister of State for Home Affairs introduced the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025.

• The bill proposes an overhaul of India’s immigration laws.

• Objective - Enhance national security, control immigration procedures and introduce stricter penalties on foreigners who violate entry and stay conditions.

About the Bill

• Replaces Old Laws - Foreigners Act 1946; Passport(Entry into India) Act, 1920; Registration of. Foreigners Act, 1939; Immigration(Carrier’s Liability) Act, 2000.

• Centralised Tracking - Introduces digital tracking of foreigners, ensuring real-time immigration data.

• No Appeal Mechanism against Immigration Officer’s decision.

• Simplification - Eliminates redundant and outdated provisions from pre Constitution laws.

5) Soil Health & Fertility Scheme

• Soil & Land Use Survey of India (SLUSI), under Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare is generating of district/village-wise digital soil fertility maps through geo-spatial techniques using Soil Health Card (SHC) data.

• Soil Health Cards are generated under Soil Health & Fertility Scheme of Government of India.

About the Scheme

• Introduced in 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan to assist State Governments to issue soil health cards to all farmers in the country.

• It set up Village level Soil Testing Labs and Soil Health Card Portal to facilitate generation of SHCs in a uniform and standardised format.

• Soil Health Cards contains soil status based on 12 parameters - 4 Macronutrients(N,P,K,S); 4 Micronutrients; pH; Organic Carbon; Electrical Conductivity.

• It was later merged with RKVY.

Soil Fertility Mapping

• Soil fertility maps have been generated for 351 villages across 34 districts in Maharashtra by SLUSI.

• Soil fertility maps provide location-specific data, allowing farmers to apply fertilizers more efficiently, avoiding overuse or underuse.

• Soil & Land Use Survey of India (SLUSI) generates digital soil fertility maps using geo-spatial techniques and Soil Health Card (SHC) data.

• Benefits - Fertiliser use efficiency, reduces wastage & cost, eases fertiliser subsidy burden on the government, promotes sustainable agriculture, and aids precision agriculture.