AYUSHMAN BHARAT DIGITAL MISSION
- Context:The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA), has crossed the landmark milestone of 90 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHAs) across the country.
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that the achievement marks a major step in India’s journey towards a connected, interoperable and citizen-centric digital health ecosystem
About Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)
- It aims to develop the backbone to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country to bridge the existing gap amongst different stakeholders of Healthcare ecosystem through digital highways.
Objectives
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- To build modern and advanced digital healthcare infrastructure.
- To develop registries that act as a single, reliable source of health data.
- To ensure the use of common open standards by all digital health stakeholders.
- To create a secure system for maintaining personal health records.
Components
- Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR)
- A central database of healthcare professionals.
- Covers practitioners from both modern and traditional systems of medicine.
- Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) Number
- A unique 14-digit number generated through self-registration.
- Used to identify and authenticate individuals.
- ABHA App
- A Personal Health Records (PHR) application.
- Individuals have full control over their health information.
- Health Facility Registry (HFR)
- A national database of healthcare facilities.
- Includes public and private hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, diagnostic labs, imaging centres, and other health institutions.
- Unified Health Interface (UHI)
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- An open platform for digital health services.
- Connects patients with healthcare service providers (HSPs).
- Supports services such as appointment booking, teleconsultation, and healthcare service discovery.
Implementation & Governance
- Implementing Agency: National Health Authority (NHA).
- Voluntary Participation: The scheme including the creation of the ABHA ID is strictly voluntary for citizens.
PM SVANidhi Scheme (Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi)
- Context:PM SVANidhi Completes Six Years of Empowering Street Vendors Through Access to Affordable Credit and Social Security.
- Over the last six years, more than 75.5 lakh street vendors across the country have benefited under PM SVANidhi.
- The scheme has also recorded a 20% annual increase in average beneficiary incomes.
About PM SVANidhi
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- PM SVANidhi (Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) is a Central Sector Scheme launched in June 2020 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to provide collateral-free working capital loans to street vendors.
- The scheme has been extended until March 2030.
Key Features
- Provides loans without requiring any collateral.
- Follows a three-stage loan structure:
- First Loan: Up to ₹15,000
- Second Loan: Up to ₹25,000
- Third Loan: Up to ₹50,000
- Vendors who repay loans on time receive a 7% interest subsidy, which is credited directly to their bank accounts every quarter.
- Beneficiaries who successfully repay the second loan can avail a UPI-linked RuPay Credit Card for easy access to credit.
- Encourages digital payments by offering cashback rewards up to ₹1,600 on eligible transactions.
Implementation
- Implemented jointly by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Department of Financial Services (DFS).
- The implementing agency is the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
Coverage
- Initially launched for street vendors in statutory towns.
- Later expanded to include vendors in census towns and peri-urban areas.
Proposed ‘Kill Switch’ and On/Off Facility
- Context: To protect users from digital payment frauds and scams, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is exploring the introduction of a mechanism known as a “Kill Switch.”
- To enhance customer safety and control, the RBI has also proposed an “On/Off” facility for all digital payment modes.
About the Kill Switch
- A Kill Switch is an emergency mechanism that allows for the immediate blocking or deactivation of a system, account, or service under specific circumstances.
- Under this proposal, users may be provided with an emergency option within banking or payment applications to immediately freeze all financial transactions if they suspect fraudulent activity.
Need for the Freezing Mechanism
- Online arrest scams and online financial frauds are on the rise.
- Fraudsters often pose as police or law enforcement officials via video calls, threatening victims with fake legal proceedings.
- Victims are coerced into sending money to avoid arrest or investigation.
- It is reported that such scams have resulted in financial losses amounting to nearly ₹3,000 crore across India.
Benefits of the Kill Switch
- Facilitates the immediate suspension of financial transfers.
- Helps prevent financial losses in instances where fraudulent attempts are suspected.
- Provides customers with an emergency safety tool.
- Strengthens trust in digital payment systems.
Enable/Disable Facility
- The Reserve Bank of India proposes to extend the existing card control feature to all digital payment channels.
- Customers will be able to enable or disable payment services whenever required.
Benefits
- Greater control for customers over digital transactions.
- Reduced risk of unauthorized transactions and fraud.
- Enhanced security and consumer protection.
- Improved flexibility in managing banking services.
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana
- Context: Minister for New and Renewable Energy ,said that on the 29th of this month, India has achieved the highest-ever single-day record of 15 thousand rooftop solar installations across the country under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
- Also informed that Maharashtra has emerged as a leading contributor to this success by registering a record 4,700 rooftop solar installations in one day.
About PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana
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- The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is a Central Sector Scheme introduced by the Government of India in 2024.
- It is regarded as the largest residential rooftop solar programme in the world.
- Nodal Ministry: The scheme is overseen by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
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- Duration: It is being implemented from FY 2023–24 to FY 2026–27.
- Purpose: The initiative aims to promote the widespread adoption of rooftop solar systems in households and contribute to India’s transition towards clean and sustainable energy.
- Goal: Installation of rooftop solar systems in 1 crore residential homes by 2026–27.
- Electricity Benefit: Beneficiary households can receive up to 300 units of electricity free of cost every month.
- Eligibility Criteria:
- The applicant must be an Indian citizen.
- The household should own a house with adequate rooftop space for solar panel installation.
- A valid electricity connection is mandatory.
- The household should not have previously availed any government subsidy for rooftop solar installations.
- Implementation Mechanism
- At the national level, the scheme is coordinated by the National Programme Implementation Agency (NPIA).
- At the state level, implementation is carried out through electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs) or State Power/Energy Departments acting as State Implementation Agencies (SIAs).
Digi YATRA project
- Context : Union Minister for Civil Aviation,has congratulated the Digi Yatra Team for enabling over 10 crore seamless journeys through the Digi Yatra App.
- The Minister further informed that currently, Digi Yatra is active at 38 airports, and by next year, 27 more airports will be enabled with the application.
- Also, said that the Digi Yatra platform stands as one of the most successful digital innovations in global aviation currently.
- The app has witnessed over 2.4 crore downloads across iOS and Android.
About Digi Yatra project
- The Digi Yatra project was officially launched on December 1, 2022
- Digi Yatra provides a hassle-free, paperless airport travel experience by eliminating the need for repeated identity verification at various checkpoints.
- Every traveller is issued a distinct Digi Yatra ID for seamless authentication during the journey.
- Enrollment in the Digi Yatra system is entirely optional and based on the passenger’s choice.
- The Digi Yatra Foundation (DYF) has been established as a joint venture organization to develop and operate the Digi Yatra Central Ecosystem.
