U.S. to end H-1B spouse work permits

Why in news?

The Donald Trump administration is moving ahead with a proposal to end work permits for spouses of H-1B workers in the United States, a federal court has been told.

• Spouses of H-1B visa holders, whose green card applications have reached a certain milestone, can get employment authorisation under a 2015 executive order. Dependents of H-1B visa holders get H-4 visas.
• After the new regulations are published, there will be time for public comments and revisions before they come into effect.
• However, the uncertainty over their legal status has already stalled the job prospects of hundreds of H-4 visa holders.

About H-1B Visa

• The H-1B category is an expedient and lawful method to bring foreign-born professionals temporarily to the United States, and therefore one of the most widely sought after visa classifications for employment in the United States.
• The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa in the United States; it allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations.
• H-4 visa is a work permit issued to the spouses of H1-B visa holders under a special order by the previous Obama administration.
• H-4 visa allows work permits for spouses who otherwise could not be employed without waiting for their spouses to receive permanent resident status, a process that can take a decade or longer.

Do Mudra loans have credit risks?

Why in News?

Raghuram Rajan, former RBI Governor, in a recent report to Parliament, said that  while non-performing assets arising from corporate loans are a current problem, the government should now focus on the sources of the next crisis.

• In particular, he warned, the government should refrain from setting ambitious credit targets or waiving loans. Specifically, he called out Mudra loans as those having potential credit risks.
• He mentioned that both Mudra loans as well as the Kisan Credit Card, while being popular, have to be examined more closely for potential risk.
• The Credit Guarantee Scheme for the MSME run by the SIDBI is a growing contingent liability and needs to be examined with urgency.

About Mudra Scheme

• The Union Budget presented by the Hon’ble Finance Minister, for FY 2015-16, announced the formation of MUDRA Bank.
• Pursuant to this, MUDRA was registered as a Company in March 2015 under the Companies Act 2013 and as a Non Banking Finance Institution with the RBI on 07 April 2015.
• This Agency would be responsible for developing and refinancing all Micro-enterprises sector by supporting the finance Institutions which are in the business of lending to micro / small business entities engaged in manufacturing, trading and service activities.
• It is aimed at using micro finance as an economic development tool that helps to provide income-generating opportunities to the people at the bottom of the pyramid, targeting small manufacturing units, shopkeepers, fruits and vegetable vendors, truck and taxi operators, food-service units, repair shops, machine operators, artisans and food processors.
• MUDRA would partner with Banks, MFIs and other lending institutions at state level /regional level to provide micro finance support to the micro enterprise sector in the country.

Is repayment a challenge?

• too many best practices in loan origination have been neglected in the process of authorising and disbursing loans.
• There was an instance where the CBI registered a case against a former official of Punjab National Bank for alleged abuse of official position in sanctioning and disbursing 26 Mudra loans amounting to ₹65 lakh.
• Ensuring repayment still remains to be a challenge. This is observed even though loans are sought by business owners genuinely seeking growth and bankers disburse them with an eye on economic development.
• A detailed look into this issue reveals much. Firstly, these loans are unsecured, meaning that a collateral which could protect the interests of the bank is not required, unless an asset that is purchased can itself serve as collateral.
• Secondly, the scheme itself is meant for those who need small amounts, but do not have access to such funds. However, the very nature of the business of such borrowers is susceptible to volatility. Some of these businesses may choose one location for their place of business on a day, and another elsewhere in their city the next day.
• Thirdly, the public banking system may not be staffed for the work this may involve. When it comes to collection, bank staff may choose to go after one loan with outstanding of Rs. 10 lakh, for example, rather than 10 loans of Rs. 1,00,000 each.

Publishing poll candidate’s propaganda is paid news

Why in News?

The Election Commission of India has told the Supreme Court that repeated publication of propaganda, lauding the achievements of a candidate in an election is nothing but “paid news”.

• The EC draws a distinction between “motivated propaganda” and the fundamental right to free speech. The EC adds that politicians cannot say that it is part of their fundamental right to free speech to spew out “motivated propaganda”.
• The EC has asked the Supreme Court to declare whether it amounts to “paid news” if widely circulated daily newspapers cover statements issued by, and in the name of, a candidate that are
• not only laudatory of his or her record and achievements but also are
• a direct appeal to voters by the candidate.

Ayushman Bharat

Why in News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the healthcare scheme, Ayushman Bharat, also known as the Pradhan Mantri-Jan Aarogya Yojana (PM-JAY), from Ranchi on the 23rd of September, 2018.

About Ayushman bharat

There are two flagship initiatives under Ayushman Bharat

• The first is to create a network of health and wellness centres that will bring the healthcare system closer to the people.
• The centres will provide comprehensive healthcare, including treatment for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health services. Besides this, they will also provide free essential drugs and diagnostic services; also Rs. 1200 crore have been allocated for this flagship programme.
• The scheme will cover more than 10 crore poor families, which is approximately 50 crore persons. It will also setup wellness centres which will give poor people OPD facility near their homes.
• The second flagship programme under ‘Ayushman Bharat’ is the ‘National Health Protection Scheme’. The National Health Protection Scheme will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. It will provide coverage up to 5 lakh rupees per family, per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.

States told to arm PHCs in fight against TB

Why in news?

In an effort to meet its ambitious target to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) by 2025 — five years ahead of the target fixed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) — the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has directed all States to expand TB diagnostics services to all primary health centres (PHCs).

About Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme

• The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program is the state-run tuberculosis control initiative of the Government of India.
• Under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), Government is committed to end tuberculosis by 2025.
• The strategies adopted for this purpose include:
• strengthening and improving quality of basic TB services,
• addressing TB HIV co-infection, other co-morbidities and MDR-TB.
• Further, targeted interventions in the vulnerable population, integrating newer molecular diagnostics for TB in the health system for early diagnosis of TB, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Enhanced Private Sector Engagement, Nikshay and E Nikshay etc. have also been leveraged as part of the strategies under RNTCP.

What is the Problem?

• It is important to note that while at least 25,650 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) have been established in the country (as on March 31, 2017), most don’t offer the service of sputum smear microscopy.
• The samples from such Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are sent to the nearest facility that has a DMC. Because of this, there might be a significant loss of presumptive TB cases.
• It is believed that establishing microscopy centres will prevent sample loss owing to lack of referral links for sputum examination. As a consequence, this would lead to improved case detection.
• Further compounding India’s burdens, India has an estimated 27 lakh TB patients, of which only 13 lakh have been captured in government data.
• According to the Global TB Report of 2017, the estimated incidence of TB in India is 28 lakh. This amounts to about a quarter of the world’s TB cases.

Citizen science initiative helps save hornbills

Why in news?

A recent citizen science initiative of documenting Indian hornbills is providing valuable inputs for the conservation of this unique bird.

About initiative

• The Hornbill Watch initiative is an interactive web interface that allows a person to report on hornbills anywhere in India. People can record the observation of a live hornbill, note its call or report a dead, hunted or captive bird.

• The data on the presence of hornbills outside protected areas would be crucial in identifying and protecting their habitats from possible threats and development projects.

About hornbill

• States from where the most sightings were recorded are Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
• The endangered Narcondam hornbill is restricted to an area of 6 sq.km. of the Narcondam Island in the Andamans.
• The rufous-necked hornbill is a vulnerable or near threatened species.
• Further, the Austen’s brown hornbill and the great hornbill were observed in several States in northeastern India.
• Other important species of hornbill include the oriental pied hornbill and the Indian grey hornbill.

HC notice to Centre on OCIs entry into India

Why in News?

The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to ensure that Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders or foreigners are informed in advance if they are blacklisted and would be denied entry into the country.

• The High Court directed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to ensure that necessary directions are issued to all the officers, who are authorised to issue blacklisting orders.
• They are now to inform the foreigners/OCI card holders concerned that they have been blacklisted and their entry into the country would be denied.

Background

• Recently, there have been a number of cases which have been filed in the High Court on account foreigners or OCI card holders not being permitted entry into India when they arrive here.
• Unfortunately, a common feature in each of them was that none of them had any prior intimation that they were blacklisted, despite having a valid visa.

Who are OCIs?

• The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) is an immigration status permitting a foreign citizen of Indian origin to live and work in the Republic of India indefinitely.
• The OCI was introduced in response to demands for dual citizenship by the Indian diaspora, particularly in developed countries.
• It was introduced by The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2005 in August 2005.
• It was launched during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention held in Hyderabad in 2006.

50 homeless in Bengal as Ganga swallows land0

Why in News?

Due to severe river bank erosion by the Ganges, nearly 500 people have become homeless in the Hossainpur area of Murshidabad district. Over the past few days, the Ganga has swallowed large masses of land in the area.

Details

• This particular situation has generated severe discontent among the locals against the district administration and the Farakka Barrage Project authorities.
• The local population has alleged that the project authorities “ignored” their warnings regarding the erosion.

About Farakka Barrage Project (FBP)

• Farakka Barrage Project complex is to divert adequate quantity of Ganga waters to Bhagirathi-Hoogly river system through 38.38 km long feeder canal for preservation and maintenance of Kolkata Port by improving the regime and navigability of the Bhagirathi-Hoogly river system.
• The increased upland supply from Ganga at Farakka into Bhagirathi reduces salinity and ensures sweet water supply to Kolkata and surrounding areas.
• The rail-cum-road bridge built across the river Ganga at Farakka establishes direct road and rail communication link to the North-Eastern Region with rest of the country.