Current Affairs 15 March 2025

Content:

1. Hike MGNREGS wages to match price rise: parliamentary panel
2. Aditya-L1 mission: scientists observe a flareless coronal mass ejection
3. Scientists from India, U.K. join hands to study healthy brain aging
4. Real-money gaming firms flag spike in offshore betting apps

Hike MGNREGS wages to match price rise: parliamentary panel

Context : Parliamentary Panel Recommendation

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development, headed by Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, has strongly recommended revising MGNREGS wages to match rising costs of living.
  • Advocates for a uniform wage rate across the country to ensure fairness, as the scheme is centrally funded.

Relevance : GS 3(Agriculture)

• Existing Wage Disparity:
  • Current MGNREGS wages vary significantly across states:
    • Lowest: ₹234/day in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
    • Highest: ₹374/day in Haryana and Sikkim.
  • Wages are linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for agricultural labourers, but the panel argues this does not fully reflect inflation’s impact.

• Pending Wage Dues & Budget Constraints:
  • ₹23,446.27 crore in pending liabilities (as of Feb 15), including ₹12,219.18 crore in wage dues.
  • Budget constraint:
    • ₹86,000 crore allocated for MGNREGS in FY 2024-25.
    • ₹23,446 crore to clear last year’s dues, leaving only ₹62,553.73 crore for actual implementation.
    • This limits the scheme’s effectiveness in ensuring rural livelihood security.

• West Bengal Funding Suspension:
  • Centre stopped funds to West Bengal for MGNREGS since March 2022, citing corruption allegations.
  • Led to increased distress migration and economic hardships in the state.
  • The committee recommends releasing rightful dues for all eligible years, except the disputed year.

• Legal and Political Conflict:
  • Centre invoked Section 27 of MGNREGA, 2005, to freeze funds for rule violations.
  • This has strained Centre-State relations, with protests by TMC in Delhi and West Bengal.
  • CM Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly demanded fund release and launched an alternative rural job scheme, Karmashree.

Implications:

• Economic Impact:
  • Delay in wage payments affects rural consumption and economic stability.
  • Non-revision of wages despite inflation reduces the effectiveness of MGNREGS as a social safety net.

• Political Fallout:
  • Highlights Centre-State tensions over federal fiscal relations.
  • Potential electoral impact in West Bengal amid protests and alternative schemes.

• Policy Recommendations:
  • Timely wage payments to ensure rural livelihood security.
  • Reform in wage calculation methodology for accurate inflation adjustments.
  • Restoration of funds to West Bengal, ensuring accountability without harming beneficiaries.

Aditya-L1 mission: scientists observe a flareless coronal mass ejection

Background:

• Aditya-L1 Mission: India’s first scientific mission dedicated to studying the Sun.
• VELC Instrument: The Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), developed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, was used for observations.

Relevance : GS 3(Science , Technology)

Significant Observations

• Scientists from IIA observed a flareless CME using VELC.
• The event was recorded on July 5, 2024, with no associated solar flare.
• The instrument enables observations closer to the solar corona’s base and captures data at shorter time intervals than other coronagraphs in orbit.

Scientific Insights

• The data provides insights into magnetic instabilities on the Sun that trigger flares and CMEs.
• This helps in understanding the differentiation between flare-associated and flareless CMEs.
• The study will soon be published in the Astrophysical Journal.

Importance of Continuous Monitoring

• Increasing CME Activity: The Sun is approaching the maximum phase of Solar Cycle 25, leading to more frequent CMEs.
• VELC’s Advantage:
  • Helps in uninterrupted monitoring of the Sun for CMEs.
  • Observes CMEs near the solar limb, allowing better correlation studies between CMEs and flares.

Understanding CMEs & Flares

• Both CMEs and solar flares are explosive events caused by magnetic reconnection.
• Solar flares: Primarily release electromagnetic radiation.
• CMEs: Massive plasma eruptions, carrying trillions of kilograms of solar material, and can travel at speeds up to 3,000 km/s.
• Unresolved Mystery: The exact relationship between CMEs and solar flares remains ambiguous.

Conclusion

• The Aditya-L1 mission, particularly the VELC payload, is enhancing solar research by providing detailed insights into CMEs and their origins.
• This research contributes to space weather predictions, which are crucial for protecting satellites and communication systems on Earth.

Scientists from India, U.K. join hands to study healthy brain aging

India and the UK have partnered to advance research on healthy brain aging using AI, biomarkers, and diverse population studies.

Relevance : GS 2(international Relations) , GS 3(Science)

International Partnership:

• Centre for Brain Research (CBR), IISc and UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) launched a collaboration.
• Focus on scientific innovation and understanding of brain health.

Objectives & Methods:

• Integration of blood-based biomarkers, AI-driven data analysis, and digital cognitive monitoring tools.
• Aim to prevent cognitive decline through advanced research.

Diverse Population Studies:

• Utilization of Indian and UK research cohorts covering urban and rural populations.
• Collaboration with Health Data Research UK for epidemiological data analysis.

Strategic Collaborative Framework:

• Establishment of cross-institutional collaboration.
• Includes structured research internships, joint educational initiatives, and resource-sharing.

Focus Areas:

• Fluid Biomarkers:
  • Helps in early diagnosis and personalized treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
• AI-Powered Data Infrastructure:
  • Integration of clinical and biological data to enhance research efficiency.

Significance:

• Potential to address pressing health challenges related to aging.
• Strengthens global understanding of brain health.
• Aims to improve lives globally through technological and research advancements.

Real-money gaming firms flag spike in offshore betting apps

Indian real-money gaming (RMG) firms are struggling with high taxation (28% GST) while illegal offshore betting apps, which evade regulations and taxes, are growing rapidly. This has led to industry consolidation and calls for policy intervention to curb offshore competition.

Relevance : GS 2(governance) ,GS 3(Economy)

Key Concerns of Indian RMG Firms

• Indian real-money gaming (RMG) firms are concerned about the rapid growth of illegal offshore betting apps.
• High taxation (28% GST) on legal Indian RMG firms is driving players to offshore platforms that evade regulation and taxation.
• Offshore betting platforms use tactics like domain switching and “mule” bank accounts to avoid detection and taxation.

Growth of Offshore Betting Apps

• Offshore apps are growing at a 30% CAGR, similar to the early growth of legal RMG firms before GST was imposed.
• In contrast, Indian RMG firms’ growth has slowed to 10%-15% due to high taxation and operational costs.
• A 2024 Think Change Forum report estimates the illegal betting market at ₹8.2 lakh crore, with rapid expansion.

Regulatory & Enforcement Challenges

• Indian authorities have cracked down on some illegal apps (e.g., Mahadev app).
• However, foreign-based apps (e.g., 1xBet) are harder to regulate as they frequently switch banking providers.
• Despite industry appeals, the government has not reconsidered its taxation policies.

Industry Consolidation

• Rising financial strain due to taxation has led to consolidation in the RMG industry:
  • Head Digital Works acquired Adda52 for ₹491 crore.
  • Nazara Technologies acquired a major stake in PokerBaazi (Moonshine Technology).
  • OneVerse acquired PokerDangal.

Regulatory Uncertainty & Industry Response

• The IT Rules, 2023 remain in a standby mode, with no self-regulatory body formally recognized yet.
• In response, Indian RMG firms are:
  • Supporting studies that show playtime limits’ effectiveness.
  • Introducing a code of ethics to reaffirm existing consumer protection measures.

Policy Implications

• The Indian government faces a trade-off between maintaining high taxation on legal RMG firms and preventing the proliferation of unregulated offshore betting platforms.
• A potential policy response could involve reducing GST on legal RMG firms while strengthening enforcement against offshore apps.
• Lack of action could further weaken the domestic RMG industry while offshore betting apps continue to grow unchecked.