SHGs in India

Source: PIB  

Why in News? 

The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) signed an MoU to strengthen the Lakhpati Didi initiative by empowering rural women from Self Help Groups (SHGs). 

• The MoU aims to create 3 crore Lakhpati Didis and future Millionaire Didis by aligning rural aspirations with institutional skills, offering customized training in emerging sectors, and formal certification. 

What is the Lakhpati Didi Initiative? 

• About Lakhpati Didi: A Lakhpati Didi is an SHG member earning Rs 1 lakh or more annually through sustainable livelihood activities. It is an outcome of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) under the Ministry of Rural Development, not a separate scheme. 
  • As of June 2024, 1 crore Lakhpati Didis have been created. The Interim Budget 2024–25 raised the target from 2 crore to 3 crore women. 
• Key Objectives: It aims to empower rural women through sustainable income generation, promote diversified livelihoods (agriculture, handicrafts, services, etc.), and transform SHG women into role models of economic self-reliance. 
  • Income must be sustained over at least four agricultural seasons or business cycles, i.e., Rs 10,000+ per month on average. 
• Implementation Strategy:  
  • Diversified Livelihoods: Focus on agriculture, allied sectors, services, and small enterprises for multiple income sources. 
  • Digital Tools & Training: Community Resource Persons (CRPs) use digital tools to guide SHGs in livelihood planning supported by structured skilling programs in financial literacy, market access, and compliance. 
  • 4-Pillar Support System: 
    • Assets: tools, equipment, and infrastructure. 
    • Skills: training and hands-on knowledge. 
    • Finance: easy bank linkage and access to government schemes. 
    • Market Access: branding, packaging, e-commerce, and marketing support. 
  • Convergence & Partnerships: Collaboration with government schemes (like Skill India, PM SVANidhi, MGNREGA) and the private sector ensures technical, financial, and institutional support to scale up efforts. 

What are Key Facts About Self Help Groups (SHGs)? 

• About SHGs: SHGs are informal collectives of 10–20 members, primarily women, formed to tackle shared challenges and enhance their economic well-being. 
  • Kudumbashree in Kerala, Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal in Maharashtra, and Looms of Ladakh are a few examples of success stories from SHGs. 
• Evolution: The SHG concept originated from the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, founded in 1975 by Prof. Muhammad Yunus, offering collateral-free microloans based on trust and social capital, mainly benefiting women.  
  • In India, SHGs emerged during the 7th Five Year Plan (1985–90) as a poverty eradication strategy. 
  • MYRADA (Mysore Resettlement and Development Agency) initiated SHG-bank linkage in the mid-1980s, and the Government of India launched Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) in 1999, focusing on SHG formation. 
• Functioning of SHGs:  
  • Creation and Meetings: SHGs are formed within communities with support from NGOs or government agencies, and members meet regularly to discuss issues, manage savings, and handle loans. 
  • Savings and Financing: Members regularly pool savings into a group fund, which is used for internal lending to support needs like businesses, medical emergencies, or education. 
  • Operational Planning: Decisions on savings, loans, and activities are made collectively, with one member handling record-keeping of finances and meetings. 
  • Bank Linkage: SHGs build bank linkages to access larger loans and services, supported by government schemes, while their savings and repayment history enhance creditworthiness. 
  • Training and Support: SHGs receive training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and other skills from NGOs, government agencies, or banks. 
• SHGs in India: As of June 2025, 10 crore women are part of 91 lakh SHGs. By February 2023, 8.9 million SHGs had availed loans worth Rs 2.54 lakh crore, and in 2023–24 (till Feb 2024), loans worth Rs 1.7 lakh crore were disbursed.  
  • As per the Economic Survey 2022–23, SHGs maintain a loan repayment rate of over 96%, highlighting their credit discipline and reliability. 

 

Why Are SHGs Important for Community Development and Women's Empowerment? 

• Women’s Empowerment: SHGs, predominantly female-led, promote financial independence, decision-making, and leadership skills among women.  
  • SHGs boost social status, confidence, and political participation, with many members becoming Sarpanch/Pradhan, while acting as pressure groups to ensure Gram Panchayat accountability.  
  • SHGs ensure employment, foster economic independence, and improve bank access, empowering women in decision-making and in tackling dowry, domestic violence, and alcoholism. 
• Financial Inclusion: SHGs help marginalized communities, especially women, access formal banking services, promote savings, and offer small loans at reasonable interest rates, reducing reliance on moneylenders. 
• Social Upliftment & Poverty Alleviation: SHGs raise awareness about health, education, and government schemes, and address social issues like child marriage, domestic violence, and sanitation.  
  • Through microloans, they support income-generating activities like small businesses and farming, helping break the cycle of poverty by promoting self-employment. 
• Strengthening Rural Economy: SHGs promote local entrepreneurship and agriculture-based livelihoods, enhance market linkages and bargaining power, and encourage unity and collective action for community welfare (e.g., roads, schools).  
  • They also serve as platforms for skill development and vocational training. 
• Sustainable Development & Governance: SHGs promote eco-friendly practices like organic farming and waste management, and support SDGs such as No Poverty (SDG 1), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Decent Work & Economic Growth (SDG 8).  
  • Government programs like NRLM use SHGs for effective delivery of subsidies and welfare benefits, while banks offer loans to SHGs under priority sector lending. 

What are the Major Challenges Faced by SHGs? 

• Financial Challenges: Limited access to credit due to lack of collateral or proper documentation hinders many SHGs from securing bank loans.  
  • Some face challenges like high dependence on subsidies, irregular savings, and repayment issues, leading to fund shortages and loan defaults. 
• Managerial & Operational Issues: Many SHGs face challenges like lack of professional management (poor accounting, record-keeping, and governance), inefficient leadership causing conflicts and fund mismanagement, and overdependence on a few members, limiting overall effectiveness. 
• Social & Cultural Barriers: Gender inequality in some regions limits women’s participation in SHGs due to male dominance while caste and class divisions create internal conflicts, reducing group cohesion. 
  • A lack of awareness about rights, government schemes, and financial literacy hampers member empowerment. 
• Policy-Related Issues: Delayed bank linkages due to bureaucratic hurdles, political interference from local leaders, and inadequate government support with implementation gaps in schemes like NRLM hinder SHG operations and autonomy. 
• Sustainability Concerns: SHGs face challenges like limited market linkages, lack of business skills, and competition from large businesses, which reduce profitability and hamper income-generating activities.  
  • Additional issues include high dropout rates due to migration or financial stress, and a lack of innovation in adapting beyond traditional activities. 

What Steps can be Taken to Improve the Working of SHGs? 

• Strengthening Financial Support: Ensure easy credit access by simplifying SHG-Bank Linkage procedures and encouraging collateral-free, low-interest loans.  
  • Link SHGs with schemes like NRLM and MUDRA, and promote revolving funds. Introduce micro-insurance for health, crops, and life to mitigate risks. 
• Enhancing Income Opportunities: Promote SHG products on e-commerce platforms like Government e Marketplace (GeM), Amazon, and Flipkart; support branding and packaging; and ensure fair pricing through SHG-run stores, exhibitions, and supermarket tie-ups. 
• Corporate-SHG Linkages: Form corporate-SHG alliances (e.g., Google’s Women Will) to provide mentorship, technology, and market access, and mobilize Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for capacity building and infrastructure development. 
• Policy & Government Interventions: Ensure timely subsidy disbursement, promote SHG federation into clusters for greater bargaining power, and offer GST exemptions or subsidies for SHG products. 
• Social Empowerment & Inclusivity: Promote gender sensitivity through workshops, ensure inclusion of marginalized groups (SC/ST, landless, disabled), and collaborate with NGOs to raise awareness on sanitation, maternal health, and child education. 
• Reducing Regional Disparities: Launch targeted programs to expand SHGs in underserved regions (especially Northern and Eastern India) and offer policy incentives for financial institutions and development organizations to boost engagement. 

Conclusion 

The Lakhpati Didi Initiative and SHG movement are transforming rural India by empowering women economically and socially. While challenges like financial access and market linkages persist, strategic interventions in skilling, credit access, and policy support can amplify their impact, making SHGs pivotal to achieving inclusive growth and Viksit Bharat by 2047. 

Drishti Mains Question: What are the key challenges faced by SHGs in India? Suggest policy measures to enhance their sustainability and scalability.

India Sends Second Astronaut to Space

Source: IE 

Why in News?

India achieves a historic milestone as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the second Indian to travel to space, after Rakesh Sharma in 1984, and the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS). 

• He is part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, a commercial spaceflight to the ISS. 

What is the Axiom-4 Mission? 

• About: Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is the fourth private spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS), operated by Axiom Space, a US-based space infrastructure company. It marks the fourth collaboration between NASA and Axiom Space, following the successful Ax-1, Ax-2, and Ax-3 missions. 
• Crew Composition: 
  • Peggy Whitson (USA): Mission Commander and former NASA astronaut with 675+ days in space. 
  • Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (India) 
  • Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland): ESA reserve astronaut. 
  • Tibor Kapu (Hungary): Payload specialist. 
• Key Objectives of Axiom-4: 
  • Commercial Space Initiatives: Promotes space tourism and private research in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), supporting Axiom Space’s goal of building the first commercial space station and transitioning operations from the ISS to private infrastructure. 
  • Scientific Research & Experiments: Enables microgravity research in materials science, biology, Earth observation, and space agriculture. Key studies include: 
    • Human factors: Impact of screen exposure in microgravity. 
    • Astrobiology: Survival of tardigrade (water bears)  in space. 
    • Space agriculture: Effects on six crop varieties (including moong dal) and cyanobacteria, relevant to life support systems. 
  • Global Collaboration: Features 60 experiments from 31 countries (including India, USA, Poland, Hungary), making it the most research-intensive Axiom mission and highlighting international cooperation in space science. 

What is the Significance of the Axiom-4 Mission for India? 

• Support for Gaganyaan:  Axiom-4 provides critical hands-on experience for India’s planned Gaganyaan mission, especially in crew operations, microgravity research, and space biology, laying the groundwork for future independent human space missions. 
• Strategic & Technological Edge: Human spaceflight is a key strategic capability for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. India’s role in Axiom-4 strengthens its position in the global space arena, supporting long-term goals like an Indian space station by 2035 and a human lunar mission by 2040. 
• Global Standing & Economic Growth: ISRO’s active partnership in mission planning and execution showcases India's technological competence and boosts its international standing.  
  • It also opens avenues for private sector participation and foreign investments, vital for expanding India’s share in the global space economy. 
• Youth Engagement and STEM Promotion: The mission inspires the youth, promotes STEM education, and helps build a skilled talent pipeline for India's expanding space sector, ensuring sustained innovation and national capacity building. 

What are the Key Facts Related to the International Space Station (ISS)? 

• About: The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest habitable artificial satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), functioning as a unique space laboratory for scientific research and international cooperation. 
• International Collaboration: A joint venture of 15 countries, led by 5 space agencies (NASA, Roscosmos, European Space Agency, JAXA, and Canadian Space Agency). 
• Microgravity Laboratory: The ISS hosts 3,000+ experiments from 108+ countries, enabling research in science, medicine, and Earth observation. Its microgravity aids in studying human adaptation and developing Earth-relevant innovations. 

Nano Fertiliser

Source: FE 

Why in News? 

Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) is setting up its first overseas nano fertiliser plant in Brazil through a joint venture, following successful exports to over 40 countries, including the US, Brazil, and Nepal. 

• It will be located in Curitiba (Parana, Brazil) with an annual production capacity of 4.5 million litres. 

Note 

• Brazil, a major producer of corn, soybean, sugarcane, and coffee, has seen a 20% cut in urea and DAP usage, a 10% yield increase in corn and soybean, and a 7% rise in sugarcane output with the use of Indian nano fertilisers.  
  • As a result, Brazilian farmers are increasingly interested in boosting productivity while reducing fertilizer use.  

What is Nano Fertiliser? 

• About: Fertilisers coated with nanomaterials (particles ranging from 1 to 100 nanometres) are known as nanofertilisers.  
  • These nanomaterials enable the controlled release of nutrients, improving their availability to plants over a longer period. 
• Nanomaterial Components: 
  • Inorganic Materials: Metal Oxides (e.g., Zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2)), Silica Nanoparticles and Hydroxyapatite Nanohybrids. 
  • Organic Materials: Chitosan (natural biopolymer derived from chitin found in crustacean exoskeletons), Carbon-based Nanomaterials (e.g., carbon nanotubes (CNTs), fullerenes, and fullerols). 
• Types of Nanofertilizers:  
  • Nanoscale Coating Fertilisers: It uses nanoparticle coatings for controlled nutrient release. 
  • Nanoscale Additive Fertilisers: It binds nutrients to nano-sized adsorbents for gradual availability. 
  • Nanoporous Materials: It enables slow nutrient release, enhancing plant absorption. 
• Nano Fertiliser Adoption in India: Nano Urea (2021) and Nano DAP (2023) are witnessing steady adoption, with FY25 sales reaching 26.5 million bottles of Nano Urea Plus and 9.7 million bottles of Nano DAP. 
  • IFFCO also plans to launch Nano Zinc and Nano Copper. 
• Need of Nano Fertilisers in India: India’s heavy subsidies on conventional fertilisers (from 0.6% in FY14 to 0.9% in FY23 % of GDP), have led to a Rs 1.67 trillion subsidy burden in 2025–26, straining public finances. 
  • Nano fertilisers offer a sustainable solution by reducing import dependency (e.g., DAP) and delivering nutrients more efficiently—500 ml Nano Urea equals 45 kg conventional urea—boosting efficiency. 
• Challenges with Nano Fertiliser Adoption:  
  • Limited Farmer Awareness: Skepticism and resistance from farmers used to traditional methods hinder adoption of nano fertilisers. 
  • Inconsistent Results: A Department of Fertilizers audit reported 25–50% variation in nitrogen savings, raising scientific skepticism about nano urea's quality and effectiveness. 
  • Food Chain Risks: Nanoparticles may bioaccumulate in plants, posing risks to the food chain, human health, and the environment.  

 

Sagarmala Finance Corporation Ltd (SMFCL)

Source: ET 

Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL) has been established as  India’s first maritime sector-specific Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) aimed at strengthening financial access across India’s maritime ecosystem. 

Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL) 

• About: SMFCL is a Mini Ratna (Category-I) Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.  
  • It was formerly known as Sagarmala Development Company Ltd. 
• Mandate and Beneficiaries: 
  • SMFCL provides short, medium, and long-term customized financing to stakeholders such as port authorities, shipping companies, shipbuilding and logistics firms, MSMEs, maritime startups, barge operators, cruise and fishing vessel owners, and maritime educational and research institutions. 
  • It also supports critical areas like cruise tourism, maritime education, shipbuilding, and renewable energy, while aiming to bridge financing gaps and accelerate maritime infrastructure development. 
• Policy Alignment: SMFCL aligns with the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, aiming to make India a global maritime power.  
  • It complements the Sagarmala Programme and reinforces the National Blue Economy Strategy for sustainable and integrated maritime growth. 

NBFC 

• A NBFC is a financial institution registered under the Companies Act, 1956 or 2013, engaged in activities such as lending, investment in securities, leasing, hire purchase, and insurance.  
• Unlike banks, NBFCs do not hold a banking licence and cannot accept demand deposits (e.g., savings or current accounts). 
• NBFCs are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the RBI Act, 1934. 

Read More: RBI to Review NBFCs.

Favipiravir Shows Promise Against Chandipura Virus (CHPV)

Source: TH 

The ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune has identified Favipiravir as a potential therapeutic drug against Chandipura virus (CHPV). In preclinical mouse studies, it showed reduced viral load and improved survival, but the results are preliminary. Further animal model validation is required before progressing to human clinical trials. 

Chandipura Virus (CHPV) 

• About: The Chandipura virus (CHPV) is a neglected arbovirus classified under the Vesiculovirus genus of the Rhabdoviridae family. 
  • It is a cytoplasmic, negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus, known for its ability to cause rapid-onset encephalitic illness, particularly in children. 
  • It is a neurotropic virus capable of affecting the central nervous system. 
• Epidemiology and Endemicity: CHPV was first detected in 1965 in Maharashtra. Major outbreaks occurred in 2003 in Telangana (300+ cases, >50% fatality) and in 2024 in Gujarat and Maharashtra.  
  • It is now endemic to central India, especially rural and tribal areas, with outbreaks peaking during monsoon due to increased sandfly breeding. 
• Transmission and Vectors: It is transmitted primarily by Phlebotomine sandflies, including Phlebotomus papatasi, and, in some cases, by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (vectors for dengue).  
  • The virus resides in the salivary glands of these insects and is spread through their bites. 
• Vulnerable Population: The infection predominantly affects children under 15 years. 
• Symptoms: Early symptoms mimic influenza, such as fever, headache, and body aches. Severe cases may progress to encephalitis, causing seizures, altered mental status, respiratory distress, anaemia, and bleeding tendencies.  
  • The virus can cause rapid neurological deterioration and high fatality rates if untreated. 
• Current Treatment Status: There is no specific antiviral drug or vaccine for CHPV. Management is symptomatic and supportive. 

Favipiravir 

• Favipiravir is a broad-spectrum antiviral drug originally developed in Japan for the treatment of influenza.  
• It functions by inhibiting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), an enzyme essential for the replication of RNA viruses.  
• As an oral drug, it has been repurposed for use against several emerging RNA viruses, including Ebola, Lassa fever, Zika, and SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in emergency settings.

Read More: Chandipura Virus Infection, Antiviral Drug Umifenovir

Dual-Faced Lamp Depicting Shiva-Vishnu Syncretism

Source: TH 

A rare 15^th-century dual-faced lamp, intricately showcasing the syncretic fusion of Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions has been discovered at the Perdoor Anantapadmanabha Temple in Udupi district, Karnataka. 

Key Points 

• Dual Religious Significance: The lamp uniquely blends depictions of Shiva (as Nataraja) and Vishnu (as Anantapadmanabha), reflecting rituals of both Shaiva and Vaishnava cults. 
• Historical Donation: Inscribed records reveal the lamp was donated in 1456 CE. 
• Narrative Sculptures: 
  • First Face: Depicts Shiva’s Pralaya Tandava (destructive dance) with Parvati, Ganapati, drummer Bringi, and Khadga Ravana is seen seated on a standing woman, identified as Goddess Mari, in Vismaya Mudra. 
    • Vismaya Mudra is a one-handed gesture that expresses a sense of wonder. The palm faces inward toward the body, with the fingers spread apart and open. 
  • Second Face: Shows Brahma, Indra, Anantapadmanabha, Agni, and Varuna pleading with Vishnu to pacify Shiva’s destructive dance, symbolizing cosmic harmony. 
• Artistic Details: Figures are in Samabhanga pose (equal distribution of the body limbs on a central line, whether standing or sitting) with distinct headgear. 
• Cultural Continuity: The presence of Khadga Ravana-Mari worship in the temple’s outer prakara highlights the survival of ancient folk-deity traditions alongside mainstream Hinduism. 

Read More: Nataraja Artistry of Lord Shiva

Rhone Glacier

Source: TH 

Climate change is making some of Switzerland's glaciers resemble Swiss cheese, full of collapsing holes that threaten their stability. In May 2025, an avalanche from Birch Glacier submerged parts of the valley village of Blatten. 

Rhone Glacier 

• Location: It is located in the southern Swiss Alps near the Furka Pass and the Italian border, and serves as the source of the Rhône River, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea. 
  • The Rhone river flows through Switzerland and France. 
• Features: It is the most accessible and most extensively studied glacier in Switzerland, and is currently the fifth largest in the country. 
  • Its surface is characterized by crevasses (deep cracks on the surface of glaciers) and ice caves.  
• Glacial Retreat: It has rapidly shrunk since the 19th century and is expected to vanish by the end of the 21st century. 
  • The Alps and Switzerland, which host more glaciers than any other European country, have been experiencing glacial retreat for nearly 170 years. 
• About Alps: The Alps, Europe's highest and most extensive fold mountain range, stretch across eight countries: France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, and Monaco. The highest peak is Mont Blanc, located on the France-Italy border.

Read More: Changing Landscape of Alps: Europe