PIB Snippets
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UPSC Prelims & Mains
PIB Snippets — September 6, 2026
Today’s official releases — IIT Kharagpur’s CRTDH sustainable phase for affordable healthcare, NBA crossing ₹200 crore in ABS disbursements, and ECLGS 5.0’s business-resilience push
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DSIR-CRTDH on Affordable Healthcare, IIT Kharagpur
News Context
- The Sustainable Phase of the Common Research and Technology Development Hub (CRTDH) on Affordable Healthcare at IIT Kharagpur was inaugurated by Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary DSIR and Director General CSIR, marking its transition into a self-sustaining national facility.
Key Facts for Prelims
- CRTDH operates under the CRTDH Scheme of DSIR, Ministry of Science and Technology; established in 2019 at IIT Kharagpur.
- Moved from a grant-supported phase into a self-sustaining phase, meeting operational costs via user fees, industry sponsorships and translational partnerships instead of government grants.
Important Concepts
- DSIR (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research) promotes indigenous technology development, transfer and commercialisation, and supports industry R&D.
- CSIR is a premier autonomous R&D organisation running national laboratories — the Secretary DSIR and Director General CSIR posts are often held by the same person, a useful fact since DSIR is a government department while CSIR is a registered autonomous society.
Frugal Innovation
Designing affordable, robust, accessible technologies for low-resource settings, often used by frontline health workers.
National Linkage
Explicitly linked to Viksit Bharat 2047 and Atmanirbhar Bharat’s goal of reducing import dependence in medical device technology.
Source: PIB
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National Biodiversity Authority Crosses ₹200 Crore in ABS Disbursement
News Context
- The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has crossed a cumulative ₹200 crore milestone in Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) disbursements — including ₹8.23 crore sanctioned to 27 State Biodiversity Boards and 5 UT Biodiversity Councils from four vegetable crops: Bitter Gourd, Okra, Chilli and Onion.
Key Facts for Prelims
- NBA was established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002; headquartered in Chennai.
- Since resources were accessed via open market/traders (untraceable to specific farmers), benefit-sharing was distributed by area under cultivation per state/UT. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra emerged as the largest cumulative recipients.
Institutional Structure — Three-Tier System
- NBA — national-level, regulates access especially for foreign entities/NRIs/commercial purposes. State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) — state-level, regulate access by Indian citizens/entities. Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) — local body level (panchayats/municipalities), prepare People’s Biodiversity Registers.
Nagoya Protocol
Supplementary CBD agreement specifically governing Access and Benefit-Sharing of genetic resources.
KMGBF
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework — Target 13 calls for effective ABS measures.
Exam trap: Biodiversity Management Committees are constituted at the LOCAL body level, not the state level — the state-level body is the State Biodiversity Board.
Source: PIB
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Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0
News Context
- The government has been strengthening business resilience through ECLGS 5.0, approved 5 May 2026, with more than ₹2.5 lakh crore in guarantees already issued as of August 2026.
Key Facts for Prelims
- Implemented by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC); target credit flow up to ₹2.55 lakh crore, accessible via the Jan Samarth Portal.
- Covers MSMEs, eligible non-MSME businesses, and scheduled passenger airlines; valid until 31 March 2027 or till the guarantee limit is reached.
- As of 20 August 2026: 6,73,979 guarantees issued worth ₹2,50,024 crore; MSMEs = 97.3% by number, 80.79% by amount.
Salient Features
- MSMEs: 100% guarantee coverage, up to 20% of peak fund-based working capital (Q4 FY 2025-26), capped at ₹100 crore, 5-year tenure with 1-year moratorium, rate ceiling 9% (13% for NBFC loans).
- Airlines: 90% guarantee, up to 100% additional support (capped ₹1,500 crore), 7-year tenure with 2-year moratorium.
Kamath Committee
Headed by K.V. Kamath; recommended one-time loan restructuring parameters for 26 COVID-stressed sectors.
EBLR vs MCLR
EBLR — RBI-set benchmark for retail/MSE floating rates; MCLR — bank’s internal minimum lending rate reference.
Source: PIB
