1. Document from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
2. APAAR: One Nation, One Student ID Initiative  
3. Unlocking the Unexplored Potential of Stem Cells in Menstrual Blood
4. Centre Rules out MSP Law

1. Document from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj

Context:

Report from a Parliamentary Standing Committee has unveiled that merely 3% of job seekers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) received unemployment benefits, highlighting a concerning gap in benefit distribution.

Overview of MGNREGA Unemployment Benefits:

• According to MGNREGA guidelines, laborers are entitled to unemployment benefits if they fail to secure employment within 15 days of seeking it.
• These benefits comprise a daily unemployment allowance, set at one-fourth of the wage rate for the initial 30 days of the financial year and half of the wage rate thereafter.

Discrepancy in Benefit Distribution:

• Despite a substantial number of workers, totaling 7,124, being eligible for unemployment benefits over the past five years, a mere 258 individuals actually received them, indicating a stark disparity in distribution.
• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has underscored this issue.

State-Specific Data:

• Analysis reveals that Karnataka had the highest number of eligible workers, totaling 2,467, yet none received unemployment benefits.
• Similarly, Rajasthan had 1,831 eligible workers, but only nine received benefits. Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh also displayed significant gaps between eligible workers and actual benefit recipients.

Responsibilities of State Governments:

• It is incumbent upon state governments to provide unemployment allowance based on their economic capacity and allocate necessary budgetary provisions for it.
• The committee recommended that the Central Rural Development Department collaborate with states and Union Territories to ensure adherence to statutory obligations concerning unemployment benefits.

Steps Taken and Further Action:

• The Department of Rural Development (DoRD) has committed to addressing the issue of non-payment of unemployment allowance and compensation for delayed wages.
• MGNREGA also mandates compensation for delayed wage payments, prompting the committee to seek clarification on the outstanding amount and responsibility for payment, indicating a need for further action.

1. APAAR: One Nation, One Student ID Initiative  

Context:

During a national conference on ‘APAAR: One Nation One Student ID Card,’ the Union Education Minister revealed that approximately 25 crore Automated Permanent Academic Account Registries (APAAR) have been established.

What is APAAR?

• APAAR functions as a distinct identification system for all students throughout India, starting from early childhood.
• Lifetime Student ID: Each student is allocated a unique 12-digit ID for life, facilitating the monitoring of academic advancement from early education to higher education.
• Access to Digilocker: APAAR serves as a gateway to Digilocker, a digital platform where students can securely store essential documents like exam results and report cards for easy retrieval during future endeavors such as higher education applications or employment processes.

How does APAAR ID operate?

• Distinct Identification: Every individual receives a unique APAAR ID, connected to the Academic Bank Credit (ABC), an online repository containing a student’s accumulated credits throughout their academic journey.
• Smooth Data Transfer: When students switch schools, whether within the same state or to another state, their data in the ABC is smoothly transferred to the new institution by sharing the APAAR ID, eliminating the need for physical document submission.
• Comprehensive Repository: APAAR allows students to archive certificates and credits from both formal and informal learning experiences, with digital authentication from authorized institutions.

Rationale behind APAAR

• Efficient Education System: The introduction of APAAR aims to streamline educational processes, relieving students of the burden of carrying physical documents.
• NEP 2020 Initiative: This initiative was initiated under the National Education Policy 2020 by the Ministry of Education.
• Empowering State Governments: APAAR enables state governments to effectively monitor literacy rates, dropout rates, and educational enhancements.
• Combatting Fraud: Its objective is to combat fraud and the proliferation of duplicate educational certificates by providing a single, credible reference for educational institutions, ensuring authenticity through internal verification.

How to obtain an APAAR ID?

• Registration Procedure: To register for APAAR, students furnish basic details such as name, age, date of birth, gender, and a photograph, all verified using their Aadhar number.
• Aadhar Authentication: The Aadhaar number is solely used for verification purposes to match the name and date of birth, with no sharing of data during registration.
• Parental Consent for Minors: For minors, parental consent is obligatory for using the student’s Aadhar number for authentication with UIDAI.
• Voluntary Registration: Registration to obtain an APAAR ID is voluntary and not obligatory.

Concerns regarding APAAR

• Data Security Apprehensions: Parents and students express concerns about sharing Aadhar details, fearing potential breaches of personal information.
• Government Reassurance: The government assures that shared information will remain confidential and only be disclosed to entities involved in educational activities, including UDISE+, scholarships, academic record maintenance, educational institutions, and recruitment agencies.
• Data Control: Students have the option to halt sharing their information with these entities at any time, with data processing ceasing accordingly. However, previously processed data remains unaffected if consent is withdrawn.

1. Unlocking the Unexplored Potential of Stem Cells in Menstrual Blood

Introduction

• Around two decades ago, biologist Caroline Gargett commenced an exploration aimed at uncovering unique cells within hysterectomy tissue.
• Dr. Gargett’s diligent microscopy examinations led to the identification of two cell types within the endometrium, suspected to be adult stem cells due to their regenerative properties.
• This discovery, termed endometrial stromal mesenchymal stem cells, has opened up novel avenues for research in tissue regeneration and disease management.

Understanding Endometrial Stem Cells

• Potential for Regeneration: Endometrial stem cells exhibit the capacity to differentiate into a variety of cell types, such as neurons, cartilage, fat, bone, heart, liver, and skin cells.
• Collection Methods: These stem cells can be procured via biopsy procedures or extracted from menstrual blood, offering a less invasive and more accessible means of acquisition.

Application in Women’s Health

• Insights into Endometriosis: Endometrial stem cells have been associated with endometriosis, a prevalent condition among women globally, shedding light on its origins and potential therapeutic targets.
• Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potential: Discrepancies in menstrual stem cells between healthy individuals and those with endometriosis present promising avenues for diagnostic tests and tailored treatments.
• Innovations in Treatment: Preliminary clinical trials exploring menstrual stem cell transplantation have demonstrated promise in addressing pelvic organ prolapse and other gynecological disorders.

Beyond Gynecological Diseases

• Expanding Therapeutic Applications: Studies suggest the potential of menstrual stem cells in treating ailments extending beyond gynecological disorders, encompassing conditions like diabetes and wound healing.
• Clinical Trials and Future Prospects: Initial trials have shown the safety and efficacy of stem cell transplantation in humans, laying the groundwork for further exploration and application across diverse medical domains.

Challenges and Biases

• Underrepresentation in Research: Despite their therapeutic potential, menstrual stem cells remain a marginal focus in stem cell research, partly due to cultural stigmas and biases surrounding menstruation.
• Funding and Investment: Limited funding resources and gender bias in research funding present substantial obstacles to advancing research on menstrual stem cells, underscoring the need for heightened advocacy and support.

Way Forward

Addressing Bias: Mitigating sex and gender bias in research funding is imperative for promoting equitable investments in women’s health research.

Recognition and Validation: By overcoming cultural taboos and biases, menstrual stem cells can be acknowledged as a valuable asset in regenerative medicine, reframing menstruation from a mere inconvenience to a scientific opportunity.

1. Centre Rules out MSP Law

Context:

The ongoing farmer protests in India have once again highlighted the significance of Minimum Support Price (MSP). As farmers advocate for legal assurances regarding MSP, the government is faced with a nuanced challenge.

• MSP, or Minimum Support Price, is a government-set price at which agricultural products are directly purchased from farmers when market prices fall below this level.
• It serves to safeguard farmers from unpredictable market fluctuations, particularly during periods of surplus production. MSP covers 22 crops, including staples like paddy, wheat, maize, arhar (pigeon pea), cotton, and mustard seeds, along with the Fair and Remunerative Price for sugarcane.

The determination of MSP involves intricate calculations based on different cost components:

• A2 Cost: Encompassing direct expenses such as seeds, fertilizers, labor, and other cultivation-related costs.
• A2+FL Cost: In addition to A2, this incorporates the value of family labor contributed to farming activities.
• C2 Cost: The most comprehensive, C2 includes A2+FL and further adds rental value of owned land and interest on capital, ensuring a fair return on investment for farmers.

The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) recommends the MSP after considering various factors such as production costs, demand-supply dynamics, price trends, and terms of trade between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.

MSP holds several significant implications:

• Income Security: MSP guarantees a minimum income for farmers, fostering investment in agriculture without the fear of losses.
• Market Stability: By establishing a floor price, MSP prevents sharp price fluctuations, benefiting both farmers and consumers.
• Food Security: MSP incentivizes the production of essential crops, thus ensuring sufficient food supply.

The MS Swaminathan Commission advocated for setting MSP at a level at least 50% higher than the weighted average cost of production, incorporating the imputed cost of capital and land rent.

Earlier, during the previous farmer protests, a committee was formed by the Union Government to delve into the MSP mechanism, comprising representatives from farmers, central and state governments, agricultural experts, and scientists.

Granting legal status to MSP offers several advantages:

• Income Security: Legalizing MSP would ensure farmers receive fair compensation through government procurement at a guaranteed price.
• Prevention of Distress Sales: Farmers would be less inclined to resort to distress sales when crop prices fall below MSP.
• Encouragement of Crop Diversification: Legalizing MSP could lead to procurement of a wider range of crops, promoting diversification.

However, challenges accompany the legal status of MSP:

• Infrastructure: Establishing requisite infrastructure for MSP enforcement, particularly storage facilities, presents logistical challenges.
• Resource Constraints: The government may face limitations in storing large quantities of crops, balancing procurement costs and expenditure.
  • Fiscal Burden: Legalizing MSP could significantly increase the food subsidy bill, which is already considerable.
  • Market Distortion: Legal MSP might discourage private traders due to price fluctuations, potentially distorting the market.
  • WTO Subsidy Principle: Legal MSP could conflict with WTO principles, particularly regarding market-distorting subsidies.
• Furthermore, the government has approved a plan to develop decentralized grain storage infrastructure at the cooperative sector level, aiming to reduce food wastage, transportation costs, and enhance farmers’ access to better prices.
• This initiative involves the creation of warehouses, processing units, and other agricultural infrastructure, demonstrating a concerted effort to address agricultural challenges at the grassroots level.