India has witnessed a dynamic period of governmental action, with several significant schemes and policies being announced or advanced in the last two days, impacting various sectors from trade and technology to labor and energy.
Boosting Exports and Startup Ecosystem
The Union Cabinet has given its nod to two pivotal initiatives designed to invigorate India's export sector. The **Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE)** and the **Export Promotion Mission (EPM)** have been approved with a substantial outlay of ā¹45,060 crore. These schemes aim to strengthen India's export ecosystem and alleviate liquidity pressures for exporters, with a particular focus on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The CGSE will provide 100% credit guarantee coverage by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) for additional credit facilities up to ā¹20,000 crore, extending till March 31, 2026.
Further streamlining financial access, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the Ministry of Finance launched the **"Startup Common Application Journey"** on the Jan Sammarth portal. This unified digital platform will enable startups to access credit across all Indian Public Sector Banks (PSBs), offering loans up to ā¹20 crore under a Model Loan Scheme.
Advancing Digital Connectivity and Green Energy
In a significant step towards rural digital empowerment, Punjab has become the first state in India to fully implement the amended **BharatNet Scheme**. This achievement ensures high-speed broadband connectivity across all gram panchayats in the state, facilitating e-governance, e-health, and digital education services in rural areas.
Echoing India's commitment to sustainable development, the Ministry for New & Renewable Energy announced a new ā¹100 crore initiative under the **National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM)**. This funding will support pilot projects focused on producing green hydrogen using biomass and waste materials, furthering the mission's goal to make India a global hub for green hydrogen production.
Labour Reforms and Regional Development
The Ministry of Labour and Employment has released the **Draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025**, marking India's first comprehensive National Labour and Employment Policy. This policy aims to create a fair, inclusive, and technology-enabled labor ecosystem. Key proposals include a Universal Social Security Account (USSA) that integrates various existing social security schemes (EPFO, ESIC, PM-JAY, e-SHRAM) to ensure lifelong and portable worker benefits. The policy also emphasizes workplace safety through the enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Code 2020.
In a move to bolster regional development and financial inclusion, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman virtually inaugurated nine new bank branches across the Northeast, including in Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Assam. During a credit outreach program in Kiphire, Nagaland, she handed over sanction letters, disbursing ā¹28.02 crore to 350 accounts under various central schemes such as MUDRA, Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Retail, MSME, and SHG loan categories.
Strategic Mineral Policy and Healthcare
The Union Cabinet also approved the revision of royalty rates for four crucial minerals: caesium, graphite, rubidium, and zirconium. This policy change is intended to incentivize and promote domestic production of these critical minerals.
In the healthcare sector, the **PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana (PMASBY)**, with an outlay of ā¹64,180 crore, continues to be a cornerstone for strengthening healthcare infrastructure, particularly rural health and wellness centers, and enhancing social security nets.