In News:

Recent Household Consumption Expenditure Surveys (2022–23 and 2023–24) by the National Statistical Office (NSO), alongside a World Bank Poverty & Equity Brief, highlight a historic decline in poverty in India. This achievement is largely attributed to sustained GDP growth and declining inequality.

Key Findings:

Poverty Reduction Trends (2011–12 to 2023–24)

• All-India Poverty Ratio: Fell from 29.5% (2011–12) → 9.5% (2022–23) → 4.9% (2023–24).
• Extreme Poverty (<$2.15/day, PPP): Declined from 16.2% → 2.3% (2011–12 to 2022–23).
• Lower-Middle Income Poverty (<$3.65/day): Declined from 61.8% → 28.1%.

Updated Poverty Lines (Rangarajan Committee Methodology):

Area            2011–12           2022–23         2023–24

Rural           ?972                 ?1,837            ?1,940

Urban         ?1,407               ?2,603            ?2,736

• For a 5-member urban household, the 2023–24 poverty threshold is ?13,680/month.

Factors Driving Poverty Reduction:

• High GDP Growth: Rose from 7.6% (2022–23) to 9.2% (2023–24).
• Moderating Inflation: Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation dropped from 6.7% to 5.4%, enhancing real incomes. However, food inflation rose to 7.5%, affecting poor households disproportionately.
• Inequality Decline:
  • Gini Coefficient fell from 0.310 (2011–12) → 0.282 (2022–23) → 0.253 (2023–24).
  • Urban areas saw faster decline in consumption inequality.

Nature and Depth of Poverty:

• Poverty Near the Threshold:
  • Over 50% of the poor lie between 75–100% of the poverty line.
  • Large share of non-poor lie just above the line (115–125%), making them vulnerable.
• Depth Analysis (Raised Cut-Offs): Even at 125% of the poverty line, poverty fell by 34.2 percentage points (2011–24), showing broad-based gains.

Regional & Structural Challenges:

• Persisting Regional Disparities: States like Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha still report higher poverty levels.
• Urban Informality & Data Gaps: Recent surveys underrepresent informal workers and migrants, skewing urban poverty estimates.
• Vulnerability to Shocks: Health crises, climate events, or inflation could push the near-poor back into poverty.
• Gaps in Welfare Coverage: Urban poor and migrant populations face limited access to PDS and safety nets.

Policy Imperatives:

• Targeted Cash Transfers: Scale up schemes like PM-GKAY, DBT for LPG, and tailor transfers to those just above the poverty line.
• Strengthen Rural Employment: Enhance MGNREGA funding and integrate climate-resilient jobs.
• Build Urban Safety Nets: Develop a comprehensive urban social protection framework for gig and informal sector workers.
• Education & Nutrition Investments: Bridge human capital gaps via PM POSHAN, Saksham Anganwadi.
• Continuous Poverty Monitoring: Institutionalize annual poverty tracking using real-time and multidimensional indicators.

In News:

Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed annually on May 28, raises awareness about safe menstrual practices and their role in ensuring health, dignity, and equality for women and girls. Ahead of the day, the everteen Menstrual Hygiene Survey 2025 has highlighted growing concerns around misinformation, stigma, and access to menstrual products in India.

Key Findings from the Survey:

• Social Media & Misinformation:
  • 71.6% of women find social media informative on menstruation.
  • However, only 11.5% trust it during emergencies.
  • 1 in 4 women reported that misinformation online negatively affected their menstrual health.
• Examples of Misinformation:
  • Harmful remedies such as applying menstrual blood for skincare, or drinking coffee/lemonade for cramps.
  • Myths like avoiding exercise, temple visits, or not washing hair during periods.
  • Misleading claims linking light flow to infertility or tampon use to anatomical changes.
• Menstrual Pain & Remedies:
  • 82.7% of respondents experience menstrual pain.
  • Only 14.2% use painkillers; 41.5% use no remedy at all.
  • Cramps roll-ons used by just 5.5%.
• Menstrual Products Usage:
  • 87.8% use sanitary pads (most common).
  • Disposable period panties (5.7%) are more popular than menstrual cups (4.7%) or tampons (1.6%).
  • 35.4% purchase menstrual products online citing convenience and discounts.
  • A significant number of offline buyers report discomfort at physical stores.
• Online Discourse:
  • 34% of women shared personal menstrual experiences online.
  • Yet, 37.6% feared privacy breaches and 11.4% feared social judgment.

Menstrual Hygiene: Broader Context

• Definition: Safe and hygienic management of menstruation, including the use of clean products, proper disposal, access to sanitation, and health education.
• Global Concern: According to UNICEF, 500 million women globally lack access to adequate menstrual hygiene facilities.

Challenges in India:

• Digital Myths & Stigma: Despite digital access, online spaces are rife with misinformation and taboo-laden content.
• Access Inequality: Significant urban-rural divide in menstrual health services, infrastructure, and product availability.
• Awareness Gaps: Cultural silence and lack of comprehensive health education still persist.

Policy Interventions & Governance:

• Relevant Government Initiatives:
  • SUVIDHA Scheme: Affordable biodegradable sanitary napkins at Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
  • Swachh Bharat Mission: Incorporates Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) into sanitation programs.
• Global Frameworks: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 – Right to clean water and sanitation, encompassing menstrual hygiene.

In News:

The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Interest Subvention (IS) component under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) for the financial year 2025–26, retaining the existing structure and interest rates.

About the Scheme:

• Type: Central Sector Scheme
• Objective: To provide short-term agricultural credit to farmers at affordable interest rates through Kisan Credit Cards (KCC).

Key Features:

• Loan Coverage:
  • Short-term crop loans up to ?3 lakh per farmer through KCC.
  • For loans exclusively for animal husbandry or fisheries, the benefit applies up to ?2 lakh.
• Interest Rates:
  • Base interest rate: 7%
  • 1.5% interest subvention to lending institutions
  • 3% Prompt Repayment Incentive (PRI) for timely repayment
  • Effective interest rate for prompt payers: 4%
• Implementing & Monitoring Agencies:
  • Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
  • National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
  • Operated via Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks, Cooperative Banks, and Private Banks in rural/semi-urban areas.

Recent Updates and Rationale:

• No structural changes have been introduced in the scheme for FY 2025–26.
• The scheme continues amidst rising lending costs, with stable repo rates and MCLR trends.
• It ensures credit access for small and marginal farmers, critical for financial inclusion and agricultural productivity.

Impact on Agricultural Credit:

• KCC Accounts: Over 7.75 crore active accounts across India.
• Institutional Credit Growth:
  • Disbursement via KCC increased from ?4.26 lakh crore (2014) to ?10.05 lakh crore (Dec 2024).
  • Total agricultural credit rose from ?7.3 lakh crore (FY 2013–14) to ?25.49 lakh crore (FY 2023–24).
• Digital Reform: Kisan Rin Portal (KRP) launched in August 2023 has improved transparency and efficiency in claim processing.

Significance:

• Helps ensure timely and affordable institutional credit to the farming sector.
• Supports the government's goal of doubling farmers’ income.
• Strengthens the rural credit delivery system and promotes inclusive growth in agriculture.

In News:

In 2025, the early onset of the southwest monsoon in Kerala (May 24) and Mumbai (May 26—the earliest on record) was significantly influenced by the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), as reported by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

What is the MJO?

• The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is a large-scale atmospheric phenomenon observed in the tropical belt (30°N to 30°S).
• It is an eastward-moving disturbance involving winds, clouds, pressure, and rainfall that circles the globe every 30 to 60 days (occasionally up to 90 days).
• Identified in 1971 by Roland Madden and Paul Julian, it differs from ENSO (El Niño–Southern Oscillation) in being intra-seasonal and transient.

Phases of MJO:

• Enhanced Convective Phase:
  • Associated with increased cloudiness, low pressure, and above-normal rainfall.
  • Characterized by rising air and moisture convergence.
• Suppressed Convective Phase:
  • Brings clearer skies and reduced rainfall due to subsiding dry air.

• These phases shift eastward and influence weather globally, including India.

Formation and Movement:

• Triggered by surface wind convergence that causes upward motion, cloud formation, and upper-level wind divergence.
• Travels at 4–8 m/s, completing a global circuit roughly every 30–60 days.

MJO’s Impact on Indian Monsoon:

• MJO in active phase over the Indian Ocean can:
  • Trigger early monsoon onset, as seen in 2024 and 2025.
  • Enhance cyclogenesis and monsoon depressions.
  • Improve intra-seasonal rainfall variability.
• May 2025 Event:
  • The MJO was in Phase 4 with amplitude >1, indicating strong activity conducive to rainfall.
  • This condition, along with favorable local and oceanic factors, supported early monsoon advancement in India.

Global Influence of MJO:

• Cyclone Modulation: Alters frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones.
• Weather Extremes: Affects jet streams, triggering cold surges, heatwaves, or floods in mid-latitudes (e.g., U.S., Europe, Australia).
• Interaction with ENSO: While not always directly linked, MJO can amplify or be influenced by El Niño conditions.

In News:

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution has initiated a robust crackdown on Dark Patterns—deceptive design practices used on digital platforms to manipulate consumer behavior. A recent high-level stakeholder meeting in Delhi, chaired by Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, brought together representatives from major e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, and Ola, along with consumer organizations and law institutions, to address the growing concern.

What are Dark Patterns?

Dark Patterns are user interface designs that intentionally mislead or coerce consumers into making decisions they would not have otherwise made. These manipulative tactics exploit psychological principles and cognitive biases to serve the commercial interests of platforms—often at the cost of consumer autonomy.

Types of Dark Patterns Identified by the Government:

The Department of Consumer Affairs has officially recognized 13 types of dark patterns in its November 2023 guidelines. Prominent among them are:

• False Urgency: Creating artificial time pressure (e.g., “Only 1 seat left!”).
• Basket Sneaking: Adding items to the cart without user consent.
• Confirm Shaming: Using guilt-driven language to influence decisions.
• Subscription Trap: Making subscription easy but cancellation difficult.
• Interface Interference: Hiding crucial information or options.
• Bait and Switch: Advertising one offer and switching to another.
• Hidden Costs: Revealing extra charges only at checkout.
• Forced Action: Making users complete unrelated tasks to proceed.
• Disguised Ads, Trick Questions, Nagging, SAAS Billing Abuse, and Rogue Malware Links are other examples.

These practices have been found across multiple digital sectors including e-commerce, travel, OTT platforms, edtech, online banking, and quick commerce.

Consumer Impact and Rising Complaints:

The National Consumer Helpline has witnessed a significant increase in grievances related to dark patterns. Platforms are accused of eroding consumer trust, causing financial harm, breaching privacy, and distorting fair market practices.

According to LocalCircles, based on a survey conducted across 392 districts with feedback from 2.30 lakh consumers, the worst offenders include edtech, airline, and taxi app services. Notably, companies like Uber and Rapido were recently issued notices by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) for coercing users into paying tips in advance.

Regulatory Measures in India:

• Consumer Protection Act, 2019: While it prohibits unfair trade practices, it lacks explicit provisions targeting dark patterns, making enforcement challenging.
• 2023 Guidelines on Dark Patterns: Released by the Department of Consumer Affairs, these guidelines define deceptive interfaces as violations of consumer rights and misleading advertisements.
• Self-Audit Mandate: E-commerce companies have been instructed to conduct internal audits and eliminate dark patterns from their platforms.
• Proposed Joint Working Group: A mechanism is being considered to increase industry awareness and enforce compliance.
• Voluntary and Legal Enforcement: The government has urged digital firms to integrate the guidelines into internal policies and consumer grievance redressal systems.