SIDBI has launched several initiatives to empower women entrepreneurs across India through its Mission Swavalamban, which blends financial support with capacity building, mentoring, and market access. One of its key schemes is the ARJANA loan facility, exclusively for MSMEs with at least 51% women oRead more
SIDBI has launched several initiatives to empower women entrepreneurs across India through its Mission Swavalamban, which blends financial support with capacity building, mentoring, and market access. One of its key schemes is the ARJANA loan facility, exclusively for MSMEs with at least 51% women ownership, offering concessional finance with reduced guarantee fees, minimal processing charges, and no prepayment penalties. SIDBI also runs the Swavalamban Silai Homepreneur Program in partnership with Usha International, setting up Silai Schools that provide residential training in stitching, machine maintenance, entrepreneurship, and life skills, enabling women to start their own home-based tailoring businesses. To promote market access, SIDBI organizes Swavalamban Bazaar+ fairs that showcase women-led enterprises and link them to design, credit, and marketing resources. The SAFAL initiative delivers financial literacy, credit, and market linkages to women in adopted villages, while the SWAS program focuses on empowering women in the Sundarbans through training in handicrafts and food processing. Additionally, the Bank Sakhi program trains women to provide banking and digital financial services in rural areas. SIDBI also promotes digital inclusion through webinar series in collaboration with COWE, helping women understand platforms like Stand-Up India, GeM, and TReDS. It supports microfinance through the SIDBI Foundation for Microcredit and extends credit guarantees under CGTMSE, which includes enhanced coverage and reduced fees for women entrepreneurs. State-level partnerships, like with AMFI in West Bengal, further strengthen credit and market access for thousands of women-led businesses. All these efforts are unified under SIDBI’s 4S + Sangam framework—Sampark, Samwad, Suraksha, Sampreshan, and Sangam—designed to create a comprehensive and sustainable ecosystem for women entrepreneurship in India.
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What is the primary difference between Basel II and Basel III in terms of capital structure?
The primary difference between Basel II and Basel III in terms of capital structure lies in both the quality and quantity of capital banks are required to hold. Under Basel II, banks had to maintain a total capital ratio of at least 8% of their risk-weighted assets, with a minimum Tier 1 capital ofRead more
The primary difference between Basel II and Basel III in terms of capital structure lies in both the quality and quantity of capital banks are required to hold. Under Basel II, banks had to maintain a total capital ratio of at least 8% of their risk-weighted assets, with a minimum Tier 1 capital of 4%, which included around 2% in Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1). However, the global financial crisis of 2008 exposed serious weaknesses in this framework, particularly the over-reliance on lower-quality capital instruments. In response, Basel III significantly strengthened the capital requirements by raising the CET1 minimum to 4.5%, increasing the Tier 1 capital requirement to 6%, and maintaining the total capital ratio at 8%. Additionally, Basel III introduced a capital conservation buffer of 2.5%, effectively raising the total capital requirement to 10.5%, along with a countercyclical buffer of up to 2.5%. Overall, Basel III places a greater emphasis on high-quality capital—particularly common equity—and introduces additional buffers to improve the resilience of banks during periods of economic stress.
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See lessIf RBI continuously increases the repo rate, what is the likely impact on the economy?
If the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) continuously increases the repo rate, the overall cost of borrowing for banks also rises, leading them to pass on this higher cost to consumers and businesses in the form of increased interest rates on loans. As a result, loans for homes, vehicles, education, and bRead more
If the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) continuously increases the repo rate, the overall cost of borrowing for banks also rises, leading them to pass on this higher cost to consumers and businesses in the form of increased interest rates on loans. As a result, loans for homes, vehicles, education, and businesses become more expensive, which reduces borrowing and dampens consumer spending and corporate investment. This slowdown in demand helps to control inflation, which is often the primary objective of such rate hikes. However, while inflation may be brought under control, the economy may also experience slower growth due to reduced consumption and investment. In the long run, continuous repo rate hikes can lead to lower economic activity, reduced job creation, and slower industrial and services sector growth, although they may encourage savings due to higher returns on deposits.
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See lessWhich bank recently launched the ‘Project Arogya’ to strengthen its healthcare lending portfolio?
The bank that recently launched “Project Arogya” to bolster its healthcare lending portfolio is none other than the State Bank of India (SBI). In June 2021, SBI introduced its specialized loan offering—the Aarogyam Healthcare Business Loan—aimed at supporting healthcare service providers across theRead more
The bank that recently launched “Project Arogya” to bolster its healthcare lending portfolio is none other than the State Bank of India (SBI). In June 2021, SBI introduced its specialized loan offering—the Aarogyam Healthcare Business Loan—aimed at supporting healthcare service providers across the country, including hospitals, diagnostic centers, nursing homes, medical suppliers, logistics firms, and more. This initiative allows healthcare entities to access financing ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹100 crore, depending on their location, with repayment tenures of up to 10 years. Notably, loans up to ₹2 crore are collateral-free thanks to coverage under the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), underscoring SBI’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure through accessible credit.
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See lessWhere is the headquarters of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) located?
The headquarters of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is located in Hyderabad, Telangana. Initially, IRDAI was headquartered in New Delhi, but it was later shifted to Hyderabad in 2001 to decentralize regulatory institutions across India. As the apex regulatory bodyRead more
The headquarters of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is located in Hyderabad, Telangana. Initially, IRDAI was headquartered in New Delhi, but it was later shifted to Hyderabad in 2001 to decentralize regulatory institutions across India. As the apex regulatory body for the insurance sector, IRDAI is responsible for overseeing, regulating, and promoting the orderly growth of the insurance industry in India. From its Hyderabad headquarters, IRDAI formulates policies, grants licenses to insurance companies, protects policyholders’ interests, and ensures financial stability in the insurance market.
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See lessWhich of the following schemes is primarily implemented by the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC)?
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is the scheme that is primarily implemented by the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC). Launched in 2016, PMFBY aims to provide comprehensive crop insurance coverage to farmers against losses arising from natural calamities, pests, and diseases.Read more
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is the scheme that is primarily implemented by the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC). Launched in 2016, PMFBY aims to provide comprehensive crop insurance coverage to farmers against losses arising from natural calamities, pests, and diseases. AIC plays a pivotal role in the implementation and management of this scheme across various states in India. The objective of PMFBY is to stabilize farmers’ income, ensure their creditworthiness, and encourage them to adopt innovative and modern agricultural practices. Through this scheme, AIC helps mitigate the financial risks associated with farming and supports the long-term sustainability of India’s agricultural sector.
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See lessWhich of the following best explains the concept of “Stagflation”?
Stagflation is an economic condition characterized by the unusual combination of stagnant economic growth, high unemployment, and rising inflation. Typically, inflation occurs in a growing economy, but during stagflation, the economy experiences slow or no growth while prices continue to rise, creatRead more
Stagflation is an economic condition characterized by the unusual combination of stagnant economic growth, high unemployment, and rising inflation. Typically, inflation occurs in a growing economy, but during stagflation, the economy experiences slow or no growth while prices continue to rise, creating a challenging situation for policymakers. This phenomenon defies traditional economic theories, which suggest that inflation and unemployment usually move in opposite directions. Stagflation makes it difficult for central banks to implement corrective measures, as efforts to control inflation (like raising interest rates) may worsen unemployment, while steps to boost growth (like lowering interest rates) could fuel inflation further. The term gained prominence during the 1970s oil crisis when many economies, including the United States, faced this difficult economic scenario.
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See lessWhat is the primary reason for zinc deficiency in Indian soils, especially in intensive agriculture areas?
The primary reason for zinc deficiency in Indian soils, particularly in intensive agriculture areas, is the continuous and imbalanced use of chemical fertilizers without adequate replenishment of micronutrients like zinc. High-yielding crop varieties, commonly used in intensive farming, extract largRead more
The primary reason for zinc deficiency in Indian soils, particularly in intensive agriculture areas, is the continuous and imbalanced use of chemical fertilizers without adequate replenishment of micronutrients like zinc. High-yielding crop varieties, commonly used in intensive farming, extract large amounts of nutrients from the soil, leading to gradual depletion. Moreover, the over-reliance on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizers, while neglecting micronutrient supplementation, has significantly reduced the natural zinc content in the soil. This problem is further exacerbated in alkaline and calcareous soils, which are common in many parts of India, where zinc becomes less available to plants. The widespread deficiency of organic matter due to reduced use of compost and green manure also affects zinc availability. As a result, crop productivity and nutritional quality suffer, highlighting the need for balanced fertilization and integrated soil nutrient management practices.
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