Context: MSMEs are the backbone of the Indian economy, but they need support to succeed in exporting. Reforms and e-commerce can help MSMEs overcome challenges and achieve export success.

Role of MSME Sector In Indian Economy

• The share of MSME Gross Value Added (GVA) in India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has displayed a fluctuating trend over the last three years. However, the share of MSME manufacturing output in the overall Indian manufacturing output remained relatively stable.

• The share of MSME products in India’s total exports experienced a decline over the past three years. While in the fiscal year 2019-20, they constituted 49.4% of India’s exports, the share decreased to 45.0% in 2020-21 and further to 43.6% in 2021-22.

• Today, India’s share in global merchandise exports is around 2 percent, and less than 1 percent of MSMEs are exporters.

• The MSME sector has been a significant source of employment in India providing 110 million jobs. (Udyam Registration Portal).

Challenges for MSMEs in Exporting

MSMEs and the Global Market

• India’s domestic market accounts for only about 2 percent of the global market size for these industries.

• However, to address the global market, India must aim for at least a 10 percent share of the global trade.

Integration with ‘E-commerce’ platforms for MSMEs

• The rise of e-commerce platforms means MSMEs can now compete in the global arena.

• However, India’s current e-commerce exports stand at a modest $2 billion, a mere 0.5 percent of our merchandise exports.

Small Scale (Dwarfism) of MSMEs

• It is nearly impossible for a typical small business to first find customers abroad, and then navigate the logistical, financial and compliance complexities of the export sector.

• However, 85 percent of MSMEs are classified as “dwarfs” — older than 10 years but still smaller than 100 employees.

Road Ahead

• E-commerce platforms can match small businesses with customers, and handle logistics and even compliance.

• Create a “green channel” for e-commerce exports to expedite Customs clearance. This will help MSMEs to get their products to market faster.

• Allow “exporter” and “product owner” to be separate entities. This will let aggregators work much more easily with small enterprises.

• Streamline the rules of financial regulation for exports. Reduce the burden on MSMEs and give them the flexibility to price their products dynamically.

• Implement a one-stop trade portal that brings together all information and processes related to exporting, and places it into a single, streamlined workflow. This will make it easier for MSMEs to comply with all government regulations.

Context: Recently, Researchers have developed an innovative lithium extraction technique, to revolutionize lithium production, reducing time and land requirements, and meeting growing battery demand.

How is lithium production changing and why?

• Large majority of the lithium produced in the world is extracted from “brine reservoirs” located in salt flats.

• This method of production can require hundreds of square kilometres, and it often takes months or even years to produce lithium that can be used in batteries.

• The total demand for lithium was 500,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent in 2021.

• It is expected to grow to between two to three million tons in 2030, according to McKinsey.

• In 2015, less than 30 per cent of the demand was for batteries, with the rest split between ceramics and glasses, greases, metallurgical powders, polymers and other uses.

• By 2030, batteries will account for 95 per cent of the demand, growing with the penetration of electric vehicles and energy storage devices.

Innovative Technique for Efficient Lithium Production

• Researchers have developed a technique that can drastically reduce the amount of land and time needed for production.

• This can improve production at existing lithium factories in the world while also unlocking sources that may have been too small or diluted to have been worthwhile in the past.

• Researchers used a set of porous fibres twisted into strings and engineered them to have a water-loving (hydrophilic) core and water-repelling surface.

• When one end is dipped in a salt-water solution, the water travels up the string because of capillary action.

• This is the same process used by trees to raise water from roots to leaves.

• Then, the water evaporates quickly from the string’s surface. This leaves behind salt ions such as sodium and lithium.

• The water will continue to evaporate like this as the salts become increasingly concentrated, eventually forming sodium chloride and lithium chloride crystals.

• This can be harvested relatively easily.

How the strings can fit into conventional lithium production methods?

• The strings themselves are not very hard to make.

• The raw strings were treated with chemicals to make them more hydrophilic inside and hydrophobic outside.

• Conventional methods of extraction rely on a series of massive evaporation ponds that concentrate lithium from saltwater reservoirs, and salt flats of underground aquifers.

This means that operations are only commercially viable in a few locations around the world that meet some important criteria:

• High starting lithium concentration,

• Abundance of cheaply available land, and

• Hot and dry climate to maximise evaporation.

• The new technique can remove some of these prerequisites by essentially “putting the pond on a string.”

• It can cut the amount of land required by 90 per cent while accelerating the evaporation technique by more than 20 times.

• This could mean that initial lithium harvest can happen in less than one month, compared to the months and even years it takes now.

Can this technology revolutionize lithium extraction methods?

• It will also allow us to look into new areas to extract lithium from.

• For example, defunct oil and gas wells and geothermal brines that are currently considered too small or too diluted for lithium extraction could become viable sources.

• It might even open the doors to try extraction in humid climates.

• But the technology has currently only worked on a laboratory scale and the researchers are working on making it commercially viable.

• They are also investigating if it can be used to extract lithium from seawater.

Context: The World Health Organisation has released its fir-ever report named “Global report on hypertension: the race against a silent killer”.

About Hypertension

• It is commonly known as high blood pressure, is a medical condition characterized by persistently elevated blood pressure levels in the arteries. 

• It is typically measured as two numbers, systolic (when the heart beats) and diastolic (when the heart is at rest) pressure.

• Can be controlled effectively with simple, low-cost medication and preventive measures.

• Healthy eating, tobacco cessation, and increased physical activity can reduce blood pressure.

Key findings of the report

• Approximately 4 of every 5 people with hypertension are not adequately treated, but if countries can scale up coverage, 76 million deaths could be averted between 2023 and 2050.

• Report is based on the analysis of the data where blood pressure is 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or higher or a person is taking medication for the condition.

• The number of people living with hypertension doubled between 1990 and 2019, from 650 million to 1.3 billion. 

• Nearly half of people with hypertension globally are currently unaware of their condition. More than three-quarters of adults with hypertension live in low- and middle-income countries.

Key findings about India

• Indian Scenario: In India, an estimated 188.3 million adults aged 30–79 years have hypertension.

• About 67 million more people with hypertension would need to be effectively treated in the country to achieve a 50 percent control rate.

• The India Hypertension Control Initiative, a large-scale hypertension intervention under the National Health Mission, has been recognised for its positive work done within the primary healthcare system.

• Hypertension is the most important risk factor for death and disability in India.

• Only 37 per cent of Indians with hypertension are diagnosed and only 30 per cent get treated. 

• At present, only 15 per cent of those with hypertension in the country have it under control.

• More than half of all the deaths in the country (52 per cent) due to cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack can be attributed to elevated blood pressure.

• Primary triggers for hypertension in India are high salt intake, tobacco use (28%), obesity, alcohol consumption and lack of physical exercise (34%).

• In National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5 ) reported a hypertension prevalence of 24% in men and 21% among women in 2016-2020, an increase from 19% and 17%, respectively, from the previous round (2015-16). 

• Prevalence: About one-third of the world’s adults live with hypertension and are at risk of heart disease, stroke, or death.

• Globally, the prevalence of hypertension is slightly higher among males (34%) than females (32%). 

• Status of hypertension care: Currently, among adults aged 30–79 years with hypertension, only 54% have been diagnosed with the condition, 42% are being treated for their hypertension, and 21% are considered to have their hypertension controlled.

• Only about one in five people with hypertension have controlled their hypertension. 

• Treatment coverage is highest in the Region of the Americas (60%) and lowest in the African Region (27%).

• Global Target: The world is not on track to meet the voluntary global target of a 25% reduction in the prevalence of raised blood pressure (uncontrolled hypertension) by 2025. 

• Prevention: Increasing the percentage of people whose hypertension is under control globally to 50% would prevent 76 million deaths between 2023 and 2050.

• Treating hypertension is one of the most important interventions to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.4 of a one-third reduction in premature mortality from the leading noncommunicable diseases.

• Recommendation: WHO supports the reduction of dietary sodium (and increase in potassium), the reduction of alcohol consumption, the control of tobacco use, the promotion of physical activity, and a reduction in air pollution to prevent hypertension.

• The most effective ways to control these hypertension risk factors is via large-scale, population-level public health programmes.

Why In News?

• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the Swachh Seva Pakhwada campaign in a program organized at Main Seva Sadan, Dehradun.
• This campaign will run till October 2.

Key Points:

=> On this occasion, the Chief Minister honored the village heads of 15-gram panchayats of Nainital, Champawat, Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar districts who have become examples of cleanliness in the villages.

=> The Chief Minister also honored five environmental friends who did commendable work in the field of cleanliness and also released the song 'Swachhta Hi Seva'.

These village heads were honoured:

• Population category less than 2000: Khashti Raghav, head of Pastola Panchayat from Nainital, Basant Lal Shah of Ramgarh Bohrakot, Balveer Singh of Jamradi, Mohan Chand Pandey, head of Chowki Panchayat of Champawat and Shiv Shankar Pathak, head of Thanta were honored.
• Population Category 2000-5000: Vipin Chand Joshi, head of Kishanpur Sakulia Panchayat of Nainital district, Sunita Ghughatiyal of Kania, Hemant Joshi, head of Halduchaudiggi and Deepak Joshi, head of Dehradun Bhagwanpur Julho, were honored.
• Population category more than 5000: Manju, Pradhan of Dakpathar Panchayat of Dehradun, Sangeeta Thapliyal of Khadri Kharak Mafi, Awadh Kumari of Kheda Jat of Haridwar and Narendra Kumar, Pradhan of Bhageri Mehatpur and Madhavi Devi, Pradhan of Bigara Bag in Udham Singh Nagar district was honoured.

These Environmental Friends were honored:

• The Chief Minister honored environment friends Pappu, Vinod, Shivkumar, Meena and Savita for their commendable work in the field of cleanliness.

Why In the News?

• Akashvani Delhi celebrated the successful culmination of India’s Presidency of the G-20 summit and the ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’ initiative with a grand cultural extravaganza in Village Mana, District Chamoli, Uttarakhand.

About:

=> Akashvani Delhi has been actively engaged in a series of programs celebrating India’s G-20 Presidency and the ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’ initiative since July.

=> Nearly 25 diverse programs have been organized under this initiative, showcasing the talents of India’s youth.

=> It aims to bring listeners from urban areas closer to the heart of rural India and its diverse cultural heritage.

=> The women of Mana Village participated in various folk dances and songs, and performed in Declamation on topics like Tourism, Vocal for local and Digital India.

About Mana Village:

=> Mana is located in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand and shares a border with China and was previously referred to as the “last village” but is now referred to as the “first Indian village”.

=> It is located on the banks of the River Saraswati, just 3 km away from the town of Badrinath, making it one of the best tourist attractions in the region.

=> The people living in Mana village belong to the Bhotia community, a Mongol tribe.

=> Mana is renowned for its woollen garments and materials, which are made primarily from sheep wool.

=> It holds a huge religious significance for the Hindus as the place is related to the time of Mahabharata.