Revised Startup India Recognition Framework
Policy Context & Strategic Intent
- The revisions aim to strengthen the Startup India Action Plan as it enters its second decade.
- Seeks to create a predictable, inclusive, and future-ready policy ecosystem.
- Designed to facilitate long-term patient capital into high-technology and R&D-intensive sectors.
1. Enhanced Turnover Threshold for Startup Recognition
- Turnover limit increased from ₹100 crore to ₹200 crore.
- Reflects:
- The maturation of India’s startup ecosystem
- Faster scaling cycles of modern startups.
- Enables:
- Growth-stage startups to continue availing benefits.
- Smoother transition from early-stage to scale-stage operations.
- Reduces premature exclusion from incentives due to revenue growth.
- Broadens access to regulatory, tax, and funding-related benefits.
Policy Significance:
- Recognizes startups as long-term economic actors rather than short-lived early-stage entities.
- Encourages sustained innovation and expansion.
2. Introduction of a Dedicated “Deep Tech Startup” Category
A. Structural Reform
- New sub-category created specifically for Deep Tech Startups.
- Developed through consultations with:
- Line Ministries
- Government Departments
- Ecosystem stakeholders
- Ensures clarity and objective identification criteria.
B. Revised Eligibility Criteria for Deep Tech
- Age limit extended from 10 years to 20 years.
- Turnover cap increased to ₹300 crore.
C. Rationale
- Deep tech enterprises:
- Have long gestation and commercialization timelines.
- Require high R&D intensity.
- Are capital-intensive and infrastructure-heavy.
- Traditional startup definitions were not suited for such ventures.
D. Expected Impact
- Encourages innovation in:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Semiconductors
- Space technology
- Biotechnology
- Quantum computing
- Advanced manufacturing
- Promotes domestic capability in strategic and frontier technologies.
- Attracts patient institutional capital and global investors.
- Strengthens India’s technological sovereignty and global competitiveness.
3. Inclusion of Cooperative Societies as Eligible Entities
- Startup recognition extended to:
- Multi-State Cooperative Societies (under MSCS Act, 2002)
- State and UT registered Cooperative Societies.
- Subject to fulfilment of other recognition criteria.
Policy Objectives:
- Promote innovation at the grassroots level.
- Drive modernization in:
- Agriculture
- Allied sectors
- Rural industries
- Community-based enterprises.
- Support collective entrepreneurship models.
- Foster inclusive and regionally balanced growth.
Broader Impact:
- Integrates rural and community institutions into the startup ecosystem.
- Encourages technology adoption in agriculture and rural value chains.
- Aligns with cooperative-led economic empowerment.
Capital & Investment Implications
- Designed to enable greater flow of:
- Long-term patient capital
- Research and infrastructure financing
- Improves investor confidence through:
- Clearer eligibility definitions
- Extended operational runway
- Particularly beneficial for:
- High-technology ventures
- Research-intensive enterprises
- Capital-heavy innovation sectors.
Structural & Ecosystem-Level Outcomes
- Shifts focus from:
- Quantity of startups → Quality and technological depth.
- Moves policy framework toward:
- Deep innovation
- Advanced manufacturing
- Strategic technology leadership.
- Encourages lifecycle-based support rather than early-stage-only support.
- Expands inclusivity by integrating cooperatives and rural enterprises.
Strategic & Long-Term Significance
- Positions India to:
- Compete in frontier technology domains.
- Build indigenous research capabilities.
- Strengthen supply chain resilience.
- Reinforces India’s ambition to emerge as:
- A high-technology innovation hub.
- A manufacturing-driven economy.
- A leader in knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship.
Chakshu Facility of Sanchar Saathi Initiative
Sanchar Saathi Initiative
An initiative of Department of Telecommunication
- Accessible via:
- Web portal
- Mobile application
- Empowers citizens to act as vigilant stakeholders in fraud prevention.
- Primarily deals with:
- Suspected fraud communications
- Cases where fraud was attempted but financial loss did not occur.
Chakshu Facility – Key Features
- A component of Sanchar Saathi.
- Enables reporting of suspected fraud under multiple categories:
- Fake customer care helplines
- IVR/robocalls
- Impersonation (DoT/TRAI, Police/CBI/RBI, relatives)
- Investment and trading scams
- KYC/payment fraud
- Malicious links
- Online job/lottery scams
- Sextortion
- Others
Trends in Reported Fraud Communications
Year-wise Total Reports:
- 2024: 2,08,224
- 2025: 5,19,662 (Sharp spike)
- 2026: 42,855 (Partial year data)
Observations:
- Significant surge in 2025 across categories, especially:
- KYC & payment-related fraud
- Impersonation fraud
- “Any other suspected fraud”
- Indicates:
- Increased awareness and citizen participation.
- Growing sophistication and scale of telecom-enabled fraud.
Institutional Division of Responsibility
- DoT:
- Handles suspected fraud communications.
- Uses crowd-sourced data for analytics.
- Targets misuse of telecom infrastructure.
- Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under MHA:
- Handles cases involving actual financial loss.
- Focused on cybercrime enforcement and investigation.
Efforts to Preserve Intangible Cultural Heritage
The Government of India has established seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) to protect, promote and preserve folk art and cultural traditions across the country. These Centres are headquartered at:
- Patiala
- Nagpur
- Udaipur
- Prayagraj
- Kolkata
- Dimapur
- Thanjavur
These Centres regularly organize cultural programmes, undertake documentation and digitization of vanishing art forms, and implement preservation initiatives.
Key Initiatives
1. Guru Shishya Parampara Scheme
A structured mentorship programme where traditional masters train young disciples to ensure continuity of indigenous knowledge systems. This supports artists, researchers and community custodians of traditions.
2. Documentation & Digitization
ZCCs document endangered folk art forms, oral traditions and performances through audio, video and written records. Digitization of legacy materials is an ongoing process, often in collaboration with academic institutions and cultural bodies.
3. Youth Engagement
- Shilpgram Festivals (live cultural village experiences)
- Workshops, competitions and interactive training
- Outreach in rural and far-flung areas
- Youth-centric festivals and hands-on learning
These efforts aim to increase youth participation and foster cultural pride.
4. Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs (RSMs)
Organized by the Ministry of Culture through ZCCs since 2015 to celebrate India’s cultural diversity.
- 14 National RSMs
- 4 Zonal Level RSMs
- 12,543 artists participated
- Artists received honorarium, TA/DA, boarding & lodging support
Financial Support to ZCCs (Grant-in-Aid)
(Rs. in lakh)
| Year | Amount Released |
|---|---|
| 2020–21 | 4721.88 |
| 2021–22 | 6838.08 |
| 2022–23 | 6572.07 |
| 2023–24 | 11967.59 |
| 2024–25 | 11121.66 |
No separate funds are earmarked specifically for individual art forms; however, overall grants support preservation, promotion and training initiatives.
Long-Term Measures
- Sustained training under Guru Shishya Parampara
- Documentation of endangered traditions
- Support to traditional artists
- Collaboration with State Governments and communities
- Digital archiving efforts
This information was provided by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
NIM-JIM&WS Joint expedition to Argentina’s Mt Aconcagua
Organizing Institutions
The joint expedition to Mt Aconcagua is being undertaken by:
- Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand)
- Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir)
These premier mountaineering institutes train Armed Forces personnel, youth, and adventure enthusiasts.
Significance of Mount Aconcagua
- Located in Argentina.
- Height: 6,961 metres.
- It is:
- The highest peak in South America.
- The highest mountain outside Asia.
- The tallest peak in the Western Hemisphere.
Expedition Team
- A six-member team comprising highly trained instructors:
- Col Hem Chandra Singh
- Capt G Santhosh Kumar
- Shri Deep Bahadur Sahi
- Shri Vinod Gusain
- Nb Sub Bhupinder Singh
- Hav Ramesh Kumar
- The journey begins on February 06, 2026.
- The expedition is expected to conclude by the end of February 2026.
Broader Objectives & Significance
- Enhances:
- Practical mountaineering expertise
- Leadership and survival skills
- Knowledge gained will contribute to:
- Improved training for youth
- Safer and stronger Armed Forces preparation
- Better adventure training frameworks
- Symbolizes:
- India’s growing presence in global adventure and mountain exploration
- Expansion of international mountaineering engagement
Population of Asiatic Lion
Growth in Asiatic Lion Population
- The population of the Asiatic Lion has increased from 674 (2020) to 891 (2025).
- The lions are primarily found in Gir forest of Gujarat.
- The species has expanded into:
- Notified forest areas
- River corridors
- Revenue wastelands
This indicates successful conservation and habitat expansion efforts.
Habitat Expansion & Landscape Management
- Habitat improvement undertaken in both traditional and newly inhabited areas.
- Grassland restoration and prey base augmentation in:
- Gir National Park
- Greater Gir Landscape
- Barda Wildlife Sanctuary developed as a second home for lions.
- Corridor management initiatives ensure safe inter-movement between sub-populations.
- Delineation and protection of key lion movement routes.
Scientific Monitoring & Research
- Comprehensive satellite telemetry study conducted to gather scientific data on:
- Lion ecology
- Spatial distribution
- Corridor usage
- Seasonal patterns
- Land-use preferences
- Establishment of a Hi-Tech Monitoring Unit (2019) at Sasan-Gir for:
- Real-time tracking using radio telemetry
- Strengthened surveillance and management
Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation
To manage increasing interaction between lions and local communities:
- Engagement of Vanya Prani Mitras and trackers for public awareness.
- Provision of Machans (elevated platforms) to farmers for crop protection.
- Augmentation of water resources to reduce movement into human-dominated areas.
- Strengthening veterinary facilities to manage disease vulnerability.
- Special SOP for lion protection near railway tracks, including:
- Speed restrictions in hotspot areas
- Monitoring and patrolling around tracks
Community Participation & Eco-Development
- Eco-development programmes in local communities.
- Nature education camps and awareness initiatives.
- Encouraging community participation in conservation efforts.
Institutional & Administrative Measures
- Management of satellite lion populations in Greater Gir Landscape.
- Strengthening of protection mechanisms.
- Scientific, technological, and participatory conservation approach adopted by the State.
Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS)
Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) – Overview
- The Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) has been notified to:
- Reduce, remove, or avoid greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
- Introduce carbon pricing through trading of Carbon Credit Certificates (CCC).
- It forms the basis of the Indian Carbon Market (ICM).
Institutional Framework of the Indian Carbon Market (ICM)
The Government has operationalised the ICM through:
- Notification of Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) targets for seven energy-intensive sectors under the compliance mechanism.
- Approval of methodologies under the offset mechanism.
- Establishment of:
- Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) framework
- Accreditation procedures for carbon verification agencies
Key Institutions Involved
- Bureau of Energy Efficiency – Administrator of the Scheme.
- Grid Controller of India Limited – Functions as the Registry.
- Central Electricity Regulatory Commission – Provides regulatory support for trading.
- National Steering Committee:
- Co-chaired by Secretaries of the Ministry of Power and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Compliance & Offset Mechanisms
1. Compliance Mechanism
- Applicable to energy-intensive industries (obligated entities).
- Entities must meet notified GEI targets.
- If they over-achieve targets:
- They receive Carbon Credit Certificates (CCC).
- CCCs can be traded through power exchanges.
2. Offset Mechanism
- Open to non-obligated entities, including:
- Renewable energy producers.
- Entities may voluntarily register approved mitigation projects.
- Eligible to receive CCC upon verified emission reductions.
Financial & Regulatory Support
- Implementation costs are met by:
- Fees and charges collected from participating entities.
- Internal resources of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
- Trading activities regulated by:
- Central Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Objectives & Significance
- Establishes a market-based mechanism for emission reduction.
- Encourages:
- Energy efficiency improvements.
- Adoption of low-carbon technologies.
- Aligns with India’s climate commitments and transition to a low-carbon economy.
- Integrates environmental responsibility with economic incentives.
Development of Homestays in Tribal Areas
The Ministry of Tourism has launched the ‘Development of Homestays in Tribal Areas’ sub-scheme under the Swadesh Darshan initiative, as part of the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PM-JUGA).
Key Features of the Scheme
- Financial support of:
- Up to ₹5 lakh for village community requirements
- Up to ₹5 lakh per household for construction of two new rooms
- Up to ₹3 lakh per household for renovation of existing rooms
- Focus on promoting community-based responsible tourism in tribal areas
- Encourages cultural exchange between tourists and indigenous communities
- Aims to generate alternative livelihoods for tribal families
- Includes capacity-building, skill development, sustainable tourism promotion, and marketing support
Approved Projects
Projects worth ₹17.52 crore have been approved in:
- Andhra Pradesh
- Madhya Pradesh
- Mizoram
- Uttarakhand
- Ladakh
However, no funds have been released yet.
This information was provided by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
Major Demands of Denotified Tribes (DNTs), Nomadic Tribes (NTs), and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (SNTs)
Denotified Tribes (DNTs), Nomadic Tribes (NTs), and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (SNTs) are mobilising ahead of Census 2027 with two major demands:
- A separate column and code in the caste enumeration, and
- Constitutional recognition through a separate Schedule, on par with SC, ST, and OBC categories.
1. Historical Background
The Criminal Tribes Act, 1871
The Criminal Tribes Act was enacted by the British colonial government to classify certain communities—particularly nomadic and semi-nomadic groups—as “criminal tribes” by birth. Entire communities were subjected to surveillance, movement restrictions, and social stigma.
The Act was amended in 1924 and ultimately repealed on August 31, 1952. After repeal, these communities were officially “denotified,” leading to the term Denotified Tribes (DNTs).
However, the stigma and marginalisation persisted long after legal repeal.
2. Post-Independence Classification Issues
After Independence:
- Many DNT communities were absorbed into Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), or Other Backward Classes (OBC) lists.
- Some were not classified anywhere.
- Classification varies across States.
- Around 267 DNT communities remain unclassified, according to the 2017 report of the National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (Idate Commission).
Leaders argue that:
- Being merged into SC/ST/OBC lists has not ensured fair access to reservations.
- Within these broad categories, DNTs are often the most marginalised, but lack targeted recognition.
3. Demand for a Separate Schedule
Currently, constitutional recognition exists for:
- Scheduled Castes (Article 341)
- Scheduled Tribes (Article 342)
- OBCs (via statutory framework and later constitutional backing)
DNT leaders are demanding:
- A new constitutional Schedule specifically for DNT/NT/SNT communities
- Similar safeguards and reservation structure
- Targeted welfare mechanisms
They argue that without a separate Schedule, they remain administratively invisible.
4. Census 2027 and the “Separate Column” Issue
The Social Justice Ministry has recommended inclusion of DNT/NT/SNT communities in the exercise, and the Office of the Registrar General of India has agreed.
However, community leaders fear:
- If DNTs are not listed under a distinct column or code,
- They may again be merged into SC/ST/OBC categories,
- Leading to statistical invisibility.
Their concern is not just being counted, but being counted distinctly.
5. Graded Backwardness & Sub-Classification
Some leaders are also pushing for recognition of graded backwardness within DNTs themselves.
This argument draws strength from a landmark 2024 judgment of the Supreme Court of India that allowed sub-classification within SCs and STs for equitable distribution of reservation benefits.
If applied to DNTs, this could mean:
- Internal quota distribution,
- Targeted benefit allocation,
- Avoidance of dominance by relatively better-off subgroups.
6. Welfare Schemes & Implementation Gaps
The central government runs the SEED scheme (Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs).
However:
- ₹69.3 crore spent (out of ₹200 crore planned over five years).
- Major obstacle: States not issuing DNT certificates.
- Without certificates, beneficiaries cannot access schemes.
This creates a structural paradox:
- Communities are recognised for welfare schemes,
- But lack formal certification mechanisms to access them.
7. Core Structural Problems
The issue involves three interlinked challenges:
(A) Identity Recognition
- No constitutional Schedule
- No uniform national classification
(B) Administrative Recognition
- No standard DNT certificate system
- State-level inconsistencies
(C) Statistical Visibility
- Fear of being numerically absorbed in broader categories
- Demand for separate census coding
8. Why This Matters
Recognition in Census 2027 could:
- Determine future reservation policy,
- Influence budget allocations,
- Shape constitutional reform debates,
- Provide long-awaited statistical clarity.
For DNT/NT/SNT communities, this is not merely about data—it is about correcting a historical trajectory that began with colonial criminalisation and continued through post-independence administrative marginalisation.