What’s in Today’s Article?

• Digital Banking Units India Latest News
• Digital Banking Units (DBUs)
• Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in India
• Digital Banking Units India FAQs

Digital Banking Units India Latest News

• In October 2022, to commemorate India’s 75th year of Independence, 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) were launched across remote districts to extend banking access to the last mile. 
• Despite the initial enthusiasm, little progress has been made in expanding DBUs nationwide. 
• As defined by the RBI, DBUs are specialized hubs equipped with digital infrastructure to offer banking services in both self-service and assisted modes.

Digital Banking Units (DBUs)

• DBUs, as defined by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), are specialized fixed-location hubs equipped with essential digital infrastructure to deliver and service banking products digitally. 
• These units offer a range of digital banking services in both self-service and assisted modes. 
• DBUs aim to provide customers with cost-effective, secure, paperless, and year-round access to banking services, enhancing their overall digital banking experience.

Who Can Set Up DBUs

• Commercial banks with prior experience in digital banking (excluding regional rural banks, payment banks, and local area banks) are permitted to set up DBUs across tier 1 to tier 6 centres. 
• These banks do not need prior RBI approval for each DBU, unless specifically restricted.

Services Offered by DBUs

• As mandated by the RBI, DBUs must offer a minimum set of digital banking products and services, covering both asset and liability segments. 
• Liability Products
  • Savings accounts (under various schemes)
  • Current accounts
  • Fixed and recurring deposits
• Customer Services
  • Digital kits for Internet and mobile banking
  • Debit cards, credit cards, mass transit system cards
  • Merchant Services:
  • Digital kits including UPI QR codes, BHIM Aadhaar, and PoS devices
• Loan Services
  • Application and onboarding for retail, MSME, and schematic loans
  • End-to-end digital processing from application to disbursal
  • Access to government-sponsored schemes via the national portal

Benefits of DBUs for Customers

• Convenience: Offers paperless, cost-effective, and secure banking.
• Accessibility: Self-service available with manual help for rural and less tech-savvy users.
• Financial Inclusion: Expands digital banking awareness and services to underserved regions.
• Efficiency: Reduces the need for physical branches, lowering operational costs while improving service reach in remote areas.

Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in India

• Inauguration of DBUs
  • In October 2022, to commemorate India’s 75th year of Independence, PM Modi launched 75 DBUs across 75 remote districts. 
  • The initiative aimed to bring banking services to the last mile, moving away from the old expectation that the poor should visit banks.
• Limited Expansion Post-Launch
  • Despite the initial enthusiasm, over two years later, there has been little to no expansion of DBUs.
• Challenges in Implementation
  • Banks were given only 45 days to set up DBUs and instructed on specific locations. 
  • However, bankers pointed out that such top-down directives don’t work uniformly across different banks and regions. 
  • Setting up a digital branch doesn’t guarantee business, especially in areas where physical presence and fieldwork remain crucial.
  • Experts highlighted that in tier-III cities and smaller towns, just installing a digital-looking branch does not ensure increased deposits. Building trust and visibility remains essential in such areas.
• Strict RBI Guidelines for DBUs
  • RBI mandates that DBUs must:
    • Be housed separately from existing branches.
    • Have distinct entry and exit points.
    • Be designed appropriately for digital users.
    • Use smart equipment like Interactive Teller Machines, Service Terminals, and Cash Recyclers.
    • Each DBU must be integrated into the bank’s overall digital strategy and led by a senior, experienced executive.
• Operational and Logistical Hurdles
  • While DBUs can enhance financial inclusion in remote areas, high setup and operational costs remain a significant deterrent for banks, making expansion difficult.

Digital Banking Units India FAQs

Q1. What are Digital Banking Units (DBUs)?

Ans. DBUs are fixed digital branches offering paperless, secure banking through self-service and assisted modes in rural and urban areas.

Q2. Why were DBUs launched?

Ans. To promote financial inclusion and digital banking access in remote districts, commemorating India’s 75th year of Independence.

Q3. Why didn’t DBUs expand?

Ans. Banks faced rushed timelines, high costs, and lack of local trust, limiting DBU growth beyond the initial 75 locations.

Q4. What services do DBUs offer?

Ans. They provide account services, loans, digital kits, and access to government schemes using self-service and assisted digital infrastructure.

Q5. What are the main challenges?

Ans. High costs, rural user trust, RBI compliance, and lack of immediate business returns deter banks from opening more DBUs.

Source: BL | IE | BS

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Kosmos 482 Re-Entry Latest News
• Kosmos 482 Mission
• Kosmos 482: Mission Failure Explained
• Kosmos 482's Uncontrolled Re-entry
• Frequency of Space Debris Re-Entry
• Kosmos 482 Re-Entry FAQs

Kosmos 482 Re-Entry Latest News

• A 500 kg fragment of the Soviet Kosmos 482 spacecraft, launched on March 31, 1972, is expected to crashed in Indian Ocean, west of Jakarta. 
• Originally intended to land on Venus, the mission failed, and while most parts re-entered Earth within a decade, this particular piece remained in orbit. Till the very end, experts could not determine the exact time or location of its re-entry.

Kosmos 482 Mission

• Kosmos 482 was part of the Soviet Union's Cold War-era effort to explore Venus and showcase scientific dominance. 
• The mission aimed to study Venus’s surface and atmosphere.

Background

• Launched under the Venera Program (1961–1984), the Soviet Union sent 28 spacecraft to Venus. 
• Of these, 13 entered the atmosphere and 10 landed successfully, but extreme conditions limited their survival to 23 minutes–2 hours.

Mission Details

• Kosmos 482 lifted off on March 31, 1972, just days after its twin mission, Venera 8, which landed on Venus 117 days later. 
• Kosmos 482 carried instruments to measure temperature, pressure, wind speed, visibility, atmospheric gases, and rock composition, and was designed to transmit data back to Earth.

Outcome

• The mission failed to leave Earth orbit due to a malfunction, preventing it from reaching Venus.

Kosmos 482: Mission Failure Explained

• Cause of Malfunction
  • A critical error occurred shortly after launch when the upper rocket stage shut off prematurely due to an incorrectly set timer. 
  • This stage was responsible for propelling the spacecraft out of Earth’s orbit.
• Immediate Consequence
  • The spacecraft failed to escape Earth’s orbit and became stranded. The lander module separated from the main body of the spacecraft as a result.
  • The main spacecraft, being large and heavy, eventually burned up upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere. 
  • The smaller lander module remained in orbit for decades.
• Current Status
  • The lander module is now gradually being pulled toward Earth by atmospheric drag.

Kosmos 482's Uncontrolled Re-entry

• The lander module's return to Earth was uncontrolled. 
• After 53 years in space, it lacked systems like aerobraking, parachutes, or internal cooling, making it reliant solely on atmospheric friction to slow down.

Material and Speed Concerns

• The module was made of titanium, which melts at around 1,700°C—hotter than typical re-entry temperatures (~1,600°C). 
• Therefore, it was unlikely to burn up completely and may survive re-entry. 
• It was traveling at over 17,000 miles per hour.

Potential Impact Zone

• Its orbit covers a wide area between 52°N and 52°S latitudes, including regions in Africa, Australia, the Americas, and large parts of Europe and Asia.

Frequency of Space Debris Re-Entry

• The crash of Kosmos 482 is not unusual. 
• According to the European Space Agency, over 2,400 man-made objects re-entered Earth’s atmosphere in 2022 alone—a record high. 
• Most of these objects either burned up or landed in the ocean.

Why Scientists Are Not Alarmed

• Because such re-entries are common and typically harmless, scientists were not particularly concerned about Kosmos 482’s lander module crashing.

Human Risk Remains Extremely Low

• There has been no recorded human fatality due to space debris. 
• ESA states that the annual risk of an individual being injured by falling space debris is less than 1 in 100 billion. 
• In contrast, a person is 65,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning.

Kosmos 482 Re-Entry FAQs

Q1. What was Kosmos 482's mission?

Ans. Kosmos 482 was intended to explore Venus but failed due to a launch malfunction and remained stuck in Earth's orbit.

Q2. Why did Kosmos 482 fail?

Ans. A rocket timer error caused early engine shutdown, stranding the spacecraft in Earth orbit instead of sending it to Venus.

Q3. Did Kosmos 482 completely burn on re-entry?

Ans. No, its titanium parts may have survived re-entry, as titanium melts at higher temperatures than typical atmospheric re-entry.

Q4. Is falling space debris dangerous?

Ans. Not usually. Experts state the chance of injury from falling space debris is less than 1 in 100 billion.

Q5. How common is space debris re-entry?

Ans. Very. In 2022 alone, over 2,400 man-made objects re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, mostly burning up or falling in oceans.

Source: IE | LM | BBC

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India’s Total Fertility Rate Latest News
• Introduction
• Total Fertility Rate Trends in 2021
• Demographic Shifts: Age Distribution and Elderly Population
• Changing Marriage Patterns and Their Impact
• Policy Responses and the Need for Updated Data
• Future Outlook: Opportunities and Challenges
• India’s TFR FAQs

India’s Total Fertility Rate Latest News

• According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) report for 2021 released by the Registrar General of India (RGI) on May 7, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in the country has remained constant at 2.0 in 2021.

Introduction

• India’s demographic profile is undergoing significant changes, as highlighted in the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) report for 2021, released by the Registrar General of India (RGI). 
• The report confirms that the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) remains constant at 2.0, the same as in 2020. 
• This reflects a continued trend towards population stabilization, with critical implications for social, economic, and healthcare policies.

Total Fertility Rate Trends in 2021

• The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) represents the average number of children a woman is expected to bear during her reproductive years. 
• The replacement level TFR, required to sustain a stable population, is 2.1. India reaching a TFR of 2.0 suggests that it is on the path toward population stabilization, a major demographic milestone.
• Key State-Level Trends:
  • Bihar reported the highest TFR at 3.0, indicating continuing high fertility trends in the state.
  • Delhi and West Bengal recorded the lowest TFR at 1.4, well below replacement level.
  • Other states achieving or falling below replacement level include Tamil Nadu (1.5), Andhra Pradesh (1.5), Kerala (1.5), Maharashtra (1.5), and Punjab (1.5).
  • Gujarat and Haryana reported a TFR of 2.0, while Assam stood at 2.1, exactly at replacement level.

Demographic Shifts: Age Distribution and Elderly Population

• India’s age structure has experienced significant shifts over the past five decades. The proportion of the population aged 0-14 years has declined from 41.2% in 1971 to 24.8% in 2021. 
• In contrast, the working-age population (15-59 years) has risen from 53.4% to 66.2%, positioning India advantageously for a demographic dividend.
• Growth in Elderly Population:
  • The share of people aged 60 and above has increased from 6% in 1971 to 9% in 2021.
  • Kerala has the highest elderly population at 14.4%, followed by Tamil Nadu (12.9%) and Himachal Pradesh (12.3%).
  • States with the lowest elderly population include Bihar (6.9%), Assam (7.0%), and Delhi (7.1%).

Changing Marriage Patterns and Their Impact

• One of the critical factors influencing fertility rates is the rising age at marriage. 
• The mean age at effective marriage for females has increased from 19.3 years in 1990 to 22.5 years in 2021. 
• This trend reflects improved female education levels, increased workforce participation, and greater awareness of reproductive health, directly contributing to lower fertility rates.

Policy Responses and the Need for Updated Data

• During the 2024 Interim Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans for a high-power committee to address challenges posed by fast population growth and demographic changes. 
• However, despite such announcements, India’s Census, originally scheduled for 2021, remains delayed, limiting comprehensive demographic analysis.
• The SRS data highlights that India’s population growth is no longer as “fast” as perceived. 
• In fact, many states have reached or gone below the replacement level fertility rate, indicating a natural slowing of population growth.

Future Outlook: Opportunities and Challenges

• While the stabilization of TFR is a positive indicator for controlling population growth, it also brings new challenges. 
• The rising elderly population will increase demand for healthcare services, pensions, and social welfare schemes. 
• Simultaneously, India must capitalize on its demographic dividend by creating employment opportunities and strengthening social infrastructure to accommodate a growing working-age population.
• India’s demographic transition presents a critical window to implement forward-looking policies in healthcare, education, employment, and social welfare to ensure balanced and inclusive growth.

India’s TFR FAQs

Q1. What is India’s Total Fertility Rate according to the latest report?

Ans. India’s Total Fertility Rate remained constant at 2.0 in 2021.

Q2. Which state recorded the highest fertility rate in 2021?

Ans. Bihar reported the highest fertility rate at 3.0.

Q3. Which states have the lowest Total Fertility Rate?

Ans. Delhi and West Bengal reported the lowest TFR at 1.4.

Q4. What is the current mean age at effective marriage for women in India?

Ans. The mean age at marriage for females has increased to 22.5 years in 2021.

Q5. Which state has the highest proportion of elderly population?

Ans. Kerala has the highest elderly population, with 14.4% of its residents aged 60 and above.

Source: TH