Summary
July 2025 advanced Viksit Bharat initiatives: PM-VBRY for youth employment, PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana for farm resilience, and social security for gig workers. CERT-In mandated annual cybersecurity audits, RDI scheme operationalized, JPCs examined Waqf and ONOE reforms, 16th Finance Commission held consultations, and Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme promoted regional-language education.
Detailed Analysis
1. PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY)
Approved on July 1, 2025, this is the formal name for the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme.
- Outlay: ₹99,446 crore for 2 years (targeting 3.5 crore jobs).
- Part A (For Youth): First-time employees (salary up to ₹1 lakh) get one month’s wage (up to ₹15,000) via DBT in two installments. The second installment is linked to a mandatory financial literacy program.
- Part B (For Employers): Incentives up to ₹3,000/month for 2 years for each additional employee. In the Manufacturing Sector, this support is extended for 4 years.
2. PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana
Launched to replicate the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme in the farm sector.
- Target: 1.7 crore farmers in 100 low-productivity districts.
- Focus: Convergence of existing schemes to boost yields in pulses and millets. It aims to achieve Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in edible oils and pulses over the next 6 years.
3. Gig Workers Social Security Initiative
For the first time, the government moved to formalize the welfare of online platform workers.
- Registration: Mandatory registration of ~1 crore gig workers on the e-Shram portal.
- Health Cover: All registered gig workers are now eligible for healthcare benefits under PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
4. CERT-In Comprehensive Cyber Security Audit Policy (July 25, 2025)
This is a game-changing regulation issued by the national agency CERT-In to harden India’s digital defenses.
- Mandate: All critical infrastructure, government departments, and regulated private entities must undergo a Cyber Security Audit at least once a year.
- AI & Blockchain: The policy specifically includes audits for AI systems (to check for adversarial manipulation) and Blockchain/Smart Contracts.
- Transparency: Auditors are now required to share audit reports directly with CERT-In within 5 days of completion.
5. Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme
Operationalized on July 1, 2025, with a ₹1 lakh crore corpus.
- Nodal Agency: Department of Science & Technology (DST) via the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
- Financial Instrument: Provides 50-year interest-free or low-interest loans to the private sector for high-risk, high-impact R&D in "Sunrise Sectors" (Deep-tech, Space, Quantum).
5. Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Waqf & ONOE
July was the month of JPC constitution and deliberation:
- Waqf Amendment JPC: Formed to address concerns from minority organizations and state boards.
- ONOE JPC: Led by P.P. Chaudhary, the committee began consulting constitutional experts on the "Two-Phase" transition for simultaneous elections.
6. 16th Finance Commission Update
The 16th Finance Commission, chaired by Arvind Panagariya, held extensive consultations in July with Southern States to address concerns regarding the "Finance vs. Population" weightage for the next devolution cycle (2026–2031).
7. Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme
The Ministry of Education launched this to provide digital-form Indian language books for higher education. It aims to eliminate language barriers in technical subjects like Engineering and Medicine.