Daily Current Affairs
To the Point Notes
1.Private FM Radio Channels in 234 New Cities
- Cabinet Approval: The Union Cabinet has approved the 3rd batch of e-auctions for 730 FM radio channels in 234 new cities.
- Estimated Reserve Price: The estimated reserve price for these channels is Rs. 784.87 crore.
- Annual License Fee (ALF): The Cabinet approved an ALF of 4% of Gross Revenue (excluding GST) for FM channels in these 234 cities.
- Benefits: This expansion will create new jobs, promote local dialects and culture, and support ‘vocal for local’ initiatives.
- Target Areas: Many of these cities are located in aspirational districts and areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism.
- FM Radio Phase III: This phase aims to expand private FM radio broadcasting to cover more cities, especially those not covered in previous phases.
- Auction Batches: The first two batches were auctioned in 2015 and 2016.
- FDI/FII Limits: Under phase III, FDI and FII limits in private FM radio companies were increased from 20% to 26%.
2.University of Southampton’s New Campus
- Cabinet Approval: The Indian government has granted a license to the University of Southampton (UK) to establish a comprehensive campus in Gurgaon.
- Location: The campus will be located in Gurugram, National Capital Region (NCR).
- Start Date: The campus is expected to start offering programs in July 2025.
- NEP 2020: This initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, aiming to improve India’s educational standards and provide world-class education domestically.
- Courses Offered: The campus will offer programs in business and management, computing, law, engineering, art and design, biosciences, and life sciences.
- Degrees Awarded: Degrees awarded by the Indian campus will be equivalent to those from the main University of Southampton in the UK.
- Regulatory Framework: The UGC Regulations for setting up foreign higher educational institutions in India were notified in November 2023.
- Importance:
- Addresses challenges like visa restrictions and job uncertainties for Indian students studying abroad.
- Provides access to top international education without leaving India.
- Aims to develop world-class, work-ready graduates and contribute to India’s growing knowledge economy.
3.Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to State Governments for Hydro Electric Projects
- Cabinet Approval: The Union Cabinet has approved CFA for State Governments in the North Eastern Region to develop hydro electric projects.
- Joint Venture (JV): A JV Company will be formed for all projects between Central PSUs and State Governments.
- Capacity: The scheme aims to support a cumulative hydro capacity of approximately 15000 MW.
- Outlay: The scheme has an outlay of Rs. 4136 crore to be implemented from FY 2024-25 to FY 2031-32.
- Funding: The scheme will be funded through 10% GBS for the North Eastern Region from the total outlay of the Ministry of Power.
- Significance:
- Encourages State Government participation in hydro development.
- Shares risks and responsibilities more equitably.
- Reduces issues like land acquisition, rehabilitation, and local law and order.
- Contributes to India’s INDC of 500 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030.
- Enhances grid flexibility, security, and reliability.
- Other Initiatives:
- Declared large hydro power projects as Renewable Energy sources.
- Implemented Hydro Power Purchase Obligations (HPOs).
- Rationalized tariffs through escalating tariffs.
- Provided budgetary support for flood moderation in storage HEP.
- Provided budgetary support for enabling infrastructure (roads and bridges).
4.Payment Passkey Service
- Context: In 2023, Mastercard launched its global Payment Passkey Service in India, recognizing its tech-savvy population and vibrant e-commerce
- What are Passkeys?:
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- Replaces passwords by using biometric authentication methods (facial recognition, fingerprint, swipe patterns).
- Combines phone’s biometrics with robust encryption for secure access.
- In October 2023, Google made passkeys its default login method globally.
- The state of Michigan implemented passkeys on its website, leading to 1,300 fewer password reset calls in one month.
- How Do Passkeys Work?:
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- Key Creation: When signing into an account, a device generates two keys—one public (shared with the website) and one private (stored on the device). This ensures secure access without passwords.
- Why Passkeys?:
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- Password Fatigue: Managing multiple complex passwords is tedious.
- Data Breaches: In 2023, 353 million Americans were affected by breaches, and in the first half of 2024, over 1 billion people had their data stolen.
5.Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd Granted Navratna Status
- Cabinet Approval: SECI, a CPSE under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, has been granted Navratna status by the Ministry of Finance.
- CPSE Classification: India’s CPSEs are classified into three categories: Miniratna, Navratna, and Maharatna.
- Ratna Statuses: The aim of assigning “ratna” statuses was to give operational freedom and decision-making power to state-run entities.
- Miniratna Status:
- Category-I: Profitable for three consecutive years, pre-tax profit of ₹30 crore or more, and positive net worth.
- Category-II: Profitable for three consecutive years and positive net worth.
- Navratna Status: Miniratna-I status, excellent or very good MoU rating in three of the last five years, and a composite score of 60 or more in six selected performance indicators.
- Maharatna Status:
- Navratna status
- Listed on Indian stock exchanges
- Compliant with minimum shareholding norms
- Average annual turnover of more than ₹25,000 crore
- Average annual net worth of over ₹15,000 crore
- Average annual net profit of over ₹5,000 crore
- Significant global presence
- Examples of Maharatna PSUs: BHEL, BPCL, Coal India, GAIL, HPCL, Indian Oil, NTPC, ONGC.
6.Samudra Pratap: Pollution Control Vessel
- Launch: The indigenously built pollution control vessel, Samudra Pratap, was launched in Goa.
- Builder: Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) built the vessel for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
- Purpose: The vessel will help check oil spillage in India’s sea coast. It has specialized equipment for containment, recovery, separation, and dispersal of pollutants.
- Capacity: Samudra Pratap can recover oil at a rate of 300 tonnes per hour and has a storage capacity of 300 tonnes or 1,000 tonnes in inflatable barges.
- Indian Coast Guard (ICG):
- Maritime law enforcement and search and rescue agency.
- Established in 1977.
- Parent Agency: Ministry of Defence.
- Headquarters: New Delhi.
- Head: Director General Indian Coast Guard (DGICG).
- ICG Missions:
- Safety and protection of artificial islands, offshore terminals, and other installations.
- Protection and assistance to fishermen and mariners.
- Preservation and protection of marine ecology and environment.
- Assistance to customs and other authorities in anti-smuggling operations.
7.Project NAMAN
- Launch: Indian Army launched the first phase of Project NAMAN.
- Purpose: Project NAMAN provides support and services to Defence Pensioners, Veterans, and their families.
- SPARSH System: It centers around the SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha) digital pension system.
- Partnership: The project involves a tripartite MoU between the Indian Army, CSC e-Governance India Limited, and HDFC Bank Limited.
- Phase One Expansion: 14 CSCs were established in key locations across India.
- Future Expansion: Plans to expand to approximately 200 centers nationwide in the next 2-3 years.
- Benefits: Project NAMAN enhances welfare for veterans and their families, provides e-Governance services, and creates entrepreneurial opportunities for Veterans and NOK.
8.Vulture Count 2024
- Launch: WWF-India launched Vulture Count 2024.
- Purpose: It’s a citizen-science initiative to monitor and conserve vulture populations.
- Date: Launch coincides with International Vulture Awareness Day on September 7, 2024.
- Vulture Species: India has nine vulture species, including Oriental white-backed, Long-billed, Slender-billed, Himalayan, Red-headed, Egyptian, Bearded, Cinereous, and Eurasian Griffon.
- Importance: Vultures are nature’s clean-up crew and crucial to the Parsi community.
- Threats: Toxic drugs (NSAIDs), lack of nesting trees, electrocution, food dearth, and pesticide poisoning threaten vultures.
- Population Decline: Vulture population declined from over 40,000 in 2003 to 18,645 in 2015. India lost 99% of three species: Oriental White-Backed, Long-billed, and Slender-billed Vultures.
- Conservation Status:
- Schedule-1: Bearded, Long-billed, Slender-billed, Oriental white-backed.
- Schedule-IV: Others.
- IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered (4), Endangered (1), Least Concerned (1), Near Threatened (3).
9.Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF)
- Development: Researchers at INST have developed electrochemical and optical biosensors based on MOFs and 2D materials.
- Materials: MOFs, 2D nanomaterials (e.g., MoS2, MXenes), and their composites were utilized.
- Properties: MOFs and 2D materials have large surface area, functionality, and optoelectronic properties.
- Applications: These materials can be used for disposable electrodes, optical kits, fiber optic sensors, colorimetric strips, etc.
- Sensitivity: MOFs, 2D materials, and their composites offer greater sensitivity for electrochemical and optical sensing of analytes compared to existing methods.
- Point-of-Care Devices: They can enable low-cost point-of-care devices for quick detection and screening of diseases like anemia and cancer.
- Environmental Monitoring: Some sensors can be used as gas and heavy metal detection tools to monitor environmental quality.
10.Cabinet Secretary
- Context: Dr. V. Somanathan recently assumed the role of Cabinet Secretary, succeeding Shri Rajiv Gauba after his superannuation.
- Position Overview:
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- Administrative Head of the Cabinet Secretariat.
- Ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board.
- Heads the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
- Roles and Functions:
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- Coordinating Cabinet Meetings: Ensures smooth conduct of Cabinet meetings where critical decisions on policies, legislation, and administration are made.
- Inter-Ministerial Coordination: Acts as a bridge between ministries, resolves conflicts, and ensures effective policy implementation.
- Advising the Prime Minister: Provides expert advice on governance, administrative matters, and policy formulation.
- Administrative Leadership: As the senior-most civil servant, leads the bureaucracy, influencing the functioning of the entire administrative machinery.
- Cabinet Secretariat:
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- Manages the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 and the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961.
- Provides Secretarial assistance to the Cabinet and its Committees.
- Facilitates Inter-Ministerial coordination, ironing out differences and ensuring consensus through Committees of Secretaries.
- Ensures that the President, Vice President, and Ministers are informed of major activities of all ministries through monthly summaries.
- Manages major crisis situations in the country by coordinating various ministries’ activities during such events.
- Importance: The Cabinet Secretary plays a vital role in shaping governance by leading policy implementation, inter-ministerial coordination, and serving as a key advisor to the Prime Minister.
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