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  • RBI releases Draft Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Electronic Trading Platforms) Directions, 2024.
    • Prior authorization or registration with RBI is required for operating ETP. 
    • An entity seeking authorisation as an ETP operator 
      • should be incorporated in India and 
      • maintain a minimum net worth of RS 5 crore.

 

  • ETP refers to any electronic system, other than a recognised stock exchange, on which transactions in eligible instruments are contracted.
    • Eligible instruments include securities, money market instruments, foreign exchange instruments, derivatives etc. 
  • NABARD has sanctioned a study on the impact evaluation of Geographical Indication (GI) products.
    • Presently, 144 products supported by NABARD, are GI tagged.

 

  • About NABARD
    • It is India’s apex development bank, established in 1982 under an Act of Parliament.
    • Headquartered in Mumbai, it is wholly owned by Government of India
    • Mandate: to promote sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural development.
    • Recommended by B. Sivaraman committee.
    • Functions: Promotional and developmental initiatives, finance and refinance support, capacity building of cooperatives and regional rural banks etc.

 

 

  • Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has cancelled the registration of at least five Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for allegedly violating provisions of FCRA.

 

  • About FCRA, 2010 
    • Nodal Ministry: MHA.
    • Enacted during Emergency in 1976 amid apprehensions that foreign powers were interfering in India’s affairs.
    • Amended in 2010 to consolidate the law on utilisation of foreign funds, and to prohibit their use for any activities detrimental to national interest.
    • Again amended in 2020, giving the government tighter control and scrutiny over the receipt and utilisation of foreign funds by NGOs.
  • Pakistan launched its first Hangor class submarine which is considered a direct counterpart of India’s Kalavari class of submarines

 

  • About Kalvari class submarines:
    • Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited under Project-75, these are adaptation of French Scorpene-class submarines.
    • These have diesel-electric propulsion systems and are primarily attack submarines
    • India operates six Kalvari class submarines, namely Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj, Vela, Vagir, Vagshir.
    • Indian Navy is in process of installing an indigenously developed Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system to these submarines.
      • AIP system allows non-nuclear submarines to remain submerged for longer period.

 

  • A recent study highlighted that Baseflows have a stronger triggering effect on river floods in Peninsular India as compared to rainfall and soil moisture.
    • Six rivers studied include Narmada, Tapi, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery.

 

  • Baseflow: 
    • Baseflows are streamflows which results from precipitation that infiltrates into the soil and eventually moves through soil to the stream channel. 
    • This is often called groundwater flow or dry-weather flow.
  • Mangoes were seized after being artificially ripened with ethylene.

 

  • About Ethylene
    • Colourless, flammable gas having a sweet taste and odour.
    • Gaseous plant growth promoter.
    • Highly effective in fruit ripening; Enhances respiration rate during ripening of fruits.
    • Breaks seed and bud dormancy, initiates germination in peanut seeds, sprouting of potato tubers.
    • Promotes root growth and root hair formation.
    • Ethephon is most widely used compound as source of ethylene. Ethephon in an aqueous solution readily absorbed and transported within plant and releases ethylene slowly.

 

  • FSSAI directions to use Ethylene
    • Permits Ethylene for artificial ripening provided concentration does not exceed 100 ppm (parts per million).
    • Any source of ethylene gas coming in direct contact with fruits is not permitted.
  • Data from James Webb Telescope suggests a high probability of Dimethyl Sulphide (DMS) gas.  
    • On Earth, living beings are the primary producers of DMS. 
       
  • About K2-18B
    • Discovered in 2015, K2-18b is a super Earth exoplanet (planet located outside our solar systemthat orbits an M-type star. 
      • M stars (also called M dwarfs or Red dwarfs) are relatively cool, and smaller in size than the sun.
    • It orbits K2-18 in the Goldilock zone (habitable zone) —Range of distance with right temperatures for water to remain liquid.
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