Current Affairs Unleashed: Your Daily Knowledge Update

Scheme for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products

About:

• The Scheme for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) has emerged as a critical tool in supporting India's exporters.

• It became operational on 1st January 2021 replacing the existing export incentive scheme, Merchandise Exports from India (MEIS).

• This change was prompted by a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that determined the MEIS scheme's violation of WTO regulations due to its provision of export subsidies for a broad spectrum of goods.

• The RoDTEP Committee operates within the Department of Revenue.

• Its primary responsibility is to review and recommend ceiling rates for different export sectors under the RoDTEP Scheme.

Objective:

Its primary objective is to provide comprehensive support to exporters by remitting duties and taxes incurred during the production and distribution of exported products.

Financial Allocation:

In the financial year 2023-24, the Indian Government has allocated a substantial budget of Rs. 15,070 crores to support the RoDTEP Scheme.

Stakeholder Engagement

The Committee recently initiated its activities by engaging with Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and Chambers of Commerce.

LDL and HDL

Context: 

A novel vaccine aimed at reducing "bad" cholesterol has been created.

About: 

• Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that's found in all the cells in the human body.

• The human liver makes cholesterol, and it is also in some foods, such as meat and dairy products.

• The human body needs some cholesterol to work properly.

LDL and HDL

• Cholesterol travels through the blood on proteins called "lipoproteins."

• Two types of lipoproteins carry cholesterol throughout the body: LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein).

• LDL and HDL have different purposes.

• LDL cholesterol, sometimes called "bad" cholesterol, makes up most of the body's cholesterol. A high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in arteries.

• HDL cholesterol is sometimes called "good" cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver then removes the cholesterol from your body.

High LDL levels raise my risk of disease

• If you have a high LDL level, this means that you have too much LDL cholesterol in your blood.

• This extra LDL, along with other substances, forms plaque. The plaque builds up in your arteries; this is a condition called atherosclerosis.

• Coronary artery disease happens when plaque builds up in the arteries of your heart. It causes the arteries to become hardened and

• narrowed, which slows down or blocks the blood flow to your heart.

• This can cause angina (chest pain) or, if the blood flow is completely blocked, a heart attack.

Pappathi Chola

Context: 

There is an urgent need to conserve Pappathi Chola which is a Biodiversity hotspot and has a high population of butterflies; balsams and orchids are abundant in the area.

About: 

• Pappathi Chola, known for its high butterfly population, derived its name from the Tamil word Pappathi meaning butterflies and Chola meaning shola land.

• It is also regarded as a hub of balsams (Impatiens balsamina) and rare varieties of orchids

• It is located right in the middle of the Chathurangappara hills and Mathikettan Shola.

• Last year, the region witnessed the blooming of Neelakurinji.

• This area is covered with eucalyptus trees.

• Many butterflies reach the area during their migratory course from the rain shadow forests of Tamil Nadu back to the higher elevations of Munnar.

Key facts about Impatiens balsamina:

• It is an annual herb thought to be native to India and Myanmar.

• It is an annual, perennial, or suffruticose herb, terrestrial or sometimes epiphytic.

• It has been long prescribed for the treatment of rheumatism, isthmus, generalized pain, fractures, inflammation of the nails, scurvy, carbuncles, dysentery, bruises, foot diseases, etc.

• Juice extracted from plant leaves was used to cure warts and snakebites.

Red Tide

Context: 

Recently, a three-member committee appointed by the principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) inspected the Kuruchikuppam drain and beach to analyze the cause behind the recent phenomenon of red tide in Puducherry.

About: 

• It is a common term used for a harmful algal bloom.

• Harmful algal blooms, or HABS, occur when colonies of algae-plant-like organisms that live in the sea and freshwater grow out of control.

• The name "red tide" comes from the fact that the overgrowth of algae can cause the color of the water to turn red.

Why does it occur?

Chemicals from farming, factories, sewage treatment plants, and other sources can become dissolved in water on the land.

Impacts:

• Some of the algae that cause a red tide produce powerful toxins, which are harmful chemicals that can kill fish, shellfish, mammals and birds.

• This water, called runoff, eventually flows into the ocean and can cause algae to grow faster, leading to red tides.

• If people eat fish or shellfish that have been in the water with toxic algae, they will also ingest the toxins, which can make them sick.

PM-AJAY scheme.

Context: 

Recently, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment informed the Rajya Sabha about the PM-AJAY scheme.

About: 

• Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM- AJAY) is a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

• It is a merged scheme of three Centrally Sponsored Schemes, namely Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY), Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP), and Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana (BJRCY).

Objectives:

• The main objective of the scheme is to increase the income of the target population by way of various income-generating schemes, skill development, and infrastructure development.

• To reduce poverty among the target population and bring them above the poverty lines.

Eligibility Criteria:

• The Scheduled Castes persons living below the poverty lines are eligible for getting benefits under this scheme.

• In the case of Infrastructure Development, the villages having 50% or more SC population are eligible for grants under the Scheme.

• It has been implemented since 2021-22 as three components, which are as under: -

• Development of SC-dominated villages into an 'Adarsh Gram'

• Grants-in-aid for District/State-level Projects for the socio-economic betterment of SCS'

• Construction of Hostels in Higher Educational Institutions

Transforming Indian Education: Towards Long-Term Vision

• By 2030, India will have the largest young population in the globe, a population size that will be a boon only if these young people are skilled enough to join the workforce.

• Quality education will play a major role in it. But the current state of Education faces major challenges like lack of adequate infrastructure, low government expenditure on education (less than 3.5% of the GDP), and as per the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), the pupil-to-teacher ratio at the national level for elementary schools is 24:1.

• So it's high time to tune the Indian Education System with global standards and adopt modern learning approaches that are responsive and relevant. Also, vitalize National Education Policy 2020 to see the light of day.

Status of Education System in India

History:

• The 'Gurukul' was a type of education system in ancient India with shishya (students) living with the guru in the same house. Nalanda has the oldest university system of education in the world. Students from across the world were attracted to Indian knowledge systems.

• British Government brought various reforms in the education system through Macaulay Committee recommendations, Woods' Despatch, Hunter Commission Report, and the University Education Act, of 2004 which had a profound impact on society.

Current Status of Education in India:

• The gender gap in literacy in India began narrowing in 1991, with an accelerated pace of improvement. However, the current female literacy rate in India still significantly lags behind the global average of 87%, as reported by UNESCO in 2015.

• Furthermore, India's overall literacy rate of 74.04% is below the world average of 86.3%. A significant number of states in India fall within the average range, just slightly above the national literacy level.

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)

Context: 

The Union Home Ministry has approved the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the Parliament complex, according to a government order.

About: 

• It was established after the recommendation of the Justice Mukherjee Commission.

• It was set up by an Act of Parliament on March 10, 1969.

• It is one of seven Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) under the Ministry of Home Affairs - the other six being the Border Security Force, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the Sashastra Seema Bal, the Assam Rifles, the National Security Guard, and the Central Reserve Police Force.

• It is headed by an Indian Police Service officer with the rank of Director-General.

Mandate:

• Initially, its remit was restricted to protecting government-owned industries, but this was expanded to include joint ventures and private undertakings in 2009.

• It also provides consultancy services to the private sector.

• The force is deployed in over 350 locations across the country, in diversified areas such as atomic energy and space installations, sea- ports, steel plants, coal fields, hydro-electric and thermal power plants, defence production units, fertilizer, and chemical industries, RBI's note- printing mints, heritage monuments such as the Taj Mahal.

• It has the largest percentage of women in its force, in comparison to all other CAPFS.

• Presently, CISF is also providing security to the protected persons classified as Z Plus, Z, X, and Y.