2025 for January 1970

e-Raktkosh

June 22, 2025

e-Raktkosh Latest News

The Central Health Ministry is looking at integrating the country’s Rare Donor Registry with the national online platform for blood bank management and blood availability information called e-Rakt Kosh.

About e-Raktkosh

It is an online blood bank management system implemented under the National Health Mission.
It is the official portal for all blood-related services in India.
It provides details on blood availability, blood banks, and blood donation camps across the country.
More than 3800 blood centers are registered on e-Raktkosh from across the country.
It has been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
It has been developed with a modular and scalable approach with configurable rule-based architecture, allowing customization to easily incorporate specific requirements from nationwide stakeholders.

e-Raktkosh Objectives

Safe and Adequate Blood Supplies
Reduced Turnaround Time
Preventing Wastage of Blood
Restrict Professional Donors
Networking of Blood Banks
Donor Repository

e-Raktkosh Features

Web-Based Application
Aadhar Linkage
Decision Support
Enforces Guidelines
Dashboard
Statutory Reports

e-Raktkosh's Six Major Components for Management of the Blood Donation Life Cycle

The biometric Donor Management System for identifying, tracking, and blocking donors based on the donor's health, donation history, etc.
It provides features such as blood grouping, TTI screening, antibody screening, component preparation, etc., as per the defined processes and rules.
A centralized Blood Inventory Management System for keeping track of the blood stock across numerous blood banks.
Bio-Medical Waste Management System for disposal of discarded blood and other waste generated during this process.
Generation of rare blood group donor registries and the generation of regular repeat donors.
Alert and Notification System.

Source: TH

e-Raktkosh FAQs

Q1: What is the primary objective of the e-Raktkosh portal?

Ans: To ensure safe and adequate blood supplies across the country.

Q2: Which organization developed the e-Raktkosh platform?

Ans: Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)

Q3: e-Raktkosh is implemented under which mission?

Ans: National Health Mission

Q4: How many blood centers are approximately registered on e-Raktkosh across India?

Ans: More than 3800

Net Interest Margin (NIM)

June 22, 2025

Net Interest Margin Latest News

State-run lender Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has taken various steps to offset the impact on net interest margin (NIM) from the repo rate cut effected by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently.

About Net Interest Margin

NIM is a financial metric used to measure the profitability of a bank or financial institution’s lending activities.
It represents the difference between the interest income generated by the institution’s assets (such as loans and investments) and the interest paid on its liabilities (such as deposits and borrowed funds), expressed as a percentage of the average earning assets.
It indicates how effectively a bank is generating interest income from its interest-earning assets relative to the interest it pays on its interest-bearing liabilities.
This metric helps prospective investors determine whether or not to invest in a financial services firm by showing its interest income versus their interest expenses.
Simply put, a positive NIM suggests that an entity operates profitably, while a negative figure implies investment inefficiency.
NIM is calculated using the following formula:
- NIM = Interest Income − Interest Expense/Average Earning Assets
- Interest Income: The revenue earned from interest on loans, mortgages, securities, and other interest-bearing assets.
- Interest Expense: The cost incurred from paying interest on deposits, borrowings, and other interest-bearing liabilities.
- Average Earning Assets: The average value of assets that generate interest income, typically calculated over a specific period.
- For example, if a bank had earned an interest income of Rs 8,000 crore and paid Rs 6,000 crore on its deposits on an average loan asset of Rs 64,000 crore, the NIM for the year will be 0.03125, or 3.215 percent. [(8,000 - 6,000)/64,000 = 0.03125 or 3.125%].

Factors Affecting Net Interest Margin

Interest Rate Environment: Changes in market interest rates can significantly impact NIM. For example, rising interest rates may increase a bank’s interest income more than its interest expense, leading to a higher NIM.
Asset and Liability Composition: The mix of assets (e.g., loans vs. securities) and liabilities (e.g., deposits vs. borrowings) affects NIM. Banks with a higher proportion of high-yielding assets may have a higher NIM.
Credit Risk: Higher credit risk can lead to higher interest rates on loans, potentially increasing interest income and NIM. However, it can also increase the risk of defaults.
Operational Efficiency: Efficient management of operational costs and effective interest rate risk management can positively influence NIM.
Competition: Intense competition can limit the ability of banks to charge higher interest rates on loans, potentially reducing NIM.
Regulatory Environment: Regulatory changes affecting interest rates, capital requirements, and other aspects of banking can impact NIM.

What is Gross Interest Margin (GIM)?

GIM measures the difference between the total interest income generated by a bank’s earning assets and the total interest expense incurred on its interest-bearing liabilities, without considering the relative size of earning assets.
Formula:
- GIM=Interest Income−Interest Expense

Source: TH

Net Interest Margin FAQs

Q1: What does Net Interest Margin (NIM) primarily measure in a financial institution?

Ans: The profitability of lending activities.

Q2: What is the formula for calculating NIM?

Ans: NIM = Interest Income − Interest Expense/Average Earning Assets

Q3: What does Gross Interest Margin (GIM) exclude compared to NIM?

Ans: Average earning assets

Q4: Why is NIM important for investors evaluating financial institutions

Ans: It shows interest income in relation to interest expenses.

Q5: What could be a consequence of intense competition in the banking sector on NIM?

Ans: Reduced ability to charge high interest rates, lowering NIM.

Samson Option

June 22, 2025

Samson Option Latest News

As Israel’s conflict with Iran escalates and threats loom from multiple regional actors, the world’s attention is once again drawn to the Samson Option—Israel’s veiled but potent nuclear deterrent.

About Samson Option

The Samson Option is Israel’s presumed doctrine of massive nuclear retaliation in the event of an existential threat to the state.
The term, drawn from the biblical story of Samson, who destroyed himself along with his enemies, encapsulates the idea of apocalyptic retaliation.
Though Israel has never officially confirmed its nuclear arsenal, a widely accepted policy of amimut (Hebrew for "deliberate ambiguity") maintains strategic uncertainty.
- Foreign analysts estimate Israel holds between 80 to 400 nuclear warheads, deliverable via land-based missiles, aircraft, and sea-based systems.
Like its nuclear programme, Israel has never openly spoken of its so-called "Samson Option".
First coined in public discourse through Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh’s 1991 book The Samson Option, the doctrine is not a Cold War relic but an active element of Israel’s defence strategy, hinted at over decades by former officials.
The Samson Option is not designed to deter a nuclear adversary from a first strike or counterstrike—Israel is the only nuclear-armed state in the region. Rather, its purported purpose is to ensure Israel’s survival. Under the Samson Option, nuclear weapons would be deliberately used against a non-nuclear adversary as a last resort to prevent an Israeli defeat.

Source: TIMESN

Samson Option FAQs

Q1: What is the “Samson Option” primarily associated with?

Ans: Israel's presumed doctrine of massive nuclear retaliation in case of existential threat.

Q2: Which concept describes Israel’s official stance of not confirming or denying its nuclear capabilities?

Ans: Amimut (deliberate ambiguity)

Q3: According to foreign analysts, how many nuclear warheads is Israel estimated to possess?

Ans: Between 80 and 400

Q4: What role does the Samson Option play in Israel’s defense strategy?

Ans: It serves as a last-resort deterrent against existential threats.

Balkampet Yellamma Temple

June 22, 2025

Balkampet Yellamma Temple Latest News

Nita Ambani, the wife of billionaire Mukesh Ambani– Asia’s richest man– recently donated Rs 1 crore to Balkampet Yellamma Temple in Telangana.

About Balkampet Yellamma Temple

It is a Hindu temple located in Balkampet, Hyderabad, Telangana.
It is dedicated to Goddess Yellamma, considered a form of Renuka, the mother of Lord Parashurama.
It is also known as Yellamma Pochamma Temple.
Its origins trace back to the 15th century when a rock bearing the sculpture of the goddess was discovered 10 feet underground during a well-digging excavation.
The immovable idol was seen as a divine sign, leading to the construction of the temple on the same spot.
Over centuries, the temple has undergone several renovations, with the current structure established in 1919.
Two major festivals celebrated at the temple are Bonalu Jathara and Yellamma Kalyanotsavam.

Balkampet Yellamma Temple Architecture

The temple is built in the Dravidian style of architecture and is one of the oldest temples in Hyderabad city.
The idol was found 10 feet deeper to the ground and was built as a huge temple.
The temple has a big temple tower, or raja gopuram. There are several inscriptions and carvings on the wall.
The other shrines inside the complexes are Goddess Sri Pochamma, Goddess Rajarajeshwari, Goddess Nagadevta, and Lord Ganesha.

Source: INDIA

Balkampet Yellamma Temple FAQ's

Q1: Where is the Balkampet Yellamma Temple located?

Ans: Balkampet, Hyderabad, Telangana

Q2: What is another name for the Balkampet Yellamma Temple?

Ans: Yellamma Pochamma Temple

Q3: Which two major festivals are celebrated at Balkampet Yellamma Temple?

Ans: Bonalu Jathara and Yellamma Kalyanotsavam

Q4: Which style of architecture is the Balkampet Yellamma Temple built in?

Ans: Dravidian style

Lenacapavir Drug

June 22, 2025

Lenacapavir Drug Latest News

Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Lenacapavir (LEN), the most promising HIV prevention medicine to be made so far.

About Lenacapavir Drug

Lenacapavir is an antiretroviral medicine that is used for HIV prevention as a pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP.
PrEP is a medication that can reduce the risk of HIV infection for individuals who are HIV-negative but are at risk of contracting the virus.
The results of two key studies have shown that it helps prevent 99.9 per cent of all HIV transmission.
LEN is an injectable PrEP that is to be taken twice yearly.
It is developed by Gilead Sciences and marketed under the brand name Yeztugo.

How does lenacapavir work?

Lenacapavir is a capsid inhibitor, a class of drugs that blocks the protein shell (capsid) the HIV virus needs to replicate.
Unlike oral PrEP pills that must be taken daily, lenacapavir is administered as an injection once every six months, providing a discreet and highly effective method of prevention.

Source: IE

Lenacapavir Drug FAQs

Q1: Who invented lenacapavir?

Ans: Gilead Sciences

Q2: What is HIV/AIDS?

Ans: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).