About RoDTEP Scheme:

• It is a flagship export promotion scheme of the Commerce Ministry of India.
• The WTO-compliant scheme aims to refund to the exporters the embedded central, state, and local duties and taxes paid on inputs that have so far not refunded or rebated. 
• RoDTEP was announced in September 2019 with the aim of boosting domestic exports and replace the export incentive scheme, Merchandise Exports from India (MEIS) scheme. 
  • This came after a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling stated that the MEIS scheme violated the provisions of the trade agency as it was providing export subsidies for a several range of goods.
• The government decided to extend the benefit of the RoDTEP scheme to all goods, with effect from January 1, 2021, according to a notification by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
• By providing support to crucial export sectors, the government aims to not only enhance their competitiveness but also create employment opportunities and contribute to overall economic growth, aligning with the vision of building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• Features:
  • This scheme is open to both manufacturers and merchant exporters, without any threshold of turnover.
  • The most important condition is that such goods should have been directly exported by such a person.
  • The RoDTEP scheme covers physical exports as well as outbound shipments of services from India. Service providers can also claim refunds on applicable hidden levies.
  • A rebate will have to be claimed as a percentage of the Freight On Board value of exports.
  • It will be implemented by Customs through a simplified IT System. 
  • Rebates will be issued in the form of a transferable duty credit/ electronic scrip(e-scrip), which will be maintained in an electronic ledger by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
  • The rebates would not be available in respect of duties and taxes already exempted, credited, or remitted.
  • Rebates on certain export products will also be subject to a value cap per unit of the exported product. 
  • Certain categories which would not avail the benefits include export goods that are subject to the minimum export price, restricted and prohibited items, deemed exports, supplies of goods manufactured by domestic tariff area units to special economic zones (SEZs), and products manufactured or exported by units situated in SEZs. 

What is Freight on Board (FOB)?

• It is also called Free on Board (FOB), is a term used to indicate who is liable for goods damaged or destroyed during shipping.
• FOB origin means the buyer is at risk and takes ownership of goods once the seller ships the product.
• FOB destination means the seller retains the risk of loss until the goods reach the buyer.

Q1: What is the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)?

CBIC (erstwhile Central Board of Excise and Customs) is a part of the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. CBIC administers all the indirect tax-related matters in India. It deals with the tasks of formulation of policy concerning levy and collection of Customs, Central Excise duties, Central Goods & Services Tax and IGST, prevention of smuggling and administration of matters relating to Customs, Central Excise, Central Goods & Services Tax, IGST, and Narcotics to the extent under CIBC's purview.

Source: Tea industry seeks higher RoDTEP rates to make exports competitive overseas

About is Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*):

• It is a supermassive black hole located at the center of our spiral galaxy, the Milky Way.
• It is mostly dormant and only occasionally absorbs gas or dust, but nonetheless has an estimated mass 4.3 million times that of the sun.
• It is located in the constellation Sagittarius.
• It has a diameter of around 14.6 million miles (23.5 million kilometers).
• It is a strong source of radio waves. Most of the radio radiation is from a synchrotron mechanism, indicating the presence of free electrons and magnetic fields.
• The event horizon of the black hole has a radius of 12 million km (7 million miles).

What is a Black hole?

• A black hole is a region in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out.
• The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying.
• Because no light can get out, it is difficult to detect a black hole.
• The largest black holes are called "supermassive." These black holes have masses that are more than 1 million suns together.
• Albert Einstein first predicted the existence of black holes in 1916, with his general theory of relativity.

What is the ‘event horizon’ of a Black hole?

• It is the boundary defining the region of space around a black hole from which nothing (not even light) can escape.
• The escape velocity for an object within the event horizon exceeds the speed of light.
• The radius of the event horizon is called the Schwarzschild radius, after the German astronomer Karl Schwarzschild.

Q1: What are Radio waves?

Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from about one millimeter to over 100 kilometers. They are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes various forms of electromagnetic radiation, such as visible light, microwaves, and X-rays. Radio waves are characterized by their relatively long wavelengths and low frequencies compared to other types of electromagnetic waves.

Source: Scientists spot intermediate-mass black hole lurking at centre of Milky Way star cluster

About Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (RAMSES):

• It is a planetary defence mission of the European Space Agency (ESA).
• It will intercept the asteroid 99942 Apophis and accompany it through its safe but exceptionally close flyby of Earth in 2029.
  • Roughly 375 m across, Apophis will pass within 32,000 km from Earth's surface on 13 April, 2029. 
  • It will be the closest approach of an asteroid of this size that humankind has ever known about in advance.
  • For a short time, Apophis will be visible to the naked eye in clear, dark skies for about 2 billion people across much of Europe, and Africa, and parts of Asia.
  • Apophis will miss Earth. Astronomers have ruled out any chance that the asteroid will collide with our planet for at least the next 100 years.
  • But the Apophis flyby in April 2029 is an extremely rare natural phenomenon.
• Researchers will study the asteroid as Earth's gravity alters its physical characteristics.
• Their findings will improve our ability to defend our planet from any similar object found to be on a collision course in the future.
• RAMSES will work in synergy with the NASA mission OSIRIS-APEX that will arrive at Apophis a few days after the closest approach of the asteroid to the Earth, allowing a comparison of the asteroid properties measured by the two missions.

Q1: What is an Asteroid?

Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets, are rocky remnants left over from the early formation of our solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. The current known asteroid count is at least 1,351,400. Most of this ancient space rubble can be found orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter within the main asteroid belt. Asteroids orbit the sun in highly flattened, or "elliptical" circles, often rotating erratically, tumbling, and falling through space. Asteroids range in size from Vesta, the largest at about 329 miles (530 kilometers) in diameter, to bodies that are less than 33 feet (10 meters) across.

Source: A cruise liner-size asteroid will come closer to Earth than some satellites. A new mission may be racing to meet it

About Radome:

• A radome is a protective enclosure designed to shield a radar or antenna system from environmental elements without interfering with electromagnetic signal transmission. 
• These enclosures are made of either rigid, self-supporting materials or air-inflated, flexible fabrics. An assortment of shapes exists to match the specific applications. 
• The radome helps to maintain the performance and functionality of the antenna by reducing the impact of environmental factors on the antenna’s signal transmission and reception.
• It is also used to conceal the antenna’s electronic equipment from public view for security purposes. 
• In addition to this, radomes are useful in situations where rotating antennas might accidentally collide with other nearby objects or equipment, resulting in damages.
• It ensures durability and performance efficiency of the antenna it houses.

Fused silica radomes of DMRL:

• Fused silica is the ideal material for radomes because of its exceptional electromagnetic and mechanical properties, along with its ability to withstand sudden temperature changes.
• By effectively mastering cold isostatic pressing (CIP) technology, the DMRL can now produce these crucial components with high success rates and the desired properties.
  • CIP is a technique that involves applying high pressure from all directions to compress powdered materials evenly.
  • This process helps in shaping the material and creating a dense, uniform structure with improved strength and properties.
• DMRL uses CIP technology to compress powdered fused silica, shaping it according to requirements.
  • Through a process called sintering, the material is then transformed into a strong and compact structure.

Key Facts about Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL):

• It is a research laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Location: Hyderabad. 
• DMRL is responsible for the development of advanced metallic and ceramic materials and related processing technologies for various critical defence applications.
• Core competencies of the laboratory are:
  • Product engineering, production support, and performance analysis of metals, alloys, and composites
  • Process development and surface engineering
  • Design and development of speciality alloys, inter-metallics, ceramics, and composites
  • Extractive metallurgy of titanium and magnesium
  • Knowledge base in process-structure-property-performance relationships of advanced materials

Q1: What is a RADAR?

RADAR stands for Radio Detection and Ranging System. It is basically an electromagnetic system used to detect the location and distance of an object from the point where the RADAR is placed. It works by radiating energy into space and monitoring the echo or reflected signal from the objects. It operates in the UHF and microwave range.

Source: Indian defence lab creates tech that will add punch to missiles

About Zebra Mussel:

• Zebra mussels are an invasive, fingernail-sized mollusk.
• Scientific Name: Dreissena polymorpha
• Distribution:
  • They are native to the Caspian and Black Seas, south of Russia and Ukraine.
  • They entered the Great Lakes of North America in the late 1980s through ballast water discharged from ships.
  • Since then, they have spread through much of eastern Canada and the United States.
• Habitat: They live underwater, attached to natural and manmade substrates such as rocks, wood, plants, native mussels, pipes, docks, boat lifts, swim rafts, moored watercraft, and other debris. 
• They are easy to identify, with a distinct, flat-bottomed ‘D’ shape to their shells that allows them to sit flat against a solid surface, and black, zigzag stripes against a cream background that earned them their name.
• They grow around two inches long at most, and are microscopic in their larval stage, which is known as a “veliger.”
• They are short-lived (between two and five years), and begin reproducing at two years of age.
• Impacts:
  • They are filter feeders that attach themselves to virtually any surface.
  • They breed very quickly, as females can release up to one million eggs each breeding season.
  • They disrupt food webs by wiping out phytoplankton.
  • Zebra Mussels are especially harmful for native mussels, many of which are species at risk. They outcompete these species for food and will attach themselves to native mussels, suffocating them.
  • Their massive clustering on water-intake valves and pipes, bridge abutments, and other structures can cause severe commercial damage. 

Q1: What are Phytoplankton?

Phytoplankton are microscopic, single-celled organisms that live in water and perform photosynthesis. They are a key part of ocean and freshwater ecosystems.

Source: Invasive species discovered in Colorado River is capable of wiping out ecosystems, causing costly damage

About National District Mineral Foundation Portal: 

• It is a centralized platform to gather the information on the District Mineral Foundations across the country.
• Aim: The aim for launching this portal is to facilitate the access to the DMF data and track the developments and utilizations thereunder. 
• This portal provides details of 645 DMFs in the country with enhanced transparency, featuring centralized visibility of activities, project oversight, and dynamic analytics, as well as a repository of best practices for effective implementation.

Key facts about the District Mineral Foundation, non-profit body 

• It is a trust set up as a non-profit body under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Act 2015.
• Purpose: To work in the interest and benefits of persons and areas affected by mining-related operations in a manner as may be prescribed by the respective State Government.
• Funding: It is funded through the contributions from the holders of major or minor mineral concessions in the district, as may be prescribed by the Central or State Government.
• Jurisdiction:
  • The operation of DMFs falls under the jurisdiction of the relevant State Government. 
  • The composition and functions of the District Mineral Foundation shall be such as may be prescribed by the State Government.
  • The fund for DMF is collected at the district level.

Q1: What are Critical Minerals?

A mineral is critical when the risk of supply shortage and associated impact on the economy is (relatively) higher than other raw materials. These minerals are essential for economic development and national security, and their lack of availability/ the concentration of extraction/ processing in a few geographical locations could potentially lead to supply chain vulnerabilities.

Source: Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy Launches Mineral Exploration Hackathon and National DMF Portal in Hyderabad

About Brown bear:

• These are omnivorous, eating almost anything nutritious. Their diet changes with seasonal availability of different food sources.
• Habitat: Brown bears occupy a variety of habitats, from desert edges to high mountain forests and ice fields.
• Distribution: They are now found in extremely small numbers from western Europe and Palestine to eastern Siberia and the Himalayan region.
• Ecosystem Roles: Brown bears are important predators and seed dispersers in the ecosystems in which they live.
• Characteristics
  • These creatures can stand on two legs, walk on the sole of their feet and pick things with their hands like we humans do.
  • These bears are Europe’s biggest carnivore but are incredibly fast and run at a speed of 30 mph.
  • Romanian Bears communicate with their own kind through scratch marks left on the trees, smell and sound of each other.
  • Romania is home to more than 60% of the Brown Bears in Europe.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • CITES: Appendix I

Q1: What Hibernation?

It is when an animal slows its heart rate to save energy and survive the winter without eating much. Some animals just slow down and move less frequently during hibernation, but others go into a deep sleep and don’t wake up till spring.

Source: ‘Put a scientific lens to Romania’s bear cull decision, not a sentimental one’: Rashid Naqash

About Modified Interest Subvention Scheme: 

• It is a Central Sector Scheme, 100% funded by the Government of India.
• It was launched in the year 2006-07 with a view to provide short term Agri-loans availed by farmers through Kisan Credit Card (KCC) for their working capital requirements at concessional rate of interest.
• For this, at present, interest subvention is being given to concerned Financial Institutions (Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs)/ Small Finance Banks/ RRBs/ Cooperatives/ Computerized PACS ceded with SCBs) providing the loan.
• Working of the scheme
  • Farmers engaged in Agriculture and other allied activities can acquire Kisan Credit Card loans up to Rs 3 lakh at a benchmark rate of 9%.
  • However, the Centre provides 2% interest subvention on the benchmark rate, bringing down the effective rate of interest to 7 per cent.
  • An additional 3% concession for prompt and timely repayment further reduces it to 4% per year.
• The implementing agencies for settling the claims under Interest Subvention Scheme are Reserve Bank of India (RBI)/National Bank for Agriculture and Rural development (NABARD).

Q1: What is a Kisan Credit Card ?

It is a government-sponsored scheme in India that provides farmers with a credit card to meet their agricultural credit requirements. It aims to provide timely and adequate credit to farmers to meet their production and investment needs.

Source: Interest subvention scheme: Govt looks to raise limit of crop loans from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh

About Flower Flies: 

• Mesembrius bengalensis and M. quadrivittatus have been discovered from the Kole wetlands and Vilagan Kunnu hillocks of Thrissur district.
• Flower flies belong to the family Syrphidae of order Diptera and are commonly called flower files because they are frequent visitors of flowers like many bees and wasps.
• They are flies that evolved to mimic bees or wasps to escape from their predators.
• Ecological role: Flower flies are important pollinators. Larvae of these flies are excellent biological control agents and nutrient recyclers.

Key facts about Kole wetlands

• It is the largest brackish, humid tropical wetland ecosystem located in the state of Kerala.
• Extending from the northern bank of Chalakudy River in the south to the southern bank of Bharathapuzha River in the north
• It is situated in the central Asian Flyway of migratory birds.

Q1: What is a pollinator?

A pollinator is anything that helps carry pollen from the male part of the flower (stamen) to the female part of the same or another flower (stigma). The movement of pollen must occur for the plant to become fertilized and produce fruits, seeds, and young plants.

Source: Two species of flower flies reported for the first time in Kerala

About National Clean Air Programme: 

• It was launched in January, 2019 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
• It is a long-term, time-bound, national level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner.
• Objectives:
  • Stringently implementing mitigation measures to prevent, control, and abate air pollution.
  • Strengthening an air quality monitoring network across the country.
  • Increasing public awareness and capacity building measures. 
• Target
  • NCAP envisages reduction by 20-30% in PM 10 concentration over baseline in 2017 by 2024.
  • Target has been revised to achieve reduction in PM10 level up to 40% or achievement of national standards (60 µg/m3) by 2025-26.
• Implementation
  • In accordance with the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will execute this nationwide program.
  • 131 non-attainment cities have been identified across the country for the implementation of the programme.
  • City-specific action plans have been developed, which include measures to strengthen the monitoring network, reduce vehicular or industrial emissions, raise public awareness, etc.
  • The implementation of city-specific action plans is regularly monitored by Central and State Committees, namely the Steering Committee, Monitoring Committee and Implementation Committee.
  • State Pollution Control Boards monitor city air quality and publish their findings on a regular basis.

Q1: What is the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)?

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India is a statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It was established in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

Source: ‘Need more focus on PM2.5’: Study says dust mitigation draining clean air scheme funds