Prelims Focus – 5th February 2024
1.Technology Development Fund Scheme
In News: The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) demonstrated a green propulsion system, developed under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme.
- It is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Defence achieved by way of DRDO below the ‘Make in India’ initiative for funding innovation in defence and aerospace, specifically to start-ups and MSMEs.
- It is performed to meet the requirements of the Tri-Services, Defence Production and DRDO.
- It encourages participation of public/personal industries to create an environment for boosting slicing part generation functionality inside the defense quarter.
2.Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund
In News: The Union Cabinet has recently approved the continuation of the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) for another three years up to 2025-26.
- It is a scheme launched beneath the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan Stimulus package, and has been authorised for incentivizing investments by individual entrepreneurs, private companies, MSMEs, Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) etc.
- It pursuits to increase processing capacity via 2-4% within the dairy, meat and animal feed sector.
- Funding:
- 3% interest subvention for eight years which includes two years of moratorium for loan up to 90% from the scheduled financial institution and National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), NABARD and NDDB.
- Credit guarantee to the MSME and Dairy Cooperatives as much as the 25% of the credit borrowed from the Credit Guarantee Fund of Rs.750 crore.
- It supports fee-introduced dairy product production.
3.MQ 9B Drones
In News: The US gave the green signal to a USD 3.99 billion deal for India to acquire 31 latest armed versions of Predator drone-MQ 9B.
- MQ-9B is a High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV).
- MQ-9B is designed to fly over the horizon via satellite for as much as 40 hours, depending on configuration, in all kinds of climate and competently combine into civil airspace.
- The SeaGuardian configuration of MQ-9B can include a 360-degree surface-search maritime radar, automated identity machine, sonobuoy tracking machine, and sonobuoy dispensers for chronic anti-floor and anti-submarine conflict missions.
- The drone has an operational ceiling of 27000 feet and can look down on the enemy from nearly 50,000 feet and destroy it.
4.Volt Typhoon
Recent news: The U.S. government has launched a campaign to combat a widespread Chinese hacking group known as Volt Typhoon, which has gained unauthorized access to many internet-connected devices.
Details:
- The Justice Department and FBI have been given permission to disable parts of a hacking campaign that could potentially harm important Western infrastructure.
- Intelligence officials are worried that the hackers may target naval ports, internet providers, and utilities, potentially affecting U.S. military operations in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly if China invades Taiwan.
- The Chinese government denies these claims, considering them to be baseless and irresponsible.
About Volt Typhoon:
- The Volt Typhoon campaign started in May 2023 and has grown and changed its tactics.
- The U.S. has asked private technology companies for help because Volt Typhoon uses a network of easily targeted devices to hide their attacks on important targets, making it difficult for cybersecurity experts to find evidence of foreign involvement.
5.Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
Recent news: The global launch of UPI took place at the Eiffel Tower in France.
Details:
- Launched in 2016, the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) developed the initiative.
- The UPI system allows users to access multiple bank accounts through a single mobile application.
- It combines various banking features, seamless fund transfers, and merchant payments.
- It also includes a peer-to-peer collect request feature.
- This system benefits banks, customers, and merchants by allowing immediate money transfers, providing a single mobile application for accessing different bank accounts, and offering enhanced security measures.
- It enables various types of payments, such as utility bill payments and QR code-based payments.
- Some UPI-based products include Hello! UPI, Credit Line on UPI, UPI LITE X, UPI Tap & Pay, and the BHIM app.
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