Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Posted 13 Aug 2024

8 min read

Housing Finance Companies (HFCs)

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday tightened norms related to public deposit acceptance by HFCs.

  • Ceiling for quantum of public deposits has been reduced from 3 times to 1.5 times of HFC’s net owned fund (NoF).

About HFCs:

  • They are corporate entities incorporated under Companies Act, 1956.
  • Aim: providing housing loans and finance in a streamlined manner.
  • Regulation: Regulated by the RBI. (earlier regulated by National Housing Bank (NHB))
  • Types: Deposit-taking HFCs and Non-deposit taking HFCs
  • There are 97 HFCs in the country.
  • Advantages: Flexible loan approval compared to banks, consideration of lower credit scores.
  • Tags :
  • Housing Finance Companies
  • NBFCs

Mission Karmayogi

Recently, Amrit Gyan Kosh portal and Faculty Development portal were launched under Mission Karmayogi.

  • Amrit Gyan Kosh portal: A shared learning resources knowledge bank for access to India-centric case studies.
  • Faculty Development portal: Training of Practitioners and faculties for better delivery of knowledge to civil servants.

National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (Mission Karmayogi):

  • Launched in 2020, it aims to create a competent civil service rooted in Indian ethos.
  • It has six key pillars including Policy Framework, Institutional Framework, Competency Framework, Digital Learning Framework (iGOT-Karmayogi), the electronic Human Resource Management System (e-HRMS) and the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. 
  • Tags :
  • Civil Services
  • Mission Karmayogi

Silicosis

Researchers claim that present limits of daily exposure to silica dust can pose serious risks of developing silicosis.

  • Permissible Exposure Limit for silica dust in India is set at 0.15 mg/m3which is high.

About silicosis:

  • It is a long-term lung disease, caused by prolonged inhaling of crystalline silica dust.
  • It causes hardening of lungs, shortness of breath and can be fatal.
  • Silicosis is a progressive disease and has no cure.

About Silica:

  • Silica is naturally found in various types of rocks like quartz, soil etc.
  • Industries associated: Construction, mining, oil and gas extraction, pottery and sculpting, glass manufacturing etc.
  • Tags :
  • Silicosis
  • silica

Spintronics

Researchers developed a transparent conducting interface between two insulating materials using spintronics

  • This breakthrough can significantly speed up data transfer between different parts of electronic devices and increase amount of data that can be stored in quantum devices.

About Spintronics

  • It is a technology that utilizes both the intrinsic spin of an electron as well as its charge in transport devices
  • Spintronic systems are of particular interest in field of quantum computing, nano-electronic devices and modern electronic storage devices
  • Tags :
  • Electronics Design
  • Spintronics

Gurmar (Gymnema sylvestre)

Researchers have discovered anti-diabetic medicinal herb Gurmar on Gaya’s Brahmayoni Hill.

About Gurmar 

  • It is a slow-growing, perennial, woody climber found in central and southern India and tropical Africa.
  • Pharmacological Properties: 
    • Gymnemic acid an active component isolated from leaves of G. sylvestre has antiobesity and antidiabetic properties;
      • It causes decrease in body weight and inhibits glucose absorption.
  • Applications: 
    • Used in dietary supplements for  reducing body weight, blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
    • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) utilized Gurmar to develop anti-diabetic drug BGR-34.
  • Earlier, first diabetes drug Metformin was also derived from a medicinal plant, Galega.
  • Tags :
  • Gurmar
  • Medicinal Plant
  • Antidiabetic Herb

NIRF Ranking 2024

Ministry of Education released the 9th edition of National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024

About NIRF

  • Launched in 2015
  • It outlines a methodology to rank educational institutions across the country.
  • Five parameters: Teaching, Learning and Resources, Research and Professional Practices, Graduation Outcomes, Outreach and Inclusivity, and Perception.
  • Implementing Agency: National Board of Accreditation (NBA)  in collaboration with the INFLIBNET Centre in Gandhinagar
  • New addition for ranking: Open Universities, State Public Universities and Skill Universities
  • IIT Madras is best education institution in country for sixth time(Since 2019), followed by IISC Bangalore.
  • Tags :
  • Higher education Institution
  • NIRF Ranking

Technological doping

Recently some experts have raised concern of Technological doping.

About Technological doping:

  • Technology doping is the practice of gaining a competitive advantage using sports equipment.
  • E.g. Speedo LZR Racer swimsuits of 2008 Olympic (Later banned)
  • Regulation: World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) considers prohibiting technologies if they are “performance-enhancing” or “being against the spirit of the sport”.
  • Tags :
  • World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
  • Doping

Geneva Conventions of 1949

Geneva Conventions of 1949, the cornerstone of international humanitarian law, completed 75 years of their adoption

  • Four Geneva conventions and their additional protocols contain most important rules limiting the barbarity of war. Four Conventions protects:
    • Wounded and sick soldiers on land.
    • Wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea.
    • Prisoners of war.
    • Civilians, including those in occupied territory.
  • Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005 supplement the conventions. 
  • India has ratified all four Geneva conventions 1949.
  • Tags :
  • War
  • Geneva Conventions
  • International Humanitarian Law
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