Long Range Radio

• It is a new technology developed by the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), an arm of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• LoRa technology is a wireless modulation technique in the physical layer, allowing long-range communication using chirp spread spectrum.
• LoRa technology uses dedicated radios, which are not usually present in end-user devices, limiting interferences from other devices.

• Banks can use this as their own dedicated private network instead of using a third party network which are presently based either on satellite link or wired (fibre).
• As it can be owned by banks privately, there will be more security from cyber-attacks. Apart from being a more secure platform, LoRa network also allows easy recoverability and upgradation.
• The last mile connectivity of the banking system can be expanded with the LoRa financial network.
• The cost of the LoRa financial network is estimated to be 20 per cent cheaper than alternative network technologies with an additional advantage of almost no maintenance and portability of devices.

Framework for Social Stock Exchange

• SEBI has asked social enterprises raising funds using SSE to disclose Annual Impact Report (AIR) within 90 days from the end of financial year.
• Under the rules, SSE will be a separate segment of the existing stock exchanges.
• Social enterprises eligible to participate in the SSE will be entities NPOs and for-profit social enterprises having social intent and impact as their primary goal.
• The social enterprises will have to engage in a social activity out of 16 broad activities listed by the regulator.
• The eligible activities include eradicating hunger, poverty, malnutrition and inequality; promoting healthcare, supporting education, gender equality empowerment of women and LGBTQIA+ communities.
• SEBI said that NPO needs to be registered as a charitable trust and should be registered for at least three years, must have spent at least Rs 50 lakh annually in the past financial year and should have received a funding of at least Rs 10 lakh in the past financial year.
• NPOs need to make disclosure of financial statements for last three financial years, details of past social impact and risks that they see to its work and how it proposes to mitigate these.

Market-based economic dispatch (MBED)

• The Union government plans to shift to a market-based economic dispatch (MBED) mechanism.
• This shift to a centralised framework marks a radical departure from the current decentralised, voluntary pool-based electricity market.
• Under the MBED framework, the cheapest power from across the country will be dispatched to meet the system wide demand.
• The architecture would also lead to a “uniform clearing price”.
• Sellers and buyers will place their bids for the day ahead market, and an outcome of this will be the discovery of the market clearing price.
• This process is expected to generate significant savings for consumers.

Swachh Sujal Pradesh

• Union Jal Shakti Minister has declared Andaman and Nicobar Islands as India's first Swachh Sujal Pradesh.
• All villages of Andaman and Nicobar Island have been certified as Har Ghar Jal and verified as open defecation free - ODF plus.
• The Union Government is widely focusing on sanitation and availability of clean and safe drinking water in the last few years.
• The certification is provided for ensuring safe and secure drinking water supply, ODF Plus status, and awareness about cleanliness and convergence of schemes.

Panchteerth

• The government will develop five places as "Panchteerth" in  B R Ambedkar’s  honour.
• The term Panchteerth was coined by the honorable Prime Minister of India.
• "Panchteerth" include Amedbkar's birthplace in Mhow,
• The place in London where he stayed while studying in UK,
• 'Deeksha Bhoomi' in Nagpur, where he took education
• 'Mahaparinirvan Sthal' in Delhi, - Place of Demise
• Chaitya Bhoomi' in Mumbai – Cremation place