Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) and Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
News Today Logo

Also in News

Posted 03 Jul 2025

8 min read

Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) and Marginal Standing Facility (MSF)

Reserve Bank of India revised the timings Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) and Marginal Standing Facility (MSF).

About SDF

  • Under SDF, banks can place surplus deposits with RBI on an overnight basis. 
  • It absorbs liquidity from commercial banks without collateral. 

About MSF

  • MSF is a window for banks to borrow from RBI in emergency situation when inter-bank liquidity dries up completely.  
  • Under it, banks borrow by pledging government securities.
  • Tags :
  • RBI
  • Banking Liquidity
  • Monetary Policy Instruments
  • Liquidity Tools

PARAKH

PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan Dissemination Portal was launched recently.

  • It provides open access to National and State-level data on student performance and serve as a key resource for States/UTs to design targeted plans to enhance learning outcomes. 

About PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development)

  • Setup as a National Assessment Centre in 2023 in National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) as an independent constituent.
  • Objective: Setting norms, standards, guidelines related to student assessment. 
  • Focus Areas: Capacity Development, Achievement Survey, School Boards Equivalence, Holistic Progress Cards. 
  • Tags :
  • PARAKH
  • NCERT
  • Student Assessment

Operation MED MAX

It was an operation conducted by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for cracking down on illegal pharmaceutical drug trade. 

  • Under it, NCB dismantled a transnational drug trafficking syndicate that smuggled controlled medicines across four continents
  • The syndicate used encrypted digital platforms, drop shipping models, and cryptocurrency to smuggle the controlled substances. 
  • The network showcases the growing convergence of digital platforms, cryptocurrency, and transnational logistics in modern illicit trade.
  • Tags :
  • Drugs
  • Illegal Drug Trade

Male Mahadeshwara (MM) Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Five tigers found dead in Male Mahadeshwara (MM) Hills Wildlife sanctuary.

About MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary 

  • Located in Southeast Karnataka.
  • It forms connecting corridor between Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple (BRT) Wildlife Sanctuary and the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • Dominated by dry deciduous forests and Patches of Semi-evergreen, Shola forests at higher altitudes and scrub forests in fringe zones.
  • Soligas and Lingayats are the dominant communities in the MM Hills.
  • Species include Tiger, Elephant, Leopard, Wild dog (dhole), Sloth bear, etc.
  • Important corridor in the Eastern Ghats–Western Ghats landscape.
  • Tags :
  • Tiger
  • Karnataka
  • Wildlife Sanctuary

Forest Advisory Committee

Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has recommended to streamline the forest clearance process for major industry and infrastructure projects in or near forest land.

About FAC

  • It is a statutory body under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. 
  • Role: To examine and deliberate on proposals for non-forestry use of forest land, including mining, and give recommendation to the Government of India. 
  • Its role is recommendatory in nature.
  • Tags :
  • Environmental Clearance
  • Forest Conservation Act
  • Forest Advisory Committee

Green Climate Fund

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved over USD 120 million for new projects.

About Green Climate Fund

  • It is the world’s largest climate fund.
  • Mandated to support developing countries raise and realize their Nationally Determined Contributions ambitions towards low-emissions, climate-resilient pathways.
  • Established at COP 16 of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Cancun, 2010.
    • It serves the Paris Agreement in accordance with Article 9.
  • Governance:  Fund is governed by the GCF Board and it is accountable to and functions under the guidance of the COP, UNFCCC.
  • Hq: Songdo, Incheon City, Republic of Korea.
  • Tags :
  • Green Climate Fund
  • Climate Fund

Transition bonds

The International Financial Services Authority (IFSCA) approved Framework for issuance and listing of transition bonds under the IFSCA (Listing) Regulations, 2024.

About Transition Bonds

  • It is one of  the  sub categories  of the ‘green debt security’ (as per Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI’s) regulation)
    • Green Debt Security means a debt security issued for raising funds that are to be utilised for project(s) and/or asset(s) such as clean transportation, Sustainable waste management, etc. 
  • Objective:
    • To help hard-to-abate sectors (steel, cement,) raise capital for progressive decarbonisation.
    • Mitigating Greenwashing: Enforced through transparency, disclosures, and third-party validation, ensuring investor confidence.
  • Tags :
  • IFSCA
  • Transition Bonds

Nutritional Intake in India Report

The National Statistics Office (NSO) has released the report on nutritional intake in India. 

  • Report is based on the Household Consumption Expenditure Surveys of 2022-23 & 2023-24.

Key Findings of the Report

  • Average per capita per day calorie intake (in 2022-23 and 2023-24)
    • Rural: 2233 Kcal and 2212 Kcal respectively. 
    • Urban: 2250 Kcal and 2240 Kcal respectively.
  • Cereals continue to be the most important source of protein.
    • However, their contribution to protein intake dropped ~14% in rural and ~12% in urban India since 2009-10, offset by increased egg, fish, meat, milk, etc.
  • Expenditure and Calorie intake: With an increase in the Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE), the average calorie intake also increases.
  • Narrowing Gap: Calorie intake gap between the bottom 5% and top 5% (population ranked by per capita expenditure level) has significantly narrowed in 2023-24.
  • Tags :
  • Nutrition
Watch News Today
Subscribe for Premium Features