Short News
Short News
Merchant Discount Rate (MDR)
- Context (TH): Unified Payments Interface (UPI) remains free for users, though a small fee may apply to high-value transactions.
- Definition: Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) is the transaction processing fee merchants pay to banks for digital payment infrastructure.
- Revenue Sharing & Rules: Shared between banks and payment networks; the government recently eased the 2020 Zero-MDR blanket ban under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
- Need for MDR: It funds payment aggregators and fintech companies to upgrade server capacity, prevent digital fraud, and expand rural financial inclusion.
India’s 1st Eco-Educational Hub
- Context (PIB): CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI) launched "Prakriti Gyan Dham", India's first eco-educational hub, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
- Core Vision: It functions as a living repository merging scientific research, biodiversity conservation, environmental education, and botanical heritage interpretation.
- Heritage Features: Features the "PAaVan Path" heritage trail and an Indian Heritage Garden with QR-enabled historical tree stories.
- Specialized Enclaves: Includes the "Vibhav Enclave" for endangered plant species, "Bhairav Enclave" for State Plants, and a 43-species Bamboosteum.
E-Samudra Portal
- Context (DDN): Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) launched "E-Samudra", a single-window portal to digitize India’s maritime administration.
- Core Objective: Shifts maritime governance to a paperless, Digital-First model, improving Ease of Living for seafarers and overall business efficiency.
- Key Features: Managed by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA), it unifies digital certification, fee payments, and live tracking.
- Allied Systems: Integrates support tools including the e-NAVIK 24×7 grievance system, Digital Seafarers Employment Agreement (d-SEA), and seafarer tracking dashboards.