Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 1st October 2025

Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme: In News

The Government recently extended the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) incentive scheme for exporters until March 31, 2026.

• Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) was introduced through an amendment to the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20, and it became effective for exports starting January 1, 2021.
• The primary aim of this scheme is to offset the taxes and duties incurred on exported goods that wouldn’t otherwise be credited, reimbursed, or refunded in any way, and are integrated into the exported goods.
• It is designed to reimburse exporters for embedded duties, taxes, and levies that are not otherwise refunded under any other existing scheme.
• It is compliant with World Trade Organization (WTO) norms and is implemented via a comprehensive end-to-end digital platform to ensure transparency and efficiency.
• It was enforced to repeal and reduce taxes on exported products, thereby encouraging exports and increasing the number of exports in the country.
• The scheme is administered by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
• It replaced the Merchandise Export Incentive Scheme (MEIS), in response to the US challenging Indian export subsidies under the MEIS at the WTO.
• Tax Reimbursement under RoDTEP Scheme provides a mechanism for reimbursement of taxes, duties, and levies, which are currently not being refunded under any other mechanism at the central, state, and local levels, but which are incurred by the export entities in the process of manufacture and distribution of exported products.
• This not only includes the direct cost incurred by the exporter but also the prior stage cumulative indirect taxes on goods.
• RoDTEP Scheme Eligibility Criteria:
  • All sectors are covered under the scheme.
  • Labor-intensive sectors will be accorded priority.
  • Both manufacturer exporters and merchant exporters (traders) are eligible for the scheme.
  • There is no turnover threshold for availing of benefits under the scheme.
  • The exported products should have India as their country of origin to be eligible for benefits under the scheme.
• Rebates under the scheme are provided to eligible exporters as a percentage of the freight on board (FOB) value of exports.
• Remission is issued in the form of transferable e-scrips (a type of certificate with some monetary value) maintained in an electronic credit ledger by the CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs).
• e-scrips used to pay basic customs duty on imported goods. The credits can also be transferred to other importers.
• Speedy Clearance Through Digitalization: Faster clearance through a digital platform will be facilitated through a monitoring & audit mechanism, with an IT-based risk management system that would physically verify the exporters’ records.

NCRB Data on Road Accidents:

More than 1.73 lakh people were killed and 4.47 lakh injured in road accidents across the country in 2023, according to the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

• A total of 4,64,029 road accidents took place in the country in 2023, 17,261 more than in 2022.
• More than 1.73 lakh people were killed and 47 lakh injured in road accidents across the country in 2023.
• The highest number of accidents (20.7% of total) were reported between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• From 3 pm to 6 pm and 12 noon to 3 pm accounted for 17.3 percent and 15 percent , respectively.
• Two-wheelers accounted for the highest number of fatal road accidents, causing 79,533 deaths, or 8% of total deaths, followed by pedestrians at 27,586 (15.9%) and SUV/car/jeep at 24,776 (14.3%).
• Most of the deaths in two-wheeler accidents were reported in Tamil Nadu (11,490) and Uttar Pradesh (8,370).
• A large number of deaths due to SUV/car/jeep accidents were reported in Uttar Pradesh (19.2% of total ) and a large number of deaths due to trucks/lorries/mini truck accidents were also reported in the State (29.9% of total).
• Generally road accidents have caused more injuries than deaths, but in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jharkhand, Punjab, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, road accidents caused more deaths compared to persons injured.
• The Cause-Wise Analysis of Fatal Road Accidents:
  • 6% (1,01,841) and 23.6% (41,035) of fatalities were due to speeding and dangerous/careless driving or overtaking, respectively.
  • Poor weather conditions, driving under influence of drug/alcohol, and animal crossings caused 4,952 deaths.
  • The highest number of deaths were reported on the National Highways accounting for 6%, followed by State Highways at 23.4%.
  • State/UT-wise patterns revealed that maximum fatalities in road accidents on the National Highways took place in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh during 2023.
  • Of the 69,910 traffic accidents that were reported in the megacities throughout the year, 5,715 occurred in Delhi, making up2% of the total.
  • Bengaluru and Chennai were ranked second and third on the list, with 4,980 and 3,653 road crashes each.
  • With 1,457 fatalities, Delhi had the highest number of deaths in the same year.
  • Bengaluru ranked second with 915 road accident deaths in the same year, while Jaipur came in third with 848.

Leyte Island:

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake has hit Leyte Island in the Philippines recently.

• Leyte Island is a large island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines.
• It is the eighth-largest island in the Philippines and the sixth most populated.
• It spans 7056 sq.km. with a coastline of 969 km.
• In the north it nearly joins the island of Samar, separated by the San Juanico Strait, which becomes as narrow as 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) in some places.
• The San Juanico Bridge (2.16 kilometers) connects the islands of Leyte and Samar.
• Most of Leyte is covered in thick forests and mountain However, the Leyte Valley in the northeast is a major farming area.
• The two biggest cities on Leyte are Tacloban, located on the eastern coast, and Ormoc, on the west coast, with the latter hosting geothermal power plants.
• The island was known to 16th-century Spanish explorers as Tandaya.
• Its population grew rapidly after 1900, especially in the Leyte and Ormoc valleys.
• In World War II, S. forces landed on Leyte (October 20, 1944), and, after the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Japanese were expelled.
• Most people on Leyte are farmers, growing crops like rice, corn, coconuts, and bananas.
• Fishing is also an important activity.
• The island has some valuable minerals like manganese, and people also quarry sandstone and limestone.

False Smut Disease:

According to reports, the paddy crop, which is at the maturing and harvest stage, has been infested with false smut disease, causing widespread damage across Punjab.

• False smut (haldi rog) is an important fungal disease of rice (paddy).
• It is caused by the fungus Ustilaginoidea virens.
• It is also known as Lakshmi disease or Oothupathi disease of rice.
• It doesn’t directly impact other plant parts.
• It causes chalkiness of grains, which leads to reduction in grain weight. It also reduces seed germination.
• The percentage of infected panicles and the extent of infection within each panicle significantly impact yield los
• Warm and humid weather: Temperatures between 25-30°C and high humidity (>80%) promote fungal growth.
• Presence of infected plant debris: Spores can survive on leftover stubble and straw from previous harvests.
• High nitrogen content in soil: Excessive nitrogen application can increase susceptibility.
• Control of false smut of rice through fungicide application is feasible; however, high usage of fungicides has led to the resistance development in causal agents besides environmental pollution.

NCRB Data on Crime Against Children:

A total of 1,77,335 cases of crime against children were registered in the country in 2023, showing an increase of 9.2% over 2022, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report.

• A total of 177,335 cases of crime against children were registered in the country in 2023, showing an increase of 9.2% over 2022.
• The crime rate in 2023 stood at 9 per one-lakh child population in comparison to 36.6 in 2022.
• In percentage terms, major crime heads under “Crime Against Children” in 2023 were “Kidnapping and Abduction of Children” (79,884 cases, 45%) and “Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act” (67,694 cases, 38.2%).
• These figures include 40,434 cases of penetrative sexual assault, affecting 40,846 victims. Aggravated assaults and harassment followed with 22,444 cases.
• Of the 40,434 cases, the offenders were known to the victims in 39,076, which included family members in 3,224 cases, family friends or neighbours or employers or other known persons in 15,146 cases, and friends or online friends or live-in partners on the pretext of marriage in 20,706 cases.
• Victim demographics show that 762 victims were aged below six years, 3,229 aged between six and 12 years, 15,444 aged between 12 and 16 years and 21,411 aged between 16 and 18 years, bringing the total number of child victims to 40,846.
• Most were girls in rape-related sections.
• Kidnapping and abduction emerged as the largest contributor, with 79,884 IPC cases reported, victimising 82,106 children at a rate of 18 per one lakh.
• Over 58,927 of these were general abductions, including 37,844 instances where the missing children were deemed kidnapped.
• Notably, 14,637 cases involved abducting minor girls to compel marriage.
• Other significant IPC crimes included 1,219 murders, with 89 linked to rape or POCSO violations; 3,050 simple hurt cases; and 373 cases of abetment to suicide.
• Special and local laws beyond the POCSO Act added to the tally, with 6,038 cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and 1,390 under the Child Labour Act.
• Regionally, Madhya Pradesh topped the list with 22,393 total cases, followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
• Assam reported a sharp spike of 10,174 cases , while Bihar saw 9,906 cases. Union Territories like the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Delhi had disproportionately high rates, with Delhi alone registering 7,769 cases.
• While the overall chargesheeting rate was 64.3 percent, it varied widely in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, but was low in Delhi and Haryana .
• Police disposition showed 1,12,290 cases chargesheeted out of 2,57,756 investigated, with 80,198 pending at the end of the year.

Lecanemab Drug:

Australia approved Lecanemab drug for early stage Alzheimer’s diseases.

• Lecanemab Drug is a monoclonal antibody drug to treat early stages of Alzheimer’s
• It is designed to slow early Alzheimer’s progression by targeting amyloid proteins in the brain.
• It was developed to tackle the causes of Alzheimer’s disease rather than only relieving the symptoms.
• It uses antibodies to recognise amyloid in the brain and works with the brain’s immune cells to clear amyloid protein build-up from the brains of people living with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
• These amyloid protein build-ups are thought to be toxic to brain cells, causing them to get sick and eventually die, leading to the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Lecanemab is given to patients intravenously, which means into a vein through a drip bag.
• Recent clinical trials show a 27 per cent reduction in disease progression.
• Issues with Lecanemab Drug: High cost and potential side effects, including brain swelling, limit its accessibility and raise safety concerns.
• Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.

Wassenaar Arrangement:

The Wassenaar Arrangement faces challenges in adapting to cloud technology, requiring updates to control lists and enforcement mechanisms.

• It is a multilateral “export control regime” for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies.
• The body came into being in 1996 to succeed the Cold War-era Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls.
• The name comes from Wassenaar, a suburb of the Hague, Netherlands, where the agreement to start such a multi-lateral cooperation was reached in 1995.
• Purpose is to promote transparency and greater responsibilities for transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods, as well as technologies, to prevent destabilizing actions.
• Member countries: 42 members.
• India joined the Wassenaar Arrangement in 2017 and incorporated its lists into its Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies framework.
• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
• The group works by regularly exchanging information in respect of technology, both conventional and nuclear-capable, that is sold to, or denied to countries outside the grouping.
• This is done through maintenance and updating of detailed lists of chemicals, technologies, processes and products that are considered militarily significant.
• Through this exchange of information, the group aims at controlling the movement of technology, material or components to countries or entities which undermine international security and stability.

Philippines : Eatrhquake

An offshore earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Cebu province in central Philippines.

• Philippines is an island country of Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean.
• It shares maritime borders with Vietnam to the west, Taiwan to the north, Palau to the east, and Malaysia and Indonesia to the south.
• It is surrounded by the South China (north and west); Philippine Sea (east); Celebes Sea (south); and by the Sulu Sea to the (southwest).
• Highest Point: Mount Apo.
• Major Rivers: Cagayan River (Philippines’ longest river), Mindanao, Agusan etc.
• Volcano: Mayon Volcano, one of the most active in the country.
• Climate: Tropical and monsoonal.
• Major Lake: Laguna de Bay
• Natural resources: Timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
• The Philippines is the third-largest producer of geothermal energy globally, after the United States and Indonesia.
• World Heritage Site: The Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park site in the Philippines is inscribed on the World Heritage List.
• Capital city: Manila.

Major General G. Srinivas Takes Charge as Commandant of CDM, Secunderabad:

Major General G. Srinivas has officially assumed charge as the Commandant of the College of Defence Management (CDM), Secunderabad. He takes over from Lieutenant General Harsh Chhibber, who has been promoted to the position of Director General Information Systems.Major General Srinivas was entrusted with the planning and execution of operational logistics in the Western Command theatre. His responsibilities included overseeing the logistical framework during Operation Sindoor, a critical military operation, where his efforts ensured the smooth movement of supplies, coordination of resources, and support to troops in forward areas.

Cabinet Approves 3% DA Hike for Central Government Employees and Pensioners:

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a 3% hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners. The hike, effective from October 1, 2025, will be added to the existing rate of 55% of the Basic Pay/Pension.This decision aims to provide relief against rising inflation and ensure that government employees and pensioners maintain their purchasing power.

Unmesha Festival 2025:

The third edition of the Unmesha International Literature Festival was held in Patna, Bihar, from 25th to 28th September 2025, bringing together an extraordinary confluence of writers, poets, translators, publishers, and scholars. With participation from 15 countries and over 100 languages, the festival highlighted the unifying power of literature in shaping societies and fostering dialogue across cultures. The festival concluded with the Vice-President of India, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan, gracing the valedictory session as the Chief Guest, marking his first official visit to Bihar since assuming office.

India’s First Private Helicopter Assembly Line:

The Tata Group, in partnership with Airbus, is launching India’s first private-sector helicopter Final Assembly Line (FAL) at Vemagal in Karnataka to produce the Airbus H125 helicopter. This initiative marks a significant milestone for India’s aerospace industry, as the facility will assemble, test, and deliver both civil and military versions of the H125.Addressing requirements for domestic as well as South Asian export markets. The made-in-India helicopters are expected to be delivered starting in early 2027. This project will not only strengthen India’s credentials as a global aviation hub but also support the development of local civil and defence aviation capabilities.

RBI Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy 2025:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), under Governor Sanjay Malhotra, announced its Monetary Policy 2025 on keeping the repo rate unchanged at 5.5% and maintaining the policy stance as ‘Neutral’. The decision was unanimously taken by all MPC members.The RBI also revised its FY26 GDP growth estimate upwards to 6.8% (from 6.5% earlier) and cut CPI inflation forecast to 2.6% (from 3.1% earlier), signaling optimism on growth with controlled inflationary pressures.

Policy Measures:
Repo Rate: Unchanged at 5.50%
Stance: Neutral
CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio): 3%
SDF (Standing Deposit Facility) Rate: 5.25%
MSF (Marginal Standing Facility) Rate: 5.75%
Bank Rate: 5.75%
MPC: Unanimous decision to keep rates unchanged