1. Budget 2024 — long on intent, short on details (Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8) Topic: GS3 – Indian Economy Context The FY25 Union Budget focuses on long-term goals for Vikisit Bharat@2047, fiscal stability, and employment generation. It continues fiscal consolidation efforts while introducing measures to stimulate demand and…
1. Union Budget 2024-25 — no signs of learning (Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 10) Topic: GS3 – Indian Economy Context The Union Budget 2024-25, presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, prioritises easing business regulations and encouraging private sector job creation over direct tax measures. Despite significant promises to allies and large…
1. Survey signals for Budget (Source: Indian Express; Section: The Ideas Page; Page: 11) Topic: GS3– Indian Economy Context: India’s GDP growth for fiscal 2024 exceeded expectations at 8.2%, driven by robust tax collections and extra dividends from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Despite global risks and a subdued agricultural sector, India’s economy demonstrated…
1. Shock-proof state: On an outage and a democratic digital infrastructure (Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8) Topic: GS2 – Governance Context On July 19, a software glitch caused widespread outages affecting supermarkets, banks, hospitals, and airports globally. The incident underscored the need for robust failsafes and emergency protocols in…
1. Living in denial about unemployment (Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 6) Topic: GS3 – Indian Economy – Issues relating to development and employment. Context Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing a Reserve Bank of India report, claimed significant job creation in recent years, countering the Opposition’s high unemployment narrative. Conflicting…
1. India and a case for strategic autonomy (Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8) Topic: GS2 – International Relations Context In July 2024, India’s Prime Minister visited Russia amid ongoing Western concerns over India’s strategic autonomy and relationship with Russia. The U.S. expressed dissatisfaction, highlighting tensions in India-U.S. relations due…
1. Intergenerational equity as tax devolution criterion (Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8) Topic: GS3 – Indian Economy – Issues relating to mobilisation of resources. Context The Finance Commission revisits the horizontal distribution of Union tax revenue every five years, prioritising intragenerational equity, which can lead to intergenerational inequity. High-income…
1. Centralised examinations have not aced the test (Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8) Topic: GS2 – Governance – Government Policies – Issues arising out of their design & implementation. Context The National Testing Agency (NTA) was established in 2017 by the Indian government to conduct electronic mode entrance examinations…
1. ‘Big brother’ to ‘Brother’, a Nepal-India reset (Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8) Topic: GS2 – International Relations – Bilateral Relations Context India-Nepal relations have faced significant challenges since 2015 due to constitutional disagreements and a blockade by India. The new leadership in both countries presents an opportunity to…
1. The problem with the Karnataka gig workers Bill (Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8) Topic: GS2 – Governance Context Karnataka introduced the draft Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2024, aiming to provide social security for gig workers. Similar to Rajasthan’s 2023 Act, it follows a…