Budget 2022-2023
Budget 2022-2023 There was a sharp increase in public investment and capital expenditure in Budget 2021-22. This Budget (2022-23) will benefit the youth, women, farmers, and the backward classes. The PM Gati Shakti master plan will guide the process. The country is expected to grow at 9.27 per cent. In a major push for digital currency, The digital rupee will be issued using blockchain technology by the RBI starting 2022-23. Income from the transfer of any virtual digital asset shall be taxed at the rate of 30 per cent, plus 1% tax on transaction. This Union Budget seeks to lay the foundation & give a blueprint of the economy over ‘Amrit Kal’ of next 25 years – from India at 75 to India at 100. The gross GST collections for the month of January 2022 are Rs 1,40,986 crore — the highest since the inception of the tax in 2017. Income from Long Term Capital Gains will be taxed at 15%. Corporate surcharge to be reduced from 12% to 7%. Rs 48,000 crores allocated for completion of construction of 80 lakh houses under PM Awas Yojana in rural and urban areas in the year 2022-23. Both Centre and States govt employees’ tax deduction limit to be increased from 10% to 14% to help the social security benefits of state government employees and bring them at par with the Central govt employees. Customs on polished diamonds, gemstones cut to 5%. Simply sawn diamonds will be exempted. To facilitate export of jewelry through e-commerce, simplified regulations will be in place by June this year. Coming to agriculture, procurement of wheat in Rabi season 2021-22 and the estimated procurement of paddy in Kharif season 2021-22 will cover 1,208 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and paddy from 163 lakh farmers & Rs 2.37 lakh crores will be the direct payment of MSP value to their accounts. Any cess or surcharge on income not allowed as business expenditure. Moving forward on this parallel track, we lay the following four priorities — PM Gati Shakti, inclusive development, productivity enhancement and investment, sunrise opportunities, energy transition and climate action and financing of investments. The Production Linked Incentive Scheme for achieving Atma Nirbhar Bharat has received an excellent response, with potential to create 60 lakh new jobs and additional production of 30 lakh crore during the next five years. A fund with blended capital raised under co-investment model facilitated through NABARD to finance start-ups in agriculture and rural enterprises for farm produce value chain will be set up. States will be encouraged to revise syllabus of agricultural universities to meet needs of natural, zero-budget and organic farming, modern-day agriculture. PM Modi’s development initiatives for the North East will be implemented by the North Eastern Council. This will enable livelihood activities for the youth and women. This scheme is not a substitute for the existing Centre or state schemes. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
India – Japan Relation
India Japan Relation The friendship between India and Japan has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilization ties dating back to the visit of Indian monk Bodhisena in 752 A.D. Throughout the various phases of history since contacts between India and Japan began some 1400 years ago, the two countries have never been adversaries Bilateral ties have been singularly free of any kind of dispute – ideological, cultural, or territorial. It is unique and one of warmth emanating from generous gestures and sentiments of standing by each other at times of need. India-Japan Relation – Background India and Japan established diplomatic relations in 1952. Japan was among the few countries that unconditionally bailed India out of the balance of payment crisis in 1991, which strengthened the relation between the two countries. A qualitative shift in India-Japan relations with the establishment of the ‘Global Partnership’ between the two sides in 2000 Further in 2006, both sides established ‘Strategic and Global Partnership’ in 2006. A Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Japan and India was concluded in 2011. In 2014, this bilateral relation was upgraded to ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’. Japan and India are partners in peace, with a common interest in and complementary responsibility for promoting the security, stability, and prosperity of Asia as well as in advancing international peace and equitable development. Since diplomatic relations between India and Japan were established in 1952, the two countries have enjoyed cordial relations based on trade and economic and technical cooperation. Areas of Cooperation Economic Cooperation – Japan is regarded as a key partner in India’s economic transformation. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has helped in boosting bilateral trade. Japan has been one of the biggest sources of investment flows into India. A Currency Swap Agreement of $75 billion was signed recently. Developmental Assistance through Huge Infrastructure Projects – Japan has been a leading financial donor in the form of ODA (Official Development Assistance) to India. Japan supports India’s mega infrastructure projects like the Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, etc Japan has promised to undertake several projects in the North East region under North East Forum. Defence Cooperation – India and Japan are partners in the recently formed Quad Security Dialogue. India and Japan signed an “Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement” that would allow the militaries of the two countries to exchange supplies and services on a reciprocal basis. Trilateral naval exercise called Exercise Malabar involving the United States, Japan and India is being carried on continuous basis. Strategic Interests – Looming presence of China has led to the convergence of economic and strategic imperatives, especially in the India-Pacific region Both countries share similar interest in Indo-Pacific and calls for a free, open, transparent, rule based and inclusive Indo pacific region. The Act East Forum, established in 2017, aims to provide a platform for India-Japan collaboration under the rubric of India’s “Act East Policy” and Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision”. Global Partnership – both countries support each other at UNSC, Climate Change conferences, Disaster Risk management, SDG’s, etc Japan and India are working together to realize the reform of Security Council at the earliest. Technological Cooperation – “India-Japan Digital Partnership” (I-JDP) was launched in October 2018, focusing more on Digital ICT Technologies. establishment of three India-Japan Joint Laboratories in the area of ICT (AI, IoT and Big Data). Space Cooperation – India and Japan conducted their first Annual Bilateral Space Dialogue, for enhancing bilateral cooperation in outer-space. Agreement on technological collaboration between their respective agencies in the Joint Lunar Polar Exploration Mission. Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) – an economic cooperation agreement envisaging a closer engagement between Asia and Africa for “Sustainable and Innovative development”. Twinning Program – As of now 7 Indian states and 3 sister cities/regions have partnered with Japanese prefectures and cities through MoUs to cooperate under diverse sectors. Weaknesses in India-Japan Relation Low Trade Volume – In spite of CEPA, India Japan trade it has not produced the anticipated results. Bilateral trade has steadily declined since 2013. Moreover, India has a high Trade Deficit with Japan. Diverging interests – with respect to economic issues like on E-commerce rules (Osaka track), Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, etc. Limited Defence Cooperation – There is hardly any exchange or procurement of defense equipment or technology from Japan Chinese dominance – Despite converging interests of Japan and India, trade with China represents more than 20% of Japan’s total trade. Both countries do not have a specific China policy. India-Japan trade languishes at around $15 billion, a quarter of trade with China while Japan-China trade is around $300 billion. Lack of concrete actions – on projects like Asia Africa Growth Corridor, despite it being signed in 2017. There is a great deal of scepticism on the feasibility of the AAGC itself as well as the nature of the projects embedded in it. Other Barriers – India struggling to penetrate the Japanese market because of language barriers, high quality, and service standards. Way Forward Expediating Economic Convergence – Japan is only India’s 12th largest trading partner, and trade volumes between the two stands at just a fifth of the value of India-China bilateral trade. Expanding Cooperation – India and Japan need to expand cooperation in sectors such as Cybersecurity and Emerging technologies. Issues of India’s insistence on data localisation and reluctance to accede to global cybersecurity agreements such as the Budapest Convention needs to be discussed. Strengthening defence ties – There should be more exchange of defence equipment and technologies. Cooperation on defence equipment and technology holds immense scope and potential for strengthening technological capability and industrial infrastructure through joint efforts between the public and private sectors. Expedite implementation of AAGC project – India needs to change its style of implementing projects abroad, most of which have been plagued by cost and time over-runs. Enhancing communication and connectivity for unimpeded trade and flow of people, technology, and ideas for shared prosperity. Providing more business-friendly environment – as Japan’s interest in India is increasing due to a variety of reasons including India’s large and growing market and its resources, especially the human resources. Today, India is the largest democracy in Asia and Japan the most prosperous. The evolving geopolitical situation, with the focus shifting decisively towards the Indo-Pacific region and a deeper understanding of the complementarities between
The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is a maternity benefit programme that was rolled out by the Government of India in 2017. Under PMMVY, a cash incentive of Rs. 5000 is provided directly to the Bank / Post Office Account of Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers for first living child of the family subject to fulfilling specific conditions relating to Maternal and Child Health. The cash incentive will be provided in three instalments It is aimed at improving health-seeking behaviour and to compensate for wage loss for pregnant women, particularly in the unorganised sectors. PMMVY is implemented using the platform of Anganwadi Services scheme of Umbrella ICDS under Ministry of Women and Child Development. The enrolment and disbursements under the scheme have witnessed a downward fall in the last two years as per the data of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Read Also Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana(PMMSY) Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Aravalli Biodiversity Park
Aravalli Biodiversity Park On World Wetlands Day, the Aravalli Biodiversity Park was announced as the first Other Effective Area – based Conservation Measures site, OECM site. The park is spread over 390 acres. It has a semi – arid vegetation. It has more than 43,000 shrubs, 101,000 trees and 300 endemic plant species. Earlier, the park was a mining site. It was transformed into a city forest through immense efforts of environmentalists, scientists, ecologists along with the local population. Aravallis are considered as the green lungs of Delhi. They support leopards, foxes, sambhar and jackals. The Aravallis provide 7.07% of oxygen to Delhi. The Aravallis act as a barrier between the desert in the west and the fertile land in the east. The Aravallis stops the monsoon clouds and brings rains to Nainital and Shimla. The hill functions as the groundwater recharge for the region. 25% of the Aravallis was lost due to illegal mining. According to CAG, there were more than 4,0000 illegal mining cases. Since the 1960s, 31 hills have vanished from the hills. The OECM tag is provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN. According to IUCN, the OECM sites are not protected but are rich in biodiversity. The Aravalli hills are the first OECM site of the country. The proposal to make Aravallis as the OECM was made by the National Biodiversity Authority. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Lokayukta
Lokayukta It is an anti-corruption authority or ombudsman – an official appointed by the government to represent the interests of the public. Most importantly, it investigates allegations of corruption and mal-administration against public servants and is tasked with speedy redressal of public grievances. The Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Late Morarji Desai in 1966 recommended the setting up of the institution of Lokayukta. The Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013, commonly known The Lokpal Act was passed by the Parliament of India in December 2013. It provides for the appointment of a Lokayukta “to investigate and report on allegations or grievances relating to the conduct of public servants.” It also called for the establishment of Lokpal at the Centre. The Lokayukta is usually a former High Court Chief Justice or former Supreme Court judge and has a fixed tenure. The Chief Minister selects a person as the Lokayukta after consultation with the High Court Chief Justice, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Chairman of the Legislative Council, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council. The appointment is then made by the Governor. Once appointed, Lokayukta cannot be dismissed nor transferred by the government, and can only be removed by passing an impeachment motion by the state assembly. Read Also Lokpal and Lokayukta Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Marine Heatwaves
Marine Heatwaves Marine heatwaves are periods of extremely high temperatures in the ocean.These events are linked to coral bleaching, seagrass destruction, and loss of kelp forests, affecting the fisheries sector adversely. The most common drivers of marine heatwaves include ocean currents which can build up areas of warm water and air-sea heat flux, or warming through the ocean surface from the atmosphere. The most common cause of marine heat waves are ocean currents which can build up areas of warm water and air-sea heat flux, or warming through the ocean surface from the atmosphere. Normally, sunlight passes through the atmosphere and heats the surface of the ocean. If there are weak winds this warm water doesn’t mix with the cooler waters below. It sits on top and continues to heat leading to marine heat waves. According to a study, the Western Indian Ocean region experienced the largest increase in marine heatwaves at a rate of about 1.5 events per decade, followed by the north Bay of Bengal at a rate of 0.5 events per decade. From 1982 to 2018, the Western Indian Ocean had a total of 66 events, while the Bay of Bengal had 94 events. The marine heatwaves in the Western Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal increased drying conditions over the central Indian subcontinent. Correspondingly, there is a significant increase in the rainfall over south peninsular India in response to the heatwaves in the north Bay of Bengal. Read Also Cyclone Nivar Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Coal Gasification and Liquefaction
Coal Gasification and Liquefaction India aims for 100 million tonnes (MT) coal gasification by 2030 with investments worth over Rs. 4 lakh crores. For encouraging use of clean sources of fuel, the government has provided for a concession of 20% on revenue share of coal used for gasification. This will boost production of synthetic natural gas, energy fuel, urea for fertilisers and production of other chemicals. Coal Gasification It is the process of producing syngas, a mixture consisting of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), natural gas (CH4), and water vapour (H2O). During gasification, coal is blown with oxygen and steam while also being heated under high pressure. During the reaction, oxygen and water molecules oxidize the coal and produce syngas. Transporting gas is a lot cheaper than transporting coal. Help address local pollution problems. Has greater efficiency than conventional coal-burning because it can effectively use the gases twice: the coal gases are first cleansed of impurities and fired in a turbine to generate electricity. The exhaust heat from the gas turbine can be captured and used to generate steam for a steam turbine-generator. Read Also Lithium Mining Coal Liquefaction It is an alternative route to produce diesel and gasoline and makes economic sense only in a world of high crude oil prices,Also called Coal to Liquid (CTL) technology. The process involves gasification of coal, which in turn will produce synthetic gas (a mix of CO+H2). The synthetic gas can be liquefied to its fuel equivalent in presence of cobalt/iron-based catalysts at higher pressure and temperature. However, liquefied coal emits twice as much CO2 as burning oil. It also emits a large volume of SO2. The CO2 emissions are more readily and cheaply captured from CTL plants than from conventional coal-fired power stations. The captured CO2 can be transported and injected into underground storage reservoirs (a procedure known as “carbon capture and storage”—CCS—or “geosequestration”). Read Also Explore utilisation of fly ash in cement plant: NGT Coal Liquefaction It is an alternative route to produce diesel and gasoline and makes economic sense only in a world of high crude oil prices,Also called Coal to Liquid (CTL) technology. The process involves gasification of coal, which in turn will produce synthetic gas (a mix of CO+H2). The synthetic gas can be liquefied to its fuel equivalent in presence of cobalt/iron-based catalysts at higher pressure and temperature. However, liquefied coal emits twice as much CO2 as burning oil. It also emits a large volume of SO2. The CO2 emissions are more readily and cheaply captured from CTL plants than from conventional coal-fired power stations. The captured CO2 can be transported and injected into underground storage reservoirs (a procedure known as “carbon capture and storage”—CCS—or “geosequestration”). Read Also Explore utilisation of fly ash in cement plant: NGT Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Nuclear Fusion Technology
Nuclear Fusion Technology A team at the Joint European Torus (JET) facility near Oxford in central England generated 59 megajoules of sustained energy during an experiment in December, more than doubling a 1997 record. This is a new milestone in producing nuclear fusion energy, or imitating the way energy is produced in the Sun. The energy was produced in a machine called a tokamak, a doughnut-shaped apparatus. Besides, the JET site is the largest operational one of its kind in the world. The record and scientific data from these crucial experiments are a major boost for ITER. Nuclear fusion Nuclear fusion is a reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei are combined to form one or more different atomic nuclei and subatomic particles. The difference in mass between the reactants and products is manifested as either the release or the absorption of energy. Energy by nuclear fusion is one of mankind’s long standing quests as it promises to be low carbon, safer than how nuclear energy is now produced and, with an efficiency that can technically exceed a 100%. A kg of fusion fuel contains about 10 million times as much energy as a kg of coal, oil or gas. Deuterium and tritium, which are isotopes of hydrogen, are heated to temperatures 10 times hotter than the centre of the sun to create plasma. This is held in place using superconducting electromagnets as it spins around, fuses and releases tremendous energy as heat. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Lassa Fever
Lassa Fever The Lassa Fever-causing virus is found in West Africa and was first discovered in 1969 in Lassa, Nigeria. The fever is spread by rats and is primarily found in countries in West Africa including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria where it is endemic. Human beings can transmit the virus to each other through contact with infected bodily fluids. The best way to avoid getting infected is to avoid contact with rats. Ribavirin, an antiviral drug, has been used to successfully treat Lassa fever in patients. Mild symptoms include slight fever, fatigue, weakness and headache. Serious symptoms include bleeding, difficulty breathing, vomiting, facial swelling, pain in the chest, back, and abdomen and shock. Death can occur from two weeks of the onset of symptoms, usually as a result of multi-organ failure. Read Also Nanomicelles Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Japanese Encephalitis
Japanese Encephalitis It is a disease caused by a flavivirus that affects the membranes around the brain. Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is also a major cause of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in India. The disease is transmitted to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes of the Culex species. These mosquitoes breed mainly in rice fields and large water bodies rich in aquatic vegetation. Migratory birds along with pigs in the community also play an important role in the transmission of JE from one area to other areas. Most people infected with JE do not have symptoms or have only mild symptoms. However, a small percentage of infected people develop inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), with symptoms including sudden onset of headache, high fever, disorientation, coma, tremors and convulsions. There is no antiviral treatment for patients with JE. Treatment, available, is supportive to relieve symptoms and stabilise the patient. Safe and effective JE vaccines are available to prevent the disease. In India, mass vaccination with JE vaccine was started in a phased manner subsequent to the major outbreak in 2005. JE vaccination is also included under the Universal Immunization Program of the Government of India. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
