We4u IAS

 Budget (Annual Financial Statement) Why in News The Union Minister of Finance recently presented the Budget 2024-25 in the Parliament. Budget and Constitutional Provisions  According to Article 112 of the Indian Constitution, the Union Budget of a year is referred to as the Annual Financial Statement (AFS).  It is a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government in a financial year  In addition to it, the Budget contains: 1. Estimates of revenue and capital receipts, 2. Ways and means to raise the revenue, 3. Estimates of expenditure, 4. Details of the actual receipts and expenditure of the closing financial year and the reasons for any deficit or surplus in that year, and 5. The economic and financial policy of the coming year, i.e., taxation proposals, prospects of revenue, spending programme and introduction of new schemes/projects. In Parliament, the Budget goes through six stages: 1. Presentation of Budget. 2. General discussion...

  Elephants Elephants in India: Q      Elephants are keystone species as well as the Natural Heritage Animal of India. Q      India has the largest number of wild Asian Elephants. The elephant population in the country is estimated to be over 30,000. Q      Karnataka has the highest elephant population in India. Conservation Status: Convention of the Migratory Species (CMS): Appendix I Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species: Asian Elephant: Endangered African Forest Elephant : Critically Endangered African Savanna Elephant: Endangered Conservative Efforts: India: Gaj Yatra Gaj Yatra" was launched to identify and protect the natural routes for Elephants in Tura, Garo Hills of Meghalaya. Gaj Yatra campaign was launched on the 12th of August, 2017 which is 'The World Elephant Day'. The campaign is being...

  Nipah Virus (NiV) Q      The Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus which means it can be transmitted from animals to humans. Q      It belongs to the family of paramyxoviruses.   Origin: Q      The Nipah Virus first appeared in Malaysian pig farmers in 1999. In 2001, it was detected in Bangladesh, and at the same time, it was also found in eastern India. Transmission: Q      The disease spreads through fruit bats or ‘flying foxes,’ of the genus Pteropus, who are natural reservoir hosts of the Nipah and Hendra viruses. Q      The virus is present in bat urine and potentially, bat faeces, saliva, and birthing fluids. Q      It can also spread from person to person. Q      Humans can contract this virus through direct contact with infected animals, like bats, and pigs or it can spread through contaminated food. Sympt...

  Gram Nyayalays Why in News? The Supreme Court of India has directed States and High Courts to submit comprehensive reports on the establishment and functioning of gram nyayalayas. This directive comes amidst concerns about the slow implementation of these rural courts. What is Gram Nyayalayas? Q      In India, Gram Nyayalayas are village-level courts that offer citizens affordable and speedy access to justice at their doorsteps. Gram Nyayalaya refers to a rural court formed under sub-section (1) of the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008. Q      The act provides for the establishment of these village courts at the intermediate panchayat level. However, the state governments establish Gram Nyayalayas in consultation with their concerned High Courts. Q      Gram Nyayalayas are designed to be "mobile" courts, which means they can move from place to place within a defined jurisdiction to deliver judicial services to local pe...

  Financial Inclusion Index Why In News? Financial Inclusion-Index rises to 64.2 in March 2024 The index captures information on various aspects of financial inclusion in a single value ranging between 0 and 100, where 0 represents complete financial exclusion and 100 indicates full financial inclusion. The Reserve Bank of India has constructed a composite Financial Inclusion Index (FI Index) to capture the extent of financial inclusion across the country. What is the Financial Inclusion Index? Q      The Financial Inclusion Index is a comprehensive index that will incorporate the details of banking, insurance, investments, pension and postal sectors. Q      The index will be calculated in consultation with the government and respective sectoral regulators. Q      It will be released in July annually. Q      The FI-Index captures various aspects of financial inclusion in India to assess th...

  UN led Conference on Afghanistan Why In News? Q      India is one of 25 countries participating in this third conference, which aims to find ways to improve the lives of Afghan people under Taliban rule. Q      It will supplement previous efforts such as Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan, Moscow Format consultations, etc. Q      Conference allowed the Taliban to position themselves as the sole representative of Afghanistan. Q      Taliban returned to power in 2021 after waging an insurgency against the U.S.-backed government since 2001. Significance for India: Q      India has joined a UN-led conference on Afghanistan that began on Sunday in Doha. India is one of 25 countries participating in this third conference, which aims to find ways to improve the lives of Afghan people under Taliban rule. Q      This meeting is notable because ...

  22nd India-Russia Annual Summit India-Russia: Enduring and Expanding Partnership Why in News? Q     The 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit   in Moscow, brought together Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin to discuss a wide range of issues. The summit aimed to solidify the strategic partnership between the two nations, particularly in light of the ongoing geopolitical tensions. Q     In another development Russia has reached a significant economic milestone by being upgraded from an upper-middle-income to a high-income country by the World Bank, despite ongoing Western sanctions. Highlights of the Indian PM’s Two-Day Visit to Russia: Q     Receives highest civilian honour: The Indian PM was conferred with Russia’s highest civilian honour - Order of St Andrew the Apostle - by the Russian President (announced in 2019, but presented now). Q     Bilateral talks - A meeting of two close fr...