U-WIN Portal of Indian Government

• The Indian government has introduced a 100-day health plan featuring U-WIN, a new online platform designed to enhance vaccination coverage for children as of July 23, 2024.
•  U-WIN will soon be implemented nationwide, leveraging the digital infrastructure established during the COVID-19 vaccination drive with CoWIN.
• The platform allows users to track immunization records for children under 6 and pregnant women.
• To use U-WIN, individuals must register with a government ID, like Aadhaar, and a mobile number.
•  U-WIN will integrate with eVIN, a system that monitors vaccine stock and cold chain temperatures.
• This integration aims to efficiently manage vaccine supplies and reduce waste, utilizing digital tools familiar to health workers.

NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index

• Kerala and Uttarakhand topped the latest Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) India Index for 2023-24, both scoring 79 points, showcasing  notable progress in sustainable development across India as of July 23, 2024.
• Developed by NITI Aayog, the SDG India Index tracks India's progress towards the United Nations' SDGs, aiding states in integrating these goals into their plans.
•  It serves as a benchmark for identifying gaps and prioritizing actions for sustainable development by 2030.
• The Index encourages competitive and cooperative federalism, fostering learning among States and UTs to improve outcomes.
•  India has fully integrated SDGs into its national strategies, emphasizing institutional ownership and collaboration.
• The Index is a barometer for Viksit Bharat @ 2047, guiding national and local development strategies.

UNRWA Declared a Terrorist Organization by Israel

• The Israeli parliament (Knesset) on July 23, 2024 preliminarily approved a controversial bill that designated UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, as a terrorist group.
• This decision is part of Israel's broader campaign against UNRWA, following accusations that the agency collaborates with Hamas.
• The bill, which underwent further discussions in the foreign affairs and defense committees, was introduced by Yulia Malinovsky, who described UNRWA as a "fifth column within Israel," highlighting ongoing tensions between the organization and Israeli officials.
• UNRWA provides essential services like education, healthcare, and humanitarian aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and nearby countries.
• Relations between Israel and UNRWA have worsened, especially since the onset of the recent conflict in Gaza.

Union Budget 2024-25

The Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25 in Parliament on July 23, 2024. The focus of budget is on Employment, Skilling, MSMEs, and the Middle Class. The Union Budget 2024-25 envisaged sustained efforts on 9 priorities for “generating ample opportunities” for all.

9 Priority Areas

1. Productivity and Resilience in Agriculture
2. Employment and Skilling
3. Inclusive Human Resource Development and Social Justice
4. Manufacturing and Services
5. Urban Development
6. Energy Security
7. Infrastructure
8. Innovation, Research, and Development
9. Next Generation Reforms

Budget Estimates 2024-25

• Total receipts other than borrowings: ₹32.07 lakh crore
• Total expenditure: ₹48.21 lakh crore
• Net tax receipt: ₹25.83 lakh crore
• Fiscal deficit: 4.9% of GDP

Major Highlights

• Allocation of ₹ 11,11,111 crore for capital expenditure.
• India’s inflation continues to be low, stable and moving towards the 4% target.
• Prime Minister’s package of 5 schemes and initiatives with an outlay of  ₹ 2 lakh crore to facilitate employment, skilling and other opportunities for 4.1 crore youth in  5 years.

• New 109 high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties of 32 field and horticulture crops to be released for cultivation by farmers.
• 1 crore farmers across the country to be initiated into natural farming, with certification and branding in next 2 years.
• Allocation of ₹1.52 lakh crore  for agriculture and allied sectors.
• 10000 need-based bio-input resource centres to be established for natural farming.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Agriculture to be implemented for coverage of farmers and their lands in 3 years.
• 1000 industrial training institutes will be upgraded.
• New pension scheme Vatsalya announced for minors; contribution by parents and guardians.
• Government will formulate a plan, Purvodaya, for the all-round development of the eastern region covering Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
• For promoting women-led development, the budget carries an allocation of more than ₹3 lakh crore for schemes benefitting women and girls.
• A provision of ₹ 2.66 lakh crore for rural development including rural infrastructure made this year.
• The limit of MUDRA loans will be enhanced to ₹ 20 lakh from the current ₹ 10 lakh.
• Government to launch a comprehensive scheme for providing internship opportunities in 500 top companies to 1 crore youth in 5 years.
• Under PM Awas Yojana Urban 2.0, housing needs of 1 crore urban poor and middle-class families will be addressed with an investment of  ₹ 10 lakh crore.
• Announcement of Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan for improved socio-economic condition of tribal communities. 
• Phase IV of PMGSY will be launched to provide all-weather connectivity to 25000 rural habitations.
• Financial support for higher education loans up to ₹ 10 lakh to help youth who have not been eligible for benefit under government schemes and policies.
• Emphasis on expanding the Space Economy by 5 times in the next 10 years with a venture capital fund of  ₹ 1000 crore.
• Major relief to 4 crore salaried individuals and pensioners in income tax. 
• Standard deduction increased from  ₹ 50000 to  ₹ 75000 for those in new tax regime.
• Deduction on family pension increased from  ₹ 15000 to  ₹ 25000. 
• Over 58% corporate tax receipts collected under the new regime. 
• Two-third of individual income tax payers switched over to new income tax regime. 
• Angel tax abolished for all class of investors to boost start-ups and investments 
• Corporate tax on foreign companies reduced from 40 to 35% to invite investments
• 5% TDS on many payments merged to 2% TDS.
• Capital gain exemption limit increased to ₹ 1.25 lakh per year to benefit lower and middle income classes. 
• Custom duty on x-ray panels, mobile phones & PCBA reduced to 15%.
• Precious metals including gold and silver to become cheaper, custom duty reduced to 6%.
• Land reform and actions to be incentivised for completion within next 3 years.
• Saturation Approach to be adopted for inclusive and comprehensive resource development and social justice.

Items Becoming Cheaper

• Leather shoes
• Clothes
• Gold-Silver
• Mobile phones
• Mobile charger
• Electric vehicle
• Cancer medicine
• Platinum
• Electric wires
• X-ray machine
• Solar sets

Items Becoming Costlier

• Cigarretes
• Travelling by airplane
• Plastic goods
• Petrochemicals
• Telecom equipment

India Ranked Third in Global Forest Area Gains (Environment and Ecology)

• India has made significant progress in forest conservation, adding 266000 hectares of new forest annually from 2010 - 2020, as of July 23, 2024.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) ranks India third globally in forest area growth, behind China and Australia, which added 1937000 and 446000 hectares, respectively.
• Other top 10 countries include Chile, Vietnam, Turkey, the United States, France, Italy, and Romania.
•  The FAO commended India for its efforts to rehabilitate degraded lands and promote agroforestry, supported by innovative approaches and national policies.
•  This achievement highlights India's commitment to environmental sustainability and reforestation.

PR Sreejesh

• Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has announced his retirement from international hockey after the Paris Olympics 2024, marking the end of his distinguished career as of July 23, 2024.
• PR Sreejesh has been instrumental in India's hockey resurgence, including captaining the team at Rio 2016 and helping secure a bronze medal at Tokyo 2021.
•  His career boasts numerous achievements, including gold medals at the Asian Games in 2014 and 2023, and silver medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and 2022.
• PR Sreejesh was honored with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2021 and the Padma Shri in 2017, and he won the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2021 and 2022.
• He has also been part of 4 Asian Champions Trophy victories.

Charlie Cassel

• Fast bowler Charlie Cassell made history in the ICC Men’s Cricket ODI World Cup League 2 by taking 7 wickets for 21 runs on his debut against Oman in Dundee, Scotland on July 23, 2024.
• This performance broke the previous ODI debut record of 6 wickets for 16 runs, set by South African paceman Kagiso Rabada in 2016 against Bangladesh.
• Along with Rabada, West Indies bowler Fidel Edwards also took 6 wickets on his ODI debut, achieving figures of 6 for 22.
• Charlie Cassell's record-breaking debut highlights his remarkable achievement in the world of cricket.

Manoj Soni

• UPSC Chairman Manoj Soni resigned on July 23, 2024, citing personal reasons, stepping down 5 years before the end of his term, which was set to conclude in 2029.
• Manoj Soni had been in office for a year, having assumed the role on May 16, 2023.
•  He was previously recognized with the “Honorary Mayor-President of the City of Baton Rouge” title in 2013 for his leadership in IT literacy.
•  He also received the World Education Congress Global Award in 2015 for Distance Learning Leadership.
•  Manoj Soni served as vice-chancellor at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Gujarat, from 2009 to 2015, and at The Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda from 2005 to 2008.

Rahul Gandhi

• Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi was announced as the recipient of the 'Oman Chandy Public Servant Award,' on July 23, 2024.
• This award, established in honor of the late former Kerala Chief Minister Oman Chandy, includes a prize of ₹ 1 lakh and a statue created by renowned artist and filmmaker Nemam Pushparaj.
• The awardee is chosen by an expert jury led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.