Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 5th February 2025

 

Budget 2025-26: At a Glance 

1. Union Budget 2025-26: Jal Jeevan Mission extended till 2028 

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced an extension of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) till 2028 (100% coverage), with an outlay of Rs 67,000 crore in the Union Budget 2025-26. 
• However, the scheme saw a massive cut in allocation at the revised estimate (RE) stage during the current fiscal year 2024-25. 
• Launched in August 2019, the JJM was aimed at providing functional household tap connections (FHTC) to provide 55 lpcd (litre per capita per day) drinking water to all rural households in the country by 2024. 
• Since 2019, 15 crore households representing 80 per cent of India’s rural population have been provided access to potable tap water connections 
• An amount of Rs 3,400 crore has been allocated for Namami Gange-II for 2025-26, which is a little higher as compared to the outlay of Rs 3,345.70 crore earmarked in the budget last year. No change has been made to the allocation of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). It has been kept at Rs 7,192 crore for 2025-26. 
• Among the other schemes of the Jal Shakti Ministry, the interlinking of rivers saw a cut at the RE stage as its allocation was revised to Rs 2,000 crore from Rs 4,000 crore in the budgetary estimate of 2024-25. For 2025-26, an allocation of Rs 2,400 crore has been kept for the interlinking of rivers programme. 

2. Union Budget 2025-26: Centre Launches ₹16,021 Crore Power Reform Scheme to Boost State Infrastructure and Attract Private Investment

•  The Central Government has introduced a scheme to incentivize states for improving their power infrastructure and opening it to private investment. 
• The scheme allows additional borrowing of 0.5% of GSDP for states that implement power transmission and distribution reforms. A “Reforms Linked Distribution Scheme” with an allocation of ₹16,021 crore aims to attract private investment in the power transmission and distribution sector. 
• The scheme promotes 24×7 sustainable power supply and a financially viable distribution sector by supporting reforms at the state level. 
• Discoms adopting reforms like Public-Private Partnership (PPP) ownership and various franchise models at the distribution level will receive financial assistance. 

3. Union Budget 2025-26: Centre unveils second asset monetization plan worth Rs 10 lakh crore for 2025-30 

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2025, has announced the launch of the second Asset Monetization Plan for the period 2025-30. 
•  This plan aims to generate Rs 10 lakh crore by monetizing government-owned assets and reinvesting the proceeds into new infrastructure projects. 
• Launching the plan FM said “Building on the success of the first Asset Monetization Plan announced in 2021, the second Plan for 2025-30 will be launched to plough back capital of ` 10 lakh crore in new projects”.
• Apart from the Asset Monetization Plan, the government has also proposed a financial outlay of Rs 1.5 lakh crore for interest-free loans to states. These loans, with a tenure of 50 years, are aimed at boosting capital expenditure and incentivizing state-level infrastructure reforms. 
• The initiative builds upon the first Asset Monetization Plan, which was introduced in the Union Budget 2021-22. Under that plan, the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) was formulated to list potential core assets of Central Government Ministries and Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) for monetization between 2021-22 and 2024-25. 

National news 

4. India has become the world’s second-largest mobile manufacturer 

• India has moved from production of 2 units in 2014 to over 300 operational units nationwide. 
• About 99.2 per cent of mobile phones sold in India are now made locally. 
• The manufacturing value of mobiles have reached to Rs 4.22 lakh crore with exports crossing Rs 1.29 lakh crore in 2024. 
• More than 325 to 330 million mobile phones are manufactured annually in India. 
• The mobile manufacturing sector has generated approximately 12 lakh direct and indirect jobs over the decade. 
• The ‘Make in India’ initiative has enabled the domestic production of critical components and sub-assemblies such as chargers, battery packs, mechanics of all types, etc. 
• The India Semiconductor Mission and five major projects have been also launched. 

5. India’s first white tiger breeding centre will be set up in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district 

• The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has approved a proposal to set up a white tiger breeding centre in the Rewa District of Madhya Pradesh. 
• Rewa district is believed to be the home of the last white tiger in the wild. 
• This project got principle approval from the central government in 2011. 
• The breeding centre will be set up in Govindgarh. It will boost wildlife tourism and create job opportunities for local people.
• This facility will ensure the safety of white tigers and an increase in their numbers. 
• The white tiger breeding centre is part of a revised master plan for Maharaja Martand Singh Judeo White Tiger Safari and Zoo in Mukundpur. 

International news 

6. U.K. will be the first country to criminalize AI child abuse tools 

• The United Kingdom will be the first country to introduce laws against AI tools that are used to generate sexual abuse images of children. 
• The UK government has decided to make it illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate sexualised images of children. 
• Punishment for this type of oence will be up to five years in prison. 
• It will also be illegal to possess AI “paedophile manuals” which teach people how to use AI to abuse children sexually. The punishment will be three years in prison. 
• The new law would also ban “some of the AI models being used for child abuse”. 
• The new law criminalizes “predators who run websites designed for other paedophiles to share vile child sexual abuse content or advice on how to groom children”. The punishment for this oence will be up to ten years in prison. 

7. Bart De Wever sworn in as Belgium’s new Prime Minister 

• In Belgium, Bart De Wever has been sworn in as the country’s new prime minister. The oath-taking ceremony took place before King Philippe of Belgium at the Royal Palace. 
• De Wever’s coalition, consisting of five parties, includes seven francophone ministers and seven Flemish ministers in the new government. 

Newly Appointed Prime Minister & President- 

• President of Belarus -Alexander Lukashenko 
• PM of Ireland – Micheal Martin 
• President of the United States – Donald Trump (47th) 
• President of Venezuela -Nicolás Maduro 
• President oof Lebanon – Joseph Aoun 

State News 

8. Maharashtra makes Marathi mandatory for all ocial communication 

• The Maharashtra government has made it mandatory for all ocials in government and semi-government oces to speak only in Marathi. 
• The planning department issued the notification, warning that employees who do not follow the directive will face disciplinary action. The decision applies to all communication, ocial signage, and documentation across the state.
• The rule applies to all government oces, semi-government oces, local self-government bodies, government corporations, and government-aided establishments. 

About Maharashtra- 

• Capital – Mumbai 
• Chief Minister – Devendra Fadnavis (3rd time) 
• Deputy Chief Minister – Eknath Sindhe & Ajit Pawar 
• Governor – C P Radhakrishnan 
• Legislative Assembly Speaker – Rahul Narwekar 
• Legislative Assembly Seats – 288 

9. Amendment to Haryana Village Common Land (Regulation) Act, 1961 has been approved by the Haryana Cabinet 

• Under the amendment, land up to 500 square yards occupied by unauthorizedly constructed houses of Gram Panchayat can be sold at less than the market price. 
• Haryana Wild Life (Protection) Rules, 2024 has also been approved by Haryana Cabinet. 
• Under new rules, formats for granting permits regarding wildlife education, scientific research, or scientific management are provided.
• Rule also provide detailed procedures and formats for people to carry out surveys or investigations on land within sanctuaries. 
• Haryana government will bear more than three crore rupees to compensate for loss of commission agents. 

10. Rajasthan Assembly tabled the Anti-conversion Bill 

• Rajasthan government presented a Bill to prevent religious conversions carried out by force, fraud or inducement.
• The Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025 has been tabled in the state Assembly. 
• It has a provision for imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to ₹50,000 for various oences. 
• Under this bill, the oences will be cognizable non-bailable, and triable by a court. 
• Conversion by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage has been made an oence under the provisions of the bill. 
• Anyone who wants to convert their religion shall have to give a declaration in the prescribed form at least 60 days in advance to the District Magistrate. 
• It would help in stopping the “increasing instances of ‘love jihad’” in certain areas of the State. 
• Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar introduced the Bill. 

Economy News 

11.Marquee names lined up as 8th edition of Bengal business summit starts today 

• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tues-day confirmed the participation of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and JSW managing director Sajjan Jindal at the eighth edition of Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) starting on Wednesday. 
• The Chief Minister, ho-wever, expressed doubts whether Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, who had confirmed his participation in the business summit in October last year, would attend the event or not. 
• "He had confirmed his participation earlier. Now, I am getting some reports that there is something up with Delhi. I still want him to come as it [Bhutan) is a country neighbouring West Bengal and we must develop good relations which are beneficial for the country," Ms. Banerjee said. 
• The Chief Minister said delegates from 25 countries will also participate. The West Bengal government has been planning the major event for the past few months to showcase the potential of the State to attract investment given that shunning its 'anti-in-dustry' image has been one of the biggest challenges for the ruling Trinamool Congress in its uninterrupt-ed rule of 13 years. 
• The business summit is scheduled from February 5-6, 2025 and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant So-ren has been invited as the chief guest along with the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Other captains of industry who are likely to partici-pate include Sanjiv Goen-ka, chairman of the RP-San-jiv Goenka Group, Ambuja Neotia Group chairman Harshavardhan Neotia, and ITC Limited chairman San-jiv Puri, among others. 
• "West Bengal has been con-sistently among the fastest growing States in terms of economic growth with a GSDP expected to reach 18.79 lakh crore in 2024-25.," the Chief Minister has said in a statement on the BGBS 2025 website. 

Important Day 

12. 4 February – International Day of Human Fraternity 

• The International Day of Human Fraternity is observed on February 4 every year to promote peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding among dierent cultures and religions. 
• Theme 2025 – Human fraternity for world peace and living together 
• International Day of Human Fraternity was established by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2020 to promote greater cultural and religious tolerance. 
• The International Day of Human Fraternity was first celebrated by the United Nations on February 4, 2021. 

13. 1-7 February – World Interfaith Harmony Week 

• World Interfaith Harmony Week has been observed on 1-7 February by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and serves as a global initiative to promote mutual understanding, interfaith dialogue, and cooperation among dierent religious communities. 
• It was launched in February 2011 to promote harmony among people of dierent faiths at a time when interreligious conflict is claiming lives and livelihoods all over the world. 
• Theme 2025 – Uniting for Peace 

Awards News 

14. Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 presented to Late Chaman Arora 

• Chaman Arora awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 for his book "Ik Hor Ashwthama" in Dogri. 
• The book was selected on the basis of recommendations made by a three-member jury committee as per the prescribed rules and procedures. 
• The Award will be presented in a casket containing an engraved copper plaque and a cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000/-. 
• The Award will be presented to the family member/nominee of the awardee at a special ceremony to be held in New Delhi on 8 March 2025. 
• The jury members who announced the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2024 in the Dogri language are Dr. Sushma Rani, Dr. Veena Gupta, and Dr. Jitendra Udhampuri. 

Science and Technology News 

15.OpenAI launches ‘deep research’ tool after China’s DeepSeek shakes AI world 

• OpenAI has launched a new “deep research” tool in ChatGPT to provide detailed, customized reports, raising the bar in the AI competition. 
• The move comes in response to China’s DeepSeek chatbot, which has disrupted the AI landscape with advanced research capabilities. 
• Users can access “deep research” by selecting the feature in the ChatGPT message composer and entering their query for comprehensive insights. 
• The tool supports file and spreadsheet attachments, oering context for better responses, with a sidebar that tracks steps and sources used in generating the report. 

16. A drug delivery system with potential to transform the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been developed 

• This system has ben developed by Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali researchers. 
• The new system reacts in a direct way to biochemical signals in the inflamed synovial environment. 
• In this system, specially designed microspheres are loaded with methotrexate. 
• Methotrexate is a commonly used anti-rheumatic drug. 
• In addition to arthritis, the technology may also be successful in managing other inflammatory diseases, such as synovitis and inflammatory bowel disease. 
• It could also create a situation in whichsmart biomaterials in regenerative medicine and personalized treatments can happen. 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis causes chronic inflammation, debilitating pain, and irreversible joint damage. 

17.India's first Cancer Genome Atlas has been launched by IIT Madras for early breast cancer detection 

• Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas has data on 960 whole exome sequencing completed by IIT Madras from tissue samples collected from 480 breast cancer patients. 
• Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas will be a resource to identify cancer-specific biomarkers in India. 
• In 2020, the cancer genome programme was launched by IIT Madras in India
• For data analysis, it collaborated with Karkinos Healthcare, Mumbai, the Chennai Breast Clinic and Cancer Research and Relief Trust, Chennai. 
• It is possible that Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas will help India's biomedical research and healthcare system move towards a vision of “personalized medicine”. 

Obituary News 

18. German ex-president and IMF chief, Horst Koehler, passed away at the age of 81 

• Germany's former president Horst Koehler and former IMF chief Horst Koehler passed away at the age of 81. 
• Horst Koehler was the president of Germany from 2004 to 2010. 
• He was the head of the IMF from 2000 to 2004. He also held several other roles in the civil service and banking. 
• He played a key role in Germany's monetary unification in 1990. 
• He also helped in the introduction of the euro. He was born in 1943 in German-occupied Poland.