ASSAM

Assam Budget 2019: Highlights

ð Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma presented the state budget for the financial year 2019-20 on Wednesday at the Legislative Assembly. Here are the highlights from his budget speech:

ð Proposal to enhance threshold limit for registration under GST for supplier of goods to Rs 40 lakhs.

ð Rs 79742.26 crore is on Revenue Account and Rs 19676.65 Crore is on Capital Account

ð Proposal to enhance the annual turnover limit for availing composition scheme to Rs.1.5 crore in MSME sector

ð Budget of estimated Rs 99418.91 crore, but no additional tax: Sarma

ð Marginal hike in fiscal deficit from 2.4% in 2016-17 to 3.2% in 2017-18; attributed primarily to the implementation of the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission

ð A new 6-lane bridge project over Brahamaputra river sanctioned at an overall cost of nearly Rs 2200 crore in Guwahati

ð Rise of domestic tourist footfalls from 57,13,156 to 59,34,791 and from 28,419 to 31,739 in respect of foreign tourists

ð New crude oil pipeline will be laid from Paradip Port to Numaligarh refinery at a cost of Rs 22,594 crore

ð Proposal to mitigate 380 arsenic affected habitations & 7 fluoride affected habitations

ð One-time cash incentive of Rs 50,000 each will be given to total 2000 sports and art personalities for their
contributions

ð Rs 155 crore for renovation of Batadrava than, the first prayer place set up by Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardev in 1468

ð Smart phones will be given to village headmen to stay connected with district administration

ð Rs 25 crore sanctioned for development of tombs of Ahom kings as tourist attraction

ð Giant statues of three monarchs of Assam, Kumar Bhaskaravarman, Chaolung Siu-Ka-Pha and Maharaj Nara-Narayana, to be built at state secretariat as icons of good governance

ð Scheme to rehabilitate boatmen who have lost jobs after the India’s two longest bridges were completed over Brahmaputra.

ð Rs 100 crore earmarked for developmental and employment related activities for indigenous Muslims of the state.

ð ‘One tola gold’, costing around Rs 38,000 as on today, will be given to brides of families whose annual income is below Rs 5 lakh

ð New Bhasha Gaurav Achoni scheme for the protection and promotion of tribal languages of the state

ð Rs 10 lakh aid earmarked to each of 108 religious places of all faith that are 100-years-old in state

ð Rs 10,000 monthly stipend will be given to every student from tea garden community studying in college

ð New scheme will be launched where rice will be sold at Rs 1/kg; 53 lakh families to benefit

ð Free text books will be given up to university level for children of families having annual income below Rs 2 lakh

ð E-bike for students passing class XII state board in first division

ð Rs 25,000 immediate assistance to widows below 45 years

ð Revenue earning has increased by 20%

ð We will cross Rs 70,000 crore in expenditure, a new mark in the state: Sarma

ð It is the second digital budget

ð This is 4th budget of BJP-led government in Assam.

INTERNATIONAL

· US to back out from INF Treaty

The U.S is suspending its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treatyeffective February 2 and will withdraw from the treaty in six months. T

Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is Nuclear disarmament agreement and Signed onDecember 1987.

It is a 1987 arms control agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union with an Unlimited duration

· Qatar won their First-ever Asian Cup Title In Football by defeating Japan

Qatar won its first major soccer title by beating four-time champion Japan 3-1 in the 17th edition of the AFC Asian Cup held in United Arab Emirates(UAE).
Sudan born Almoez Ali, became the first player to score nine goals at a single Asian Cup.

· Defence Ministry approves procurement of 73,000 assault rifles from US

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharamanapproved the procurement of around 73000 Sig Sauer rifles from United States of America under fast track procurement mode in a major move towards infantry modernization.
USA will have to deliver the Sig Sauer rifles which is used by US forces as well as several other European forces within one year of finalization of the deal.
The Procured rifles will replace INSAS rifles and the new rifles will be used by the troops deployed along the 3600 km border with China.

NATIONAL

Special Postage Stamp on Kumbh Mela Released

Union Minister of State for Railways and Communication Mr Manoj Sinha released a special postage stamp of the Indian Postal Department on Kumbh Mela.

Its cost is five rupees.

Prayagraj Ardh Kumbh Mela 2019 is the Ardh Kumbh Mela being held at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh from 15 January to 4 March 2019.

ISRO to launch its 40th communication satellite GSAT-31 on Feb 6

The Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, is all set to launch its 40th communication satellite GSAT-31 on February 6 from the spaceport in French Guiana.

The satellite with a mission life of 15 years will provide continuity to operational services on some of the in-orbit satellites and augment the Ku-band transponder capacity in Geostationary Orbit.

GSAT-31 is scheduled for launch onboard the Ariane-5 (VA247) from Kourou in French Guiana. The satellite provides Indian mainland and island coverage.

ISRO also said the GSAT-31 will be used for supporting VSAT networks, television uplinks, digital satellite news gathering, DTH television services, cellular back haul connectivity and many such applications.

· Assam tops in budgetary practices followed by states: Transparency International

According to a survey by Transparency International, Assam tops in the ranking of best practices followed by states in budget formulation.
Assam is the only state which has published a citizens budget in the public domain and Assam government is only government to conduct budget awareness campaign across 17 districts.
Assam was followed by Andhra Pradesh and Odisha while Meghalaya, Manipur, and Punjab were figured at lower positions.

· Indus River Dolphin declared Punjabs State aquatic animal

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singhdeclared one of the rarest mammal, Indus River Dolphin, which is only found in Beas River, as Punjab State Aquatic Animal.

Chief Minister approved to declare Kanjli Wetland and holy Kali Bein River as a wildlife conservation reserve to mark the historic celebration of 550th Parkash Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev.

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