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.