Latest Current Affairs

Union Budget 2025

Highlights of Union Budget 2025

1. No income tax on average monthly income of upto Rs 1 lakh. Salaried class to pay nil income tax upto ₹ 12.75 lakh per annum in new tax regime.
2. Union budget recognises 4 engines of development – Agriculture, MSME, Investment and Exports.
3. Benefitting 1.7 crore farmers, ‘Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana’ to cover 100 low agricultural productivity districts.
4. "Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses" with a special focus on tur, urad and masoor to be launched.
5. A Makhana Board to be established to improve production, processing, value addition, and marketing of makhana.
6. Significant enhancement of credit with guarantee cover to MSMEs from ₹ 5 cr to ₹ 10 cr.
7. A national manufacturing mission covering small, medium and large industries for furthering "Make in India".
8. 50,000 Atal tinkering labs in government schools in next 5 years.
9. Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Education, with a total outlay of ₹ 500 crore.
10. PM SVANidhi with enhanced loans from banks, and upi linked credit cards with ₹ 30,000 limit.
11. Gig workers to get identity cards, registration on e-shram portal & healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana.
12. ₹ 1 lakh crore urban challenge fund for ‘cities as growth hubs’.
13. Nuclear energy mission for R&D of small modular reactors with an outlay of ₹ 20,000 crore.
14. Modified UDAN scheme to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations.
15. ₹ 15,000 crore SWAMIH Fund to be established for expeditious completion of another 1 lakh stressed housing units.
16. ₹ 20,000 crore allocated for private sector driven research development and innovation initiatives.
17. Gyan Bharatam Mission for survey and conservation of manuscripts to cover more than one crore manuscripts.
18. FDI limit enhanced for insurance from 74 to 100 per cent.
19. Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 to be introduced for decriminalising more than 100 provisions in various laws.
20. Updated income tax returns time limit increased from two to four years.
21. Delay in TCS payment decriminalised.
22. TDS on rent increased from ₹ 2.4 lakh to ₹ 6 lakh
23. Basic Customs Duty (BCD) exempted on 36 lifesaving drugs and medicines for treating cancer, rare and chronic diseases.
24. BCD on IFPD increased to 20% and on open cells reduced to 5%.
25. BCD on parts of open cells exempted to promote domestic manufacturing.
26. To boost battery production, additional capital goods for EV and mobile battery manufacturing exempted.
27. BCD exempted for 10 years on raw materials & components used for ship building.
28. BCD reduced from 30% to 5% on frozen fish paste and 15% to 5% on fish hydrolysate.

Important Days of February

World Wetlands Day: 02 February 2025

Designated by: Ramsar Convention Secretariat

Theme: Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future

First Observed in: 1997

World Cancer Day: 04 February 2025

Designated by: Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)

Theme: United by Unique

First Observed in: 2000

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation: 06 February 2025

Designated by: U.N.O.

First Observed in: 2013

Theme: Step up the Pace

World Pulses Day: 10 February 2025

Designated by: U.N.O.

First Observed in: 2020

Safer Internet Day: 11 February 2025

Designated by: European Union

Theme: Together for a better internet

First Observed in: 2004

International Day of Women and Girls in Science: 11 February 2025

Designated by: U.N.O.

First Observed in: 2016

BCCI Awards 2025

Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award – Men: Sachin Tendulkar

Polly Umrigar Award – Best International Cricketer – Men: Jasprit Bumrah

Best International Cricketer – Women: Smriti Mandhana

Best International Debut – Men: Sarfaraz Khan

Best International Debut – Women: Asha Sobhana

BCCI Special Award: Ravichandran Ashwin

Highest Run-Getter in ODIs – Women: Smriti Mandhana

Highest Wicket-Taker in ODIs – Women: Deepti Sharma

Best Umpire In Domestic Cricket: Akshay Totre