The Hindu Morning Digest: July 23, 2024

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
| Photo Credit: PTI

Union Budget 2024-25: Nirmala Sitharaman to present Budget for a record seventh time in a row

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting the Union Budget 2024-25 on July 23, 2024. It will be a record seventh consecutive Budget presentation for Ms. Sitharaman. The monsoon session of parliament started on July 22 with the tabling of Economic Survey 2023-24. A total of 20 hours has been allocated for the debate on the budget.

Major fire onboard INS Brahmaputra: one sailor missing, ship resting on its side

A sailor is missing after a major fire broke out onboard an Indian Naval Ship Brahmaputra at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on July 21 evening leading to the ship listing on one of its sides. “The fire was detected by the ship’s duty staff while carrying out routine maintenance work onboard the ship. The ship’s fire fighting team immediately commenced fire fighting action and was augmented by the fire brigade from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai and other units in the vicinity. No casualties have been reported in the incident,” Indian Navy spokesperson briefed on July 22.

Opposition questions Lok Sabha discussion on Olympics preparations four days before event, brings up treatment of women wrestlers

A discussion on India’s preparedness for the Paris Olympics held in the Lok Sabha on July 22 set off questions from the Opposition not just on the timing of the debate (the event is to begin this Friday) but also on the controversies such as harassment allegations levelled by women wrestlers against former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. During the discussion, Congress member Deepender Hooda brought up the wrestlers’s case. Though he did not name Mr. Singh, Mr. Hooda said a situation should not arise where players have to fight their own government and the system.

India has moved from women’s development to women-led development: Economic Survey

Observing that India is transitioning from women’s development to women-led development, the Chief Economic Advisor on July 22 said there has been a 218.8% increase in budgetary allocation for schemes for the welfare and empowerment of women even as it acknowledged that women in India face the “’motherhood penalty” with a drop in female labour force participation rate around childbearing years.

Supreme Court asks IIT-Delhi to solve ‘ambiguous’ question from NEET-UG Physics paper

The Supreme Court on July 22 asked the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi Director to assign three of its finest professors to solve a tricky and “ambiguous” question in the NEET-UG 2024 exam’s Physics paper within 24 hours and report back. Their answer would impact the total marks of over four lakh candidates, including 44 students who scored perfect scores in the exam.

Nancy Pelosi endorses Kamala Harris as Democratic Party’s presidential candidate

Top Democratic leader and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday endorsed U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s presidential nominee after President Joe Biden stepped aside amid concerns from within their party that he would be unable to defeat Republican Donald Trump.

U.P. government still not relocated family of Hathras gang-rape victim, Allahabad HC told

The Allahabad High Court has been recently informed that the family members of the 19-year-old Dalit woman, who was gang-raped and murdered in 2020, face difficulty in their daily movement due to security concerns which prevail as the Uttar Pradesh government has not complied with the court order for their relocation. 

Israeli parliament approves bill to label U.N. relief agency UNRWA as a terror organisation

The Israeli parliament gave preliminary approval on Monday to a bill that declares the main United Nations relief organisation for Palestinians a terrorist organisation and proposes to sever relations with the body. The vote against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) is the latest step in a Israeli push against the agency, which Israeli leaders have accused of collaborating with the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza.

Government allowing ties of officials with RSS follows court cases in Himachal, M.P.

A compendium of instructions, part of a set of Rules, which governs the conduct of civil servants across the country is yet to reflect the changes brought in by a July 9 office memorandum that banned government officials from associating with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its activities.

India now among top 25 arms exporter nations: Economic Survey

India has transitioned from being an arms importer and found a place in the list of top 25 arms exporter nations, the Economic Survey revealed on Monday. Between 2015 and 2019, India held the distinction of being the world’s second-largest arms importer, but the narrative has changed now. Defence production has grown substantially in the country, from ₹74,054 crore in the financial year 2016-17 to ₹108,684 crore in 2022-23, boosting defence exports.