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NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Bharat Tex 2025: India’s Largest Textile Event Held in New Delhi & Greater Noida
Bharat Tex 2025, the 2nd edition of India’s largest global textile event was organised by a consortium of 12 Textile Export Promotion Councils (EPCs), supported by the Ministry of Textiles (MoT) to highlight India’s exceptional capabilities in the textile industry. The 2025 event was built around the twin themes of “Resilient Global Value Chains” and “Textile Sustainability”.
- Bharat Tex 2025 events were held at 2 state-of-the-art venues: the main event (14 to 17 February 2025) which covered the entire value chain of textiles from raw materials to finished products at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi(Delhi), and Related exhibitions(12 to 15 February 2025) held at India Expo Centre and Mart (IECM) in Greater New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA), Uttar Pradesh (UP).
i.Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi addressed Bharat Tex 2025 at Bharat Mandapam and emphasised its role in displaying India’s rich cultural diversity through traditional garments.
ii.Union Minister Giriraj Singh, MoT inaugurated a key event named Indie Haat at the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy (NCMHA), New Delhi. The event featured traditional weaves and crafts, highlighting the fusion of tradition and innovation in the textile sector.
iii.Union Minister of State (MoS) Pabitra Margherita, MoT inaugurated the Central Silk Board’s (CSB) ‘International Conference on Emerging Technologies in Silk Sector – SILKTECH 2025’ at Bharat Mandapam as part of the Bharat Tex 2025.
About Ministry of Textiles(MoT):
Union Minister – Giriraj Singh (Constituency – Begusarai, Bihar)
Minister of State(MoS) – Pabitra Margherita (Rajya Sabha – Assam)
>> Read Full News
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana turns Nine: Empowering Annadata & Protecting Livelihoods
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), launched in 2016 by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi, marked its nine-year anniversary on February 18, 2025. PMFBY is a flagship crop insurance scheme in India that operates under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), designed to protect farmers from financial losses due to natural calamities.
- This scheme has emerged as a cornerstone of India’s agricultural resilience, protecting over 23.22 crore farmers against crop losses caused by natural calamities and disbursing claims worth Rs.1.75 lakh crore over the past nine years.
- With its recent extension until 2025-26 and a budget allocation of Rs.69,515.71 crore, PMFBY continues to strengthen farmer welfare and sustainable agriculture.
Key Features:
- Affordable Premiums: Farmers pay only 2% (Kharif crops), 1.5% (Rabi crops), or 5% (horticulture/commercial crops), with the balance subsidized by the government.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Includes yield losses, prevented sowing (up to 25% of sum insured), post-harvest losses (14 days post-harvest), and localized calamities.
About Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana(PMFBY):
Ministry – Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW)
Administered – Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW), MoA&FW
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Muktanand Agrawal
>> Read Full News
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Launched Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs in Mumbai
In February 2025, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MoCA) launched the ‘Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MCGS-MSME)’ in Mumbai, Maharashtra to support MSME sector in India.
- It is a key initiative of Government of India (GoI) announced in the Union Budget for Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25).
i.The initiative aims to facilitate a maximum loan of Rs 100 crore to MSMEs for purchase of machinery or equipment without collateral.
ii.During the event, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, virtually inaugurated the 1st ‘Sachal Aaykar Seva Kendra’ in Navy Nagar Colaba, Mumbai to provide access to digital services, facilitate guidance for grievance redressal and to promote tax awareness.
iii..She introduced a new scheme named ‘Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDKY)’ which aims to enhance agricultural productivity across 100 districts for low agricultural output.
About Ministry of Finance (MoF):
Union Minister- Nirmala Sitharaman (Rajya Sabha- Karnataka)
Minister of State (MoS)- Pankaj Chaudhary (Constituency- Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh, UP)
>> Read Full News
5th International Conference on Green Metro Systems held in New Delhi
On February 18, 2025, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) under the i-Metro initiative in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), organized the ‘5th International Conference on Green Metro Systems – The Future of Urban Mobility’ in New Delhi (Delhi).
- The conference highlighted the future of eco-friendly metro systems and their essential role in shaping the cities of tomorrow.
Key people: The conference was attended by Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Ministry of Power (MoP) and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA); Union Minister of State (MoS) Tokhan Sahu, MoHUA, along with officials from IGBC, Indian Metros, and other guests.
About India’s 1st Vertical Bi-Facial Solar Plant:
During the Conference, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, MoP, and MoHUA inaugurated India’s first vertical bi-facial solar plant installation on the Metro Viaduct at Okhla Vihar Metro station in New Delhi, aiming to promote more sustainable metro rail operations.
- He also inaugurated a 1 Megawatt (MW) rooftop solar power plant at the Khyber Pass Metro Depot of DMRC in Timarpur, New Delhi.
- These initiatives support India’s renewable energy(RE) goal of reaching 500 Gigawatts (GW) from non-fossil sources by 2030.
i.The 50-kilowatt (KW) vertical solar plant at Okhla Vihar Metro Station will feature bi-facial panels designed to capture sunlight from both sides.
ii.It will utilize the metro’s elevated structure for solar energy generation, eliminating the need for additional land space.
iii.Following this installation, DMRC now aims to achieve a 60 MW solar power plant capacity by the completion of Delhi Metro’s Phase-4 project.
Note: Metros in Bengaluru (Karnataka), New Delhi (Delhi), Hyderabad (Telangana), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Kochi (Kerala), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh, UP), Mumbai (Maharashtra), Nagpur (Maharashtra), and Pune (Maharashtra) have received IGBC Certification for their dedication to eco-friendly designs, use of green materials, and integration of solar power.
About Indian Green Building Council (IGBC):
The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) was formed by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
Chairman – B. Thiagarajan
Headquarters – Hyderabad (Telangana)
Founded – 2001
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Inaugurates NAKSHA to Modernize Urban Land Records
On February 18, 2025, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) inaugurated the National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations (NAKSHA)to create a modernize land records in 152 urban local bodies (ULBs) across 26 States and 3 Union Territories (UTs) in India.
- The inaugural session of NAKSHA took place in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh (MP).It is expected to cost around Rs. 194 crore, fully funded by the Government of India (GoI).
- The NAKSHA program aims to create and update land records in urban areas, ensuring precise and trustworthy documentation of land ownership.
Rajasthan government renamed Foy Sagar as Varun Sagar & King Edward Memorial as Maharishi Dayanand Vishrant Grih
In February 2025, the Rajasthan government renamed a lake and a building in Ajmer, Rajasthan, that were over a century old and had British-era names. The 132-year-old Foy Sagar Lake was renamed Varun Sagar, and the 113-year-old King Edward Memorial Bhawan was renamed Maharishi Dayanand Vishrant Grih.
- The Ajmer Municipal Corporation accomplished the official renaming process.
i.Foy Sagar was built in 1892 as a famine relief project and named after a British engineer Foy during British rule. The lake has now been renamed in honor of Lord Varun, the god of water.
- Additionally, a ghat and a statue of Lord Varun will be constructed around the lake for people to sit and pray.
ii.King Edward Memorial Bhawan was established between 1912 and 1913 and named after King Edward VII during British rule. It is located in Railway Station Road, Ajmer, Rajasthan.
iii.Now, it was renamed to honor Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of the Arya Samaj, who attained nirvana in Ajmer.
iv.By renaming, symbols of slavery are removed, and symbols of freedom and inspiration are built.
MSDE, Intel collaborate to launch AI for Entrepreneurship initiative for youth
In February 2025, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), and Bengaluru(Karnataka) based Intel Technology India Private Limited have announced a collaboration to launch a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) training initiative titled ‘AI for Entrepreneurship’.
- The program is a micro-learning module hosted on the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) under MSDE and aims to provide 1 lakh young innovators with AI and entrepreneurial skills by 2025.
i.It will help in simplifying AI concepts and combine them with entrepreneurial thinking that will help learners to develop AI-driven business ideas.
ii.The key features of the program include-
- It is designed for individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, including rural learners.
- The learners will receive a certification jointly issued by MSDE, NSDC, Skill India, and Intel on the completion of the program.
- The curriculum covers uses of AI in business, entrepreneurial strategies, and real-world problem-solving.
iii.Moreover, apart from theoretical learning, it also provides interactive video lectures, case studies of AI powered startups and firsthand experience to apply AI tools to give a clarity on the concepts to learners.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
FutureBrand Index 2024: Samsung Tops; India’s Reliance Industries Ranks 2nd 
According to ‘The FutureBrand Index 2024’, a global brand perception study, South Korea’s Samsung has secured the top spot in the global rankings, reflecting its strong brand perception and adaptability to market demands.
- India’s Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) ranks 2nd and made an impressive leap, 11 spots rising from 13th in 2023. This marks the first time an Indian company has made it to the top three on the list.
- Reliance, the only Indian brand on the list ranks ahead of well-known global brands like Apple, Nike, Walt Disney, Netflix, Microsoft, Intel and Toyota.
- Other Rankings: Danaher from the USA (Ranks 6th), Disney (7th) from the USA, MOUTAI from China (8th), TSMC from Taiwan (9th) and IHC from the United Arab Emirates(UAE)(10th).
About Reliance Industries Limited (RIL):
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)- Mukesh Ambani
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established– 1958
>> Read Full News
BANKING & FINANCE
LIC Launches ‘One Man Office’ to Empower Agents with Digital Services
In February 2025, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) launched ‘One Man Office’ (OMO), a digital service platform aimed at empowering its agents and sales associates by providing seamless policy sales, customer servicing, and business tracking through mobile phones.
- It is a vital tool in promoting life insurance and ensuring excellent customer service. The initiative would contribute to LIC’s long-term goal of achieving ‘Insurance for All by 2047’.
About One Man Office(OMO):
i.OMO is designed to improve the efficiency and productivity of LIC’s sales force, which includes Agents, Development Officers, Senior Business Associates, Chief Life Insurance Advisors, LIC Associates, and Chief Organisers.
ii.Integrated with the ANANDA (Atma Nirbhar Agents New Business Digital Application) platform from LIC, which helps agents in onboarding clients, and serves as the foundation for the service.
iii.It provides services like a Premium calculator, benefit illustration, Electronic National Automated Clearing House(E-NACH) registration, change of address, online loan request, renewal premium payments, claim-related requirement submission, etc.
iv.Additionally, it will have a knowledge center, several health and insurance-related calculators, an office locator, National Electronic Funds Transfer(NEFT) search, and other tools to help agents to assist customers.
About Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC):
As of January 2025, the Government of India(GoI) owns 96.5% in LIC.
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Siddhartha Mohanty
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established – 1956
UGRO Capital Partners with FMO & Secured Rs 2,600 Million in NCDs
In February 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based UGRO Capital Limited, a data tech Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) announced its latest strategic financing collaboration with Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (FMO), the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank to promote economic and social development in India.
- The company has successfully raised Rs 260 crore through Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) to support initiatives in women empowerment, addressing territorial inequalities, and promoting youth empowerment.
i.FMO fully subscribed to the Indian Rupee (INR)-denominated NCD issuance, demonstrating the bank’s dedication to promoting equitable and sustainable prosperity by assisting entrepreneurs.
ii.The successful transaction in December 2023, which supported mostly green finance with an unlisted NCD issue of USD 30 million (Rs 2,490 million), further solidifies UGRO Capital’s standing as a reliable impact financing partner.
iii.The company has raised Rs 1.5 billion from global and domestic development financial institutions and impact funds, including Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) (Denmark Govt Sovereign Fund), Asian Development Bank (ADB), ResponsAbility, Calvert Impact Capital, Enabling Qapital, GMO, Water Equity, Microvest, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA), etc.
LTIMindtree Partners with Eurobank for Banking Technology Transformation
In February 2025, Mumbai(Maharashtra) based L &T Infotech Limited (LTI) Mindtree Ltd,a subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro(L&T) Limited, has partnered with Greece’s largest banking services providers, Eurobank S.A. for a multi-year banking technology programme to enhance customer experience, simplify operations, and develop creative Information Technology (IT) solutions for Eurobank and its subsidiaries.
- The collaboration is enabled by Canada based Fairfax Digital Services (A Fairfax Company).
i.Under the agreement, Eurobank S.A. has selected LTIMindtree as the Services Partner for Eurobank Luxembourg’s Temenos implementation programme.
ii.LTIMindtree will provide maintenance, data migration, quality assurance, and post-production support services.
- Additionally, it will work on advancing the technology for Eurobank Group’s operations in Cyprus, Luxembourg, and Greece.
iii.As part of the collaboration, LTIMindtree and Eurobank launched their new Global Delivery Center in Pune(Maharashtra), strengthening their commitment to innovate new banking technologies.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
India’s Overall Exports during April 2024-January 2025 at USD 682.59 billion with an estimated growth of 7.21%
According to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), India’s total exports, including merchandise and services, were estimated at USD 74.97 billion in January 2025, marking a 9.72% increase compared to January 2024.
- Meanwhile, total imports, covering merchandise and services, stood at USD 77.64 billion, reflecting a 12.98% rise over the same period last year.
India’s cumulative exports for April 2024 – January 2025 are estimated at USD 682.59 billion, reflecting a 7.21% increase compared to April 2023 – January 2024. Total imports for April 2024 – January 2025 are estimated at USD 770.06 billion, registering a growth of 8.96% over April 2023 – January 2024.
Merchandise Trade
In January 2025, merchandise exports were USD 36.43 billion, slightly lower than USD 37.32 billion recorded in January 2024. On the other hand, merchandise imports for January 2025 stood at USD 59.42 billion, showing an increase from USD 53.88 billion in January 2024.
Services Trade
i.In January 2025, India’s services exports were estimated at USD 38.55 billion, increasing from USD 31.01 billion in January 2024.
- Meanwhile, services imports for January 2025 stood at USD 18.22 billion, up from USD 14.84 billion in January 2024.
About Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I):
Union Minister– Piyush Goyal (Constituency- Mumbai North- Maharashtra)
Minister of State (MoS)– Jitin Prasada (Constituency- Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh,UP
>> Read Full News
MHI Inks Agreement With RNEBL for 10 GWh ACC Batteries Under PLI Scheme
In February 2025, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) signed a Programme Agreement(PA) with Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Reliance New Energy Battery Limited(RNEBL), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC).
- This agreement grants Reliance New Energy Battery, a 10 GigaWatt hour (GWh) ACC manufacturing capacity, making it eligible for incentives under India’s Rs.18,100 crore PLI ACC scheme.
i.The signing is a critical milestone in the implementation of the technology PLI Scheme on the “National Programme on ACC Battery Storage,” approved by the Union Cabinet in May 2021, with a total outlay of Rs.18,100 crore to achieve a total manufacturing capacity of 50 GWh.
ii.Under the agreement, a cumulative capacity of 40 GWh has been awarded to 4 selected beneficiary firms out of the targeted 50 GWh.
About Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI):
Union Minister- HD Kumaraswamy (Constituency- Mandya, Karnataka)
Minister of State (MoS)– Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma (Constituency- Narasapuram, Andhra Pradesh, AP)
>> Read Full News
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Awards 2024: Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker won Top Honour 
On February 17 2025, the 5th edition of the “British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Indian Sportswoman of the Year (ISWOTY) Award 2024” was held in New Delhi, Delhi. The event celebrates and honors the outstanding achievements of Indian sportswomen, recognizing their excellence across various fields of competition.
- Indian shooter Manu Bhaker was honored with the ‘BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award 2024’, becoming the first Indian woman to win 2 bronze medals in a single edition of the Games at Paris 2024 Olympics.
- Para Shooter Avani Lekhara was named the ‘BBC Para Sportswoman of the Year 2024’, becoming the first Indian woman to win 3 Paralympic medals, including gold at Paris 2024 Olympics following a gold and bronze in Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Nominees:
i.The nominations of the award 2024 were announced on January 16, 2025, showcasing 5 remarkable Indian sportswomen.
ii.The shortlisted nominees, who proceeded to the public vote, included Aditi Ashok, professional golfer; Manu Bhaker, professional shooter; Avani Lekhara, professional shooter; Smriti Mandhana, India women’s cricket vice-captain and Vinesh Phogat, professional freestyle wrestler
About British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC):
Director-General (DG)- Timothy Douglas Davie
Headquarters– London, the United Kingdom (UK)
Established- 1922
>> Read Full News
Governor of Massachusetts Honors Nita Ambani with Citation for Philanthropic Contributions
In February 2025, Nita Mukesh Ambani, renowned Indian philanthropist, and Founder and Chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, a charitable arm of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), was awarded the Governor’s Citation by Maura Healey, Governor of Massachusetts (the United States of America, USA) during a special ceremony in Boston, the USA.
- The citation honors Ambani for being a compassionate philanthropist and her dedication to making a transformative impact in education, healthcare, sports, arts, culture, and women’s empowerment in India and around the world.
Achievements of Nita Ambani:
i.In 2016, she became the first Indian woman to become a member of the Indian Olympic Committee (IOC).
ii.In 2017, she received the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar (National Sports Promotion Award in India) and was honored by Vogue India with the Global Philanthropist and Leader of the Year award.
iii.In 2023, she won the Global Leadership Award for Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) from the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
PCTL acquires 25% stake in Seven Technology LLC for USD 1 million
In February 2025, Noida (Uttar Pradesh, UP) based Paytm Cloud Technologies Limited (PCTL), a subsidiary of Paytm acquired a 25% stake in Delaware (the United States of America, USA) based Seven Technology LLC for USD 1 million (Rs. 8.70 crore).
- This move is part of Paytm’s strategy to expand its merchant payments and financial services model internationally, especially in emerging markets with strong fintech potential.
i.Seven Technology LLC, the parent company of Dinie Correspondente Bancario e Meios de Pagamento (Dinie) in Brazil, is an Application Programming Interface (API) – the first embedded finance start-up.
ii.The acquisition is expected to be completed within 45 days. Once the acquisition is complete, Seven Technology and Dinie will become associate entities of Paytm.
Note: In December 2024, Paytm’s parent company, One97 Communications Singapore Private Limited (Paytm Singapore), agreed to sell its Stock Acquisition Rights (SARs) in Japan’s PayPay Corporation to SoftBank Vision Fund 2 for Japanese Yen (JPY) 41.9 billion (around Rs 2,364 crore).
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
PRL Scientists Discovered a New Exoplanet TOI-6038A b Using PARAS-2 Spectrograph
In February 2025, Scientists at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), an autonomous unit of the Department of Space (DOS) of the Government of India (GoI) in Ahmedabad, have discovered a new exoplanet, TOI-6038A b. It is classified as a dense sub-Saturn size with a mass of 78.5 Earth masses, and a radius of 6.41 Earth radii in a wide binary system. The planet orbits the main F-type star every 5.83 days in a circular orbit.
- The TOI-6038A b lies in the transition region between Neptune-like and gas-giant exoplanets, called “Sub-Saturn,” (a category absent in our solar system) offering a rare opportunity to study planetary formation and evolution.
- This is the 2nd exoplanet discovered using the PRL Advanced Radial-velocity All-sky Search-2 (PARAS-2) spectrograph attached to the 2.5-meter (m) telescope at PRL’s Mount Abu Observatory at Gurushikhar, Rajasthan.
- It is also the 5th exoplanet detected using the combined efforts of PRL Advanced Radial Velocity Abu Sky Search (PARAS-1) and PARAS-2 spectrographs. It is only the 5th sub-Saturn exoplanet discovered in a binary system.
- TOI-6038A b has a high density of 1.62 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) and the planet’s high density suggests formation through High-Eccentricity Tidal Migration (HEM) or early disk-driven migration.
- Its preliminary internal structure analysis indicates that 75% of its mass consists of a massive rocky core and the remaining 25% is a Hydrogen-Helium (H/He) envelope.
- Its host star, TOI-6038A is part of a binary system with a companion K-type star, TOI-6038B, which is located 3217 Astronomical Units (AU) away.
Note: PARAS-2 is Asia’s highest-resolution stabilized radial velocity (RV) spectrograph.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
A Book Titled “The New Icon: Savarkar and the Facts” by Arun Shourie
In February 2025, A book titled “The New Icon Savarkar and the Facts” was authored by Arun Shourie, a Scholar, Author, and former Minister for Disinvestment, Communications, and Information Technology (IT). Published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI), the book “The New Icon Savarkar and the Facts”, analyses various myths built around Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, an Indian freedom fighter, activist, writer, and President of Hindu Mahasabha.
- Arun Shourie was an economist with the World Bank (WB) (1967-1976) and Editor of the Indian Express (IE) from 1987 to 1990.
- He became a nominated Member of Parliament (MP) and held the position of Minister of Disinvestment, Communications, and IT in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet.
- He was honoured with the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts in 1982. In 1990, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan for Literature and Education.
- His other notable works include Preparing For Death (2020), and The Commissioner For Lost Causes (2022).
STATE NEWS
Odisha CM Mohan Majhi presents Budget of Rs.2,90,000 crore for 2025-26 fiscal
Odisha Chief Minister (CM) Mohan Charan Majhi presented the State’s annual Budget for 2025-26 on 17th February 2025 with total outlay of Rs.2,90,000 crore with capital expenditure been fixed at Rs.65,012 crore which was 6.1% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
- An outlay of Rs 1,70,000 crore was dedicated towards programme expenditure.
- The budget has projected the revenue surplus at 3% of the GSDP, the fiscal deficit at 3.2% of the GSDP and the year-end debt stock to remain at 12.7% of the GSDP.
Key Highlights of the Budget:
i.The 2025-26 state budget has focused on important sectors like infrastructure, urban development, agriculture and irrigation, capital investment, port-led development, industrialisation and sports.
ii.Agriculture & Allied Sectors:
- Rs.37,838 crore (12% increase from 2024-25), reflecting the sector’s critical role in employing 48% of the workforce and supporting 80% of the rural population.
- Mukhyamantri Kamdhenu Yojana: Rs.164 crore to boost milk production.
- CM Kisan Yojana: Rs.2,020 crore for farmer welfare.
- Shree Anna Abhiyan: Rs.600 crore to promote millet cultivation.
iii.At least 16 new initiatives were also announced in the budget, which included a Rs 30-crore Shree Jagannath Darshan Yojana for devotees with limited financial resources.
iv.The Subhadra Scheme of the government was allocated an amount of Rs. 10,145 crore while Subhadra Plus was launched to take up several other new initiatives.
v.A new scheme named Mukhya Mantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana was announced in the busget under which mass marriages will be performed, and the government will make all the expenses as well as provide the gift for the bride.
About Odisha:
Chief minister– Mohan Charan Majhi
Governor– Hari Babu Kambhampati
Capital– Bhubaneswar
Heritage Sites – Konark Sun Temple, Jagannath Temple, Barabati Fort,
>> Read Full News
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