1 : Interim
Budget 2019
Finance Minister Piyush Goyal presented the Interim Budget 2019-20 on February 1, 2019. It was the last Budget of the Modi Government before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
As per the Interim Budget, the direct tax collection has increased substantially. The number of returns filed have increased from 3.79 crore to 6.85 crore, showing 80 percent growth in tax base since four years. In 2018-19, 99.54 percent of the income-tax returns were accepted as they were filed.
Indian taxation system has come a long way since 2014 when the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Government (NDA) came to power in India. The NDA Government came into power at a juncture where India needed a decisive leadership that is free of corruption, policy paralysis and coalition compulsions.
Though the Government implemented several welfare schemes in key areas such as financial inclusion, affordable housing, 100% electrification and transportation connectivity, its two big financial decisions were demonetisation and the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The implementation of the GST, a uniform tax rate fixed for both goods and services across India, was one of the biggest changes in the Indian taxation system. Despite this, few major changes have been introduced in the tax rules since last five years.
2: ISRO sets up Human Space Flight Centre for Gaganyaan mission
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on January 31, 2019 unveiled its Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) at ISRO Headquarter campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka for its maiden manned space mission 'Gaganyaan'.
The space flight centre was inaugurated by K Kasturirangan, former ISRO Chairman, in the presence of K Sivan, current ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space.
ISRO is gearing up for its maiden manned mission Gaganyaan, which is planned for 2021-end. The plan is to have the first unmanned mission in December 2020 and the second one in July 2021.Once the two unmanned missions are completed, the manned mission will happen in December 2021.India’s first human spaceflight programme is likely to include a woman astronaut
3:World Cancer Day 2019 observed across the world
The World Cancer Day 2019 was observed across the world on February 4, 2019 with an aim to unite the world’s population in the fight against cancer.
World Cancer Day
was proclaimed by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), a leading
international non-governmental organisation.
It was established to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration written in 2008.
The primary goal of the day is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020. It also aims at raising awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.
It was established to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration written in 2008.
The primary goal of the day is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020. It also aims at raising awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.
3: National Road Safety Week to be launched
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will be launching the 30th National Road Safety Week on February 4, 2019 with a host of initiatives planned for generating awareness and sensitising people about safe road usage.
One of the primary initiatives planned as a part of the week includes the flag off of a motor car rally to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at an event at Rajghat in New Delhi by Union HRD Minister Rajnath Singh along with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.
One of the primary initiatives planned as a part of the week includes the flag off of a motor car rally to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at an event at Rajghat in New Delhi by Union HRD Minister Rajnath Singh along with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.
4:India to
launch communication satellite GSAT-31 aboard Ariane-5
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) would be launching its latest communication satellite GSAT-31, aboard Ariane-5 (VA 247) on February 6, 2019 from French Guiana.
Ariane-5 is the launch vehicle of the European launch services provider Arianespace. According to Arianespace, the launch of Ariane-5 (VA 247) is scheduled for 2:31 am India time on February 6. In its first mission on 2019, Arianespace would be launching two telecommunications satellites with Ariane 5.
Arianespace provides launch services for all types of satellites into all orbits. It has orbited more than 590 satellites since 1980, using its three launchers, Ariane, Soyuz and Vega, from launch sites in French Guiana (South America) and Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
It is headquartered in Evry, near Paris and has a technical facility at the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
It is a subsidiary of ArianeGroup, which holds 74 per cent of its share capital, with the balance held by 15 other shareholders from the European launcher industry.
