Prelims Focus – 8th February 2024

1.Motion of Thanks

In News: Motion of Thanks’ was recently moved in each House after the President’s address.

• Articles 86 and 87 of the Constitution of India deal with the Address to the President of India.
• Article 86 confers a right at the President to cope with both the House of Parliament or both Houses assembled collectively, and for that reason calls for the attendance of members.
• Article 87 offers a Special Address through the President and provides that the President shall deal with both Houses of Parliament assembled together on the graduation of the primary session after each election.
• The President’s cope with gives a huge framework of the authorities’s schedule and route.
• After the President’s address, each House of Parliament discusses the Motion of Thanks, and the Prime Minister responds.
• In the motion of thanks, MPs can also move amendments to the motion that are placed to vote.
• An amendment to the cope with in Lok Sabha is handled as a vote of no self assurance in opposition to the government.

2.OBC quota in J&K local bodies

In News:  The Lok Sabha has recently passed the Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to provide reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in panchayats and municipal bodies in the Union Territory.

• The Bill seeks to amend certain provisions of the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989′, the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000’ and the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000‘.
• The rules are intended to provide reservation to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the Panchayats and the Municipalities inside the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and to bring consistency in the neighborhood frame legal guidelines of the Union Territory with the provisions of the Constitution.
• Purpose: There isn’t any contemporary provision for seats to be reserved for OBCs in panchayats and municipalities in J&K.
  • The Bill is aimed toward imparting justice to the residents of Other Backward Classes of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time after seventy five years of independence.

3.Tax-to-GDP Ratio

In News: India’s tax-to-GDP ratio is expected to hit a record high of 11.7% of GDP in 2024-25.

• The tax-to-GDP ratio measures a state’s tax sales related to the scale of its financial system.
• Developed international locations usually have better tax-to-GDP ratios than growing nations.
• A better ratio denotes a much broader fiscal net and reduced dependence on borrowings.
• Higher tax sales suggest a country can spend greater on improving infrastructure, health, and education —keys to the long-term potentialities for a country’s economic system and people.

4.Bharat Rice, Bharat Atta & Bharat Dal

Recent news:

The Minister for Consumer Affairs launched the sale of Rice under the ‘Bharat’ brand and started 100 mobile vans in the same event.

About:

• The government has introduced “Bharat rice” at a discounted price of Rs 29 per kg to help consumers cope with a 15% increase in retail prices.
  • Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal announced the launch of the subsidised rice, which will be available in 5 and 10 kg packs.
  • He emphasised the government’s commitment to making essential food items affordable for the public.
• Bharat Rice, Bharat Atta, and Bharat Dal commodities can now be purchased at Kendriya Bhandar, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), and National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF).
• Bharat Rice is priced at a maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs. 29/kg, Bharat Atta is sold at Rs. 27.50 per kg, and Bharat Dal (chana dal) is available at Rs.60 per kg along with onions at Rs.25 per kg.

5.Annual Survey of Industries (ASI)

Recent news: The manufacturing sector experienced substantial growth in various aspects according to the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) for the years 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Details:

• In the fiscal years 2020-21 and 2021-22, Gross Value Added (GVA) increased by 8.8% and 26.6% respectively compared to the previous years.
• Industrial output grew by over 35% in 2021-22 compared to the previous year.
• Total employment in the sector showed a strong growth of 7.0% in 2021-22, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by over 9.35 lakh.
• Gujarat was the top state in 2020-21, while Maharashtra ranked first in 2021-22.
• Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh were among the top five states that significantly contributed to manufacturing GVA and employment in both years.

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