KERALA
Kerala budget 2020-21: Govt to raise Rs 2,100 crore to fund KFC loans
Kerala government to hike building tax rates
Rs 5,000 tax for 3,000 to 5,000sq/ft
Rs 7,500 tax for 5,000-7,000sq/ft
Rs 10,000 tax for 7,500-10,000sq/ft
Rs 12,500 for over 10,000sq/ft
Finance minister announces Rs 8,253 crore for projects to mitigate drinking water shortage
Finance minister Thomas Isaac announces two pilot palliative care projects in Alappuzha and Kannur
Kerala government plans 1 per cent additional tax for bikes costing Rs 2 lakh or more.
Land fair price to be increased by 10 %: Kerala finance minister
Kerala government announces tax waiver for e-autos for first five years
No new cars will be purchased by government: Thomas Isaac
No tax on e-vehicles: Kerala government
Rs 2,100 crore to be raised to fund KFC loans: Thomas Isaac
Government announces to construct 12,000 houses for members of SC community
Amenesty scheme for disputed tax collection cases. Settlement to be done by offering 50% discount: Thomas Isaac
Kerala government plans to save Rs 700 crore by removing ineligible welfare pensioners and duplication
Rs 700 crore loss due to ineligible entries in various pension schemes. This loopholes to be plugged: Kerala finance minister
Government earmarks Rs 675 crore for Kerala Water Authority, as many as 50,000 open wells to be recharged: Thomas Isaac
Government earmarks Rs 493 crore for higher education sector. 60 new higher education courses to start, labs in all government colleges to be modernised, 1,000 new teachers’ posts to be created
Government allocates Rs 10 crore for Nirbhaya homes, Rs 1 crore for Ernakulam public library
Government allocates Rs 10 crore for Nirbhaya homes
First phase of Rubber Park to come up in 500 acres at Velloor in Kottayam district
Kerala government earmarks Rs 135 crore for cashew sector
Coir production to be increased to 40,000 tonnes
Value added coconut products to be marketed
Government announces Rs 500 crore investment in KINFRA mega park
Pre-primary teachers get salary hike of Rs 500
40,000 house to be built for fishermen community
Asha workers’ honorarium to be hiked by Rs 500: Thomas Isaac
Rs 3000 crore bank loans for Kudumbasree at 4 % interest
Kudumbasree to start 200 chicken outlets
Government to construct an airstrip in Idukki district: Thomas Isaac
Kerala government has decided to reduce 60,000 tonnes of carbon emissions
Kerala government allocates Rs 19,130 crore for education sector
12 heritage museums to be constructed in Alappuzha
Government allocates Rs 100 crore for fish markets
A social audit will be conducted on spending of Ockhi disaster fund. Aruna Roy will lead the audit: Kerala finance minister
Kerala government increases school uniform allowance from Rs 400 to Rs 600
Rs 20 crore additional fund for river conservation projects in Kerala
1,000 Kudumbhashree hotels offering meals at Rs 25 will be launched as part of Hunger-free Kerala
Government announces provision to provide food to bedridden people at their doorstep
1 lakh houses/flats to be built under Life Mission during FY21
On the 25th anniversary of People’s Plan Movement, decentralised disaster management programme will be implemented in the state
Kochi Metro’s Pettah-Tripunithura, Stadium-Infopark stretch to be commissioned
1 crore fruit trees will be planted in the state: Thomas Isaac
Land acquisition for semi-highspeed rail project will start this year. Project to be completed in 3 years: Thomas Isaac
Government allocates Rs 280 crore for public sector units
Rs 10 crore allocated for Travancore heritage project
Government allocates Rs 323 crore to boost tourism in Kerala
Kerala Bank will charge a moderate fees or service charges, Isaac said
Kerala Bank is targeting Rs 3 lakh crore business: Thomas Isaac
The finishing schools will give technical education as well as training in foreign languages
Rs 5 crore for finishing schools for nurses going for overseas jobs
Oncology park to be set up at 6.4 acre land with KIIFB funding
Government allocates Rs 10 crore for Travancore Heritage Project
Muziris project will be commissioned in FY21: Thomas Isaac
Finance minister announces various development projects worth Rs 6,000 crore for Kochi
Kerala government allocates Rs 20 crore for boat league
Finance minister announces Rs 2.5 crore for Kochi Metropolitan Authority
Kerala government announces interest-free loans for startups
Government announces rail corridor and Ro-Ro service between Trivandrum and Kasaragod
By 2025, the 535km water way between Kovalam and bekal will be widened by 40 metres
All the canals in the state to be widened from 18-20 metre to 40 metre by 2025: Kerala finance minister
Stamp duty for forming new companies will be brought down: Thomas Isaac
CFL bulbs to be banned in Kerala from November 2020: Finance minister
Sale of CFL bulbs to be stopped in the state soon: Thomas Isaac
KFC and KSIDC to offer collateral-free loans: Kerala finance minister
Rs 100 crore for subsidising the PF contribution of new companies registered in Kerala from FY21
No of IT professionals in Kerala grew to one lakh: Finance minister
15 land acquisition units will be set up under KIIFB for industrial parks: Thomas Isaac
VSSC’s Nano Space Park is ready for inauguration: Kerala finance minister
Government announces one lakh flats for the homeless in the state budget
2020-21 will be state’s best fiscal year: Thomas Isaac
Kerala government allocates Rs 100 crore for rural roads
Kerala finance minister announces complete digitisation of academic institutions
KIIFB has given clearance to 675 projects worth Rs 35,028 crore
Total value of projects undertaken by KIIFB is 54,688 crore: Finance minister
Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) expenses will be Rs 20,000 crore: Thomas Isaac
Thomas Isaac says the Union government has not agreed to raise Kerala’s borrowing limit
Paddy farmers will be given royalty as an incentive: Thomas Isaac
Kerala government allocates Rs 90 crore for NRI welfare scheme
Kerala’s economy grew by 7.2% during the last 4 years: Finance minister
Centre is focusing on NRC rather than trying to solve financial crisis in the country: Thomas Isaac
Paddy production increased from 4 lakh tonne to 8 lakh tonee in the same period: Kerala finance minister
PWD renovated 14,623km of roads and 68 bridges during the past 2 years: Thomas Isaac
Finance minister announces Rs 100 hike for welfare pension, which will be Rs 1300 per month
For welfare projects – mainly pensions – the state government spent Rs 22,000 over the past four years: Thomas Isaac
Kerala needs to increase revenue receipts by 20% to ensure a sustainable growth: Thomas Isaac
Launching a scathing attack on central government over the Citizenship Amendment Act, Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac starts his budget speech
The budget may also declare some sops for the public, like enhancement in social security pension, as this will be the last full budget of Pinarayi Vijayan’s government
With the state’s power to levy taxes limited, hike in fee for government services and online government services can be expected along with tax hike for liquor and cigarettes in the state budget
According to sources, the budget will try to find new sources of revenue
Finance minister Thomas Isaac will present the budget at 9am in the Kerala assembly
The ER report showed that Kerala was growing faster than the national average over the past three fiscals.
Secondary sector, consisting of manufacturing, construction, power, gas, water supply and other utility services, grew at a record 8.8%: Kerala Economic Survey
A day ago, the Economic Survey for 2018-2019 tabled by the Kerala government showed a higher growth rate with the state’s Gross Domestic Product at 7.5% during the period as against 7.3% in 2017-18.
INTERNATIONAL
Scientist discover first-ever animal that does not need oxygen to breathe
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered a unique organism that doesn’t need to breathe. Henneguya salminicola, the tiny parasite, is the first known multicellular animal that can survive without oxygen. It lives in an anaerobic environment.
The parasite lives in salmon tissue and evolved so that it doesn’t need oxygen to produce energy. The researchers made the discovery accidentally while sequencing the Henneguya genome.
H. salminicola is a relative of jellyfish and corals. It lives within the muscle tissue of salmon. It is relatively harmless. It causes diseases like milky flesh or tapioca, which is named for the white fluid-filled cysts it causes in the fish. The parasite lacks mitochondrial genes. Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. It captures oxygen to make energy through aerobic respiration.
The US became Indias top trading partner
The data provided by the Ministry of Commerce stated that in 2018-2019 the US had surpassed China to become India’s top trading partner. It shows greater economic ties between the two countries. The trend is expected to continue in the coming years as India and the US are engaged in further deepening the economic ties.
The bilateral trade between India and the US stood at $87.95 billion in the year 2018-2019.
On the other hand, India’s two-way commerce with China aggregated at $87.07 billion in the same year.
During April-December of the year 2019-20, the bilateral trade between the US and India stood at $68 billion and at $64.96 billion with China.
Both countries are expected to finalize a free trade agreement (FTA) so that the bilateral trade would reach different levels.
India is demanding a cut in visa fees, exemption from high duties imposed on certain steel and aluminum products, and greater market access for its products from sectors such as agriculture, automobile, automobile components, and engineering by the US.
On the other hand, the US wants market access for its farm and manufacturing products, medical devices, dairy items, and data localization. It also demanded a cut on import duties on some information and communication technology (ICT) products. The US has also raised concerns over a high trade deficit with India.
NATIONAL
Cabinet approved the exemption of IPGL from the DPE Guidelines
The Union Cabinet led by PM Narendra Modi approved the exemption of the India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) from the DPE Guidelines, except reservation and vigilance policies. The approval will help in the smooth execution of the Chabahar project in Iran.
IPGL was established under Companies Act 2013, as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). It was jointly promoted by Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Deendayal Port Trust (DPT) under Administrative control of the Ministry of Shipping, for the development and management of Shahid Behesthi Port of Chabahar in Iran.
As per government’s direction, an Empowered Committee approved the purchase of all the shares of JNPT & DPT by “Sagarmala Development Company Ltd” (SDCL) in December 2018. The move is to exclude JNPT and DPT US sanctions after the US’ withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Centre approves establishment of 80,000 Micro Enterprises under PMEGP
Centre approved the establishment of 80,000 Micro Enterprises to be assisted in the current financial year under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). The approval was decided in a meeting chaired by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of MSME, and Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister with senior management of all Banks.
PMEGP is a credit-linked subsidy scheme. It promotes self-employment through the setting up of micro-enterprises. Under the scheme, a subsidy up to 35% will be provided by GoI through the Ministry of MSME. The loan can be availed for loans up to Rs.25 lakhs in manufacturing and Rs.10 lakhs in the service sector. No income ceiling for setting up the project under the scheme.
The scheme will generate self-employment opportunities by establishing micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector by helping traditional artisans and unemployed youth in rural and urban areas. Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is the nodal implementation agency of the scheme at the national level.
Final Destination for Kerala PSC Notes and Tests, Exclusive coverage of KPSC Prelims and Mains Syllabus, Dedicated Staff and guidence for KPSC Kerala PSC Notes brings Prelims and Mains programs for Kerala PSC Prelims and Kerala PSC Mains Exam preparation. Various Programs initiated by Kerala PSC Notes are as follows:-- Kerala PSC Mains Tests and Notes Program
- Kerala PSC Prelims Exam 2024- Test Series and Notes Program
- Kerala PSC Prelims and Mains Tests Series and Notes Program
- Kerala PSC Detailed Complete Prelims Notes