Current Affairs 04 August 2022

CONTENTS

1. Regional Rural Banks
2. Financial Inclusion Index
3. SC calls for a panel to look into freebies issue
4. National Anti-Doping Bill
5. India’s trade deficit
6. Haryana’s Cheerag scheme for EWS students

Regional Rural Banks

Context:

Recently, a meeting was held between the finance minister and the heads of banks to discuss various reforms in Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).

Relevance:

GS II: Indian Economy

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What are Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)?
2. Functions of RRBs
3. Issues Related to RRBs

Click Here To Read More: Regional Rural Banks

Financial Inclusion Index

Context:

The Reserve Bank of India has released the Composite Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) for the year ended 31st March 2022.

• India’s Financial Inclusion Index has improved to 56.4 from 53.9 in the previous year 2021.

Relevance:

GS III: Indian Economy

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What does Financial Inclusion mean?
2. About Financial Inclusion Index (FI Index)

Click Here To Read More: Financial Inclusion Index

SC Calls For A Panel To Look Into Freebies Issue

Context:

Recently, The Supreme Court said Parliament may not be able to effectively debate the issue of doing away with “irrational freebies” offered to voters during elections, saying the “reality” is that not a single political party wants to take away freebies.

• The court suggested setting up a specialised body composed of persons who can “dispassionately” examine the problem

Relevance:

GS-II: Governance (Government Policies and Interventions, Issues arising out of the design and implementation of policies, Transparency and Accountability)

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What are Freebies?
2. Understanding difference between welfare schemes and freebies
3. Impact of freebie culture
4. Drawbacks of Freebies
5. Judiciary on the culture of freebies
6. Way Forward

Click Here To Read More: SC Calls For A Panel To Look Into Freebies Issue

National Anti-Doping Bill

Context

Recently, parliament passed the National Anti-Doping Bill 2021 Bill that seeks to create a statutory framework for the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).

Relevance:

GS II: Polity and Governance

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About National Anti-Doping Bill
2. Significance of the Bill
3. What are the Issues with the Bill?

Click Here To Read More: National Anti-Doping Bill

India’s Trade Deficit

Context:

India’s trade deficit has widened to a record $31.02 billion in July thanks to contracting merchandise exports and a rise in imports. This is a three-times increase from the $10.63 billion trade deficit reported in July last year.

Relevance:

GS III: Indian Economy

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is trade deficit?
2. Is it bad for a country’s economy?

Click Here To Read More: India’s Trade Deficit

Haryana’s Cheerag Scheme for EWS Students

Context:

Senior politicians and teachers’ bodies in Haryana have raised questions on the government’s Cheerag scheme, which was recently launched to offer “free education” to Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students of government schools in “budget” private schools.

Relevance:

GS II: Government Schemes

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is Haryana’s Cheerag scheme?
2. What are the concerns over Haryana’s Cheerag scheme?

Click Here To Read More: Haryana’s Cheerag Scheme for EWS Students