25 July 2024

• Urban Development: Budget's TOD plans for 14 large cities, water supply via PPP for 100 cities, and stamp duty reforms for women analysed.
• Climate: India's carbon sink at 1.97 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent (2005 to 2019). Climate finance gap: 6 trillion dollars needed by 2030, only 100 billion promised.
• Culture: Kalarippayattu, an ancient Kerala martial art from over 3,000 years ago, recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• Olympics: Abhinav Bindra became the first Indian to receive the Olympic Order, awarded by the IOC.

GS area: Economy, Governance, Urban Development

The Union Budget 2024-25 contained a comprehensive urban development agenda linked to the "Viksit Bharat" goal.

• Urban population trajectory: Currently 35 per cent of India's total population. Expected to reach 53 per cent by 2047. Urban areas contribute 66 per cent of GDP; this is projected to reach 80 per cent by 2050.
• Transit-Oriented Development: Plans for 14 cities with populations over 30 lakh. TOD zones around metro stations will have mixed-use development (residential, commercial, public amenities) within walkable distance.
• Water supply: 100 large cities will receive water supply and sanitation projects through public-private partnerships.
• Weekly haats: 100 street food hubs annually for five years under a dedicated scheme.
• Stamp duty reform: Reduced stamp duty for properties registered in women's names, incentivising women's property ownership.
• Housing shortage: Urban housing deficit concentrated in EWS and LIG categories. PM Awas Yojana Urban 2.0 targets the gap.

Static linkage: Urban development (Governance), urbanisation (Geography).

GS area: Environment, International Relations

Climate financing discussions following the Budget's taxonomy announcement highlighted the enormous gap between what is pledged and what is needed.

• Global commitment: Developed nations pledged 100 billion dollars per year by 2020 to support developing nations' climate action. The pledge was met only in 2022 (two years late) and much was in the form of loans rather than grants.
• Actual requirement: Developing nations need approximately 6 trillion dollars by 2030 for climate mitigation and adaptation combined.
• India's performance: Created a carbon sink of 1.97 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent between 2005 and 2019. Target: additional 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes by 2030. Emissions intensity reduced significantly over this period.
• New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG): Being negotiated for post-2025 climate finance. Developing nations demand 1 trillion dollars per year from developed nations.
• Mission LiFE: India's Lifestyle for Environment campaign promoting behavioural changes (reduce, reuse, recycle) at the individual level as a complement to systemic mitigation.

Static linkage: Climate finance (Environment), international climate negotiations.

GS area: Culture, Indian Society

Kalarippayattu, an ancient martial art originating in Kerala, was formally recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

• Origin: Practised in Kerala for over 3,000 years. Textual references place it to the 3rd century BC to 2nd century AD.
• Structure: Practised in a kalari (training space). Includes body conditioning, weapon training (swords, shields, spears, flexible swords), and Marma therapy (knowledge of vital body points).
• Influence: Widely believed to have influenced other Asian martial arts through historical trade connections between South India and Southeast Asia.
• Cultural significance: Associated with the Nair community tradition of Kerala. The gurukkal (master) imparts training.
• Recognition significance: Recognition by the Sports Ministry opens the path for Kalarippayattu to be included in national sports events and for practitioners to access sports scholarships.

Static linkage: Indian culture and traditions (Culture), intangible heritage.

GS area: Sports, International Relations

The International Olympic Committee awarded Abhinav Bindra the Olympic Order in July 2024, making him the first Indian to receive this honour.

• Background: Bindra won India's first individual Olympic gold medal in the men's 10-metre air rifle event at the Beijing 2008 Games.
• Olympic Order: The highest individual honour awarded by the IOC to individuals who have rendered outstanding services to the Olympic movement.
• India's Olympic journey: Bindra's 2008 gold was India's first in an individual event since Leander Paes won bronze in tennis in Atlanta 1996. It catalysed investment in Indian shooting.
• India at Paris 2024: 117 Indian athletes qualified for the Paris Olympics (26 July 2024 opening ceremony). PV Sindhu and Sharath Kamal were flag bearers.

Static linkage: Sports (GS I/IV), India's Olympic participation.

GS area: Social Justice, Governance

Budget 2024-25 formally announced the PM Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyaan to saturate central government schemes in tribal-majority villages.

• Coverage: 5 crore Scheduled Tribe families in 63,000 villages across tribal-majority districts and blocks.
• Approach: Village-by-village saturation of 25 key central schemes including housing, water, sanitation, health, nutrition, and education.
• Ministry allocation: 13,000 crore rupees to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for FY2024-25.
• Eklavya Model Residential Schools: Tribal-area boarding schools remain a key component. Staff vacancies remain a challenge.
• Van Dhan Vikas Kendras: Tribal cooperative enterprises for value-adding and marketing minor forest produce. Connected to the Abhiyaan's livelihood component.

Static linkage: Tribal development (Social Justice), Scheduled Tribes policy.

• DIGIPIN: Department of Posts launched this 10-digit alphanumeric location code system. Each code covers a 4 metre by 4 metre grid. Does not store private data. Useful for last-mile delivery and emergency services.
• Olympic Order history: The Olympic Order was established in 1975. It has three classes (Gold, Silver, Bronze). Abhinav Bindra's Gold Order is the highest class.
• Apophis 2029 flyby: The 375-metre asteroid Apophis will pass within 32,000 km of Earth on 13 April 2029. No impact risk. Several space agencies are planning observational and rendezvous missions to study the asteroid during this historic close approach.