TODAY NEWS ON January 02, 2025

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source : THE HINDU

National News

• Govt extends two crop insurance schemes till 2025-26; creates ₹824.77 crore fund for tech infusion
• Defence Ministry declares 2025 as ‘year of reforms’; lists simpler procurement
• India asks Pakistan to expedite release of Indian prisoners in its custody
• Dallewal hunger strike: Will accept Supreme Court’s decision, says Centre
• School enrolment down by over 1 crore in 2023-24, says govt. report
• Net GST growth slumps to 3.3% in December, as revenues slow and refunds rise 45%
• Fire breaks out at Ramanathapuram medical college hospital
• Supreme Court to hear if pressing a bribe on a public official is abetting corruption
• Chartered accountants asked to report FCRA violations by NGOs
• MHA, States rope in 54,800 private persons to flag unlawful content on Internet: report

International

• Truck mows down 10 New Year revellers in New Orleans; suspect is U.S.-born army veteran
• Bangladesh Army chief calls for national consensus, ‘political government’, tones down anti-India rhetoric
• Saudi Arabia launches humanitarian air bridge to Syria
• Taiwan President vows to boost the island’s defence budget as China threats rise
• South Korea's presidential aides offer to resign amid political crisis
• Bangladesh CEC says Awami League may contest elections unless banned
• Ukraine halts transit of Russian gas to Europe after a prewar deal expired

Headlines in Detail:

Govt extends two crop insurance schemes till 2025-26; creates ₹824.77 crore fund for tech infusion

The Centre on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) extended two crop insurance schemes — PMFBY and RWBCIS — for one more year till 2025-26 and also created a separate ₹824.77 crore fund for technology infusion in the implementation of flagship schemes. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) have been extended to align it with the 15th Finance Commission period. A decision in this regard was taken in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “It will help in the use of technology for faster assessment of crop damage, claim settlement and lesser disputes. It will also help in using digital technologies for easier enrolment and greater coverage,” Mr. Vaishnaw said.

Defence Ministry declares 2025 as ‘year of reforms’; lists simpler procurement

India on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) declared 2025 as the year of defence reforms and that the aim will be to facilitate rolling out integrated theatre commands to bolster synergy among the three services and transform the military into a technologically-advanced combat-ready force. The broader aim of the reforms planned by the Defence Ministry would be to make the defence acquisition procedures simpler and time-sensitive, ensure deeper collaboration among key stakeholders, break silos, eliminate inefficiencies and optimise utilisation of resources. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the reforms would lay the foundation for “unprecedented” advancements in defence preparedness and ensure India’s security and sovereignty amid challenges of the 21st century.

India asks Pakistan to expedite release of Indian prisoners in its custody

India on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) urged Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 183 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners given completion of their jail terms. In addition, Pakistan has been asked to provide immediate consular access to the 18 civilian prisoners and fishermen in Pakistan’s custody, who are believed to be Indian, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. India has shared names of 381 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen in its custody, who are Pakistani or are believed-to-be-Pakistani. “Similarly, Pakistan has shared names of 49 civilian prisoners and 217 fishermen in its custody, who are Indian or are believed-to-be-Indian,” according to the Ministry.

Dallewal hunger strike: Will accept Supreme Court’s decision, says Centre

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said In New Delhi on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) that the Centre will abide by the Supreme Court’s directions on the indefinite hunger strike observed by farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. “The Supreme Court is looking into the matter. We will accept whatever decision the apex court takes,” Mr. Chouhan told reporters at a press conference.

School enrolment down by over 1 crore in 2023-24, says govt. report

The total enrolment of students has dropped by over a crore in 2023-24 as compared to the previous years, shows the latest data released by the Ministry of Education (MoE). A total of 24.8 crore students enrolled in the academic year 2023-24, Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report released by the Ministry said. Over the last four years, the enrolment data has hovered around 26 crore.

Net GST growth slumps to 3.3% in December, as revenues slow and refunds rise 45%

India’s gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) receipts increased at the second-slowest pace in 43 months in December, while growth in net GST collections, after adjusting for refunds, slumped to 3.3%, the weakest in financial year 2024-25.

Fire breaks out at Ramanathapuram medical college hospital

A fire broke out in a panel room on the second floor of a block of Government Ramanathapuram Medical College Hospital on Wednesday night, prompting immediate shifting of patients to safer places. The fire started in one of the power rooms, and smoke engulfed most parts of the building. Though the fire was extinguished soon by Fire and Rescue Services personnel, the smoke continued to spread through the wards.

Supreme Court to hear if pressing a bribe on a public official is abetting corruption

The Supreme Court has agreed to examine if pressing a bribe on a public official, who has explicitly refused it, will amount to the criminal offence of abetting corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Chartered accountants asked to report FCRA violations by NGOs

The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday (December 1, 2025) notified that chartered accountants filing audit returns on behalf of NGOs need to specify if the association violated provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA) or not.

MHA, States rope in 54,800 private persons to flag unlawful content on Internet: report

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs and various State governments have roped in around 54,800 persons as cyber crime volunteers to flag unlawful content on the Internet, according to the Ministry’s annual report for the year 2023-24. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry launched the programme in 2020 aiming to “bring together citizens with passion to serve the nation on a single platform and contribute in fight against cybercrime in the country.”

Truck mows down 10 New Year revellers in New Orleans; suspect is U.S.-born army veteran

A U.S. citizen with an Islamic State flag and “hellbent” on carnage slammed a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year revelers in New Orleans on Wednesday (January 1, 2025), killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 35, officials said.

Bangladesh Army chief calls for national consensus, ‘political government’, tones down anti-India rhetoric

Bangladesh needs to build an environment that will allow reconciliation among various stakeholders of the nation, Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman said. In a frank interview with prominent news daily Prothom Alo, he made several critical observations on the policing failures of the current interim administration, and said India and Bangladesh were dependent on each other on many fronts and, therefore, both should remain mindful of this reality while taking decisions.

Saudi Arabia launches humanitarian air bridge to Syria

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) launched a humanitarian air bridge to Syria, delivering food, shelter and medical supplies, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. The air bridge, established by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), aims to “alleviate the effects of the difficult conditions currently facing the Syrian people”, SPA said.

Taiwan President vows to boost the island’s defence budget as China threats rise

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te pledged to strengthen the island’s defences in the face of escalating Chinese threats, saying in a New Year’s address on Wednesday that Taiwan was a crucial part of the “line of defense of democracy” globally. China claims Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy, is part of its territory and has vowed to annex the island by force if necessary.

South Korea's presidential aides offer to resign amid political crisis

Senior aides to South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol offered to resign en masse on Wednesday (January 1, 2025), a day after his office expressed regret over acting President Choi Sang-mok’s approval of two new judges to a court set to decide Mr. Yoon’s fate. Mr. Yoon’s chief of staff, policy chief, national security advisor and special advisor on foreign affairs and security, as well as all other senior secretaries, tendered their resignation, his office said in a statement, without elaborating. The aides’ latest offer came a day after Mr. Choi’s surprise approval to fill two vacancies on the Constitutional Court handling the impeachment trial against Mr. Yoon.

Bangladesh CEC says Awami League may contest elections unless banned

Bangladesh’s Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin has said that ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League may participate in elections unless the government or the judiciary issues a ban against the party. The chief election commissioner (CEC) said this during a meeting with election officials at the Chittagong Circuit House on Monday, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. Mr. Nasir Uddin also assured that the Election Commission runs with complete independence and faces no external pressure.

Ukraine halts transit of Russian gas to Europe after a prewar deal expired

Ukraine on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) halted Russian gas supplies to European customers that pass through the country, almost three years into Moscow’s all-out invasion of its neighbor, after a prewar transit deal expired. Ukraine’s Energy Minister, German Galushchenko, confirmed on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) morning that Kyiv had stopped the gas flows “in the interest of national security.”