Current Affairs GK 4th September 2024

Daily Current Affairs (04 – Sep – 24)

West Bengal Assembly Passes Historic Anti-Rape ‘Aparajita’ Bill Amid Political Drama –

The West Bengal Assembly has unanimously passed the ‘Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) 2024’, marking a significant development in the state’s legal framework against sexual crimes.
This bill introduces the death penalty for individuals convicted of rape if their actions result in the victim’s death or leave her in a vegetative state. With this move, West Bengal becomes the first state to amend central laws dealing with rape, gang-rape, and sexual crimes against children.
The ‘Aparajita’ bill is named in tribute to a 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical Centre and Hospital last month.

The bill’s key provisions include-

Death Penalty: Imposed for rape if the victim dies or suffers severe brain damage.
Life Sentence: Without parole for those convicted of rape.
Aparajita Task Force: To ensure punishment within 21 days of the preliminary report.
Enhanced Safety Measures: Installation of CCTV cameras and increased security on routes used by female healthcare workers, with an allocation of Rs 120 crores.
‘Ratri Saathi’ Provision: Extends the duty hours for female workers, ensuring their safety during night shifts.

The World Bank has revised its growth forecast for the Indian economy, increasing it to 7% for the fiscal year 2024-25, up from the earlier estimate of 6.6%. This adjustment comes despite a slowdown to 6.7% in the April-June quarter, attributed to reduced government spending during national elections.
Agricultural Recovery & Rural Demand- The upward revision is largely driven by a recovery in the agricultural sector and an increase in rural demand.
Government Spending on Infrastructure- Increased investment in infrastructure by the government has also bolstered growth prospects.
Challenges & Outlook
Unemployment- Despite the positive outlook, the World Bank highlights the challenge of job creation, noting that the urban unemployment rate remains high at an average of 17%.
Medium-Term Growth- The World Bank projects that India’s medium-term economic growth will average 6.7% over the next two fiscal years, with a gradual increase in private investment expected to aid in consumption recovery.

RIL Becomes India’s First Company to Surpass Rs 10 Lakh Crore in Annual Revenue –

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has made history as the first Indian company to exceed ₹10 lakh crore in annual revenue. This milestone was revealed during RIL’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) by Chairman Mukesh Ambani.
For the financial year 2023-24, Reliance achieved a record consolidated turnover of ₹10,00,122 crore (USD 119.9 billion), with a net profit of ₹79,020 crore (USD 9.5 billion).
RIL’s exports reached ₹2,99,832 crore (USD 35.9 billion), representing 8.2% of India’s total merchandise exports.
The company also contributed ₹1,86,440 crore (USD 22.4 billion) to the national exchequer through various taxes and duties during FY 2023-24. Over the past three years, RIL’s total contribution to the exchequer has exceeded ₹5.5 lakh crore (USD 68.7 billion), the highest by any Indian corporation.

President Droupadi Murmu has approved the creation of the 23rd Law Commission of India. This new commission will be active from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2027.
The decision comes as the 22nd Law Commission’s term ends, and there were delays in pending reports due to the lack of a chairperson.

The 23rd Law Commission will consist of the following members:

Chairperson: A full-time leader who will head the commission.
Full-Time Members: Four full-time members, including a Member-Secretary.
Ex-Officio Members: Two members who are Secretaries of the Legal and Legislative Departments.
Part-Time Members: Up to five part-time members.
The main purpose of the Law Commission is to review the Indian legal system and suggest improvements. They focus on making laws more effective and relevant to current needs.

The Indian government has recently given the green light to the Digital Agriculture Mission, dedicating ₹2,817 crore to improve farming practices and boost the livelihoods of farmers.
This decision was made during a cabinet meeting, showing the government’s strong commitment to modernizing agriculture using digital technology.
The Digital Agriculture Mission is a new initiative aimed at creating a digital framework for agriculture, similar to other successful digital infrastructures in the country.
The goal is to use technology to make farming more efficient and productive. This mission builds on previous pilot projects that have shown promising results, and it is expected to bring significant improvements to farming in India.