NATIONAL NEWS

Nirmala Sitharaman Sets Record as Longest-Serving Continuous Finance Minister

• Nirmala Sitharaman is set to create history by presenting her ninth consecutive Union Budget on 1 February 2026.

• She assumed office as Finance Minister on 31 May 2019 and completed 6 years and 8 months in continuous charge by 31 January 2026.

• This makes her the longest-serving Finance Minister in uninterrupted tenure in India’s history.

• The earlier record for continuous service was held by C. D. Deshmukh, who served from 1950 to 1956 (around 6 years and 2 months).

• Morarji Desai presented the Union Budget 10 times, the highest overall, but not consecutively.

• P. Chidambaram presented the Budget 9 times, similar to Sitharaman, but across four separate terms, totalling about 8 years.

• Other senior leaders with long but non-continuous tenures include Pranab Mukherjee, Arun Jaitley, Y. B. Chavan and Yashwant Sinha.

• R. K. Shanmukham Chetty holds the distinction of being the first Finance Minister of independent India.

President Droupadi Murmu’s Six-Day Visit to Odisha

• President Droupadi Murmu began a six-day visit to Odisha on 2 February, covering official, academic, cultural and regional engagements.

• Her tour spans Khordha, Jajpur, Balasore, Puri and Mayurbhanj, reflecting a mix of governance, heritage and community outreach.

• In Jajpur, she will offer prayers at Maa Biraja Temple and perform sacred rituals at Navi Gaya.

• She will attend the 12th Convocation of Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, as the Chief Guest, highlighting her academic engagements.

• A visit to Puri includes darshan at the Shree Jagannath Temple, underlining cultural and spiritual significance.

• On 4 February, the President will travel to her home district Mayurbhanj, where she will inaugurate a holiday home at Rairangpur and unveil the statue of tribal leader Bhanjbir Sunaram Soren.

• Her Mayurbhanj schedule also includes a special programme at Rairangpur Jagannath Temple and a visit to Simlipal National Park.

• The visit concludes with her participation in the Black Swan Summit India (5–6 February) in Bhubaneswar, after which she will depart for Chhattisgarh on 7 February.

AWARDS

68th Grammy Awards 2026: Key Highlights and Historic Wins

• The 68th Annual Grammy Awards were held on 2 February 2026 at the Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, celebrating global musical excellence.

• Trevor Noah returned as host for the sixth and final time, marking the end of his successful stint with the Grammys.

• Kendrick Lamar topped the nominations chart with nine nods, followed by Lady Gaga with seven nominations.

• Bad Bunny created history by winning Album of the Year, becoming one of the standout performers of the night.

• A historic breakthrough for K-pop was witnessed as a K-pop act secured its first-ever Grammy win.

• The documentary “Music by John Williams” won the music film award, earning Steven Spielberg his first Grammy and completing his EGOT achievement.

• The Dalai Lama received his first Grammy, with the award accepted on his behalf by Rufus Wainwright.

• Several artists earned career-first Grammys, including Yungblud (rock performance), Turnstile (best rock album and metal performance), and FKA twigs, who won for EUSEXUA, becoming only the second Black woman to triumph in the dance/electronic album category.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Union Budget 2026–27: New Schemes for Empowerment of Divyangjan

• The Budget introduces two major welfare schemes to improve accessibility, skill training and technological support for persons with disabilities.

• Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana focuses on providing sector-specific skill training aligned with industry requirements.

• Training opportunities will be offered in areas such as IT, AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics), hospitality and food services.

• The scheme aims to promote self-reliance and sustainable employment opportunities for Divyangjan.

• Divyang Sahara Yojana has been launched to ensure better availability of advanced assistive devices for Divyangjan and elderly citizens.

• The government will strengthen ALIMCO to expand manufacturing capacity and enhance innovation through research, development and AI-based technology integration.

• Existing PM Divyasha Kendras will be upgraded to provide improved access to assistive solutions.

• Assistive Technology Marts will be established as modern centres where beneficiaries can explore, test and purchase assistive equipment easily.

ECONOMY NEWS

Union Budget 2026–27: Vision of Growth, Inclusion and National Duties

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026–27 on 1 February 2026, marking her ninth consecutive Budget presentation, a historic first.

• The Budget is built around three national duties (Kartavyas) aimed at accelerating India’s transformation into a Viksit Bharat.

• The first Kartavya focuses on strengthening economic expansion by enhancing productivity, competitiveness and resilience against global uncertainties.

• The second Kartavya highlights empowering citizens by fulfilling aspirations, improving skills and enabling public participation in national development.

• The third Kartavya, aligned with Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, stresses equitable distribution of resources, opportunities and infrastructure across regions and communities.

• The Budget emphasises structural reforms, a robust financial sector and advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence to improve governance and resource management.

• It is recognised as the first Budget prepared at Kartavya Bhawan and draws inspiration from youth contributions during the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026.

• India’s economic achievements over the last decade were highlighted, including fiscal stability, steady growth, controlled inflation and increased public investment.

• The government reiterated commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat by boosting domestic production, ensuring energy security and reducing reliance on imports.

• The Budget underlines continued global economic engagement while ensuring welfare benefits reach farmers, SCs, STs, women, youth and weaker sections through targeted reforms.

Union Budget 2026–27: Technology-Driven Growth and Inclusive Development Vision

• The Budget introduced ‘Bharat-VISTAAR’, a multilingual AI-enabled agricultural platform designed to provide personalised advisory support and minimise farming risks.

• The system will integrate AgriStack digital platforms with ICAR agricultural databases to enhance scientific and data-based farming practices.

• The Budget is the first to be prepared at Kartavya Bhawan and is structured around three national duties aimed at long-term development.

• The first Kartavya prioritises sustained economic progress and proposes six major policy interventions to strengthen growth momentum.

• The second Kartavya focuses on improving human potential by fulfilling public aspirations and strengthening skill development capacity.

• The third Kartavya, guided by Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, concentrates on raising farmers’ income, supporting Divyangjan, improving mental health and trauma care, and promoting development in Purvodaya and North-Eastern states.

• Strong emphasis has been placed on the adoption of Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies across governance, education and economic sectors.

• The Budget identifies the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector as a key contributor to India’s creative or Orange Economy, with an estimated requirement of nearly two million professionals by 2030.

• To promote creative skills, AVGC Content Creator Labs will be established in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges, supported by the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai.

• The proposal also includes setting up a new National Institute of Design in eastern India and forming a High-Powered Committee to examine AI’s impact on employment, skill demand and necessary policy reforms.

Union Budget 2026–27: Strengthening Healthcare, Skills and Biopharma Ecosystem

• The Budget unveiled Biopharma SHAKTI, a national mission to position India as a global hub for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, backed by an investment of ₹10,000 crore over five years.

• To meet growing healthcare demands, training infrastructure for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) will be upgraded, with plans to add one lakh new professionals in the next five years.

• A comprehensive geriatric and allied care ecosystem will be developed to support India’s ageing population and long-term healthcare needs.

• Skill-based training for caregivers, aligned with the national skills framework, will be introduced, including modules on wellness, yoga and handling medical equipment.

• Nearly 1.5 lakh caregivers are expected to receive structured training under upcoming health-skilling programmes.

• A new central scheme will assist states in setting up five regional medical hubs, developed through public–private partnerships.

• These hubs will integrate AYUSH facilities, boosting employment, while three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda and upgraded AYUSH drug-testing labs are planned.

• Mental healthcare will receive a boost through the modernisation of institutes at Ranchi and Tezpur, the creation of a new NIMHANS-like national institute, and the upgradation of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre, Jamnagar for global research and training.

DEFENCE

INS Sudarshini’s Oman Visit During Lokayan-26 Voyage

• INS Sudarshini reached Salalah port in Oman on 2 February, marking the first overseas halt of the Lokayan-26 transoceanic mission.

• The voyage forms part of a ten-month global deployment designed to display India’s maritime traditions and naval outreach.

• The vessel commenced its journey from Kochi on 20 January, sailing across the Arabian Sea using seasonal wind routes.

• The visit highlights the strong naval and strategic partnership between India and Oman in the Indian Ocean region.

• The schedule includes training exchanges and professional engagement with the Royal Navy of Oman.

• The ship will host interactive visits for students and local residents to spread awareness about maritime history and naval operations.

• The initiative focuses on enhancing defence cooperation along with cultural and public engagement.

• The Lokayan-26 expedition represents India’s historic seafaring tradition and its commitment to maritime diplomacy and goodwill missions worldwide.