FM Tables 16th Finance Commission Report
Polity
In News
- The 16th Finance Commission, constituted in 2023 under the chairmanship of Dr. Arvind Panagariya has had its key recommendations accepted by the Government for implementation during 2026â27 to 2030â31.
Finance Commission
- Constitutional Body: Established under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution.
- Formation: Constituted by the President of India every five years (or earlier).
- Composition: A Chairman and four other members.
- Core Function: It serves as a balancing wheel of fiscal federalism by recommending:
- Vertical Devolution: The distribution of net tax proceeds between the Centre and the States.
- Horizontal Devolution: The allocation of these proceeds among the States themselves.
- Grants-in-Aid: Principles governing financial assistance to States from the Consolidated Fund of India (Article 275).
- Local Bodies: Measures to augment State Consolidated Funds to support Panchayats and Municipalities.
- Nature of Recommendations: Advisory (not legally binding), though traditionally accepted by the Government.
Sant Guru Ravidas
History
Context
- To mark the 649th birth anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas the Adampur airport is renamed Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Airport, Adampur.
Sant Ravidas
- He, born in the 14th century,
- He was a prominent figure in the Bhakti Movement, a socio-religious revolution that took place in India between the 14th and 17th centuries.
- He was a disciple of Sant Kabir and the founder of the Ravidassia religion. Mirabai was his pupil.
Life and Teachings
- He was a great social reformer and messenger of peace, love, and brotherhood.
- He worked tirelessly to remove caste and religion-based discrimination and worked for the upliftment of the downtrodden.
- His life is a unique example of sacrifice and penance, and wrote many compositions on different social issues.
- He gave a very broad message of âkarmaâ to society by coining in the popular Hindi saying âMann Changa to Kathauti Mein Gangaâ.
Legacy
- The Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, contains forty-one of his devotional songs and poems.
- The Chief Architect of our Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar embodied the Constitutional principles around the values expressed by Guru Ravidasji.
Buddhist Circuits
History
Context
- The Union Budget announced a pilot scheme for upskilling 10,000 guides in 20 iconic tourist sites and setting up of a National Institute of Hospitality to train professionals in the sector.
About
- A National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid to digitally document all places of cultural, spiritual and historic significance would be set up.
- The government also proposed a scheme for the development of Buddhist circuits in the region.
- These States include Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.
Buddhist Circuits
- In 2016, the Ministry of Tourism announced the Buddhist Circuit as the countryâs first transnational tourism circuit, covering sites in Nepal and Sri Lanka alongside those in India.
- The Buddhist Circuit seeks to help tourists and pilgrims experience first-hand the teachings of Lord Buddha and trace the footsteps of Buddha.
- The main sites covered under the circuit span the life of Buddha from his birth to his Parinirvana and comprise Bodh Gaya, Vaishali, Rajgir, Kushinagar, Sarnath and Shravasti, along with Kapilavastu and Lumbini.
Four Holiest Buddhist Sites (ChaturmahÄsthÄna):
- Lumbini (Nepal): Birthplace of Gautama Buddha.
- Bodh Gaya (Bihar): Attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree.
- Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh): First sermon (Dhammachakra Pravartana).
- Kushinagar (Uttar Pradesh): Mahaparinirvana (death).
Coconut, Chocolate, Cashew Get Special Attention in Budget 2026-27
Economy
Context
- The Union Budget 2026â27 places renewed emphasis on high-value agriculture, with targeted support for coconut, cashew, cocoa, sandalwood, and select nut crops to enhance farmer incomes and export competitiveness.
Coconut Production
- Type of Plant: Coconut is a perennial plantation crop and a monocotyledonous palm belonging to the family Arecaceae.
- Coconut is native to the Indo-Pacific region, with its origin commonly traced to Southeast Asia.
- Climatic Requirements: Coconut requires a warm and humid tropical climate for optimal growth. It grows best in regions with temperatures ranging between 25°C and 30°C and requires high and evenly distributed rainfall.
- Soil Requirements: Coconut thrives in well-drained sandy loam, alluvial, laterite, and coastal soils.
- Distribution in India: It predominantly grows in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Goa, and West Bengal.
Cocoa Production
- Type of Plant: Cocoa is an evergreen perennial tree crop belonging to the family Malvaceae.
- Cocoa is native to the Upper Amazon Basin of South America. It was introduced to Asia and Africa during the colonial period for commercial cultivation.
- Climatic Requirements: Cocoa requires a warm, humid, and equatorial type of climate. It grows best in areas with temperatures between 21°C and 32°C and with well-distributed rainfall throughout the year.
- Soil Requirements: Cocoa grows well in deep, fertile, and well-drained loamy soils rich in organic matter.
- Cultivation Pattern in India: Major producing states include Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.
Cashew Production
- Type of Plant: Cashew is an evergreen tropical tree crop belonging to the family Anacardiaceae.
- The cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is native to the coastal regions of northeastern Brazil in South America.
- Portuguese explorers introduced it to India and Africa in the 16th century.
- Climatic Requirements: Cashew requires a tropical climate with a pronounced dry season. It grows best in areas with temperatures between 20°C and 35°C and moderate to high rainfall.
- Soil Requirements: Cashew can grow in laterite, red sandy, and coastal soils and performs well even on poor and degraded land.
- Distribution in India: Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, and Tamil Nadu.
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