West Bengal

• 17 Mar 2025

Indian Navy's Motor Car Rally

Why in News? 

On 3rd March 2025, Naval Officer-in-Charge (West Bengal) flagged off the Indian Navy's Motor Car Rally Expedition on the East Coast from INS Netaji, Kolkata.  

• The rally will cover the route from Kolkata to Chennai, proceed to Kanyakumari, and return to Chennai on 21 March 2025. 

 

Key Points 

• Objectives of the Rally: 
  • Enhance maritime awareness among the public. 
  • Engage with youth and civil society to inspire participation in naval careers. 
  • Promote the Agnipath Scheme and other career opportunities in the Indian Navy. 
  • Advocate for women's empowerment under the Naari Shakti initiative. 
  • Interact with Naval Veterans and Veer Naaris, updating them on government and naval welfare policies. 
• Participation and Coverage: 
  • A total of 56 Indian Naval personnel, including Officers, Sailors, and their family members, are participating. 
  • The expedition will traverse approximately 3,800 km through West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, engaging with local communities. 
• Historical and Corporate Support: 
  • The event is supported by M/s Hyundai Ltd. 
  • The rally will explore India’s rich maritime heritage, visiting historical naval sites and locations along ancient maritime trade routes. 

 Agnipath Scheme 

• The term "Agniveer" translates to "Fire-Warriors" and is a new military rank. 
• It is a scheme of recruiting army personnel below officer ranks such as soldiers, airmen, and sailors who are not commissioned officers to the Indian Armed Forces. 
• They are recruited for a period of 4 years, after which, up to 25% of these recruits (called Agniveers), can join the services on a permanent commission (another 15 years), subject to merit and organisational requirements. 
• At present, all sailors, airmen, and soldiers, except the technical cadre of the medical branch, are recruited to the services under this scheme. 

Grants for Rural Local Bodies of West Bengal

Why in News? 

The Union Government has released the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) Grants for Rural Local Bodies in West Bengal during the Financial Year 2024-25. 

 Key Points 

• Grant Disbursement: 
  • The Union Government disbursed the second installment of Untied Grants amounting to Rs 694.4446 crores. 
  • These funds will support 21 District Panchayats, 326 Block Panchayats, and 3,220 Gram Panchayats. 
• Utilization of Grants: 
  • Untied Grants: Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)/Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) will use these funds for location-specific felt needs, as per the 29 Subjects under the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, excluding salaries and establishment costs. 
  • Tied Grants: These funds will be utilized for essential services, including: 
    • Sanitation and maintenance of ODF status, covering household waste management, human excreta treatment, and fecal sludge management. 
    • Drinking water supply, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling to ensure water security in rural areas. 
• Role of Government Ministries: 
  • The Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Jal Shakti recommend the release of XV FC Grants to States for Rural Local Bodies. 
  • The Ministry of Finance subsequently disburses these funds in two installments per Financial Year. 
• Impact of the Grants: 
  • Strengthens rural local governance by enhancing financial resources at the grassroots level. 
  • Improves accountability and transparency in fund utilization. 
  • Promotes self-reliance in villages, enabling local bodies to address critical infrastructure and service needs effectively. 

 15th Finance Commission 

•  The Finance Commission (FC) is a constitutional body that determines the method and formula for distributing the tax proceeds between the Centre and states, and among the states as per the constitutional arrangement and present requirements. 
• Under Article 280 of the Constitution, the President of India is required to constitute a Finance Commission at an interval of five years or earlier. 
• The 15th Finance Commission was constituted by the President of India in November 2017, under the chairmanship of NK Singh. Its recommendations will cover a period of five years from the year 2021-22 to 2025-26. 

 Eleventh Schedule 

• The Eleventh Schedule, added by the 73rd Amendment Act in 1992, contains provisions that outline the powers, authority, and responsibilities of Panchayats (rural local governments). 
• It places as many as 29 functions within the purview of the Panchayati Raj bodies including agricultural extension, land improvement, implementation of land reforms etc.