15th APRIL 2024 ENGLISH TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF TNPSC SHOUTERS
Release of India Wholesale Price Index Numbers for March 2024
- The annual inflation rate for March 2024 (as against March 2023) based on All India Total Price Index is 0.53% (provisional). The positive inflation rate in March 2024 was primarily due to higher prices of food items, electricity, crude petroleum, natural gas, machinery, equipment and other manufactured goods.
- The annual inflation rate for March 2024 was 0.40% as compared to February 2024 on a month-on-month basis. Final Index for January 2024 (Base Year: 2011-12=100): Final Total Price Index and Inflation Rate for 'All Commodities' for January 2024 (Base Year: 2011-12=100) were 151.2% and 0.33% respectively.
- Details of wholesale price indices and inflation rates of various commodities are given in Annexure 1. Annual inflation rate based on wholesale price indices for different commodity groups for the last six months is given in Annex II.
- The total price index for different commodity groups for the last six months is given in Annex III. The final figure for January 2024 is based on 95.1 percent. Provisional statistics on Total Price Index will be revised as per final revision policy.
- 30.87 billion USD in March 2023. Imports of non-petroleum, gems and ornaments (gold, silver and precious metals) were USD 35.21 billion in March 2024, compared to USD 36.51 billion in March 2023.
- Non-petroleum and non-gems exports stood at USD 320.21 billion in FY 2023-24 (April-March) as against USD 315.64 billion in FY 2022-23 (April-March).
- Imports of non-petroleum, non-navaratnam jewelery (gold, silver and precious metals) were USD 422.80 billion in FY 2023-24 (April-March) as against USD 435.54 billion in FY 2022-23 (April-March).
- Services exports for March 2024 were valued at USD 28.54 billion compared to USD 30.44 billion in March 2023. Imports of services for March 2024 were valued at USD 15.84 billion compared to USD 16.96 billion in March 2023.
- Services exports were valued at USD 339.62 billion in FY 2022-23 (April-March) as compared to USD 325.33 billion in FY 2023-24 (April-March). The value of services imports in FY 2023-24 (April-March) is USD 177.56 billion as compared to USD 182.05 billion in FY 2022-23 (April-March).
- The services trade surplus is estimated at USD 162.05 billion in FY 2023-24 (April-March) as against USD 143.28 billion in FY 2022-23 (April-March).
- Indian Army troops left to participate in the 5th India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise Dustlik. The exercise, which begins today, is scheduled to be held in Termez, Republic of Uzbekistan, till April 28, 2024. Exercise Dustlik is an annual event held alternately in India and Uzbekistan. The previous exercise was conducted in February 2023 at Pithoragarh (India).
- The 60-strong Indian squad includes 45 from the Army, mainly from one battalion of the Jat Regiment, and 15 from the Indian Air Force. The team consists of around 100 soldiers from the Uzbekistan Army and Air Force.
- The purpose of the Dustlik exercise is to foster military cooperation and develop joint capabilities to conduct joint operations in mountainous and semi-urban terrain. The training will also focus on high-level physical fitness, joint planning, joint strategy training, and the basics of special weapons skills.
- The exercises also include setting up of a joint command centre, establishment of an intelligence and surveillance centre, securing the landing site, cordon and search operations, demolition of illegal structures, etc.
