2 Feb 2026 | Daily Current Affairs

Doctors Without Borders MSF: Israel Ends Gaza Humanitarian Operations

Context
Israel ended Doctors Without Borders’ (MSF) humanitarian operations in Gaza after the organisation declined to submit the list of its Palestinian staff.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
• Full name: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
• Type: International humanitarian medical NGO
• Founded: 1971, Paris (by doctors and journalists)
• Core work: Emergency medical aid in conflict zones, epidemics, natural disasters, and areas with health-system collapse
• Principles: Neutrality, impartiality, independence
Nobel Peace Prize: 1999

PYQ – 2016, Ans – B

Budget Highlights 2026-27: Fiscal Deficit, Taxes and Capex

Key Highlights
Fiscal deficit target for 2026–27: 4.3% of GDP
• Debt-to-GDP ratio: 55.6% in 2026–27, target to reduce to 50% by 2031
Gross corporate tax revenue: ₹12.3 lakh crore, 11% higher than FY 2025–26 (RE)
Gross income tax revenue: ₹14.7 lakh crore, growth of 11.7%
Centre’s net tax receipts: ₹28.7 lakh crore
• Total capital expenditure (capex): ₹53.5 lakh crore for 2026–27 (7.7% increase over FY 2025–26 RE)

Budget Highlights 2026-27
Budget Highlights 2026-27

Major Sectoral Allocations in Budget: Defence, Transport, Agriculture

• Transport – ₹5,98,520 crore
• Defence – ₹5,94,585 crore
• Rural Development – ₹2,73,108 crore
• Home Affairs – ₹2,55,234 crore
• Agriculture & Allied Activities – ₹1,62,671 crore
• Education – ₹1,39,289 crore
• Energy – ₹1,09,029 crore
• Health – ₹1,04,599 crore
• Urban Development – ₹85,522 crore

Receipts and Expenditure Trends in Union Budget Analysis

Capital Receipts (₹ lakh crore)
• 2024–25: 16.2
• 2025–26 BE: 16.4
• 2025–26 RE: 16.2
• 2026–27 BE: 18.1
Trend: Slight rise, then stable, then sharp increase

Revenue Receipts (₹ lakh crore)
• 2024–25: 30.4
• 2025–26 BE: 34.2
• 2025–26 RE: 33.4
• 2026–27 BE: 35.3
Trend: Consistent upward movement with minor correction

Effective Capital Expenditure (₹ lakh crore)
• 2024–25: 13.2
• 2025–26 BE: 15.5
• 2025–26 RE: 14.0
• 2026–27 BE: 17.1
Trend: Strong increase over the years

Revenue Expenditure (₹ lakh crore)
• 2024–25: 36.0
• 2025–26 BE: 39.4
• 2025–26 RE: 38.7
• 2026–27 BE: 41.3
Trend: Steady rise in revenue spending

Receipts and Expenditure Trends
Receipts and Expenditure Trends

Key Fiscal Takeaways: Fiscal Deficit and Consolidation Path

Fiscal Deficit:
• 6.5% (2022–23) → 5.6% (2023–24) → 4.9% (2024–25) → 4.5% (2025–26 RE) → 4.3% (2026–27 BE)
• Strong downward consolidation over five years

Revenue Deficit:
• 4.0% (2022–23) → 2.6% (2023–24) → 1.5% (2024–25) → 1.3% (2025–26 RE) → 1.2% (2026–27 BE)
• Sharp improvement in revenue balance

Primary Deficit:
• 3.0% (2022–23) → 2.0% (2023–24) → 1.0% (2024–25) → 0.8% (2025–26 RE) → 0.7% (2026–27 BE)
• Moving closer to primary balance• Effective Revenue Deficit:
• 2.8% (2022–23) → 1.8% (2023–24) → 1.0% (2024–25) → 0.4% (2025–26 RE) → 0.3% (2026–27 BE)
• Nearly eliminated by 2026–27

Key Fiscal Takeaways
Key Fiscal Takeaways
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