The Catch Up: 22 July

3 Things

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 22nd of July and here are today's headlines.
Ahead of the Modi 3.0 Budget, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey 2023-24 in the Monsoon Session of Lok Sabha parliament highlighting an 8.2 per cent economic growth estimation in real terms in the financial year consolidating to post-Covid recovery, fiscal and monetary with policymakers. While inflation for specific food items has elevated, the headline inflation is under control with a surplus registered in the last quarter.
Speaking of the parliament, a day ahead of the much-awaited Union Budget, the Lok Sabha session kicked off with partisan attacks on Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during the ‘Question Hour’ rowing over the NEET - UG paper leak case. Congress MP Manickam Tagore and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised Pradhan over the purported paper leak incident, whereas Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi claimed that Pradhan will “blame everybody but himself”.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has resumed the NEET matter hearing today. Senior advocate Hooda told the top court that the paper leak took place through WhatsApp so it was impossible that it was confined only to Patna in Bihar. He said, “Solvers were taken from Rajasthan. Dissemination was through WhatsApp. It is not possible that the leak is confined to Patna.``. He added that if the apex court is “not considering re-NEET, at least qualified people should be asked to retake the exam, which will be about 13 lakh people.”
A day after a 14-year-old boy in Malappuram succumbed to the Nipah virus, the Kerala health department confirmed today that he had consumed hog plum fruit from his neighbourhood, where the presence of fruit bats, known as a reservoir of the zoonotic virus, was confirmed. Health minister Veena George, after a review in Malappuram, said the boy’s friends have said that he consumed the fruit, known locally as ambazhanga, from the vicinity of his house days before he developed the fever.
With President Joe Biden opting out of the US presidential race and endorsing his Vice President as the Democrat’s nominee, Kamala Harris praised his extraordinary leadership and has raised $49.6 million for her presidential campaign in less than a day of Biden withdrawing, Reuters reported. Harris said, quote “I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” unquote.
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.