Index of Eight Core Industries shows annual growth driven by coal, cement and steel; crude oil contracted.
The combined Index of Eight Core Industries stood at 145.0 in March 2019, up year on year with a cumulative April-March growth of 4.3 percent. Coal, cement and steel registered the strongest contributions to the increase; refinery products, fertilizers and electricity rose modestly; crude oil declined year on year and cumulatively; natural gas showed marginal positive change. Data for January-March 2019 are provisional and industry weights are adjusted pro rata to yield a combined index weight of 100.

Fund devolution to Panchayats proposed expanded allocations and modality changes under constitutional finance commission framework.
Under Article 280(3)(bb), the Ministry proposed substantially increased devolution to Panchayats and revisions to allocation categories, performance grant modalities, inclusion of non Part IX areas and UT panchayats, SDG linked activities beyond construction, digital technology adoption, and state developed mechanisms to augment Panchayat own source revenue; the Commission agreed funds should flow to all three tiers within a proportional band and will review these proposals for inclusion in the Central Government's memorandum to inform final recommendations.

Ministerial Staff examinations 2019: timetable, eligibility categories, exclusion of unqualified provisional stenographers, and effective date rules.
Notification prescribes that the 2019 Ministerial Staff Departmental Examinations will be held under the Departmental Examination Rules (1998), sets the timetable, lists eligible categories (including T.A., Steno Grades I & II, Sr. T.A., LDC including Hindi Typist, Notice Server and MTS subject to computer test where specified), excludes provisionally appointed stenographers who have not passed the requisite proficiency test, and confirms that the effective date of passing for the MS Examination is the date of result declaration by the CCIT/CIT (In charge of Examination).

Repayment of Government Stock: maturity proceeds payable by electronic credit or pay order; submit bank details or tender securities early.
Repayment of 6.05% Government Stock 2019 is payable on the effective date; if a state holiday falls on that date repayment occurs on the previous working day. Maturity proceeds must be paid by pay order with bank particulars or by electronic credit to an account able to receive funds; holders must submit bank account details in advance. Absent such particulars, holders may tender duly discharged securities at Public Debt Offices, Treasuries/Sub-Treasuries, or designated bank branches twenty days before the due date to obtain the discharge value.

Repayment of government securities: holders must provide bank details for electronic credit or tender securities early for repayment.
Repayment of 7.28% Government Stock 2019 is payable on June 03, 2019; if a State holiday affects the effective date, payment will be made on the previous working day. Maturity proceeds to holders in Subsidiary General Ledger, Constituent Subsidiary General Ledger or Stock Certificate form will be paid by pay order with bank particulars or by electronic credit to a bank account; holders must submit bank account particulars in advance. Absent an electronic mandate, holders may tender discharged securities at Public Debt Offices, Treasuries/Sub Treasuries or designated bank branches 20 days prior to the due date.

Profit attribution to Permanent Establishments: rule 10 amendment proposes objective three factor apportionment and user factor for digital models.
The Committee recommends amending rule 10 to adopt an objective apportionment for profits attributable to Indian operations where separate accounts are unavailable: a three factor formula equally weighting sales, employees (manpower & wages) and assets applied to 'profits derived from India' (revenue from India x global operational profit margin), with a 2% deemed profit floor where global margins are negative or below 2%. For enterprises meeting SEP via user thresholds, a four factor formula including a user factor (10% weight for low/medium user intensity; 20% for high user intensity) is to be applied, with credits/deductions to avoid double taxation when Indian associated enterprises are already taxed.

Performance based grants to states proposed, urging indicator-driven transfers and balance with basic grant regimes.
Proposal for Performance Based Grants to states framing resource transfers on measurable indicators and sectoral outcomes, with suggested candidate indicators; recommendations to establish Innovation and Transformation Funds and adopt a Medium Term Expenditure Framework to align incentives and expenditure planning. The submission also urged inclusion of these recommendations in the Central Government memorandum to the Finance Commission and highlighted design issues including alignment of Centrally Sponsored Schemes with award periods and the balance between performance-linked and basic grants.

Creation of deputy audit post to coordinate state audits, telecommunication audit and IS initiatives within public audit department.
Creation of a Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General post to supervise coordination among State audit entities, oversee telecommunication audits, and coordinate Information Systems initiatives within the Indian Audit & Accounts Department, effected by abolishing one STS-level post and entailing associated expenditure.

Fiscal transfers tied to governance reforms: increased rural funding contingent on Panchayat capacity, IT/DBT and earmarked maintenance.
The Ministry asked the Finance Commission for increased fiscal transfers and extra budgetary borrowing to support flagship rural schemes and expanded SHG lending, coupled with conditional governance measures: Gram Panchayat led, data driven, convergent development plans; Panchayat and SHG capacity building; IT/DBT and geo tagging to reduce leakages; HR reforms; earmarked road maintenance; and transfer of certain schemes to states.

Electric vehicle policy to accelerate adoption and realize significant oil and CO2 savings through targeted incentives and manufacturing support.
The technical analysis of the FAME II scheme projects that targeted incentives and complementary public and private measures can markedly increase EV market penetration and generate substantial lifetime oil and CO2 savings; it stresses batteries as the key cost-driver and recommends industry collaboration and government fiscal and non fiscal measures, including a phased manufacturing plan and policies like congestion pricing and credits, to scale adoption beyond the vehicles directly eligible under the scheme.

Advance Pricing Agreements increase transfer pricing certainty via bilateral and unilateral agreements across sectors and enterprises.
The document reports expansion of the Indian Advance Pricing Agreement programme through execution of multiple bilateral and unilateral APAs covering a range of international transactions-contract manufacturing, software and back office services, marketing support, royalties, trading and interest-and spanning sectors including manufacturing, IT/ITeS and BPO, providing cross border and domestic certainty via bilateral coordination with treaty partners and unilateral domestic arrangements to foster a non adversarial tax regime.