Pension scheme choice: one-way switch permits eligible central employees to revert from UPS to NPS under specified conditions.
Eligible Central Government employees and past NPS retirees must opt for the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) by September 30, 2025, after which remaining in NPS precludes later entry into UPS. A one-time, irreversible switch from UPS back to the National Pension System (NPS) is permitted only once, to be exercised at least one year before superannuation or three months before voluntary retirement, and is excluded in cases of removal, dismissal, compulsory retirement as penalty, or ongoing or contemplated disciplinary proceedings.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement review to spur deeper trade and investment cooperation following high level investment talks.
The minister will co chair the 13th High Level Task Force on Investments to review the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the Double Taxation Treaty and central bank matters, explore investment opportunities in sectors including maritime and space, co chair the UAE India Business Council roundtable, engage CEOs of leading companies, and hold bilateral meetings with senior UAE public and private sector leaders to strengthen trade and investment cooperation.

Customs and Excise Fraud: conviction for conspiracy, impersonation and duty evasion leading to imprisonment and fines.
Fraudulent procurement and clearance of duty free materials through impersonation, forgery and misuse of regulatory permissions by a private person and an assisting public servant constituted a scheme to evade customs and excise duties, prosecuted as criminal conspiracy, impersonation, document forgery and duty evasion involving false licences, Advance Release Orders and misuse of warehousing declarations in breach of EXIM policy.

Financial inclusion campaign expands reach of flagship social security and banking schemes, enabling mass account openings and enrollments.
The Department of Financial Services launched a three-month Nationwide Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign to extend flagship banking and social security schemes to all eligible individuals, using camps across gram panchayats and urban local bodies to facilitate new account openings, Re-KYC, nomination updates, and enrollments, while providing awareness on digital frauds, unclaimed deposits, and grievance redressal; implementation emphasizes district-level outreach, publicity to encourage participation, and continued saturation of remaining local administrative units to achieve last-mile delivery of financial services.

Unified Pension Scheme option extended to eligible recent central employees, allowing migration from NPS before the cut-off.
Extension of a one-time option allows Central Government employees who joined service within a recent entry window and had opted for the National Pension System to migrate to the Unified Pension Scheme. The extension aligns with the existing UPS cut-off framework, prescribes a final exercise date for the option, and preserves employees' ability to switch back to NPS later, thereby extending the choice period for post-retirement planning.

National Logistics Policy advances integrated, data-driven logistics governance enabling multimodal infrastructure, digital platforms, and sustainability measures.
The National Logistics Policy establishes a framework to reduce logistics costs and improve performance through digital integration, multimodal infrastructure, sustainability measures, and capacity building. Core instruments include the Unified Logistics Interface Platform and Logistics Data Bank for API integration and real-time visibility, the LEADS index for subnational benchmarking, Multi-Modal Logistics Parks for service integration, SPEL for sector-specific frameworks, and institutional mechanisms such as the Service Improvement Group and stakeholder portals to resolve regulatory and service issues.

NDPS Act enforcement disrupts cross-border hydroponic cannabis smuggling, leading to multiple seizures and arrests nationwide.
DRI conducted intelligence-led interdictions under Operation Weed Out targeting hydroponic cannabis smuggled from Thailand via airports; inspections of passenger baggage and follow-up actions led to seizure of consignments and arrests of alleged carriers and recipients, with prosecutions initiated under the NDPS Act, 1985 as part of coordinated pan-India enforcement.

Public-Private Partnership to accelerate startup growth via mentorship, market access, funding and sectoral innovation challenges.
A Memorandum of Understanding establishes a Public-Private Partnership between DPIIT and CarDekho Group to strengthen startups in mobility, fintech, insurtech and emerging technologies by providing strategic mentorship, market access, technology infrastructure and funding pathways. The partnership includes innovation challenges under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge, access to CarDekho's leadership network for domain guidance, co-investment opportunities through the Girnar Vision Fund, and joint skill-development initiatives to build entrepreneurial and technical capabilities.

Standards harmonization drives quality and trade, with mandatory quality controls and sustainability integrated into regulatory policy.
Harmonization of technical standards is advanced as a policy tool to improve product quality, enable free trade, and deepen international cooperation, with mandatory instruments like Quality Control Orders moving implementation from voluntary adoption to required compliance in critical areas. Sustainability commitments-framed as intrinsic responsibilities-are integrated into standardization through circular economy principles and energy-efficient solutions, while institutional capacity building and cultural initiatives are promoted to foster nationwide adherence to quality and sustainability objectives.

NDPS Act enforcement leads to seizure of narcotics and arrests disrupting an international trafficking network.
Enforcement under the NDPS Act involved coordinated airport interception and residential searches that recovered packaged narcotics, hydroponic weed, cocaine and cash proceeds; ten individuals including the alleged mastermind, carriers, distributors and a supplier-arranger were arrested and produced for judicial remand, with further investigations ongoing to disrupt the trafficking network.

PLI scheme reopening for white goods permits new and existing investors to apply under same terms with limited incentive tenure.
Reopening of the PLI Scheme for White Goods establishes a 30 day application window from 15 September to 14 October 2025 on the existing online portal, permitting new applicants and existing beneficiaries seeking higher investment categories to apply on the same terms while requiring adherence to eligibility conditions and prescribed investment schedules. Incentive entitlement for successful applicants in this round is limited to the remainder of the Scheme's tenure, with specified maximum PLI durations for applicants moving to higher investment categories and a one time flexibility for existing beneficiaries to claim under their original investment plan if thresholds are not met.

Opium poppy licensing policy expands eligible cultivators and links licences to yield based eligibility and compliance.
The annual licensing policy expands eligible opium poppy cultivators, retains opium gum licences for growers meeting the morphine yield threshold, allows lower yield growers to use the Concentrate of Poppy Straw (CPS) method with multi year licences, offers high performing CPS growers an option to switch to opium gum cultivation as an incentive, and provides for suspension of CPS licences for growers failing to meet the prescribed minimum qualifying yield. The policy also advances alkaloid supply security, domestic processing capacity and use of digitised cultivator records to broaden inclusion.

Infrastructure financing: coordinated stakeholder consultation initiated, with a mandate for prompt reporting and measures to address financing gaps.
Infrastructure financing coordination was advanced through a DFS chaired meeting identifying impediments-financing shortages, municipal bond issuance barriers, capacity gaps, and poor data on defaults and recoveries-and recommending measures including capacity building and improved data. The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development will consult stakeholders and submit a consolidated report with recommendations to the Department of Financial Services within a short timeframe to guide policy and operational responses.

Loan agreement advances climate-resilient tourism development, upgrading infrastructure and inclusive livelihood support in Tehri Lake region.
A multilateral loan agreement finances climate-resilient tourism and rural development in the Tehri Lake area, supporting tourism planning, climate-resilient infrastructure, sanitation and waste management, disaster preparedness, institutional strengthening, and nature-based solutions to mitigate landslide and flood risks. The project includes a livelihood matching grant for women, youth, and MSMEs, universal access design for persons with disabilities, and a women-led disaster risk management pilot to generate jobs and diversify incomes.

Free Trade Agreements accelerate investment and market access, strengthening India's growth through resilient, inclusive economic engagement.
The release emphasizes three pillars-resilience, inclusive development, and action-oriented leadership-supporting India's growth, and identifies concluded and prospective Free Trade Agreements as central policy instruments to attract investment, expand market access, and create jobs across manufacturing, services and innovation. It also highlights cost-efficient R&D, strong capital markets, and sustainability-centered policy as strategic drivers of investor confidence and long-term competitiveness.

Artificial intelligence and technology driving innovation-led national growth and domestic technological self-reliance.
Artificial intelligence, technology, and innovation are identified as central pillars for achieving the Government's vision of a developed nation by 2047, with AI, robotics, machine learning, and quantum computing applied across key sectors to reduce dependence on foreign technology and promote inclusive, innovation-driven growth. The address highlights India's young STEM workforce and capacity-building initiatives as critical enablers of domestic technological primacy, and underscores resilience, sustainability, ease of doing business, and ethical leadership as policy priorities to attract investment and translate individual upskilling into national progress.

Rail infrastructure expansion approved: doubling Bhagalpur-Dumka-Rampurhat line to boost capacity, connectivity and freight efficiency.
The Cabinet approved the doubling of the Bhagalpur-Dumka-Rampurhat 177 km railway section across Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal to augment capacity, reduce congestion and improve reliability, implemented under the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan to enhance multi-modal connectivity, increase freight throughput and provide regional socio-economic and environmental benefits.

Project approval for access-controlled greenfield highway under hybrid annuity mode enabling high-speed connectivity and regional development.
Approval has been granted to construct an 82.40 km, 4 lane greenfield, access controlled Mokama-Munger highway section on Hybrid Annuity Mode with close tolling; the project is designed for high average speeds (circa 80 km/h) and a design speed of 100 km/h to provide uninterrupted passenger and freight connectivity, and to stimulate regional economic activity and employment across connected industrial and logistics hubs.

Self-reliance in steel industry urged to reduce import dependence and expand domestic capacity with government support.
The Minister urges the steel industry to prioritise self reliance through import substitution and stronger domestic supply chains, while the government advances Free Trade Agreement negotiations with melt and pour conditions to block low cost rerouting. He promotes domestic capital goods production, voluntary adoption of prefabricated steel construction, and expansion into shipbuilding to raise capacity and employment, linking these measures to GST reforms and a government roadmap to scale production and exports with state support.

Merger approval: acquisition of Dana's off highway business by Allison allowed, noting commercial overlaps and Indian subsidiaries.
The Competition Commission of India authorised Allison Transmission Holdings' acquisition of Dana Incorporated's off highway business, covering Dana OH's off highway drivetrain, transmission and propulsion activities and three Indian subsidiaries; the approval addresses the cross border combination, the parties' complementary on highway and off highway product lines, and their respective global presences.