Rights issue reforms: truncated and intermediate disclosures plus eased filing and subscription rules to speed fundraising.
Amendments permit truncated disclosures for issuers meeting recent listing-compliance criteria or post-change-in-control/listing timelines; others must use an intermediate disclosure format. Disclosure duplication is reduced by relying on information already made public under listing rules. The changes raise the filing threshold for draft letters of offer, exempt certain rights issues from the strict minimum subscription requirement when proceeds are not for capital expenditure subject to promoter subscription undertakings, and allow fast-track rights issues with required adverse-impact disclosures despite pending enforcement or audit matters.

Insurance coverage for PMJDY account holders enhanced; additional opt-in schemes available with auto-debit and express consent.
Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana account holders receive inbuilt accidental cover linked to the RuPay debit card, with an increased coverage level for cards issued after 28.08.2018. Eligible PMJDY account-holders may opt into Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana; each scheme provides specified insurance coverage to beneficiaries within defined age ranges upon payment of an annual premium collected by auto-debit from the bank account, requiring the express consent of the account holder.

Tax dispute settlement scheme increases voluntary declarations, extends filing deadline and augments government settlement receipts.
The Vivad Se Vishwas scheme recorded 35,074 Form 1 declarations through 8 September 2020 and realized reported receipts of Rs. 9,538 crore, a figure that excludes payments by taxpayers who have not yet filed declarations; the filing deadline for declarations has been extended to 31 December 2020.

Tribunal caseload management: staffing, e court rollout and virtual hearings used to address pending insolvency and corporate cases.
Tribunal caseload management emphasizes administrative and technological measures: regular posts were created with Recruitment Rules notified and appointments initiated though only a limited number are filled; an e court programme has been implemented across benches, e filing begun at some benches with expansion planned, and hearings have been conducted by video conferencing during the public health emergency to maintain case processing.

Personal guarantor insolvency: creditors may initiate proceedings and banks urged to monitor guarantors and collate data for action.
The Rules permit creditors to file insolvency applications against personal guarantors to corporate debtors, and the advisory asks Public Sector Banks to implement monitoring mechanisms and an information technology system to collate data on such guarantors for follow-up and action under the insolvency resolution framework.

International loan financing supports pandemic response: World Bank credits for health, social protection and MSME stimulus in India.
Three World Bank loans to India were provided as budgetary financing for COVID-19 response: a health loan to part-finance national health measures and strengthen public health preparedness (partially disbursed), a social protection loan to accelerate the social protection response and support relief under welfare packages (fully disbursed), and an economic stimulus loan to support MSMEs under the domestic stimulus programme (fully disbursed).

MGNREGA fund allocation under relief package expands employment support; EPF contributions covered for eligible establishments.
The Government allocated additional funds under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package to supplement the MGNREGA allocation for the financial year to provide employment to needy workers. Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package the Government covered both employer and employee components of the Employees' Provident Fund contribution for eligible establishments and extended that support under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Package; funds for self-employed groups were provided under the National Rural Livelihood Mission.

Company law investigations use inquiries, inspections and investigations under statutory provisions, with serious cases referred to SFIO and prosecutions.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs examines complaints and, through Regional Directors and Registrars of Companies, orders inquiries, inspections and investigations under the Companies Act, 2013; complex frauds and matters of large public interest are referred to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), and completed enquiries have led to prosecutions under the Act.

Corporate meeting and filing relaxations enable virtual meetings and fee waivers to ease compliance during emergency period.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs introduced the Companies Fresh Start Scheme and a corresponding LLP Settlement Scheme to permit filings without additional fees and provide specified immunities; authorised virtual conduct of board and general meetings; issued filing relaxations under the investor protection fund framework; allowed CSR spending on healthcare, sanitation and disaster management; and Registrars of Companies issued a uniform order extending the annual general meeting deadline for 2019-20 by three months without applications or fee.

Additional borrowing limit for states allows part consent to raise open market borrowing to assist COVID-19 response.
The Government advanced the first instalment of the State Disaster Response Fund to States for COVID 19 response, with state wise disbursal detailed in Annexure I. Concurrently, States were permitted an additional borrowing limit up to 2 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product for 2020 21, and central consent was issued for 0.50 per cent of GSDP to be raised through Open Market Borrowing during the year, with state wise consent particulars set out in Annexure II.

Multi cap allocation requirement mandates equal large, mid and small cap exposure; funds may rebalance, switch, merge or convert.
SEBI mandates a minimum 25% allocation each to Large Cap, Mid Cap and Small Cap stocks in Multi Cap schemes to ensure True to Label presentation and appropriate benchmarking, with a remaining portion for manager flexibility. Mutual funds may comply by rebalancing portfolios, facilitating unit-holder switches, merging Multi Cap schemes with other schemes, or converting scheme categories; the regulator allows time for orderly compliance and will consider industry proposals on implementation.

Procurement shortlist for IT network overhaul advances, shortlisted vendors move forward for centralized network and IP telephony upgrade.
The regulator issued an Expression of Interest for upgrade and revamp of IT network, IP telephony and video conferencing, requiring centralised control of network and IP telephony and solutions that are robust, secure, stable, efficient, easy to manage and equipped with contemporary collaborative features; eight vendors were shortlisted for the next procurement stage.

Board governance reforms for Insolvency Professional Agencies proposing director qualifications and annual board self-evaluation regulations
The Discussion Paper proposes amending the Model Bye Laws Regulations to require Governing Boards of Insolvency Professional Agencies to prescribe and certify minimum qualifications and experience for both independent and shareholder directors as part of "fit and proper" criteria, and to mandate an annual self-evaluation of the Governing Board on three dimensions: composition and quality, meetings and procedures, and functions and development.

Extension of AGM timeline allows companies additional time to hold AGMs and RoCs to issue orders without applications.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs directed a general extension of the timeline for holding Annual General Meetings, authorizing Registrars of Companies to issue extension orders without formal applications or fee payment, and covering cases with previously filed but pending applications, as COVID 19 relief to ease compliance with AGM timelines.

Business Reform Action Plan rankings announced, aiming to boost investment and ease of doing business across states.
Ranking of states under the Business Reform Action Plan 2019 was declared to benchmark implementation of 180 reform points across 12 regulatory areas. The methodology incorporates substantial ground-level feedback to assess reform effectiveness. The ranking aims to attract investment and enhance Ease of Doing Business through competitive state benchmarking. Ministers urged measures to reduce regulatory burden-such as removing renewals, simplifying forms, adopting risk-based or third-party inspections, digitising approvals and rationalising regulations-and the top ten performers, led by Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana, were listed.

Appointment of Insolvency Professionals via a zone wise panel; selection by weighted scoring and mandatory consent to serve if appointed.
A Panel of Insolvency Professionals maintained by the IBBI will be used by SEBI to appoint Administrators; inclusion requires expression of interest and compliance with eligibility conditions, and selection is by a weighted scoring methodology based on ongoing workload, completed resolution assignments, and completed liquidation or bankruptcy assignments, with ties resolved by registration seniority. Submission of interest constitutes unconditional consent to act and refusal to accept appointment carries exclusionary consequences; the IBBI compiles and forwards Panels to SEBI and will review these Guidelines periodically.

Attachment of bank and demat accounts ordered to recover unpaid investor dues following non-compliance with refund and fine directives
Regulator ordered attachment of bank accounts, demat accounts, lockers and mutual fund holdings of directors of three companies to recover dues after failure to comply with refund directions, raising funds without public issue compliance, and non-payment of fines; banks and depositories were directed to prevent debits while permitting credits to preserve assets and secure realisation of amounts due.