Financial inclusion push to expand credit access, ensure nearby banking outlets and deliver literacy camps with local institutions.
Departmental review directed district managers and state banking convenors to intensify efforts to advance financial inclusion by expanding credit penetration, ensuring proximate banking outlets for inhabited villages, conducting financial literacy camps in partnership with local governance bodies, mobilizing outreach for scheme uptake, and implementing a reward and recognition programme to incentivize district performance.

Financial inclusion targets reinforced; banks must digitise Kisan Credit Card processes and improve consumer service ratings.
Directed review of Public Sector Banks' implementation and targets under financial inclusion and social security schemes, emphasising achievement of allocated targets, enhanced customer experience, and expedited Consumer Service Rating. PSBs were instructed to use the PM KISAN database to expand Kisan Credit Card coverage, digitise the KCC loan lifecycle and interest subvention claims, and reviewed progress under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. Proposed IBC amendments to reduce timelines for admission, resolution, tribunal approval and liquidation were also discussed with corporate and insolvency regulators.

Cyber security readiness in financial services emphasized coordinated preparedness and input on the revised Digital Personal Data Protection Bill.
Financial services stakeholders convened to address cyber security preparedness, assess current measures and readiness for emerging threats, and coordinate information sharing and incident response among government agencies, regulators, banks, insurers, and financial institutions. The meeting also solicited sector perspectives on the revised draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill to align data protection policy with operational cyber security and regulatory oversight.

Financing Cities of Tomorrow: advancing urban finance strategies to unlock private investment and promote sustainable, resilient infrastructure.
The G20 Infrastructure Working Group meeting in Pune under India's 2023 Presidency focuses on Financing Cities of Tomorrow: Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable, convening G20 members, invitee countries and international organisations to deliberate mobilising financial resources, promoting infrastructure as an asset class, enhancing Quality Infrastructure Investment indicators, and unlocking private financing for energy efficient, environmentally sustainable urban projects while addressing social imbalances.

Direct tax collections show sustained year on year growth and account for a large share of budgeted direct tax estimates.
Direct tax receipts for F.Y. 2022-23 through 10 January 2023 show year on year expansion with gross collections notably higher and net collections after refunds constituting a substantial share of the Budget Estimates. The summary reports percentage growth differentials for Corporate Income Tax and Personal Income Tax (gross and after refunds) and notes that refunds issued in the period are markedly higher than in the same period of the prior year.

Alternative Investment Funds investing in startups spurred by coordinated regulatory outreach expands domestic capital mobilisation for startup ecosystem.
DPIIT convened a workshop on Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) with the Ministry of Finance, IRDAI, Ministry of Labour & Employment and public institutional investors to sensitise and enable institutional investment into startups by reviewing the AIF regulatory framework and sharing success stories; concurrently DPIIT ran ASCEND SAMAGAM and multiple regional events to build entrepreneurial capacity, facilitate investor engagement, and showcase incubator outcomes across the country.

Infrastructure financing: loan to improve road connectivity in Maharashtra, promoting inclusive growth, resilience, and gender responsive services.
A multilateral loan finances upgrading state and district roads in Maharashtra to enhance connectivity, incorporate climate resilient and disaster risk reduction design, and improve access to markets and services for rural communities and small and medium enterprises. The project mandates social inclusion measures-integrated service centres, skills training for disadvantaged groups, road safety demonstration corridors, and gender responsive highway programming-and pilots private sector long term maintenance alongside development of a handbook on climate adapted road design and maintenance.

Power sector financing boosts grid efficiency and resilience through plant upgrades, distribution modernization, and social inclusion measures.
ADB and the Government of India financed a project to strengthen Tripura's power sector by replacing an inefficient plant with a combined cycle gas turbine to improve generation efficiency and reduce emissions, modernizing the distribution network and installing smart meters to cut losses and boost reliability, incorporating climate-resilient design for distribution assets, using trenchless methods for underground cabling to minimize socio-environmental impacts, and supporting institutional capacity building plus pilot gender-inclusive and women self-help group empowerment measures.

Infrastructure financing enables Assam road upgrades to strengthen connectivity, climate resilience, and social safeguards and capacity building.
A loan will finance upgrading over 300 kilometres of state highways and major district roads in Assam to improve connectivity with SASEC corridors, convert single lanes to two lanes, and introduce climate- and disaster-resilient structures including elevated highways, landslide prevention, pedestrian and public-transport facilities, and viaducts to avoid human-elephant conflict; the project also restores community infrastructure, provides road-safety training, and strengthens the Assam Public Works Department while incorporating safeguards on environment, resettlement, and indigenous peoples concerns.

Development financing for metro expansion to mandate climate-resilient, universally accessible stations and multimodal integration.
A multilateral development loan funds expansion and system works for three new Chennai metro lines, covering elevated and underground construction, stations, and core electrical, mechanical, power, and telecommunications components. Stations must incorporate climate- and disaster-resilient features and universal design for elderly, women, children, differently abled, and transgender passengers. The project requires multimodal integration through interchanges, sheltered waiting areas, bicycle facilities, drop-off/pick-up zones, and passenger information, and includes technical assistance for planning and management to support multimodal integration and transit-oriented development.

Trade liberalization under Ind-Aus ECTA grants Indian goods duty-free access to Australian market and expands services and visa mobility.
Entry into force of the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind Aus ECTA) establishes duty free access for Indian goods across Australian tariff lines while India grants preferential access on a majority of its tariff lines; it sets services commitments and MFN treatment across many sub sectors, includes a pharmaceutical Annex for fast track approvals, provides visa mobility measures for select occupations and post study work, and removes double taxation on IT services to enhance competitiveness and employment.

Urban infrastructure financing enables climate-resilient water, sanitation and drainage upgrades promoting universal access and resilience in Tamil Nadu cities.
The loan finances climate-resilient sewage collection and treatment, stormwater drainage, and expanded water supply distribution in three Tamil Nadu cities, including construction of sewage treatment plants, pipelines, pump stations and distribution mains; it promotes nonrevenue water reduction through district metered areas and smart meters and adopts build-and-operate arrangements, SCADA monitoring, and community training for sustained service delivery.

Direct tax collections growth signals stronger gross and net receipts and accelerated refund processing this fiscal year.
Gross direct tax collections for FY 2022-23 increased by 25.90% year on year and net direct tax collections increased by 19.81%, with gross receipts comprising Corporation Tax and Personal Income Tax and minor heads including Advance Tax, TDS, Self Assessment and Regular Assessment. Advance Tax collections for the first three quarters rose relative to the prior year, and expedited processing of verified income tax returns (about 96.5% processed) accompanied a substantial increase in refunds issued.

Make in India initiative strengthens manufacturing through policy reforms, institutional facilitation and targeted incentive schemes.
Make in India 2.0 coordinates action plans across 27 priority sectors to facilitate investment, innovation and manufacturing infrastructure through measures including FDI policy reforms, tax and ease-of-doing-business changes, public procurement support and the Phased Manufacturing Programme, supported by institutional facilitation such as Project Development Cells, the National Single Window System, India Industrial Land Bank and Production Linked Incentive schemes to boost production, employment, exports and investment.

Startup recognition enabling access to specialised funding, regulatory reliefs, IP fast track and tax exemptions for eligible enterprises.
DPIIT recognition under the eligibility criteria of G.S.R. notification 127(E) confers access to a coordinated Startup India framework of measures: financing (Fund of Funds, Credit Guarantee Scheme), regulatory relaxations and procurement concessions, IP fast tracking and fee rebates, self certification for specified labour and environmental laws, income tax exemption subject to Inter Ministerial Board certification, and exemption from section 56(2)(viib). Complementary institutional supports include an online hub, seed fund scheme, incubation and accelerator programmes, international market bridges, state ranking, and promotional outreach to facilitate scaling and market access.

National Single Window System streamlines approvals and accelerates investment facilitation through integrated digital clearances.
The document highlights coordinated policy measures to restore and expand industrial activity, centering on infrastructure and regulatory enablers: the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan and Project Monitoring Group establish data driven, milestone monitoring and inter ministerial frameworks to resolve project bottlenecks; the National Logistics Policy and ULIP integrate logistics systems to improve transparency and efficiency; Production Linked Incentive schemes across key sectors aim to catalyse domestic manufacturing and value chain development; and the National Single Window System offers a unified digital investor interface integrating central and state approvals to reduce compliance duplication and fast track clearances.

Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme provides tradable government gold bonds with long-term tenor, taxable interest, and capital gains exemption on redemption.
The Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2022-23 will be issued by the Reserve Bank of India on behalf of the Government, sold through specified banks, post offices, exchanges and intermediaries; restricted to resident individuals, HUFs, trusts and similar institutions; denominated in grams with set minimum and annual subscription ceilings; issued as Government of India stock with certificate and demat option; and priced for issue and redemption by simple average of closing gold prices published by the industry association.

Customs modernization enables faceless, paperless processing to expedite trade while strengthening enforcement against illicit trade.
The Customs Act's sixtieth anniversary was used to underscore the Act's operational robustness and to summarise modernization measures - electronic clearance, Turant Customs (faceless, paperless, contactless), faceless assessment, e sanchit and other automation - as mechanisms that expedite clearance, reduce dwell time, enable risk based interventions, improve refund handling, and strengthen enforcement against smuggling, narcotics and revenue leakage while facilitating trade.

Global economic coordination under India's G20 presidency prioritises inclusive finance, debt resilience, climate finance and international tax cooperation.
The Bengaluru Finance and Central Bank Deputies meeting (13-15 December 2022), jointly hosted by the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India and co chaired by senior deputies, initiates the Finance Track under India's G20 Presidency. It focuses on reorienting international financial institutions, financing cities and climate action, managing global debt vulnerabilities, advancing financial inclusion and productivity, coordinating responses to unbacked crypto assets, and progressing international taxation, with side events on strengthening multilateral development banks and central bank roles in green financing.

Production linked incentives and institutional reforms accelerate manufacturing expansion and streamline investor facilitation.
The document describes a coordinated national policy framework to promote manufacturing through fiscal incentives such as the Production Linked Incentive programme and sectoral schemes for pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, textiles, footwear and electric vehicles; region-specific subsidy programmes and MSME support; and procedural and institutional reforms including an Ease of Doing Business agenda, a National Single Window System, Project Development Cells and the GIS-based PM Gati Shakti platform to improve infrastructure planning, logistics and investment facilitation.