Direct tax reform promotes voluntary compliance and simplification to expand the taxpayer base and modernise administration.
The e book "Aarohan" documents the Income Tax Department's evolution and major reforms in direct taxation, highlighting measures that increased voluntary compliance, expanded the taxpayer and return filer base, and shifted taxpayer behaviour. It calls for continued simplification of tax laws and processes to broaden the taxpayer base and modernise tax administration, and chronicles leadership contributions across decades; the e book is available on the Department's official website.

Input Tax Credit and Cost Accounting reforms to strengthen project appraisal, monitoring, and infrastructure delivery outcomes.
The Office of Chief Adviser Cost organized seminars and workshops emphasizing Appraisal & Monitoring of Infrastructure Projects to address time and cost overruns through technology and expert appraisal, and recommended independent appraisal and monitoring by ICoAS officers during appraisal, execution, and post completion. Parallel workshops focused on Input Tax Credit under the Goods and Services Tax Act and Cost Accounting Standard 19 on joint costs to strengthen tax-compliance and standardized cost accounting in support of capital expenditure and infrastructure delivery.

Destruction of seized narcotics confirms approved incineration and coordinated Customs enforcement against evolving smuggling methods.
Destruction of seized narcotics was conducted through approved incineration across multiple sites as part of a coordinated Customs and DRI enforcement programme, with State Pollution Control Board approvals and public witnesses ensuring safe, non-hazardous disposal. Customs and DRI interdicted smuggling via air, sea, land, courier and postal channels using intelligence-led operations, responding to evolving concealment methods including container misuse, clandestine courier consignments, internet facilitation and cryptocurrencies, and noting geographic vulnerabilities and major categories of narcotics encountered.

Indirect taxation focus: CBIC launches e-lecture series to discuss tax policy and business implications, opening with RBI Governor.
CBIC is inaugurating an e-lecture series focused on national interest topics and indirect taxation as part of ICONIC Week; the opening lecture will be delivered by the RBI Governor, senior revenue and CBIC officials and trade representatives will attend, and the event will be live streamed on CBIC's YouTube channel and Facebook page to facilitate stakeholder engagement.

Targeted economic assistance reduced consumption shocks and borrowing while supporting livelihoods and external development partnerships.
The summary presents government resilience measures and reforms since 2014, pandemic-era targeted programmes (PMGKY, ECLGS, Ayushman Bharat) shown to reduce consumption shortfalls, emergency borrowing and out-of-pocket health expenditure, and DEA's external assistance via IDEAS. It notes the launch of the NETRA portal for IDEAS, outreach films and financial literacy initiatives, and identifies macro-policy challenges of sustaining growth, moderating inflation, maintaining fiscal balance and stabilising the currency while realising benefits of GST and IBC.

Tax administration reforms highlighted in e-book showcasing outreach initiatives improving revenue collection and taxpayer services.
The e-book "Pratidhwani" compiles the Income Tax Department's advertisements and outreach materials from 2000-2022 across four chapters, demonstrating how awareness campaigns and a deliberate communication strategy, alongside service innovations like AIS, e-PAN and Faceless Assessment, have supported a service-oriented, transparent tax administration and contributed to sustaining revenue collection and building taxpayer trust.

Single Nodal Agency model improves transparency and timely disbursement of centrally sponsored scheme funds via dashboard.
The release describes the Single Nodal Agency (SNA) model by which each State designates a single bank account per scheme to receive all Central releases and from which implementing agencies effect expenditures, combining a centralised core with a decentralised periphery to preserve implementation autonomy. The SNA Dashboard visualises ministry releases, treasury transfers to SNA accounts, agency expenditures and bank interest credits, supporting timely allocations, improved fund tracking, reduced float and enhanced cash management of Centrally Sponsored Schemes.

Credit outreach programmes mobilise public sector banks for district-level scheme enrolments and enhanced financial literacy.
Public Sector Banks will conduct district-level Credit Outreach programmes coordinated by State Level Bankers Committees to address customer queries on credit facilities, promote enrolment in Jan Suraksha Schemes (Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana), deliver customer awareness and financial literacy, and recognise branch and business correspondent performance.

Drug destruction operations by customs enforcement to coordinate supervised disposal of seized narcotics during a national commemorative week.
A nationwide narcotics disposal operation titled Drug Destruction Day will be conducted by customs enforcement as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Iconic Week, organising coordinated destruction of seized narcotics at multiple designated locations with ministerial virtual witnessing to ensure transparency and public accountability in the supervised disposal process.

Single Nodal Agency model centralizes CSS fund flows and monitoring to improve timely allocation and cash management.
The SNA model centralises CSS fund flows by requiring each State to designate a Single Nodal Agency whose bank account receives all scheme funds and from which implementing agencies make expenditures, aiming to ensure timely conditional allocations, improved tracking of releases and expenditures, and better cash management; PFMS has developed an SNA Dashboard to display central releases, treasury transfers, implementing agency spending and bank interest for stakeholder monitoring.

Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grant released to eligible states under Finance Commission recommendations in monthly instalments to cover revenue gaps
The third monthly instalment of the Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grant, recommended by the Fifteenth Finance Commission, was released to fourteen States as part of a total annual grant to be disbursed in twelve equal monthly instalments to address assessed post-devolution revenue-expenditure gaps; eligibility and quantum for 2020-21 to 2025-26 were determined by the Commission and state-wise recommended amounts and instalment disbursements are set out in the release.

Investor awareness initiatives expand with a National CSR Exchange Portal, investor oath rollout, and targeted senior citizen protections.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs launched multiple investor facing and governance initiatives during an Iconic Day: a National CSR Exchange Portal for voluntary CSR project engagement; a commemorative postal stamp promoting investor awareness under the Investor Education & Protection Fund Authority; administration of an Investors Oath in 75 locations supported by a film; release of a corporate governance short film; an IBC publication on emerging insolvency issues; an e book Compendium on CSR; awards for an IBC national quiz; and a Special Window Facility for senior citizens aged 75 and above.

Single-window credit facilitation expands access to government credit schemes, streamlining eligibility checks and loan processing.
Jan Samarth is a national single-window portal linking applicants to 13 government credit-linked schemes and 125+ member lending institutions. It performs real-time eligibility and verification checks with databases (CBDT, GST, UDYAM, NeSL, UIDAI, CIBIL), provides in-principle sanction, forwards applications to selected banks, and updates beneficiaries at each stage, reducing multiple visits to bank branches and facilitating credit access for students, farmers, MSMEs and entrepreneurs.

PPP toolkits strengthen decision making for public private partnerships by providing sector specific resources and official training workshops.
A two day hybrid workshop trained government officials in using PPP Toolkits to enhance decision making for infrastructure PPPs, covering PPP structuring, value for money assessment, contingent liabilities recognition and post award contract management. The web based toolkits provide sector specific guidance for state highways, water and sanitation, ports, solid waste management and urban transport, and are intended for use by PPP practitioners across public and private sectors to standardize project appraisal, risk evaluation and contract governance.

Virtual digital asset taxation: transfers now taxed on a flat basis with new withholding and no loss set off.
The Finance Act, 2022 preserves existing slab rates and cess but introduces substantive changes: a new tax regime requiring forfeiture of specified exemptions/deductions; taxation of virtual digital asset transfers on a flat basis with no deductions or loss set off; withholding obligations on transfers of virtual digital assets and on value of benefits/perquisites; an updated return regime with additional tax for late updating; and expanded TDS/TCS, non filer and PAN related withholding and compliance obligations, supported by a detailed TDS/TCS compliance calendar.

Trade remedies procedural reforms enhance transparency and reduce compliance burden for exporters and domestic industry
DGTR implemented procedural reforms across anti-dumping, countervailing duty and safeguard regimes by simplifying filing requirements, introducing self-certification and sampling for fragmented producers, issuing revised sunset review guidelines and anti-absorption rules, and operationalising an online portal, helpdesk and Trade Defense Wing to defend exporters and assist stakeholders, thereby aiming to enhance transparency, ease of doing business and reduce compliance burden.

Fast-tracking pharmaceutical approvals speeds registration of Indian products already authorised by major regulators, facilitating market access.
Fast-tracking of regulatory approvals for Indian pharmaceutical products already registered with major foreign regulators was agreed to expedite market access, supported by a jointly released market research report on the Omani pharmaceutical sector. Parties also agreed to address tariff and non-tariff barriers and to conclude pending MoUs and agreements, including standards and metrology arrangements, a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and a Bilateral Investment Treaty, to enhance trade, investment and sectoral cooperation.

Investment-driven growth aims to attract global investors through trade deals, regulatory reforms and manufacturing incentives.
Government aims to capitalise on the demographic dividend to drive investment-driven, export-led growth by reducing corporate tax, reforming FDI policy, easing compliance, and deploying initiatives such as PM Gati Shakti and Make in India to boost high-technology manufacturing, expand exports, and attract domestic and international investors; concurrently, negotiated FTAs and trade agreements are positioned to enlarge markets for labour-intensive and value-added exports and to support bilateral trade and investment ties.

Post devolution revenue deficit grant released to address States' post-devolution revenue shortfalls under Finance Commission recommendations.
Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grants were released as monthly instalments to 14 States under the Finance Commission's recommendation; the Department of Expenditure effected the second instalment, implementing a 12-month release schedule. Eligibility and quantum for 2020-21 to 2025-26 were determined by the Commission based on the assessed gap between State revenue and expenditure after accounting for assessed devolution, and state-wise allocations were provided to address post-devolution revenue shortfalls.

Tax administration integrity urged: trainees must ensure non-arbitrary, non-adversarial tax enforcement while upholding civil service duties.
Induction training emphasised tax administration principles, non-arbitrary conduct, and civil service duties. NADT's 16-month programme covers Income Tax law, jurisprudence, allied laws, accountancy and tax administration and is guided by the Citizens' Charter. Officers were urged to maintain integrity, be fair and firm, and ensure a non-adversarial, non-intrusive tax regime while pursuing revenue objectives. The ceremony acknowledged faceless administration initiatives and recognised top academic and overall performers as part of preparing officers for integrity-driven tax administration.