Limits on borrowings: equal application to Centre and States with population weighted incentives and equity efficiency balance.
Permissible limits on borrowings under the Fiscal Consolidation roadmap should apply equally to Centre and States within an integrated macroeconomic framework, with contemporary population data weighted and rewards for population stabilization; the Commission must balance equity and efficiency in setting ceilings and incentives.

Grievance redressal: special fortnight to prioritise appeal effect, rectification orders and refund adjustment resolutions.
The board directed assessing officers to prioritise giving appeal effect and issuing rectification orders, allocate daily hearing time for applicants or counsel, expedite challan corrections to credit pre-paid taxes, and ensure deductors file correction statements to resolve statement mismatches; special attention is required for demands disputed under section 245 involving refund adjustments.

Exchange of tax information enables mutual assistance in collection, confidentiality protections, and dispute resolution between India and Brunei.
The agreement establishes Exchange of Information and Assistance in Collection between India and Brunei, enabling competent authorities to provide information foreseeably relevant to tax assessment, collection, enforcement, prosecution, and appeal determination, subject to confidentiality and restricted disclosure; it provides for automatic exchanges in specified categories, a Mutual Agreement Procedure for resolving differences, cross border assistance in collecting tax claims, entry into force after completion of domestic procedures, and allocation of extraordinary costs to the Government of India where specified.

Tariff value notification update adjusts import valuation for specified edible oils, metals, seeds and nuts under customs rules.
Amendment substitutes Tables 1-3 of the principal customs notification to revise tariff values used for customs assessment. The substituted schedule sets per metric tonne values for specified edible oils, brass scrap, poppy seeds and areca nuts, and per unit values for gold and silver where certain notification benefits are availed; importers and customs authorities are to apply the new tables for valuation and duty assessment under the Customs Act framework.

Dedicated regional think tank for North Eastern development to coordinate infrastructure, connectivity and resource mobilisation policies.
A centralised institutional mechanism is proposed to coordinate NER development through a dedicated think tank for the NER to set region-specific infrastructure and social priorities; adopt a corridor-based HIRA connectivity framework; leverage inland waterways via dredging and IWT financing; prioritize digital connectivity for difficult terrain; pursue bottom-up infrastructure and local value addition; build grassroots R&D; promote agri-based value chains and clean energy; and ensure tailored financing and institutional arrangements to address asymmetric resource mobilisation.

Guaranteed pension scheme secures broader enrolment and distribution through banks and post offices, expanding pension coverage nationwide.
Atal Pension Yojana is a government announced guaranteed pension scheme for unorganised sector workers delivering assured monthly pensions at age sixty based on subscriber contributions; the spouse is entitled to a pension and the nominee receives accumulated pension wealth. The scheme is delivered through all banks and post offices supported by an outreach campaign, and has achieved substantial enrolment growth and aggregate contribution mobilisation since launch.

Regional infrastructure development driving coordinated investments in connectivity, social services and multilateral financing for inclusive growth.
A two-day conference in Guwahati, organised by the Ministry of Finance with AIIB, RIS and FICCI, focused on reducing North East regional disparities through coordinated investment in physical connectivity (inland waterways, rail, air) and social infrastructure (health, education, female labour participation), while urging multilateral financing, private sector participation, digital connectivity and clean-energy projects tailored to the region.

Foreign investment approvals and dispositions announced, including approvals, a premature return, and a rejection.
Department of Economic Affairs disposed of five FDI proposals: three approved (including a domestic entity permitted to undertake financial leasing of ophthalmic equipment, an amendment on minimum capital norms, and approval for a foreign entity to acquire a majority stake in a proposed investing company with an identified upper limit), one returned as premature (acquisition of a derecognized stock exchange), and one rejected (post-facto approval for cumulative foreign investments in a domestic LLP).

Exchange of tax information expanded under India-Kuwait DTAA Protocol, permitting authorised sharing with other law enforcement agencies.
A Protocol amends the India-Kuwait DTAA to update exchange-of-information provisions to international standards and to authorise competent authorities to permit sharing of tax information received from the other State with other law enforcement agencies, subject to authorisation by the State that provided the information; the Protocol was signed on 15 January 2017, entered into force on 26 March 2018 and was notified in the Official Gazette on 4 May 2018.

International financial cooperation: request for expanded ADB sovereign and private financing and approval for offshore INR bond issuance.
Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs requested expanded ADB sovereign and non sovereign financing and greater private sector operations, noted government approval for ADB's offshore INR bond resource proposal, and sought the Bank's support for inclusive, sustainable growth and rapid economic transformation.

Digital infrastructure priority supports integration, resilience and financing innovation to bridge the rural urban digital divide.
Conference recommendations prioritize digital infrastructure as the foundational layer for integration of technologies into urban planning and transport to reduce congestion and enable real time city management; resilience planning should expand to hazard sensitive governance and community partnerships with utility mapping and comprehensive early warning systems; financing should diversify beyond PPPs to include land value capture and pooled institutional savings while public financing and regulatory oversight address technological obsolescence and market failures.

Conversion of inventory to capital asset: draft rule prescribes how fair market value is determined and invites stakeholder comments.
A Finance Act amendment treats profit from conversion of inventory into, or treatment as, a capital asset as business income and deems the fair market value of the inventory on the date of conversion, determined in the prescribed manner, to be the full value of consideration; a new rule is proposed in the Income-tax Rules to prescribe the methodology for determining that fair market value, and the tax authority has published a draft notification for stakeholder consultation.

Fair market value determination for inventory converted to capital asset specifies valuation methods under amended rules
Prescribes the method for determining fair market value of inventory when converted into or treated as a capital asset: immovable property is valued at the stamp-duty adopted/assessed value by government authority on the conversion date; jewellery, art, specified collections and referred shares or securities are valued under the mechanism in the related valuation rule with the valuation date as the conversion date; and all other property is valued at the price it would ordinarily fetch on sale in the open market on the conversion date.

Resilient infrastructure requires institutional and digital planning to balance urbanization with agronomization and enhance disaster preparedness.
The conference advocates institutional approaches for developing resilient and digital infrastructure by integrating anticipatory design, early warning systems and coordinated agency responses, while balancing urbanization with agronomization to maximise productivity and address geo climatic, resource and pollution risks through integrated governance, multi modal transportation planning and domestic capacity building.

International engagement: Indian delegation advances ADB cooperation through bilateral meetings and membership support regionally
An Indian delegation led by the Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs attended the ADB annual meeting to advance international cooperation, holding bilateral talks including with Niue which sought India's support for ADB membership, and conducting meetings with multiple development and national delegations ahead of a scheduled meeting with the ADB President to discuss cooperation priorities.

Long-term capital gains taxation: draft notification proposes STT exceptions for certain acquisitions and invites stakeholder comments.
The Finance Act, 2018 conditions concessional treatment of long-term capital gains on payment of securities transaction tax at acquisition and transfer for equity shares, equity oriented fund units, and business trust units. Sub section (4) empowers the Central Government to notify categories of acquisitions exempted from the STT payment requirement, and a draft notification proposing such exceptions has been published for stakeholder comments.

Transparency in tax rulings: require immediate and ultimate parent company details in advance ruling applications.
Amendments to the Income tax Rules propose implementing BEPS Action 5 by requiring Form 34C to capture non resident applicants' taxpayer identification and detailed particulars of immediate and ultimate parent companies (name, address, country of residence, permanent account number if allotted and foreign taxpayer identification). Consequential amendments align rule cross references and the definition of applicant with the Finance Act, 2017; Form 34D and Form 34DA are modified to require equivalent parent company particulars and updated clause references.

Loan agreement for rural road upgrade enables climate resilient construction, safety reforms, and community based maintenance by women SHGs.
A loan agreement funds upgrading and construction of sealed rural roads in Madhya Pradesh, combining finance, specification and contracting reforms with climate resilient engineering measures and piloted alternative sealing technologies. The project requires strengthening road safety management through a Road Accident Database Management System and district safety programs, and pilots direct maintenance contracts with women self help groups for off carriageway maintenance while primary carriageway maintenance remains with contractors.

Banking prohibition on crypto-currencies disrupts exchange operations pending regulatory and tax framework challenge for clarity and reliance.
A regulatory circular bars regulated financial entities from providing any service related to virtual currencies, including transfer or receipt of funds tied to purchase or sale, and requires existing providers to cease such activities within a prescribed compliance period. The petitioner, seeking to operate a digital asset exchange, challenges the circular as arbitrary and constitutionally invalid and requests formulation of an appropriate taxation and regulatory framework for virtual currencies, citing investment reliance and operational disruption caused by regulatory uncertainty.

Fugitive economic offenders: new law permits attachment and confiscation of proceeds and properties to compel return and prosecution.
The Ordinance empowers authorised officers to apply to a Special Court to declare an individual a fugitive economic offender where an arrest warrant for a scheduled offence exists and the person has left India or refuses to return; it permits attachment and confiscation of proceeds of crime and other property (including benami property) valued at Rs. 100 crore or more, provides for notice, hearing, provisional attachment, search and seizure powers, exemption for bona fide third party interests, appointment of an Administrator to manage confiscated assets, and vesting of rights in the Central Government.