Income tax transition to new direct tax law effective April 1; officials asked to prepare for implementation and compliance.
CBDT instructed income tax officials to be administratively prepared for implementation of a new direct tax law from April 1, directing clarity of purpose and operational readiness to transition tax administration processes to the revised legal framework.

Allegations of large-scale corruption and irregularities in Maharashtra infrastructure and COVID procurement, including claimed extortion of bars and contractors.
A senior opposition leader accused the former chief minister of widespread corruption amounting to Rs 3 lakh crore tied to municipal contracting, alleging systemic kickbacks through advance mobilisation payments, diversion of COVID-19 emergency expenditures to benefit builders and suppliers, and extortion of bar and restaurant owners; the accusations also critique poor infrastructure outcomes despite heavy road spending and dispute credit for the coastal road project.

Goldi Solar plans 5 GW module and 16 GW cell capacity expansion to meet rising domestic solar demand.
Goldi Solar plans to add about 5 GW of module capacity and 16 GW of cell capacity by FY28, scaling module output from 15.2 GW to over 20 GW, with 15.2 GW approved under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). The company is establishing a 1.2 GW cell facility as initial backward integration and aims further cell expansion to produce bi facial Topcon N Type modules, aligning capacity growth with policy driven domestic demand and ALMM quality and localisation objectives.

KC Das UK expansion plans rely on the India UK trade pact to ease tariffs and regulatory barriers.
KC Das plans a UK market re-entry anchored on the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, expecting reduced tariffs and regulatory barriers. The company will establish a Birmingham manufacturing base, seek a technically capable dairy partner, and source key inputs locally due to stringent UK import regulations. The agreement is expected to provide duty-free access for most Indian products, benefiting processed food exporters and facilitating KC Das's proposed resumption of UK operations in 2026.

Unopposed civic wins: call to cancel 68 uncontested results to protect young voters' right to vote.
The article urges the State Election Commission to annul 68 unopposed civic ward results and reinitiate polls, contending that uncontested victories deprive young and first time voters of their franchise. It records political contention over engineered withdrawals and candidate selection, notes calls to investigate alleged nomination interference by the Legislative Assembly Speaker, and situates the dispute within broader allegations of municipal fund misuse and electoral impropriety.

Income Tax Department preparing for rollout of the New Income Tax Act with training, rules and tech-driven compliance measures.
Preparation for implementation of the New Income Tax Act requires completion of transitional rules, procedures and forms and focused training so officials can understand the law's intent and guide taxpayers. The administration's role shifts toward facilitation, trust and service with technology and automation central, and adoption of the NUDGE Framework to use data-driven communication to encourage voluntary compliance.

Artist transforms discarded cigarette butts into large-scale sculptures showcased during Mumbai Gallery Weekend 2026.
Prashant Pandey constructs over 70 sculptures from discarded cigarette butts-about 5,000 butts per piece and over 350,000 total-collected from public spaces over several years. The works, resembling organic skins and cellular forms, explore human traces in urban litter. The series 'Biography' is exhibited at Gallery Maskara during Mumbai Gallery Weekend 2026 and reflects Pandey's sustained material accumulation and his ability to move between experimental contemporary practice and traditional sculptural craftsmanship.

Karnataka Market Intervention Scheme for maize compensates farmers for price shortfalls up to Rs 250 per quintal.
The government launched a Market Intervention Scheme for 2025-26 kharif maize with a Market Intervention Price ceiling of Rs 2,150 per quintal and an eligible transaction cap of four lakh metric tonnes through the Unified Market Platform in notified market yards. Farmers selling at or below the modal price will receive a progressively reducing price difference payment (up to Rs 250 per quintal), subject to a 50-quintal per-farmer cap and verification of land records; implementation, registration, biometric authentication, quality checks, DBT payments, exclusions, supervision, and a post-implementation audit are specified.

Bengali migrant workers face private identity checks and alleged parallel policing, urging law enforcement to stop harassment.
A political leader raised alarm about parallel policing practices in which private persons demand identity proof from Bengali migrant workers, linking such conduct to the fatal assault of a migrant allegedly asked for his Aadhaar. He urged law enforcement to stop private identity checks, protect migrants from harassment, and pursue accountability; police reported prompt arrests, a forthcoming charge sheet, a stated zero tolerance policy, increased patrolling, and awareness efforts to prevent vigilantism.

LeanSpark reframes frugal innovation into a lean, scalable, and sustainable model for global impact today.
LeanSpark presents a structured frugal-innovation framework built on lean execution, purposeful simplicity, adaptive scalability, and systemic sustainability that converts scarcity into replicable impact while preserving ethics and quality.

Bhogapuram Airport validation flight confirms infrastructure readiness and DGCA prerequisites for aerodrome licence under PPP DBFOT.
A validation flight verified Bhogapuram Airport's airside infrastructure, navigational aids, runway systems and operational readiness in line with regulatory requirements, constituting a necessary step toward obtaining an aerodrome licence. The Greenfield airport is being developed on a DBFOT public private partnership model, initially for six million passengers per annum with staged expansion, and will include an aerotropolis and a dedicated cargo terminal.

Civic elections with unopposed candidates should be cancelled and polls re-run amid nomination and conduct allegations.
Demand to cancel municipal contests where candidates were returned unopposed and to reinitiate polling in those wards, arguing unopposed returns deny voters their franchise. The State Election Commission has sought a detailed report after allegations that returning officers refused nomination forms in specific Colaba wards, and calls have been made for suspension and inquiry into a legislative speaker alleged to have interfered with nominations and violated the model code of conduct.

Red Fort blast linked to 'ghost' SIMs prompts mandate requiring messaging apps to work only with active SIMs.
The Department of Telecommunications, invoking the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and Telecom Cyber Security Rules, directed TIUEs to ensure messaging apps function only with an active physical SIM within 90 days, require automatic logout where no active SIM is present, and obligate service providers to submit compliance reports; failure to comply will attract action under telecom security laws.

Andhra Pradesh leads India with 25.3% of proposed investments, driven by investor-friendly policy and infrastructure focus.
Andhra Pradesh captured 25.3% of proposed private capital in the first nine months of FY26, emerging as the largest recipient of announced investments. The concentration of proposed capital in a few states and sectoral prominence of power (renewables) and metals reflect a national capex focus. The report links rising investment intentions to supportive policy measures-capex emphasis, lower income-tax rates, GST reforms-along with fast-track approvals and infrastructure development intended to translate announcements into projects and jobs.

Tropical rainbow trout farming enabled by RAS technology enables year-round cultivation and training for advanced aquaculture.
A commercial tropical Recirculating Aquaculture System-based rainbow trout farm and research institute opened in Hyderabad, showing that precision engineering and water recirculation enable year-round culture of cold-water species in tropical climates. The facility doubles as a training and demonstration platform for advanced aquaculture systems, automation, and biosecurity. The project aligns with broader government investment and institutional reforms in the fisheries sector, including hatchery expansion, increased trout seed production, MoUs for trout supply, and the development of cold-water fisheries clusters to promote market-oriented and export-ready aquaculture.

Venezuelan oil: US control could ease sanctions and unlock nearly $1 billion owed to India.
US control or restructuring would lift sanctions and permit licences and payments to resume, enabling Indian investors to redeploy rigs, restore production at San Cristobal and Carabobo-1, and recoup nearly USD 1 billion in unpaid dividends through renewed exports while navigating interim asset freezes, criminal probes, and compliance conditions.

Octogenarian duped in digital arrest scam; Rs 7.12 crore extorted through police impersonation and coerced bank transfers.
An 81-year-old man was defrauded of Rs 7.12 crore in a digital arrest fraud after callers impersonated courier staff then Mumbai police, alleged involvement in narcotics and terrorism, coerced secrecy, and compelled him to transfer funds for so called verification; the deception continued until additional demands prompted the victim to report the matter to the cyber unit and a police case was registered.

Bandhan Bank loans rose 10% to Rs 1.45 lakh crore, deposits up 11%, CASA ratio fell, LCR remained strong.
Bandhan Bank's loans rose 10% to Rs 1,45,227 crore and deposits increased 11.1% to Rs 156,723 crore in the December quarter, led by retail deposit growth; CASA fell 4.5% reducing the CASA ratio to 27.26% while bulk deposits declined and retail share of deposits rose to 72.37%. Collection efficiency improved to 98.1% and the Liquidity Coverage Ratio stood at about 149.14%, reflecting enhanced collections and a comfortable short term liquidity position.

Tamil Nadu attracted Rs 12.16 lakh crore in MoU commitments, with ~80% under execution and sectoral policies driving implementation.
Tamil Nadu reports committed investments of Rs 12.16 lakh crore from over 1,176 MoUs since 2021, with roughly 80 per cent of MoUs under various stages of execution, an estimated employment potential exceeding 36.4 lakh jobs, expansion of SIPCOT parks, mobilisation through investor events, and targeted policies and skilling aligned to sectors such as blue economy, advanced electronics, electric vehicles, renewable energy, aerospace and defence, and manufacturing.

Textiles ministers' national conference to coordinate a strategy for a USD 350bn industry and USD 100bn exports by 2030.
A national textiles ministers' conference seeks a coordinated strategy to position India as a global manufacturing hub, focusing on infrastructure, investment, exports, competitiveness, raw materials, technical textiles, R&D and revitalising handloom and handicrafts. The meeting articulates targets of developing a USD 350 billion textile industry and achieving USD 100 billion in textile exports by 2030, and includes a conclave on strengthening the North-Eastern textiles sector through silk, handloom, bamboo textiles, women-led enterprises and regional branding.