Income tax collection and compliance in Bihar and Jharkhand rise as the new tax law stresses clarity and easier filing.
Income Tax collection in Bihar and Jharkhand during the 2025-26 financial year was reported at about Rs 20,000 crore, with a substantial share received through tax deduction at source. Officials also noted that the new Income Tax Act, 2025 will replace the 1961 Act and is intended to improve clarity, ease of compliance, and reader-friendly presentation without altering tax policy.

Investment liberalisation in India-EU trade talks stays unresolved as parties push for stronger protection and wider market access.
Investment liberalisation and investment protection remain central unresolved elements in the India-EU free trade framework, with calls for a dedicated investment liberalisation chapter in non-services sectors and for early conclusion of the separate investment protection pact. The article also notes that the FTA is under legal scrutiny and may later be reviewed to revisit this missing investment element. Alongside this, a parallel geographical indications agreement is framed as part of a broader trade package.

Bribery investigation leads to arrest of a CGST Superintendent and a Computer Operator over alleged illegal gratification demand.
The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested a Superintendent of CGST, Meerut, and a Computer Operator in a bribery case involving allegations of demand of illegal gratification for revocation of a show cause notice. The case was registered against the Computer Operator on allegations that the bribe was sought on behalf of the Superintendent. A trap was laid, and the Computer Operator was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount. Both accused persons were arrested, and investigation is continuing.

Gross State Domestic Product compilation is updated with a new base year to improve comparability, consistency and fiscal planning.
Adoption of a new base year of 2022-23 for National Accounts requires States and Union Territories to compile Gross State Domestic Product on the revised series so that regional estimates reflect the current economic structure and remain consistent with updated data sources, improved estimation practices and evolving international standards. The uniform guideline for compilation of Gross State Value Added is intended to standardize State-level estimation practices and improve consistency, reliability and comparability across Regional Accounts Statistics. Gross State Domestic Product remains central to fiscal planning, tax devolution, resource allocation and borrowing limit calculations.

Grievance redressal performance under CPGRAMS improves through structured monitoring, timely disposal, and reduced pendency in public service delivery.
Grievance redressal performance under CPGRAMS is assessed through the GRAI, which measures ministries and departments on effectiveness and timeliness of complaint resolution. The Insurance Division of the Department of Financial Services ranked first in the Group A category for March 2026, while the Banking Division retained fifth position for the second consecutive month. A structured mechanism of daily monitoring, weekly review, and monthly scrutiny supports timely disposal, reduced pendency, and improved quality of resolution.

Fake firms and forged identities allegedly used to route hawala-linked transactions, GST fraud and shell-company banking networks.
Alleged operation of a network of fake firms, forged identities and bank accounts was uncovered in connection with suspected hawala transactions, GST fraud and routing of large cash and electronic payments across multiple states. The alleged network was said to use Aadhaar, PAN and other documents of labourers, scrap workers, painters and daily wage earners to obtain GST registrations, open bank accounts and create shell companies, with multiple firms and accounts under scrutiny.

Fruit and vegetable export expansion aims to raise farmers' income, improve quality, and strengthen processing infrastructure.
India's fruit and vegetable sector is being promoted for export expansion to raise farmers' income, generate employment and increase foreign exchange earnings. The focus is on increasing fruit production, improving quality and strengthening processing infrastructure, while bringing farmers, exporters, processors and institutions together to address shelf life, freight costs, cold storage, ripening chambers and transport-related issues.

IPO disclosure and securities offering restrictions govern proposed equity issue, with SEBI filing and U.S. registration limits.
Greaves Electric Mobility Limited has proposed an initial public offering of its equity shares, subject to approvals and market conditions, and has filed a draft red herring prospectus with SEBI. The announcement states that it is not an offer or invitation to sell securities, that investors should refer to the prospectus and its risk factors, and that the equity shares are not registered under the U.S. Securities Act. The securities are offered only to qualified institutional buyers in private transactions and outside the United States under Regulation S, with no public offering in the United States.

Economic offences show a marginal decline in Delhi as property losses remain highest among Union territories.
Economic offences in Delhi recorded a marginal decline in 2024, but the city continued to report the highest property losses among Union territories. Forgery, cheating and fraud formed the bulk of cases, followed by criminal breach of trust and counterfeiting. NCRB data also showed a large pipeline of pending and fresh cases, with investigations resulting in transfers, final reports, arrests and charge-sheets across multiple offence heads.

Election commissioner appointments and heritage protection drew attention as the court examined lawmaking directions and restoration needs.
Regulation of the appointment process for the chief election commissioner and election commissioners came under consideration as the Supreme Court examined whether it can direct Parliament to enact a law governing the procedure for such appointments. The issue centred on the institutional question of whether judicial directions can be issued to require legislative action in an area touching the constitutional framework for election administration. Protection and restoration of heritage structures also figured prominently, with the Supreme Court stating that Mysuru's Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building, both over a century old, should be protected and that necessary renovation and restoration work should be carried out.

Rupee support through non-direct RBI intervention strengthens currency as crude eases and dollar demand remains a cap on gains.
The rupee appreciated against the US dollar as Brent crude prices eased and market sentiment improved on signs of possible de-escalation in West Asia. Traders linked the currency move to a weaker dollar, stronger domestic equities, and expectations that the Reserve Bank of India is supporting the currency through a non-direct intervention strategy rather than by directly deploying foreign exchange reserves. One proposed measure is to encourage state-run banks to raise foreign currency funds through bonds to generate fresh dollar inflows.

Insolvency resolution framework restores stalled real estate projects and enables completion of three developments for customers.
Realty developer Alpha Corp Development Ltd. plans to invest nearly Rs 900 crore to complete three stalled housing and commercial projects in Greater Noida and Gurugram acquired through the insolvency resolution process. The projects, including two commercial developments and one residential development, are intended to benefit more than 3,000 existing customers. The company states that the Supreme Court restored its resolution plan and set aside the NCLAT order that had rejected it.

Inflation targeting framework renewal retains headline CPI target, tolerance band, and MPC-led monetary policy transparency.
India's inflation targeting framework was renewed through March 2031, retaining the 4 per cent CPI inflation target with a +/-2 per cent tolerance band. Monetary policy remains with the Monetary Policy Committee, and the framework continues to rely on transparent communication through MPC resolutions, minutes, statements, press briefings, and the Monetary Policy Report. The consultation review broadly supported retaining headline CPI inflation, keeping the 4 per cent target, preserving the existing band, and rejecting a shift to pure range targeting.

Railway multitracking projects approved to expand capacity, improve connectivity and strengthen freight movement across multiple states.
Cabinet approval was granted for three railway multitracking projects covering 19 districts across multiple states, with an estimated cost of Rs. 23,437 crore and completion targeted up to 2030-31. The projects comprise the Nagda-Mathura, Guntakal-Wadi and Burhwal-Sitapur third and fourth lines, and are intended to add about 901 km to the rail network. The capacity augmentation is aimed at improving mobility, operational efficiency, service reliability and congestion management, while supporting seamless movement of people, goods and services.

Ship repair facility expansion at Vadinar to strengthen domestic capacity, reduce foreign yard dependence and improve port competitiveness.
Approval was granted for development of a state-of-the-art ship repair facility at Vadinar, Gujarat, as a brownfield project jointly implemented by Deendayal Port Authority and Cochin Shipyard Limited. The facility will include a 650-metre jetty, two floating dry docks, workshops and associated marine infrastructure, and is designed to serve large commercial and foreign-flagged vessels. The project is intended to fill a domestic capacity gap, enable repairs of vessels up to 300 metres within India, reduce dependence on foreign shipyards, improve turnaround times and strengthen repair capability on the western coast.

Fair and Remunerative Price for sugarcane approved for the 2026-27 season with recovery-linked adjustments.
Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane for Sugar Season 2026-27 has been approved at Rs.365 per quintal for a basic recovery rate of 10.25%, with a premium of Rs.3.56 per quintal for every 0.1% increase in recovery above 10.25% and a corresponding reduction for every 0.1% decrease in recovery. No deduction is to be made where recovery is below 9.5%, and the approved FRP applies to sugarcane purchases by sugar mills from 1 October 2026.

Credit guarantee coverage scheme extends additional liquidity support to MSMEs, non-MSMEs, and airlines affected by West Asia disruption.
Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 5.0 provides credit guarantee coverage through NCGTC for additional credit support to eligible borrowers affected by the West Asia situation. The scheme grants 100% guarantee coverage for MSMEs and 90% for non-MSMEs and the airline sector, with nil guarantee fee. Additional credit is capped according to borrower category, and the guarantee cover remains co-terminous with the loan tenor.

Regional Rural Bank viability framework strengthens performance monitoring, governance reform, and long-term financial sustainability across banks.
The Department of Financial Services has approved Viability Plan 2.0 for Regional Rural Banks as a revised three-year framework for 2025-26 to 2027-28. The plan institutionalizes performance monitoring, strengthens governance reforms, and supports continued oversight to improve financial sustainability and long-term competitiveness across all Regional Rural Banks. It comprises 30 performance parameters across operational excellence, asset quality, profitability, and growth, including capital adequacy, credit-deposit ratio, digital adoption, non-performing asset levels, recovery performance, profitability ratios, and implementation of Government of India schemes.

Rupee support strategy gains attention as lower oil prices and weaker dollar ease pressure on the currency.
The rupee appreciated against the US dollar as Brent crude prices eased and market sentiment improved after signals of possible progress in negotiations with Iran and a temporary pause in the Strait of Hormuz escort operation. Forex traders indicated that the Reserve Bank of India is pursuing a non-direct support strategy to stabilise the rupee without drawing on forex reserves, including encouraging state-run banks to raise funds through foreign currency bonds.

Services exports drive India's overall export growth as merchandise trade shows modest gains despite global uncertainty.
India's goods and services exports rose in 2025-26 to an all-time high, with merchandise exports showing modest growth and services exports increasing more sharply. The rise in services exports, driven by stronger global demand for IT, business solutions, and professional expertise, underscored the economy's resilience and its contribution to the total export basket.