Cyber regulations advisory committee: membership combines government, technical, law-enforcement and industry representatives, with meeting-specific expert co-option.
Cyber Regulations Advisory Committee is constituted under section 88 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, replacing the earlier committee constitution while preserving prior acts and omissions. Its membership combines ministers, senior government officials, rotating State and technical representatives, law-enforcement, certifying-authority, industry, internet-service-provider and trade-body representation. Non-official members may receive travelling and dearness allowances under Central Government rules, and persons may be co-opted for specified meetings.

Newsprint control amendment adds an indigenous manufacturer to the Schedule, expanding the list of approved producers and registration.
The Central Government, under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, issues the Newsprint Control (Amendment) Order, 2012 to amend the Schedule of the Newsprint Control Order, 2004 by adding M/s. Tirupati Balaji Fibers Limited and its location to the list of indigenous newsprint manufacturers; the Order takes effect on publication in the Official Gazette and references prior Gazette notifications.

Committee appointment powers expanded to allow inter-ministerial committees for industrial registration and licensing procedures.
The amendment replaces rule 10(2) to authorize the Central Government to appoint one or more committees by Gazette notification, composed of members representing Central Government Ministries or Departments dealing with Industrial Policy and Promotion; the Industry specified in the First Schedule to the Act; Home Affairs; Commerce (Director General of Foreign Trade); and Micro, Small and Medium Industries, and to include any other member representing additional Ministries or Departments if the Central Government so deems fit.

Amendment to Cost and Works Accountants rules removes 'and Works' from specified provisions, clarifying rule terminology.
Amendment removes the phrase and Works from specified provisions of the 2007 Rules-sub rule (1) of Rule 2 clause (f), Rule 4 sub rule (2), and FORM I entry against serial number 1-effecting a textual narrowing of terminology without altering investigative procedures; it takes effect on publication in the Official Gazette.

Procedure amendment for Quality Review Board removes specified wording in rule text, effective on Gazette publication.
The 2012 amendment deletes the words "and Works" from clause (d) of rule 2 of the principal Rules governing the Procedure of Meeting of Quality Review Board and Terms and Conditions of Services and Allowances of the Chairperson and Members, and comes into force on publication in the Official Gazette.

Committee appointments for industrial licensing enable inter ministerial representation and public consultation before finalisation.
Substitution of rule 10(2) empowers the Central Government, by notification in the Official Gazette, to appoint one or more committees comprising members representing specified Central Ministries or Departments - Industrial Policy and Promotion; the Ministry for industries in the Act's First Schedule; Home Affairs; Commerce (Director General of Foreign Trade); and Micro, Small and Medium Industries - and to include other Ministry or Department representatives if deemed fit. The draft amendment is published for public objections and suggestions to the Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, and will come into force on final Gazette publication.

Newsprint control amendment adds an indigenous manufacturer to the Schedule, effective on Gazette publication by the central government.
Amendment to the Newsprint Control Order, 2004 adds an entry to the Schedule as item 115 naming M/s. Rayana Paper Board Industries Limited, Unit-II, Rayana Regency, Dhala (West), District Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, as an indigenous newsprint manufacturer; the Newsprint Control (Amendment) Order, 2012 is made under statutory authority and comes into force on publication in the Official Gazette.

Newsprint Control Order amendment adds an indigenous manufacturer to the Schedule, effective upon Gazette publication.
The Central Government amends the Schedule to the Newsprint Control Order, 2004, adding M/s. Karthikeya Paper and Boards Limited, Satyamangalam, Distt. Erode, Tamil Nadu, as an indigenous newsprint manufacturer; the amendment takes effect on publication in the Official Gazette under the powers of the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act.

Right to Information: applications require a nominal fee and follow prescribed procedures and appeal mechanisms to the Commission.
Right to Information access is regulated by rules prescribing application formalities, fees and exemptions, modes of payment, institutional appointments, and a structured appeal mechanism to the Central Information Commission, including documentary requirements for appeals, procedural safeguards for hearings, powers to receive evidence and inspect records, and prescribed modes for service of notices and issuance of Commission orders.

Newsprint Control amendment adds a domestic manufacturer to the Schedule, effective upon Gazette publication.
The Newsprint Control (Amendment) Order, 2012 amends the Schedule to the Newsprint Control Order, 2004 by inserting a new entry for an indigenous newsprint manufacturer: M/s. Ganga Pulp & Papers Pvt. Limited, A-6, Ramnagar Industrial Area, Chandauli. The Order is made under the Order's enabling provision and is titled and brought into force upon publication in the Official Gazette, thereby updating the list of registered domestic manufacturers in the Schedule.

Grant assistance for leather cluster projects limited by acreage-based ceilings and SPV eligibility requirements, enabling infrastructure development nationwide.
Approval of a Mega Leather Cluster sub-scheme under the Indian Leather Development Programme to replace the Leather Parks scheme, providing central grant-in-aid of up to 70% of project cost excluding land, subject to acreage-based per-cluster ceilings and a minimum cluster land requirement. Implementation mandates formation of an SPV by a minimum number of independent leather entrepreneurs with prescribed net worth and equity distribution limits, cash contribution obligations, and engagement of a professional Project Management Consultant; the scheme is applicable nationwide and proposals are submitted to the Department under published guidelines.

Increase in ad valorem excise duty for medicinal and toilet preparations via substitution of higher rate under rule.
Under rule 8 of the Medicinal and Toilet Preparations (Excise Duties) Rules, 1956, Notification No. 1/2012-M & TP substitutes the entry "Ten per cent. ad valorem" with "Twelve per cent. ad valorem" wherever it appears in column (4) of the Table of the principal notification No. 2/2003-M&TP, thereby changing the specified ad valorem excise duty rate for the listed medicinal and toilet preparations.

Clean energy cess amendment updates cross-reference in rule and provides immediate commencement upon Gazette publication.
Amendment to the Clean Energy Cess Rules, 2010 substitutes the statutory cross-reference in rule 6(4) to cite an alternative provision; the Clean Energy Cess (Amendment) Rules, 2012 take effect upon publication in the Official Gazette and are issued under powers granted by the Finance Act, 2010.

Authorization to receive subscriptions: designated bank branches may accept PPF and Senior Citizens deposits subject to remittance and compliance.
Authorisation is granted to 111 Central Bank of India branches to receive subscriptions under the Public Provident Fund Scheme, 1968 and Senior Citizens Savings Scheme Rules, 2004, subject to remittance of all receipts to the Government Account at RBI, CAS, Nagpur within three days; penalties for delayed remittances are the interest payable to the depositor plus 0.5% for delays up to thirty days and plus 1% for delays beyond thirty days; compliance with scheme rules is mandatory and non observance may result in penal action including de authorisation and bank liability for pecuniary consequences.

Quality control exemption for specified tyre categories clarified, excluding certain commercial, OTR, run flat and collapsible mini tyres.
The Quality (Control) Order, 2009 applies to pneumatic tyres and tubes for which BIS standards in the Order's Schedule are prescribed and took effect from 13.05.2011, subject to exemptions under Clauses 3(a)-3(f). The Order does not cover specified commercial vehicle tyres with low speed symbols, off the road tyres bearing certain trade code markings, run flat tyres marked RF or equivalent, and collapsible mini tyres, which are exempt from its provisions.

Mandatory electronic filing for trade mark documents with limited paper-backstop and condonation rules.
All trade mark filings, notices and related documents must be submitted by authenticated online electronic transmission, with applicants or legal entities who are not trade mark agents or advocates permitted to file online without electronic authentication provided they deliver duly signed paper copies at the appropriate office within fifteen days. Communications addressed to addresses in the electronic register or addresses for service are deemed properly addressed; notices may be sent by registered post, speed post, courier, special messenger or authenticated online transmission, and the dispatch date by these means is the operative date. The Registrar may condone delays in retransmission on petition, limited to the interval between expected and actual receipt.

Designation of ammonium nitrate as explosive requires separate regulatory rules for its handling and excludes non extractable fertilizers.
Ammonium nitrate and specified emulsions, suspensions, melts or gels are deemed to be explosives under the Explosives Act when they contain a sufficiently high proportion of ammonium nitrate, but fertilizers from which ammonium nitrate cannot be extracted are excluded. The Explosives Rules, 2008 do not apply to these materials except where they are otherwise classified as explosives, and the Government will frame separate rules governing ammonium nitrate under the Act.

Foreign source exclusion: Global Development Network designated not to be treated as foreign source under FCRA provisions.
Central Government, exercising powers under clause (j)(ii) of section 2(1) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, specified by notification that the international organisation "Global Development Network" shall not be treated as a foreign source for purposes of the Act.

Allowances for Appellate Authority members prescribed; daily sitting rates fixed and explanatory provision removed by amendment
Amendment substitutes rule 3 to prescribe daily sitting allowances for the Chairperson and Members of the Appellate Authority and omits the Explanation to rule 4. The amendment takes effect on publication in the Official Gazette and is made under sub section (1) of Section 22C of the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949.

Exemption for R&D tyres permits distinctively embossed prototype tyres to be identified and excluded from mandatory BIS marking.
Clause 3(d) exempts pneumatic tyres and tubes imported or manufactured for Research & Development from BIS marking. To identify R&D tyres by size, manufacturers may emboss a distinctive serial code sequence (e.g., RD-1 to RD-150) on the tyres designated for R&D, and those embossed tyres will be exempted from the mandatory marking requirement under the Quality (Control) Order.