Tax exemption designation extended for an eligible rural empowerment project; CSR-sourced funds excluded from exemption.
The notification designates "Economic Empowerment of Tribal poor through Income Generation Programme" by Chington Development Society as an eligible project for tax-exempt expenditure for three further years beginning 2016-17, maintaining the approved estimated cost of Rs. 1007.50 lakh, following a National Committee recommendation. The exemption expressly does not apply to funds received under Schedule VII of Section 135 and the Companies (CSR) Rules 2014.

Section 35AC deduction: increased project cost allows a higher allowable deduction, but excludes funds from corporate CSR provisions.
Notification increases the maximum project cost for the Asian Society of Continuing Medical Education, Chennai, as recognised for deduction purposes following the National Committee's recommendation, substituting the earlier notified cost with the revised higher amount; it also specifies that deduction relief does not apply to funds received under corporate social responsibility provisions and associated rules.

Section 35AC deduction: project cost increased and Schedule VII CSR contributions are excluded from the exemption.
The notification amends the original project notification to substitute the previously notified maximum project cost with an enhanced sanctioned amount for the hospital project carried out by the specified trust, thereby increasing the allowable cost for deduction under the income tax provision; it also specifies that the exemption will not apply to funds received under Schedule VII of the Companies Act and the Companies CSR rules.

Section 35AC deduction extended for Integrated Rural Development Project; area broadened, project cap increased, CSR funds excluded.
Amendment to the section 35AC notification extends the Integrated Rural Development Project by Jankidevi Bajaj Gram Vikas Sanstha for three financial years from 2016-17, expands its area of work to all states of the Union, and increases the maximum project cost allowed for deduction. The National Committee recommended the changes based on project execution and projected enhancements. The exemption under section 35AC is expressly made inapplicable to funds received under Schedule VII of section 135 of the Companies Act and the Companies (CSR) Rules, 2014.

De notification of Special Economic Zone area reduces notified SEZ land and removes specified survey parcels from SEZ status.
The Central Government, exercising powers under section 4 read with rule 8 of the SEZ Act and Rules, de notifies 169.577 hectares of the Indore Multi Product SEZ following a developer proposal, State No Objection and Development Commissioner recommendation, thereby reducing the notified area to 944.145 hectares and specifying the village and survey numbers of all parcels removed from SEZ status.

Regional Director jurisdiction expanded to include Telangana under Section 396, altering territorial scope for administrative functions.
Amendment to the administrative allocation of Regional Directors under Section 396 of the Companies Act, 2013 substitutes the territorial description in a prior notification to include Telangana alongside Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, thereby modifying the territorial scope for discharge of Regional Directors' functions under the cited provision with retrospective effect to the earlier notification's effective date.

Customs exemption procedure for aircraft MRO: DGCA approved units may import parts and equipment subject to certification, accounts and bond.
Replaces Condition No. 73 to permit DGCA approved maintenance, repair and overhaul units to import parts, testing equipment, tools and tool kits subject to DGCA certified documentation, maintenance and periodic submission of import/use/consumption accounts to the Commissioner of Customs, and execution of a bond to secure duty on items not proven to have been used, installed or consumed for the stated purposes within the prescribed period or any authorized extension.

Scientific Research Association approval imposes audit and accounting conditions, with failure to comply risking withdrawal of approval.
Approval is granted to ONGC Energy Centre Trust as a Scientific Research Association subject to conditions: the sole objective must be scientific research carried out by the organization itself; it must maintain separate books of account for research receipts and expenditures, obtain an audit by a qualified accountant and furnish the audit report by the return filing due date; and it must maintain a certified separate statement of donations received and amounts applied to scientific research in social science to accompany the audit report.

Amendment to Central Excise notification removes specified entry for MRO aircraft units, simplifying procedural treatment.
Amendment to Notification No.12/2012-Central Excise omits the entry in column (5) against serial number 305, thereby modifying the scheduled exemption or procedural provision applicable to units engaged in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul of aircraft; the change is made under the government's statutory authority to amend notifications in the public interest.

Anti-dumping duty on SDH transmission equipment instituted with company-specific rates and multi-year applicability to targeted imports.
Definitive anti-dumping duty is imposed on Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) transmission equipment under headings 8517 62 and 8517 70 originating in or exported from China PR and Israel, with company- and transaction-specific ad valorem rates applied as set out in the notification table. The product scope covers assembled, CKD/SKD SDH equipment, related ADMs/MADMs/DXCs, populated boards, parts imported with equipment and integral SDH software; standalone components and non-optical SDH equipment are excluded. Duty is payable in Indian currency, effective for a multi-year period, and exchange rates are as notified for bill of entry determination.

Credit guarantee for Stand Up India: scheme secures eligible loans to targeted entrepreneurs with staged claim and recovery rules.
Creates the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Stand Up India administered by NCGTC to guarantee eligible term loans and working capital facilities for SC/ST and women greenfield entrepreneurs up to prescribed ceilings. Participating lending institutions must enter agreements with NCGTC, submit quarterly batches of eligible accounts, pay a risk based guarantee fee, and observe appraisal, monitoring and recovery duties. The Scheme sets guarantee cover percentages, lock in and invocation rules, claim settlement mechanics including staged payments and recovery remittance, risk premium adjustments tied to NPA and payout ratios, and empowers the Fund to modify terms and inspect records.

Import conditions for dogs: allowed only for pet ownership, CPCSEA recommended research, and internal security use.
Import of dogs is permitted only as a pet with a valid pet book and supporting records in the importer's name; for R&D organisations conducting research with a CPCSEA recommendation; and for internal security use by defence and police forces. Importation of dogs for commercial breeding or other commercial activities not so permitted is prohibited.

Amendment to SEZ Authority membership updates specified entries to appoint two named CSEZ representatives.
The Central Government, under powers conferred by the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005, amends a Ministry of Commerce and Industry notification by substituting the entries at Sl. No. 5 and 6 to designate Shri Althaaf Jehangir (Director, Ray-Hans Precision Tools Pvt. Ltd., CSEZ) and Shri SMK Nair (Managing Director, Unipack Containers Pvt. Ltd., CSEZ) as members of the CSEZ Authority.

Certificate of eligibility for startups required to access tax benefits under the Income Tax Act; Inter Ministerial Board constituted.
A certificate of eligibility is required for entities designated as startup under the Startup India initiative to claim specified tax benefits under the Income Tax Act. An Inter-Ministerial Board, composed of senior officials from the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, the Department of Biotechnology, and the Department of Science & Technology, is constituted to assess and issue that certificate of eligibility.

Vacancy allocation: direct recruitment and promotion equally share Junior Time Scale posts under structured eligibility and feeder cadre rules.
The rules constitute the Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) Group 'A', specifying grades, authorised strengths and pay scales; recruitment to the Junior Time Scale is split between competitive examination by the Union Public Service Commission and promotion from specified Group 'B' feeder cadres with a prescribed promotion ratio. Promotions to higher grades are by selection or non functional placement subject to minimum service requirements listed in the schedules; probation, confirmation, seniority, non functional upgradation, committee compositions and service conditions are governed by the rules and Central Government instructions.

Safeguard duty recommended on unwrought aluminium imports to address surge causing serious injury to domestic industry.
A safeguard investigation under the Customs Tariff Act and Safeguard Rules examines imports of Unwrought Aluminium after a joint application by major domestic producers. The Directorate General verified data, initiated proceedings, and found a substantial increase in imports, price undercutting, deteriorating domestic profitability, and idling capacity. Applying a causation analysis and the concept of critical circumstances, the preliminary findings link increased imports to serious injury and recommend provisional safeguard duty pending further verification and a public hearing.

Exchange rate determination sets conversion rates for specified foreign currencies for import and export valuation.
The Central Board of Excise and Customs, under statutory authority, prescribes exchange rates for specified foreign currencies into Indian rupees with effect from 22 April 2016 for valuation of imported and exported goods, superseding the earlier notification and listing separate import and export rates in two annexed schedules.

Anti-dumping duty on barium carbonate imports from China with differentiated exporter and producer rates and payment rules.
Imposition of anti-dumping duty on barium carbonate (tariff item 2836 60 00) originating in or exported from the People's Republic of China following findings of continued dumping and injury; differentiated duties specified per metric tonne-a designated lower rate for specified producer/exporter and a higher rate for all other combinations. Duty payable in Indian currency, effective for five years from publication unless earlier changed; exchange rate for duty calculation to be as per government notifications with the relevant date as the bill of entry presentation. The notification was later limited by an inserted provision and subsequently rescinded by a later notification.

De-notification of SEZ land reduces the notified area, reflecting an administrative correction and compliance with SEZ rules.
The Central Government de-notifies 53.09 hectares from the sector specific Special Economic Zone at Shendre Industrial Area after MIDC corrected the notified extent and proposed deletion; the State Government gave no-objection and the Development Commissioner recommended the proposal. The de-notification deletes specified Gat numbers and makes the resultant SEZ area 57.22 hectares, accomplished under the statutory SEZ notification and rule framework.

Credit guarantee for micro loans: first-loss portfolio cover with partial pro rata payout after lender's initial loss, subject to conditions.
The Scheme creates a Fund to guarantee collateral-free micro loans under PMMY through crystallised portfolios managed by NCGTC; lending institutions must pool eligible loans, submit auditor/management certifications and pay periodic guarantee fees. The Fund provides a first-loss portfolio guarantee where the lending institution bears initial losses and the Fund meets a pro-rata share of subsequent amounts in default subject to caps, risk-based fees, procedural conditions for invocation after portfolio crystallization, and obligations on recoveries and subrogation.