General Awareness

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES - July 2024

Jul 2024

Dec 11, 2025

IALA Council Session in Mumbai and Lighthouse Tourism portal launch

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal virtually inaugurated the 3rd Session of the Council of the International Organisation for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA) in Mumbai. The event runs from December 8 to 12 and is hosted by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) under the Ports, Shipping and Waterways Ministry. Alongside the council, a Digital Ticketing Portal for Lighthouse Tourism was launched to modernise visitor services. India’s participation reflects its active role in global navigation standards and maritime safety, as the IALA gathering brings together dozens of international delegates to discuss best practices and future collaborations in coastal infrastructure and navigation aids.

3rd IALA Council Session held in Mumbai (Dec 8–12, 2025).
DGLL under MoPSW hosts the event.
Digital Lighthouse Tourism Ticketing Portal launched.
India reinforces its role in international navigation standards.
Participants include 42 IALA members and observers.

Dec 10, 2025

Padho Pardesh: scheme discontinued; minority overseas study support reviewed

The Padho Pardesh scholarship scheme for studying abroad has been discontinued from 2022-23 onward due to overlap with other programs and limited impact. The NMDFC offers overseas study loans at comparatively lower rates, reducing the need for a separate subsidy. The government notes Kerala as the largest beneficiary state historically. The decision aligns with streamlining education subsidies and ensuring targeted support through existing loan schemes, while continuing to promote overseas education through NMDFC financing and other scholarship schemes.

Padho Pardesh scheme discontinued from 2022-23; rationale: overlap and limited impact.
NMDFC overseas study loans offered at lower interest rates.
Kerala historically the top beneficiary state.
Policy consolidation aims to optimize education subsidies.

SEBI launches PaRRVA to verify investment returns and curb misleading finfluencer claims

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched PaRRVA, the Past Risk and Return Verification Agency, as a pilot project. The mechanism will authenticate past performance claims made by SEBI-registered market intermediaries, including registered investment advisers, research analysts, and algorithmic trading service providers. Developed with Care Ratings and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), PaRRVA aims to counter unverified investment advice and exaggerated claims by online finfluencers. Verified past returns and risk metrics can be presented to investors, promoting informed decisions. Intermediaries must enroll with PaRRVA when fully operational. Data sharing rules will shift to PaRRVA-verified data after a two-year transition, with disclaimers required in public communications.

PaRRVA is SEBI's Past Risk and Return Verification Agency, launched as a pilot.
Collaboration with Care Ratings and NSE for verification processes.
Covers registered investment advisers, research analysts, and algo trading providers.
Aims to curb misleading online investment content and unverified claims.
Enrollment with PaRRVA becomes mandatory once the system is operational.

Kerala hosts Gen-Z post office counter at CMS College, Kottayam

Kerala opened its first Gen-Z post office extension counter at CMS College, Kottayam, on December 8, 2025. The youth-centric counter blends study and postal services in a cafe-like setting, including Wi-Fi, charging facilities, and a small library. Created with CMS College students, the space aims to attract younger users to postal services while maintaining traditional offerings such as parcel booking and MyStamp facilities. The project reflects India Post’s broader effort to modernize services on campus campuses and to design services around the needs of students and youth. The CMS College site houses the Gen-Z counter within the head post office complex.

Kerala inaugurates Kerala’s Gen-Z post office at CMS College, Kottayam (8 Dec 2025).
Campus design combines work, study, and postal services.
Co-created by CMS students and India Post officials.
Part of a broader push to modernize postal services on campuses.

Jal Shakti Hackathon-2025 and Bharat-WIN Portal launched to boost water innovation

Union Jal Shakti Minister launched Jal Shakti Hackathon-2025 and the Bharat-WIN Portal in New Delhi on December 9, 2025. The Hackathon is framed as a national movement to develop technology-driven water solutions, with likely grants and PoC support for winning ideas. The Bharat-WIN platform will connect researchers, startups, and civil society to address grassroots water challenges, promoting scalable, field-ready solutions. The initiative aligns with Mission LiFE and aims to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in water management, with a focus on flood management, smart monitoring, and climate resilience. The platform invites widespread participation across sectors to build a robust water future.

Jal Shakti Hackathon-2025 and Bharat-WIN Portal launched (9 Dec 2025).
Hackathon emphasizes technology-driven water solutions as a national movement.
Bharat-WIN Portal links researchers, startups, and communities for water challenges.
Focus areas include flood management, water-use efficiency, and climate resilience.

Dec 09, 2025

Rajasthan Completes 100% Digitisation of Voter Rolls Under SIR

Rajasthan announced 100% digitisation of its voter rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) programme. The Chief Electoral Office reported 97% mapping completion and only 3% of voters needing document submission during claims and objections. The mapping aligns voters with polling booths, wards, and detailed records, reducing duplicate entries and improving accuracy. On average, about 30 voters per booth require verification. The move enhances electoral transparency and efficiency, and demonstrates progress toward a fully digital voter administration in India, potentially influencing other states to adopt similar digital governance measures.

SIR programme achieved 100% voter-roll digitisation in Rajasthan.
97% voter mapping completed; 3% to submit documents during objections.
Average verification: 30 voters per booth.
Aims to improve accuracy and ease of voter verification.
Signals broader move toward digital governance in elections.

Amit Shah Inaugurates Bio-CNG Plant at Banas Dairy, Gujarat

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah inaugurated Banas Dairy's Bio-CNG and Fertilizer Plant in the Vav-Tharad district of Gujarat and laid the foundation stone for a 150-ton powder plant. The event is linked to White Revolution 2.0, a Modi government initiative to modernize India's dairy sector through cooperative models. The Bio-CNG facility will convert cow dung and organic waste into renewable biofuel and organic manure, supporting environmental sustainability and higher farmer incomes. Officials emphasised the project as part of a circular-economy approach to strengthen farmer livelihoods, reduce waste, and boost local employment in the region.

Amit Shah inaugurated Bio-CNG and Fertilizer Plant in Vav-Tharad, Gujarat.
Foundation stone laid for a 150-ton powder plant under White Revolution 2.0.
Plant converts organic waste into biofuel and organic manure.
Aims to enhance sustainability, farmer incomes, and local employment.
Part of cooperative-model reforms in India's dairy sector.

Dec 08, 2025

SEBI Launches SWAGAT-FI for Trusted Foreign Investors

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched SWAGAT-FI, a Single Window Automatic & Generalised Access for Trusted Foreign Investors. The framework will merge the registration processes of Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) and Foreign Venture Capital Investors (FVCIs) to reduce entry barriers and repetitive compliance. It aims to streamline onboarding, KYC, and ongoing compliance as India positions itself as a premier global investment hub. Enforcement of SWAGAT-FI is planned from 1 June 2026. The reform seeks to attract low-risk foreign investment while maintaining market integrity and investor protections through a simplified, unified access point.

SWAGAT-FI merges FPI and FVCI registrations.
Aims to streamline onboarding and compliance for foreign investors.
Enforcement date set for 1 June 2026.
Intended to boost India’s appeal as an investment hub.
Balances ease of access with investor protection measures.

Tamil Nadu Toy Manufacturing Policy 2025 Unveiled

Tamil Nadu unveiled Toy Manufacturing Policy 2025 to attract investments and diversify domestic toy production. The policy targets both local and global toy makers to establish high-end manufacturing in the state, including electromechanical toys. To qualify for a special incentive package, projects must involve investments above Rs 50 crore and create at least 50 jobs, with eligibility to be met within a standard three-year investment period. The scheme includes infrastructure support, training, and market-access measures to foster a domestic toy ecosystem and boost local employment while positioning Tamil Nadu as a regional manufacturing hub.

Toy Manufacturing Policy 2025 announced in Tamil Nadu.
Incentives for projects > Rs 50 crore and 50 jobs.
Three-year achievement window for investment commitments.
Policy focuses on high-end toy manufacturing and local employment.
Aims to attract both domestic and international toy makers.

Fino Payments Bank to Convert to Small Finance Bank

Fino Payments Bank has become the first payments bank to secure in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India to convert into a Small Finance Bank (SFB). The decision marks a milestone for India's financial inclusion strategy, allowing Fino to expand its operations beyond the limits applicable to payments banks. The RBI's approval comes after nearly two years since Fino submitted its application under the RBI's on-tap licensing guidelines for SFBs. Payments banks aim to serve small businesses, migrant workers, and low-income households but face restrictions on deposits above Rs 2 lakh per customer, and on lending and foreign exchange dealings. An SFB will broaden Fino's lending, deposits, and services for underserved segments including small farmers and micro-enterprises.

RBI grants in-principle approval for Fino to convert to an SFB.
First payments bank to receive such approval under on-tap licensing.
Conversion will expand deposit and lending capabilities.
Payments banks face Rs 2 lakh per-customer deposit cap and FX limits.
Targeted focus remains on underserved segments like small farmers.

Dec 05, 2025

Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to raise tobacco duties

Parliament passed the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to raise excise duties and cesses on tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, hookah tobacco, chewing tobacco, zarda and scented tobacco. The bill aims to provide fiscal space to increase central excise rates as cess revenue ends. Finance Minister Pankaj Chaudhary moved the bill in the Lok Sabha; Rajya Sabha approved and sent back for final passage. The proposed duties range from Rs 2,700 to Rs 11,000 per thousand cigarettes, with higher rates for manufactured and other tobacco products. The measure is expected to impact prices and government revenue in the upcoming financial year.

Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 passed
Tobacco duties to be increased
Duties range: Rs 2,700 to Rs 11,000 per thousand cigarettes

Andhra Pradesh renames Raj Bhavan as Lok Bhavan

The Andhra Pradesh government renamed Raj Bhavan as Lok Bhavan after Governor S. Abdul Nazeer approved the change. The Special Chief Secretary to the Governor, G. Anantha Ramu, issued a notification, making Lok Bhavan the Governor’s official residence in the state. The move aligns with branding to reflect public accessibility and transparency. Officials said the change does not alter governance protocols but updates nomenclature across government documentation and signage. The rename is part of a broader push to standardise government premises naming; local media reported no immediate impact on ceremonies, while historians noted the term Lok Bhavan aligns with national usage for official residences.

Raj Bhavan renamed Lok Bhavan
Approval by Governor S. Abdul Nazeer
Administrative change; no governance impact
Part of standardising government premises naming

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