16th Finance Commission: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the 16th Finance Commission (FC) report in Parliament on February 1, 2026, alongside the Union Budget. The government has accepted its key recommendation to maintain the states’ share in central taxes at 41% for the period of 2026-31. The states’ share in the divisible pool of central […]
Tag: 3rd Feb 2026
Basic Customs Duty : Union Budget 2026
Basic Customs Duty : Union Budget 2026 Bringing immediate relief to patients with cancer and rare diseases, Union Budget 2026-27 proposed a full exemption of basic customs duty on 17 cancer-related drugs and medicines. BCD is a type of tax imposed on goods imported into India. It is levied on imported items under the Customs […]
Securities Transaction Tax : Union Budget 2026
Securities Transaction Tax : Union Budget 2026 The Finance Minister recently proposed to raise the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on both futures and options by up to 150%. It is a direct tax levied on the purchase and sale of securities listed on recognised stock exchanges in India. It is levied and collected by the […]
SHE Marts : Union Budget 2026
SHE Marts : Union Budget 2026 The Finance Minister recently announced SHE-Mart, a new platform for women entrepreneurs. SHE (Self-help Entrepreneur) Marts are planned as community-owned retail outlets that will be set up within cluster-level federations through enhanced and innovative finance instruments. It aims to provide women entrepreneurs with better market access, branding opportunities, and […]
Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Initiative : Union Budget 2026
Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Initiative : Union Budget 2026 In the Union Budget 2026-27 presented recently, the Finance Minister announced the launch of the Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Initiative aimed at strengthening Khadi, handloom, and handicrafts. It was announced in the Union Budget 2026-27 to strengthen India’s traditional craft sectors. It is a major initiative […]
Guru Ravidas Jayanti
Guru Ravidas Jayanti: The Prime Minister recently inaugurated the Adampur Airport in Punjab and renamed it after Sri Sant Guru Ravidas Ji in a bid to honour the revered saint and social reformer on his birth anniversary. Guru Ravidas (1377-1527 C.E.) was a renowned saint known for his contributions to the Bhakti movement. His devotional […]
Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage : Union Budget 2026
Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage : Union Budget 2026 The Finance Minister proposed an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore over the next five years in Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technologies. It is a suite of technologies that enable the mitigation of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from large point sources such as power plants, […]
Bharat-VISTAAR : Union Budget 2026
Bharat-VISTAAR : Union Budget 2026 The Union Finance Minister proposed Bharat VISTAAR tool for agriculture sector. ‘Bharat-VISTAAR’(Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources) is a multilingual AI tool. It shall integrate the AgriStack portals and the ICAR package on agricultural practices with AI systems. It will enhance farm productivity, will lead to better farmer decision […]
Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana : Union Budget 2026
Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana : Union Budget 2026 The Union Minster of Finance announced Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana and Divyang Sahara Yojana during union budget 2026-2027. It is launched for persons with disabilities. It is aimed at training them for “dignified livelihood opportunities”. Under this scheme “industry-relevant, customised training, specific to each divyang group” will be provided […]
Biopharma SHAKTI : Union Budget 2026
Biopharma SHAKTI : Union Budget 2026 The Union Minister for Finance announced the launch of Biopharma Shakti initiative in budget 2026-27. ‘Biopharma SHAKTI (Strategy for Healthcare Advancement through Knowledge, Technology & Innovation)’ is designed to develop India into a global biopharmaceutical manufacturing hub. This will build the ecosystem for domestic production of biologics and biosimilars. […]
