Kerala White Paper Proposes Retirement Age Hike to 60, Flags ₹5.07 Lakh Cr Debt and 77% Committed Expenditure

Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill 2026: Centre Restricts States' Mineral Levies After SC 2024 Verdict

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2026, passed by Parliament, restricts states from imposing additional levies on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land, effectively overriding the Supreme Court's 2024 judgment that upheld states' power to tax mineral rights. This reignites Centre-state tensions, especially with mineral-rich states like Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, potentially impacting their fiscal autonomy and federal balance.

CAG Flags ₹3,161 Cr Power Subsidy Lapse & ₹3,217 Cr E-Procurement Irregularities in Delhi

The CAG report for 2022-23 exposes major flaws in Delhi's power subsidy scheme and e-procurement system, including wasteful subsidies to zero-consumption consumers and suspected collusive bidding. This is crucial for understanding CAG's role, subsidy targeting, and public procurement issues.

Delhi Ease of Doing Business Bill 2026: Single-Window, Self-Declaration, No Inspection for 3 Years

The Delhi Cabinet has approved the Delhi Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026, introducing a single-window clearance system and self-declaration for low-risk businesses. This reduces bureaucratic hurdles and aims to make Delhi a more business-friendly capital. For UPSC/State PSC aspirants, this is a key example of governance reform and ease of doing business initiatives.

Parliament Passes Mines and Minerals Amendment Act 2026 Overriding SC Ruling, Extinguishes Rs 2 Lakh Cr Dues

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 restricts states from imposing specified levies on mineral rights and extinguishes ~Rs 2 lakh crore in unpaid dues. Mineral-rich states like Odisha and Jharkhand oppose it as a blow to federal fiscal autonomy, potentially losing thousands of crores annually. This reverses the financial impact of a landmark 2024 Supreme Court ruling that had empowered states to tax mineral-bearing lands.

Lok Sabha Passes Tribunals Reforms Bill 2026; India's Russian Oil Imports Hit All-Time High of 48%

Today's top news covers the Lok Sabha's passage of the Tribunals Reforms Bill 2026 without debate, India's all-time high Russian oil imports at 48% in June 2026, multiple Supreme Court orders on Cauvery, Manipur, and Abhishek Banerjee, and a police lathi-charge on student protesters in Jharkhand. Key for Prelims: data points, bill names, SC orders.

Anti-Dumping Duty on Chinese TiO2: DGTR Final Findings (Aug 3, 2026) - Centre Assures KMML, TTPL

The Centre has assured Kerala of imposing anti-dumping duty on Chinese titanium dioxide following DGTR's final findings. This protects PSUs like KMML and TTPL from low-cost imports. Key for Prelims: DGTR process, anti-dumping mechanism, and dates.

₹743.43 Cr Revenue Detected in 6 Months: Andhra AI-GST Model Wins National Acclaim at 6th Coordination Meet

Andhra Pradesh’s AI & Machine Learning-based GST administration model has been nationally acclaimed at the 6th National Co-ordination Meeting. The system detected ₹743.43 crore in revenue in just six months—more than double the previous manual process—and has sparked interest from several states. For exam aspirants, this is a key case study on AI in governance, tax administration reform, and state-level innovation.

Chhattisgarh Tops NITI Aayog Regulatory Ease, Attracts Rs 8 Lakh Cr Investment Proposals

Chhattisgarh's ambitious Industrial Development Policy 2024-30 has drawn Rs 8 lakh crore in investment proposals, signaling a turnaround from Maoist-affected 'Red' zone to an emerging industrial hub. The state ranked first in NITI Aayog's regulatory ease category, underscoring structural reforms that decriminalized 279 business provisions and introduced risk-based approvals. This case study is crucial for understanding how governance reforms can attract investment even in conflict-affected regions.