Cabinet Approves ₹62,500 Cr PLI Follow-on Scheme to Boost Indian Smartphone Brands & R&D

₹62,500 Cr Smartphone Manufacturing Scheme: Two-Track Strategy for PLI Successor & Indian Brands

India's new Rs 62,500 crore smartphone scheme aims to sustain large-scale production after the first PLI ends and create a homegrown brand with its own IP. It offers two tracks: one for global manufacturers with incremental production targets, and another with higher incentives for Indian-owned companies that design and develop in India.

GOBARdhan Scheme Approved with ₹23,731 Cr Outlay to Boost CBG Production Tenfold

Union Cabinet approves GOBARdhan, a National Circular Bioenergy Scheme with ₹23,731 crore outlay for 10 years to increase domestic compressed biogas (CBG) production by nearly 10-fold. The scheme aims to reduce natural gas imports, strengthen energy security, and create a commercially viable waste-to-energy ecosystem through assured offtake, administered pricing, capital subsidies, and pipeline infrastructure.

Ministry of Mines Notifies 2 Offshore Mineral Blocks Near Great Nicobar for Polymetallic Nodules

India has notified two offshore mineral blocks near Great Nicobar Island for polymetallic nodule and crust exploration, strengthening its critical minerals push under the blue economy framework. This connects directly to the Deep Ocean Mission, Samudra Manthan scheme, UNCLOS, and India's strategic need for deep-sea mineral security. For exams, remember the Act, the minerals, the contracts, and the institutional framework.

RDI Fund: Govt Defends Conflict Safeguards; 62% of ₹2,192 Cr Loans Went to Panel-Linked Firms

The RDI Fund, created to support deep tech companies, faces controversy as 62% of first-round soft loans (₹2,192 crore) went to firms linked to selection panel members. The government defends safeguards including super-majority voting and 10% stake disqualification, noting the second cohort has only 1 of 13 such companies. Congress seeks a parliamentary review on August 13.

₹2,192 Cr RDI Fund for Deep-Tech: Conflict of Interest in Selection Panel Raises Questions

The government's ₹2,192 crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) fund for deep-tech faces conflict of interest allegations: 15 of 22 selected firms have investment ties to panel members. The article argues that disclosure and recusal are insufficient and demands structural safeguards like wider selector pool, academic evaluators, and published conflict records.

₹2,000 Cr Deep-Tech Fund: 62% First Cohort Conflict-of-Interest Charge, Guardrails Explained

An op-ed by the Chief Economic Advisor defends the ₹2,000 crore deep-tech fund's first cohort against conflict-of-interest allegations, revealing that 62% of allocations went to firms linked to panel members. For aspirants, this highlights governance in public funds, the balance between expertise and probity, and the need to evaluate outcomes over process.

₹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.

HPCL-led Consortium Sets Up MC2 Plus Incubator and AIF to Cut ₹1 Lakh Crore Refining Energy Bill

A consortium of PSU oil companies led by HPCL has formed MC2 Plus, a Section 8 company, as an incubator for deep-tech energy startups. The initiative targets the ₹1 lakh crore annual energy cost in India's refining sector, shifting PSU engagement from procurement to active innovation and investment. A proposed Alternative Investment Fund ('India Energy Fund') will back the startups.