Government Updates
Recent changes to Indian government schemes, portals, deadlines, and services — all in one place.
New This Week
Tax Audit Report Deadline for FY 2025-26 Is September 30, 2026
Businesses and professionals whose accounts require an audit under the Income Tax Act must file their tax audit report (Form 3CA/3CB and 3CD) by September 30, 2026 for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27). Their income tax return is then due by October 31, 2026; missing the audit deadline can attract penalties.
No More Immigration Stamping on Boarding Passes for International Flights
From September 1, 2026, travellers departing India on international flights no longer need their boarding pass stamped at immigration counters. An e-boarding pass shown on a smartphone is now sufficient for immigration clearance, though a physical pass can still be carried if preferred.
UIDAI Expands Accepted Document List for Aadhaar Enrolment and Updates
UIDAI's Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) First Amendment Regulations 2026 widen the list of documents accepted for enrolment and updates, now including marriage orders, divorce certificates, bank and insurance documents, and gazette name-change notices. Minors under legal guardianship or in shelter homes can now update Aadhaar details using a birth certificate or guardianship proof instead of parental documents.
NMMS Scholarship 2026-27 Application Deadline Extended to September 30
The Ministry of Education has extended the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMSS) 2026-27 application deadline from August 31 to September 30, 2026. Eligible students can apply on the National Scholarship Portal after completing One-Time Registration to receive ₹12,000 per year.
Maharashtra Extends Ladki Bahin Yojana Enrolment Deadline to September 30
The Maharashtra government has again extended the enrolment window for the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, which pays eligible women ₹1,500 a month, to September 30, 2026, due to high application volumes. Eligible women who haven't yet applied should submit their forms online or at Anganwadi centres before the new deadline.
UIDAI to Ban Aadhaar Photocopy Collection, Mandates Registration for Verifiers
UIDAI has approved a rule barring hotels, event organisers, and other private businesses from collecting or storing Aadhaar photocopies. Such entities must now register with UIDAI as 'Offline Verification Seeking Entities' and use approved digital checks like QR-code or API-based authentication instead — citizens can decline photocopy requests once this takes effect.
UIDAI Waives Aadhaar Biometric Update Fee for Children Aged 5-17 Till Sept 30
UIDAI has waived the ₹125 fee for updating a child's Aadhaar biometrics (fingerprints, iris scan, photo) for all children aged 5 to 17, effective through September 30, 2026. Nearly 6 crore children benefit — parents should get updates done now at any Aadhaar centre to avoid the charge returning after the deadline.
India e-Visa Expands to 88 Entry Points With 11 New Additions
The government has added 11 new entry points for e-Visa holders, taking the total to 88 across airports, seaports, and land checkposts. Travellers applying for or holding an Indian e-Visa now have more arrival and exit options to choose from when planning their trip.
Govt May Issue 3 Crore New Ration Cards After Purging Ineligible Ones
The Union Food Ministry says nearly 3 crore additional ration cards can now be issued to eligible poor families, after states removed 2.21 crore ineligible holders from PDS lists. Citizens without a ration card should check eligibility and apply at their state's food & civil supplies portal.
Ration Card e-KYC Now Mandatory Nationwide to Keep Free Ration
New rules effective August 1, 2026 require every member listed on a ration card to complete Aadhaar-linked e-KYC verification, or risk losing access to subsidised PDS grain. Visit your nearest fair price shop or the mera.ration portal/app to complete verification for all family members.
Govt Approves Incentive Scheme to Expand Piped Gas (PNG) Connections to Homes
The Centre has approved an incentive scheme, effective September 1, 2026, to push city gas distributors to activate more household piped natural gas (PNG) connections and expand networks to new areas. Households in covered areas can expect faster, cheaper PNG hookups as an alternative to LPG cylinders, billed on actual metered usage like electricity or water.
Assam Launches Nijut Moina & Nijut Babu Scholarship for College Students
Assam has notified eligibility and payout rules for its new Nijut Moina (girls) and Nijut Babu (boys) scholarship schemes, covering students in Class 11 and first-year UG/PG/BEd courses. Girls get ₹1,250/month for up to 10 months regardless of family income, while boys from families earning under ₹4 lakh/year can get up to ₹10,000-₹20,000/year — apply online before the state deadline.
PM Kisan: eKYC Deadline Extended to July 31, 2026
The Ministry of Agriculture has extended the eKYC deadline for PM Kisan Samman Nidhi to July 31, 2026. Farmers who haven't completed eKYC should do it immediately on pmkisan.gov.in to avoid missing the 18th installment.
Aadhaar Update: Free Name/Address Correction Window Until June 30
UIDAI is offering a free window to update name and address in Aadhaar until June 30, 2026. After this, the standard ₹50 per field fee applies. Update at myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in.
Ayushman Bharat: New Beneficiary Registration Open for Gig Workers
The National Health Authority (NHA) has announced that gig economy workers (delivery, cab, domestic help) can now register for Ayushman Bharat health cover through a new registration drive. Check eligibility at beneficiary.nha.gov.in.
Earlier
CKYC 2.0 Rollout: Reuse Your KYC Records Across Banks Without Repeat Paperwork
From August 1, 2026, the Central KYC Registry (CERSAI) moved to a consent-based model — banks, insurers and brokers can now pull your verified KYC record using your 14-digit CKYC number instead of asking for fresh Aadhaar and PAN documents every time. A new institution can access your record only after you approve it via OTP, so keep your registered mobile number updated to avoid onboarding delays.
2,359 Hospitals Delisted From Ayushman Bharat — Verify Empanelment Before Treatment
The Health Ministry has removed 2,359 hospitals and suspended 1,200 more from the Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY network for guideline violations, with ₹328 crore in fines imposed. Before visiting a hospital for cashless Ayushman treatment, check its current empanelment status at hospitals.pmjay.gov.in to avoid being turned away or wrongly billed.
Karnataka's Sandhya Kiran Scheme Gives Pensioners ₹5 Lakh Cashless Health Cover
Karnataka has approved 'Sandhya Kiran', a new cashless healthcare scheme for state government pensioners below 70 and their families, offering up to ₹5 lakh cover per family per year at empanelled hospitals under Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka. Pensioners contribute 1.25% and family pensioners 0.75% of basic pension; around 4.93 lakh people are covered from launch.
CBDT Opens One-Time Window to Declare Undisclosed Foreign Assets Till Dec 31
The new FAST-DS 2026 scheme lets small taxpayers declare previously undisclosed foreign assets or income online via Form 1, from August 16 to December 31, 2026. Valid declarations get immunity from penalty and prosecution — assets up to ₹1 crore (never taxed) or up to ₹5 crore (already taxed, flat ₹1 lakh fee) qualify.
New ₹99 NPS Pension Scheme Launched for Zomato, Swiggy, Ola Gig Workers
Platform workers with Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Ola, Uber, and Urban Company can now open a National Pension System account starting at just ₹99, with no fixed minimum or maximum after that. Enrolment is done via Aadhaar-based e-KYC through your platform aggregator or an NPS Point of Presence — ask your app if it has signed up.
PM Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0: 2.09 Lakh More EWS Houses Sanctioned
The government sanctioned 2.09 lakh new houses for economically weaker section families under PMAY-Urban 2.0 in August 2026 across states including UP, Bihar, MP, and Tamil Nadu, taking total sanctioned houses past 18.38 lakh. Eligible urban poor families can check their application status on the PMAY-U MIS portal.
PM Modi Announces Modern Civil Defence Volunteer Force for Citizens
In his Independence Day 2026 address, PM Modi announced a new nationwide Civil Defence volunteer network to prepare ordinary citizens for modern security and emergency threats. Enrolment and training details are expected from the Home Ministry in the coming months.
PF and ESI Payment Due Date for July 2026 Extended to August 17
Employers' PF and ESI contribution deadline, normally the 15th of every month, has moved to August 17, 2026 because August 15 falls on Independence Day. Employees should check that their employer deposited contributions by the new date to avoid late-payment interest.
Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme Rolls Out in West Bengal From August 16
West Bengal has begun implementing Ayushman Bharat along with its own Swasthya Sathi-linked scheme from August 16, 2026, extending cashless health cover of up to ₹5 lakh a year to residents. People already enrolled can start using hospital services right away; others can apply through the state health department.
UPI Payments Now Require Two-Factor Authentication With a Dynamic Code
Under new RBI rules effective April 2026, all UPI and other domestic digital payments must use two authentication factors from different categories — such as a PIN plus a registered device, token, or biometric — with at least one dynamic (one-time) element on every transaction. Make sure your UPI app and registered device details are up to date so payments don't get blocked.
New FASTag Toll Rules From Nov 15: Double Charge for Cash Payments
From November 15, 2026, vehicles crossing highway toll plazas without a valid, working FASTag will be charged double the toll if paying in cash. If your FASTag fails to scan, you can instead pay 1.25 times the normal toll via UPI or another approved digital method. Keep your FASTag recharged and properly linked to your vehicle to avoid the extra charge.
Ujjwala LPG Subsidy Cut to Just 4 Cylinders a Year From FY27
The government has reduced subsidised LPG refills for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries from 9 to 4 cylinders per year in FY 2026-27, cutting the total annual subsidy from ₹2,700 to ₹1,200. Beneficiaries will now pay the full market price for refills beyond the first 4 cylinders — check your remaining subsidy balance with your LPG distributor or gas company app.
Nationwide Sports Talent Hunt Launched for Children Aged 5-15
PM Modi announced a nationwide sports talent identification campaign covering children aged 5 to 15 across rural and urban India, aimed at scouting and nurturing young athletes. Parents can watch Khelo India / Sports Ministry channels for registration details as the scheme is rolled out.
Modi Announces Free Online Coaching for Competitive Exam Aspirants
PM Modi's August 15, 2026 Independence Day speech announced a free online coaching programme for competitive exam aspirants, aimed at cutting the cost burden on poor and middle-class families. Launch date and enrolment portal details are expected soon via the Education Ministry.
PM Modi Announces Free AI Skill Training for 1 Crore Youth
In his Independence Day 2026 address, PM Modi announced that 1 crore young Indians will get AI skills training over the next year under an expanded Skill India Mission. Interested youth should watch the Skill India / MSDE portal for enrolment details as the programme rolls out.
e-Shram Portal Now Maps 15 Government Schemes for Unorganised Workers
Over 31.78 crore unorganised workers are registered on e-Shram, which is now integrated with 15 social security schemes in one place. Workers can register or update details free via eshram.gov.in, Common Service Centres, State Sewa Kendras, or the UMANG app to access all mapped benefits.
Revamped India Code Portal Launches With AI-Powered Multilingual Legal Search
The Law Ministry has launched an upgraded India Code Portal with AI-assisted, speech-based search across all 22 scheduled languages. Citizens, students, and researchers can now find laws, amendments, and their legislative history more easily online, with links to related Acts and the e-Gazette.
Aadhaar Good Governance Portal Launched for Faster Authentication Approvals
The government has launched the Aadhaar Good Governance Portal (swik.meity.gov.in) to speed up approvals for organisations using Aadhaar authentication for welfare, healthcare, credit, and subsidy services. Citizens should see quicker, less bureaucratic identity verification when accessing services from approved entities.
Passport Seva: Walk-in Appointments Now Available at Select PSKs
MEA has introduced walk-in appointment slots at 42 Passport Seva Kendras for emergency travel cases. Regular appointments still recommended via passportindia.gov.in. Check availability at your nearest PSK.
PAN-Aadhaar Linking: Penalty Waiver Period Ended — Unlinked PANs Now Inoperative
As of May 31, 2026, all PANs not linked to Aadhaar have become inoperative. Inoperative PAN holders cannot file ITR or conduct financial transactions. Link immediately at incometax.gov.in. A ₹1,000 late fee applies.
One Nation One Ration Card: All 36 States & UTs Now Covered
The ONORC scheme is now live across all 36 states and UTs in India. Migrant workers can use their ration card at any Fair Price Shop in the country by providing Aadhaar-based biometric authentication.
Voter ID: Enrollment Open for 18-Year-Olds Born Between Jan–April 2008
The Election Commission has opened voter enrollment for citizens who turned 18 between January 1 and April 1, 2008. Apply online at voters.eci.gov.in using Form 6. No documents needed — Aadhaar verification is sufficient.
DigiLocker: 10 New Documents Added Including CGHS Cards & ECHS Certificates
DigiLocker has integrated CGHS (Central Govt Health Scheme) cards and ECHS (Ex-Servicemen) certificates. Defence and central govt employees can now access these digitally at digilocker.gov.in.
PM Awas Yojana Gramin: New Beneficiary List Released for 2026–27
State governments have released the new PMAY-G beneficiary list for 2026–27. Eligible families must complete geo-tagging and consent on the AwaasSoft portal within 60 days. Contact your Gram Panchayat for details.
Driving Licence: DL Test Now Mandatory at Automated Testing Tracks in 26 States
MoRTH has expanded the automated driving test track mandate to 26 states. Manual testing by examiners is being phased out. Book your test slot at sarathi.parivahan.gov.in.
e-Shram Portal: 3 Crore New Unorganised Workers Registered in Q1 2026
The e-Shram portal has crossed 30 crore registrations. Unorganised workers — including construction labour, domestic help, street vendors — not yet registered should enroll at eshram.gov.in to access social security benefits.
Income Tax: New ITR Forms Released for Assessment Year 2026–27
The Income Tax Department has notified ITR-1 to ITR-7 for AY 2026–27. The last date for filing for non-auditable cases is July 31, 2026. Use the pre-filled form feature at incometax.gov.in for faster filing.
Updates are compiled from official government sources. Always verify on the respective official portal before taking action.
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