India continues to push forward with a robust agenda of government schemes and policies, with several key developments emerging in the past 24 hours aimed at fostering growth, social welfare, and national security.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Boosted
The government has launched the **Research Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme**, backed by a substantial budget of Rs. 1 lakh crore over the next six years. This scheme, led by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), is designed to bolster cutting-edge technologies and deep-tech projects, with a focus on energy security, climate action, and artificial intelligence applications in agriculture and education.
Further strengthening the innovation landscape, the **National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)** has established 25 Technology Innovation Hubs, supporting over 800 startups in critical areas such as AI, IoT, and cybersecurity. The **Startup India initiative** has recognized over two lakh entities, leading to the creation of more than 21 lakh jobs across the country. Additionally, the **National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI)** provides comprehensive support to startups, from ideation to commercialization, including prototyping grants and seed funding.
In a move to modernize public services, the government is undertaking a comprehensive business process reengineering exercise for **India Post**, aiming for a more digital-oriented and automated system to position it as a leading global logistics carrier. A DPIIT-led committee has also proposed a new copyright framework for AI training under the "One Nation One Licence One Payment" working paper.
Social Welfare and Empowerment Initiatives
The government is prioritizing the safety, security, and empowerment of women and girl children through its multi-pronged approach, prominently featuring **'Mission Shakti'**. This integrated women empowerment program operates with two verticals: "Sambal" for safety and security (including One Stop Centres, Women Helpline, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Nari Adalat) and "Samarthya" for empowerment (comprising Shakti Sadan, Sakhi Niwas, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Palna, and SANKALP: Hub for Empowerment of Women). Schemes like Deendayal Antyodaya Yojna - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) also significantly benefit women beneficiaries.
In a significant financial welfare measure, the **'Your Money, Your Right' initiative**, launched in October 2025, has successfully helped citizens reclaim nearly ā¹2,000 crore in forgotten deposits, insurance money, dividends, and other unclaimed assets. This initiative utilizes dedicated online platforms like RBI's UDGAM Portal, IRDAI's Bima Bharosa Portal, SEBI's MITRA Portal, and the IEPFA Portal.
The Union Labour Ministry has clarified that social security schemes for unorganised workers, run by both the Centre and states, will remain unchanged after the implementation of the four Labour Codes.
Energy Transition and Environmental Sustainability
India has set an ambitious target of achieving **100 million tonnes of coal gasification by 2030**, with a total outlay of 85,000 crore rupees. This initiative is a crucial part of the country's strategy to enhance energy independence by 2027 and reduce reliance on imported commodities.
The **National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM)** is actively being implemented, aiming to make India a global hub for green hydrogen production, usage, and export. Incentives have been awarded to 18 companies for 8,62,000 Metric Tonnes per Annum (MTPA) of green hydrogen production, and pilot projects for green hydrogen use in the shipping sector are underway. The country's total installed renewable energy capacity reached 250.64 GW as of October 31, 2025, with significant contributions from solar (129.92 GW) and wind energy (53.60 GW).
However, the **PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana**, which aims to install 1 crore rooftop solar systems by March 2027, has shown slow progress, with only 16% of the target achieved by June 2025, prompting concerns from the Parliamentary Standing Committee regarding inconsistencies and logistical bottlenecks.
Further environmental policies include the **BioE3 Policy for Biomanufacturing**, a framework for high-performance biomanufacturing across diverse sectors, and Manipur's adoption of the Union Government's **End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) Policy** to address vehicles failing fitness and pollution tests. States are also introducing their own initiatives, such as Chhattisgarh's new Half Electricity Bill Scheme offering a 50% discount to domestic households consuming up to 200 units/month, and Maharashtra's Bamboo Industry Policy, 2025, mandating 5-7% bamboo biomass blending in thermal power projects.
Governance and Financial Regulation
Home Minister Amit Shah stated in the Lok Sabha that the NDA government is committed to "detect, delete and deport illegal immigrants" from the country, amidst a discussion on electoral reforms.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced **new minimum balance rules for savings and current accounts**, effective December 10, 2025. These standardized thresholds set ā¹3,000 for urban savings accounts and ā¹1,500 for rural and semi-urban accounts, aiming to bring clarity and transparency across banks.
Karnataka has introduced the **Hate Speech Bill, 2025**, marking India's first state-level law explicitly defining hate speech and outlining punishment ranges and online regulation.
Infrastructure and Food Security
The Ministry of Railways is accelerating nationwide redevelopment through the **Amrit Bharat Station Scheme**, a long-term initiative to enhance passenger experience and transform stations into integrated urban hubs. India is also expanding the **World's Largest Grain Storage Plan in the Cooperative Sector** with major policy reforms to strengthen food-grain storage at the Primary Agricultural Credit Society level. In Nagaland, the **Mission Watershed PUNARUTTHAN** has been launched to revive traditional water bodies and strengthen water-harvesting systems for long-term water security.