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Jammu and Kashmir Government has waived all fees for students from Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families studying in Classes IX to XII in government schools. The School Education Department issued Government Order No. 263-JK(Edu) of 2026 on July 8, 2026, providing for a full fee waiver for AAY students across government schools in Jammu and Kashmir.

The details were provided in response to an Unstarred Assembly question, D.No. 1/6/64, tabled by Ramgarh MLA Dr Devinder Kumar Manyal. However, the Government said any reduction or waiver of application or examination fees for students belonging to economically weaker sections more broadly remains an administrative matter.

On career guidance, the Government said structured counselling is being provided to students in Classes IX to XII in government schools under the Samagra Shiksha framework. For the current financial year, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, has approved coverage of 2,241 high and higher secondary schools in Jammu and Kashmir, with a financial allocation of Rs 112.05 lakh for the activity.

The programme is intended to help students make informed choices about higher education, professional courses, scholarships and employment pathways based on their aptitude, interests and talents.

On school upgradation, the department said it was contemplating a proposal to upgrade high schools, particularly those in rural and far-flung areas, into higher secondary K-12 schools in view of limited access to senior secondary education. The proposed exercise would cover schools currently having Classes I to X and is expected to focus on areas where such upgrades could improve access to higher secondary education.

However, the Government clarified that there is currently no immediate proposal to upgrade primary schools into middle schools or middle schools into high schools. It said demands for school upgradation, including those from Ramgarh constituency in Samba district, would be examined in phases, subject to availability of budgetary provisions and other applicable norms.

Post Office interest rates for October to December 2026 are confirmed. Finance Ministry announced on 30 September 2026 that all small savings rates stay the same as July-September 2026, and these rates apply from 1 October to 31 December 2026.

Savings Account

The interest rate is 4.0% per annum. The minimum deposit is ₹500. There is no maximum limit. Tax benefits are available under sections 80TTA and 80TTB. For details, see the Post Office Savings Account Interest Rate 2026.

Time Deposit

Interest rates vary by tenure: 1 year at 6.9%, 2 years at 7.0%, 3 years at 7.1%, and 5 years at 7.5%. The minimum deposit is ₹1,000. Interest is calculated quarterly and credited annually. Premature withdrawal is allowed subject to conditions.

Recurring Deposit

The interest rate is 6.7% per annum. The minimum monthly deposit is ₹100. The tenure is 5 years. A loan facility is available up to 50% of the balance after 12 months. Interest is fully taxable. Learn more about the Post Office RD Account 2026.

Monthly Income Scheme

The interest rate is 7.40% per annum. The tenure is 5 years (60 months). The minimum deposit is ₹1,000. The maximum deposit is ₹9 lakh for a single account and ₹15 lakh for a joint account. Interest is credited monthly. Premature withdrawal is allowed after 1 year with a deduction. Read the full guide on the Post Office Monthly Income Scheme (MIS) 2026.

National Savings Certificate (NSC)

The interest rate is 7.70% per annum. The tenure is 5 years (60 months). The minimum deposit is ₹1,000. There is no maximum limit. Interest is compounded annually. Tax benefits are available up to ₹1.5 lakh under section 80C. Premature withdrawal is not allowed.

Public Provident Fund (PPF)

The interest rate is 7.1% per annum. The tenure is 15 years. Interest is compounded annually and credited on 31st March. The minimum deposit is ₹500. The maximum annual deposit is ₹1.5 lakh. Partial withdrawals are allowed from the 6th financial year. Loans are available from the 3rd to 6th financial year.

Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP)

The interest rate is 7.5% per annum. The maturity period is 115 months. The minimum deposit is ₹1,000. There is no maximum limit. Interest is compounded annually. The lock-in period is 30 months. Interest is fully taxable.

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana

The interest rate is 8.2% per annum, compounded annually. Eligibility is for a resident Indian girl child below 10 years. The minimum annual deposit is ₹250. The maximum annual deposit is ₹1.5 lakh. The tenure is 15 years. Maturity occurs 21 years from account opening. Partial withdrawal of up to 50% is allowed for higher education after Class 10 or after age 18. Interest and maturity amounts are fully tax-free.

Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS)

The interest rate is 8.2% per annum. The minimum deposit is ₹1,000. The maximum deposit is ₹30 lakh per individual. Interest is credited quarterly. The tenure is 5 years. Extension is allowed in 3-year blocks. Tax benefits are available up to ₹1.5 lakh under section 80C. Interest earned is fully taxable.

Finance Ministry has kept interest rates on all small savings schemes unchanged for the October-December 2026 quarter (Q3 FY 2026-27). Department of Economic Affairs issued the office memorandum on September 30, 2026, and the rates apply from October 1 to December 31, 2026 on PPF, SSY, Post Office Time Deposits, NSC, KVP and SCSS.

Before the review, Devendra Kumar Pant, chief economist at India Ratings & Research, had said bond yields pointed to either a status quo or a slight rise. The 10-year government bond yield went up by about 43 basis points, from 6.74% on June 30 to roughly 7.17% by September 30. Government still chose to hold rates.

Rates for October-December 2026

Rates are the same as July-September 2026:

• Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY): 8.2%
• Senior Citizens' Savings Scheme (SCSS): 8.2%
• National Savings Certificate (NSC): 7.7%
• Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP): 7.5% (matures in 115 months)
• 5-Year Post Office Time Deposit: 7.5%
• Post Office Monthly Income Scheme (POMIS): 7.4%
• Public Provident Fund (PPF): 7.1%
• 3-Year / 2-Year / 1-Year Time Deposit: 7.1% / 7.0% / 6.9%
• 5-Year Recurring Deposit: 6.7%
• Post Office Savings Account: 4.0%

Rates on most of these schemes have not changed since January-March 2024, when SSY went up to 8.2% and the 3-year TD to 7.1%. Full table is on the Post Office Interest Rates Table page.

UP Government started Mukhyamantri Krishak Uphaar Yojana to push farmers to sell crops in new market yards. They get coupons worth Rs 5,000 from mandi deals and Form-6 records.

Scheme has two lucky draw types:

• Monthly Draw: Prizes are 8 HP electric pumps, fodder cutters, chaff cutters, power sprayers.
• Half-Yearly Draw: Bigger prizes include 35 HP tractors, small tractors, bikes, solar pumps.

Maharashtra Cooperatives Minister Babasaheb Patil has asked officials to speed up the checking of pending farmer loan waiver cases in Beed district. Authorities will check 37,455 cases tied to Beed District Central Cooperative Bank and verify 7,864 extra accounts using bank records and online data.

Schemes Reviewed

These instructions were given during a review meeting at Mantralaya. The discussion focused on solving rollout problems in crop loan waiver schemes in Beed district. A close review was done on these schemes:

• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana-2017
• Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Shetkari Karjmukti Yojana-2019
• Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmukti Yojana-2026

Verification Process

Under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana-2017, officials were told to carefully check the pending loan waiver cases of 37,455 farmer members of Beed District Central Cooperative Bank. Eligible cases will be decided using online applications, bank records, green lists, application numbers, and allotment IDs.

Data for 7,864 accounts in Beed district was shared from the state level for checking. Steps will be taken to match old entries and online data with bank records so loan waivers can be paid to eligible farmers.

A committee will be formed to handle the required process so eligible farmers get their benefits on time.

Department of Financial Services (DFS) has called a meeting with SBI chairman, MDs and CEOs of all public sector banks on 6 October. The review covers progress of govt financial inclusion schemes.

Meeting starts at 11 am. DFS secretary will chair it. Attendees must join in person. Other financial inclusion issues may also be discussed.

Financial inclusion schemes include Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) and Stand-Up India.

Bihar government removed the 1% VAT on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) at airports under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - Modified UDAN 6.0. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary in Patna.

The cabinet also approved the Bihar Green Hydrogen Policy, 2026. It gave its nod to a proposal to establish solar power plants with a total capacity of 2585 megawatts (MW) to solarise 2554 agricultural feeders. The grant for this will be Rs 1.05 crore per MW, with an estimated total expenditure of Rs 2,762 crore.

Another approval was for the Mukhyamantri Haemophilia Yojana. Under this scheme, Rs 26.34 crore will be spent from the chief minister's medical assistance fund in the first year to cover the cost of proprietary medicine Emicizumab for haemophilic patients.

Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) gives job-linked incentives to salaried workers. It runs from 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2027. Total budget is ₹99,446 crore.

Incentive structure

The scheme has two parts. Part A gives a one-time payment of up to ₹15,000. It is for first-time employees earning up to ₹1 lakh per month. The money comes in two installments of ₹7,500 each. The first comes after six months of service. The second comes after 12 months of continuous service. It needs completion of a financial literacy course. A part of the money goes into a fixed savings account.

Part B helps employers. It gives up to ₹3,000/month for two years. This applies to every new employee kept for at least six months. For manufacturing units, the support lasts four years.

Eligibility for employees

To get Part A benefits, an employee must meet these conditions:

• Be a first-time EPF-registered employee.
• Have a monthly salary up to ₹1,00,000.
• Work for six months in the same company.
• Activate and verify UAN using face recognition.
• Have a bank account enabled for DBT payments.

A first-time EPF-registered employee means someone joining between 01.08.2025 and 31.07.2027. They should not have been an EPF member before 01.08.2025. Their first contribution must be for wages from August 2025 onwards.

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) had 27.3 million farmers in the 2026 Kharif season. That is almost one fifth more than last year.

PMFBY, along with the Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), reached 29.7 million hectares in 25 states and Union territories. It got 10.6 crore applications with a total sum insured of ₹1.86 trillion.

In the 2025 Kharif season, PMFBY had 7.17 crore applications and 26.9 million hectares in 24 states and Union territories. The sum insured was ₹1.45 trillion.

West Bengal came back to PMFBY after leaving in 2019 to run Bangla Shashya Bima Yojana. Over 3.2 million farmers in the state chose the central scheme this season.

India Meteorological Department data shows total rainfall from 1 June to 29 September was 758.5 mm, 12% below normal. Rainfall was 35.4% below normal in June and 16.3% below normal in August.