Which Indian state became the first to adopt a January to December financial year instead of the traditional April to March cycle?

Introduction / Context:
India traditionally follows an April to March financial year, both at the Union and state levels. When a state proposes to shift to a January to December financial year, it becomes an important news item in economic and administrative reforms. This question tests whether you remember which state government took the lead in deciding to align its financial year with the calendar year.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question compares the usual April to March financial year with a proposed January to December cycle.
• It asks which state became the first to switch to the January to December financial year.
• The options are four Indian states: Telangana, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
• We assume the question refers to announcements made around 2017.

Concept / Approach:
Switching the financial year is a policy level decision that affects budgeting, accounts, and planning. The state that first announced this shift was Madhya Pradesh. Its government decided to move to a calendar year based financial cycle and asked departments to realign planning and budgeting accordingly. Remembering this as a notable reform initiative helps in solving the question.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall any news on states changing their financial year structure. Step 2: Identify that Madhya Pradesh was highlighted as the first state to adopt the January to December financial year framework. Step 3: Compare this recollection with the options: Telangana, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Step 4: Choose “Madhya Pradesh” as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
For verification, you might remember that the Union Government also discussed changing the financial year, but no immediate shift was made. However, Madhya Pradesh went ahead and announced it for the state, giving it the distinction mentioned in this question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Telangana: There was no widely reported move by Telangana to be the first state to make this change.
• Haryana: While active in many reforms, Haryana was not the first state to adopt the January to December financial year.
• Uttar Pradesh: Although it is a major state politically, it did not take this specific step first.

Common Pitfalls:
Many candidates confuse discussions at the Union level with concrete steps at the state level. Another trap is to guess Uttar Pradesh or Telangana because they often appear in reform related news. To avoid this, keep a separate list of “first state to do X” type facts in your current affairs notes.

Final Answer:
The first Indian state to shift to a January to December financial year was Madhya Pradesh.