India's economic engine is revving up, but navigating the global headwinds requires sharp strategy. The rupee's recent volatility against the dollar underscores the complexities facing Indian businesses, impacting everything from import-export trade to domestic inflation. This week alone, we've seen significant shifts in the IT sector, with major players announcing restructuring and a renewed focus on AI-driven solutions. Meanwhile, the burgeoning startup ecosystem continues to attract substantial funding, despite a cautious global investor sentiment. The government's recent policy announcements on infrastructure development and digitalization are poised to further shape the business landscape, creating both opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs and established corporations alike. Understanding these market dynamics is crucial for success in today's rapidly evolving Indian economy. Stay informed with Abtak.com for the latest insights and analysis on key sectors including finance, manufacturing, and technology – empowering your business decisions in a dynamic market. Explore the complete business news section now to stay ahead of the curve.
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Labour and Employment on Wednesday released the draft National Labour & Employment Policy -- Shram Shakti Niti 2025 for public consultation, outlining a renewed vision for a fair, inclusive, and technology-driven world of work in line with India's Viksit Bharat @2047 goal. Marking a shift from regulation to facilitation, Shram Shakti Niti 2025 repositions the ministry as a proactive "employment facilitator." The policy aims to drive convergence among workers, employers, and training institutions through trusted, data-backed systems, the ministry said in a statement. Central to this approach is the National Career Service (NCS), which will serve as India's Digital Public Infrastructure for Employment, offering AI-enabled job matching, credential verification, and skill alignment across sectors and regions. "The policy also emphasizes universal social security, occupational safety and health, women and youth empowerment, and the creation of green and technology-enabled jobs. It aims to build a resilient and continuously skilled workforce capable of meeting the demands of emerging technologies, climate transitions, and global value chains," the ministry said. By integrating key national databases such as EPFO, ESIC, e-Shram, and NCS into a unified labour stack, the policy envisions an inclusive and interoperable digital ecosystem that supports lifelong learning, social protection, and income security. The new policy seeks to create a unified, future-ready labour ecosystem by leveraging technology, expanding social security, and addressing structural shifts in the labour market. It complements the recent consolidation of 29 central labour laws into four simplified labour codes, including: Code on Wages, 2019; Industrial Relations Code, 2020; Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code, 2020; Social Security Code, 2020 "The draft policy reflects extensive stakeholder consultations and emphasizes cooperative federalism, evidence-based policymaking, and digital transparency," the ministry said. "It provides a long-term framework for coordinated action among the Centre, States, industry, and social partners to ensure that the benefits of growth are shared widely and equitably," it added. According to the draft document, the policy is guided by four pillars: dignity of labour, universal inclusion, cooperative federalism, and data-driven governance. It also envisions a resilient framework built on convergence across institutions and digital systems. The policy identifies seven strategic priorities: universal and portable social security; occupational safety and health; employment and future readiness; women and youth empowerment; ease of compliance and formalization; technology and green transitions; convergence through good governance. The draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 is available on the websites of the Ministry of Labour & Employment, the Directorate General of Employment, and the National Career Service. Stakeholders and the public can submit comments and suggestions by 27 October.
nion Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje cited statistics in the Lok Sabha on Monday to show that youth unemployment rates in India were lower than global levels. The minister cited a report by the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Institute for Human Development (IHD) which states that the worldwide youth unemployment rate was 15.6 per cent in 2021. Further, as per World Employment and Social Outlook Trends, 2024 by ILO, globally, in 2023, the youth unemployment rate was 13.3 per cent. On the other hand, the latest annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS ...Read More >
* Commoditisation and similarity of products and services with competitors will have the most significant impact on how businesses deliver customer experiences over the next two years, according to the latest IDC InfoBrief commissioned by Affinidi * However, businesses who are looking to hyper-personalise their products as a competitive differentiator are facing several obstacles in addressing the privacy-personalisation dilemma, with 56% of them highlighting data collection and management to be a key challenge. * To truly enhance customer experiences through more personalised insights, they m ...Read More >
Today marks a milestone for New Zealand's port and maritime sector as the Approved Code of Practice for Loading and Unloading Cargo at Ports and on Ships (ACOP) officially comes into effect. The launch was celebrated by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Hon Brooke van Velden and Associate Minister of Transport Matt Doocey, signaling a significant step towards enhancing workplace safety across the industry. The ACOP addresses long-standing inconsistencies in safety practices across the country's commercial ports, providing clear and consistent safety standards for workers and businesses. ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): Aadhaar number holders carried out over 211 crores authentication transactions, pushing the total number of such transactions since Aadhaar's inception to more than 15,223 crores (152.23 billion), according to a release by the Ministry of Electronics & IT. The ministry reported that the transaction in May 2025 saw more transactions, as compared to the same month last year, when 201.76 Cr such transactions were carried out. This growth in number is a reflection of how Aadhaar-based authentication has been playing a facilitating role in effective welfare delive ...Read More >
SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday launched the much-anticipated Mission YUVA (Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan) at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), a visionary initiative to foster entrepreneurship in J&K by creating 1.37 lakh enterprises and 4.25 lakh jobs in 5 years. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the programme as a transformative initiative aimed at empowering the youth of Jammu and Kashmir through entrepreneurship, financial support and opportunity-rich ecosystem development. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister affirmed his government ...Read More >
Srinagar- In a move aimed at reshaping public service delivery and enhancing governance, the Jammu & Kashmir administration is set to introduce Unique Family IDs for every household in the Union Territory. The initiative, discussed in detail during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Saturday, is designed to serve as a centralised, verifiable source of truth for all government departments. The meeting, held at the Civil Secretariat, brought together top officials including the Principal Secretary (Finance), MD of J&K Bank, Commissioner Secretaries of multiple depart ...Read More >
New Delhi: With 15 million registered taxpayers and robust growth in the revenue receipts, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) ecosystem is continuing to evolve with a focus on ease of doing business, better compliance and wider economic participation, the finance ministry said on Monday as the indirect tax system completed eight years. Annual revenue from GST, introduced on 1 July 2017, has doubled to ₹22.08 trillion in FY25 from five years ago and micro, small and medium enterprises are finding easier access to credit, the ministry said. In FY21, the combined Central and state GST revenue coll ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: You can soon lend your bike to bike taxi operators and other app-based service providers and get paid for it. This follows the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' (MoRTH) decision to revise the Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines to allow the use of private (non-transport) motorcycles for passenger transport and hyperlocal deliveries through app-based aggregators. The move, announced on Tuesday, empowers state governments to permit private bike owners to operate as shared mobility service providers, essentially legalising the use of private bikes as bike taxis; a service tha ...Read More >
Jharkhand supplementary budget: The Jharkhand Assembly on Thursday (December 12) passed the second supplementary budget of Rs 11,697.45 crore for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Following the budget's passage, Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato adjourned the four-day session of the assembly sine die. Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore tabled the second supplementary budget, with the largest allocation of Rs 6,390.55 crore directed to the Women, Child Development, and Social Security Department. This significant funding aims to enhance the government's flagship initiative, the Maiyan Samman Yojana. Und ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tim Curtis, Director, UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia, has underscored the importance of adopting an 'ethics-by-design' approach to AI development, noting that true inclusivity requires not just functionality but the integration of core ethical values from the outset. He also reaffirmed UNESCO's support for India's vision of an AI ecosystem that is inclusive, transparent, and grounded in trust. Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY and CEO, IndiaAI Mission, highlighted India's balanced, pro-innovation approach to AI aimed at building AI in India ...Read More >
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged five individuals, including goldy Brar, in relation to the 2024 Gurugram club bombing plot, as revealed in a recently filed chargesheet. This case involves a conspiracy to bomb two clubs, aiming to disrupt communal harmony in Haryana, with the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) implicated. The NIA's investigation highlights the severity of the plot. Those charged include satinderjit Singh (Goldy Brar), Sachin Talian, Ankit, Bhavish, and Randeep Singh. News Directory 3 provides crucial updates on sensitive cases such ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday announced renewal of a scheme to promote registration of employers and employees to expand Employees' State Insurance (ESI) coverage across India. Originally introduced in 2016, SPREE (Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees) has facilitated the registration of over 88,000 employers and 1.02 crore employees. The renewed SPREE will be open from July 1 to December 31, 2025, offering a one-time opportunity for unregistered employers and left-out workers, including contractual and temporary staff, to enrol un ...Read More >
Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday said the state govt was consistently working to provide better resources to the doctors and quality healthcare services to the citizens.He mentioned that medical colleges were being established in every district.While there were only six medical colleges in 2014, the number has now increased to 15, and nine new colleges are under construction. As a result, MBBS seats in the state increased from 700 in 2014 to 2,185, at present. The state govt aims to increase the MBBS seats to over 3,400 by 2029, said Saini.The CM was addressing a ...Read More >
EPFO has now set a final deadline of January 31, 2025, for employers. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has granted a final extension for employers to process and upload pending applications for the Validation of Options/Joint Options related to pensions on higher wages. According to the Ministry of Ministry of Labour & Employment, this extension follows multiple requests from employers and their associations for more time to complete the required submissions. The online facili ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Fairfax Financial Holdings on Thursday named former civil servant Amitabh Kant as a senior advisor. Kant, who recently stepped down as India's G20 sherpa, will help Fairfax India pursue its plans in the country."Amitabh has outstanding experience in many of the key areas that India intends to grow significantly in coming years, but what we really value is his high integrity and alignment with the values of Fairfax. We look forward to working with him to further enhance Fairfax's long-term objectives, delivering lasting value for our investors and stakeholders, while upholding our co ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a move towards achieving end-to-end digitalisation of the coal exploration value chain, the government on Tuesday said it is set to launch the Exploration Module on the Single Window Clearance System web portal. To be launched through Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL) by Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy on July 4, this module will allow allottees to submit their exploration proposals online, which will then be processed and approved by the ministry through the integrated system. The module covers the entire process of Explorat ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) The government on Thursday came out with the definition of green steel and asked the industry to take measures to bring down carbon emissions below the level of 2.2 tonnes on per tonne of finished products. Union Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy also released a 'taxonomy on green steel' with parameters for giving star ratings on products based on the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted during the production process. The steel industry has been the backbone of India's industrial growth and it is imperative that this vital sector undergoes a transformative shift towards ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: In a significant step toward digital transformation, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has revamped its post-election data reporting process by introducing a streamlined, technology-driven system for generating Index Cards and Statistical Reports. The initiative, aimed at enhancing data accessibility and timeliness, replaces the earlier manual process that often delayed dissemination. Under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, the new system leverages automation and data integration to enab ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 6 (ANI): NSE Sustainability Ratings and Analytics, a defunct subsidiary of the stock exchange NSE, has launched ESG ratings services for listed companies. It marks a significant milestone in advancing sustainable business practices in India. Also Read | Startup Growth in India: Country Now Has 1.76 Lakh Registered Startups and 118 Unicorns, Says FM Nirmala Sitharaman. NSE Sustainability focuses on assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance, providing stakeholders with vital information to make informed decisions. The company NSE Sus ...Read More >
Govt looking to provide life and accident benefits to gig workers Platform or gig workers will likely get life and accident insurance covers in addition to health insurance if the government goes ahead with its plans for the social security corpus. "We are mulling a proposal to extend life and accident insurance benefits from the fund that aggregators would contribute to. A portion of the fund would be utilised for these benefits, while the remainder would be secured for future social safety ne ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said the government is taking concrete steps to make the national capital pollution-free and green. "Public transportation is being rapidly converted to electric vehicles, which will not only reduce pollution but also provide Delhi residents with clean and affordable transportation," said CM Gupta in a post on X. Elaborating on steps being taken to clean the city's air, she said, "Dust pollution is being effectively controlled at construction sites and major roads through technologies like smoke guns and sprinkler ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): Following the Union Cabinet's approval of the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme to support employment generation, former secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Sumita Dawra, said that the scheme is expected to generate over 3.5 crore jobs. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme to support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector. Speaking to ANI about the scheme, fo ...Read More >
Kolkata, June 28: A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal after a woman accused Padma Shree awardee monk Kartik Maharaj, who is posted with the Murshidabad unit of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, of allegedly raping her 12 times for six months in 2013. As per the police complaint lodged by the woman, Kartik Maharaj raped her multiple times 12 years ago promising her a job at a local school. The ruling Trinamool Congress is highlighting the issue in a major way and accusing the BJP of being silent on it since the accused monk had been reportedly close to the saffron party. The woman accusin ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded two major national achievements in public health and social security during his monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat, calling them milestones that "will fill every Indian with pride." Citing praise from global organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Prime Minister said India has been declared Trachoma-free by WHO, marking a major public health victory, and that over 64% of the Indian population now benefits from some form of social protection, as recognised in a ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Ravada A Chandrasekhar took charge as the new State Police Chief on Tuesday. He succeeds Shaik Darvesh Saheb, who retired on June 30. His tenure will run until July 1, 2027. A 1991-batch IPS officer currently serving as Special Director with the Intelligence Bureau, Chandrasekhar is on central deputation. He was selected over Nitin Agarwal, who topped the official list of probables. The appointment order, issued by Kerala Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak on behalf of the Governor, was released soon after a cabinet meeting held on Monday. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh's Godav ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): The gross NPA ratio of public sector banks declined to 3.12 per cent in September 2024 from 4.97 per cent in March 2015 and a peak of 14.58 per cent in March 2018, the government stated on Thursday, reaffirming the robustness of the banking system. The government emphasised its proactive support for the banking ecosystem, addressing both business needs and employee welfare to ensure stability, transparency, and growth. Also Read | Places of Worship Act Validity: Supreme Court Restrains Courts in Country Not to Entertain, Pass Orders on Suits Related to R ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) In a move to position India as the global epicentre of traditional medicine and wellness, the government of India has launched the Ayush Nivesh Saarthi portal. The portal was launched on May 29 during the Ayush Stakeholder/Industry Interaction meet held at Vanijya Bhawan here, an Ayush Ministry statement said. The portal was jointly unveiled by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush Prataprao Jadhav. The event brought together senior government officials, industry leaders, and global stakeholders ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) It was a belligerent, brilliant, and breathtaking performance from the Chennai Bulls, who were crowned the first ever champions of the Rugby Premier League, here in Mumbai, at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex. The Chennai Bulls thrashed the Delhi Redz by a scoreline of 41-0 in the final, to clinch the title. In fact, the margin of victory is the biggest across Season 1 of the GMR RPL. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Heroes, who had finished top of the table in the league stage, came away with a third-place finish, after they won 17-12 against the Bengaluru Bra ...Read More >
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that nearly 95 crore people in India are currently benefiting from one social security scheme or another, a significant rise from the less than 25 crore who were covered by such schemes before 2015. Speaking during his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio address, Modi referred to a recent International Labour Organisation (ILO) report, which highlighted that more than 64% of India's population is now receiving some form of social protection. "Presently, most o ...Read More >