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.
Kolkata: Shortage of cooking gas cylinders has begun to affect midday meals in schools across West Bengal, forcing authorities to adopt alternative fuels such as firewood or serving limited food items to students, officials said on Thursday. At Krishnachandrapur High School in South 24 Parganas district, authorities had stocked firewood as an alternative fuel after anticipating a shortage of LPG cylinders. On March 11, the midday meal for around 1,500 students was cooked on traditional clay ovens using firewood after the school failed to receive gas supplies, headmaster Chandan Maiti said on Thursday. Also Read: Pumps, pipes & pantries: The West Asia war is knocking on Indians' doors The school had anticipated the crisis a day earlier and arranged firewood as a temporary solution. "We realised on Tuesday what might happen and prepared accordingly. But the supply of firewood is limited. It cannot continue like this for long, and the government needs to intervene," he said. Teacher-in-charge of Barojaguli Gopal Academy in Nadia, Rajkumar Hazra, said LPG cylinders were exhausted after cooking Wednesday's meal. "Our cylinder stock has exhausted. We are in touch with the block development office and local LPG gas suppliers. Under no circumstances can the midday meal programme be stopped," he said. Also Read: Delhi: Tight security across LPG agencies as 'supply disruption' triggers black market fears In an upper primary school in Bolpur, authorities arranged wooden logs to cook for around 100 students. Authorities implementing the PM POSHAN (midday meal) scheme in the districts said they contacted the school education department to take up the matter with the Centre to prevent disruption of the meal for students. At Rani Rashmoni High School in central Kolkata, students were served boiled eggs on Wednesday due to the shortage of cooking gas. Headmaster Syed Mohsin Imam said around 70-80 students are served midday meals every day. On Thursday, 'khichdi' (rice-lentil porridge) and egg were supplied by a voluntary organisation to students. At Lake Girls school in South Kolkata, khichdi was served to students. "We had to curtail the menu of soyabean, egg, daal and rice and arranged 'khichdi' for today. We don't want to stop the meal under any circumstances. But don't know what will happen in the coming days," the school headmistress said. Chairman of the Kolkata District Primary School Council, Kartik Manna, acknowledged the shortage of LPG supply, but stressed that meals for students must continue. "We have instructed schools to explore alternative fuels such as firewood, coal or diesel until the situation normalises," he said. School education officials said efforts were on to ensure the midday meal programme continued without interruption and that steps were being taken to restore gas supply at the earliest.
Bhubaneswar, Dec 18 (PTI) Ahead of BJD's 28th foundation day on December 26, its chief Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday urged members to remain dedicated to serving the people of Odisha, while the party announced a mass demonstration in Bhubaneswar on January 6 to highlight the price rise of essential commodities and other issues. Patnaik asked party supporters to "raise voice against the BJP government's 'anti-people' policies" and also highlight the impact of high inflation, which hits the poor and middle class. "The party leaders and workers need to create awareness among people on the state B ...Read More >
MORIGAON: At least 64 villages in Assam's Morigaon district remain affected by floods, with residents facing major difficulties in transportation and accessing necessities. Several villagers said they are still struggling to recover as the floodwaters damaged their homes, household goods, and crops like paddy and rice. Two days ago, floodwaters from the Brahmaputra River inundated all houses in the Mayong Chapori Gasbari area. Liyakat Ali, a resident of Mayong Chapori Gasbari, told ANI, "Every family in this village are facing the same problems. " Around 200 families live in the Mayong Cha ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday urged vehicle manufacturers and logistics companies to opt for trucks that run on alternative fuels rather than diesel-fuelled ones to cut down pollution, reduce logistics costs, and decrease India's dependence on imported fossil fuel."My appeal to you all is - don't go for diesel trucks, think about alternative fuel and biofuel. It's economically viable," Gadkari said, while addressing industry leaders. He added that govt is encouraging the use of alternative fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen, and others.On the ...Read More >
New Delhi: The house-listing operations for the forthcoming census will begin from Apr. 1, 2026, marking the start of the first phase of the decennial exercise, the Registrar General of India has said. In a letter to Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories, Census Commissioner and Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan said the House-listing Operations and Housing Census shall begin on Apr. 1, 2026. Before that the appointment of supervisors, enumerators and work distribution among them shall be done with cooperation from States and District Administrations, it said. ...Read More >
Hit by economic slowdown and poor infrastructure, industrialists from Jharkhand's key industrial districts -- East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, and Seraikela-Kharsawan -- are looking to the newly formed state government for revival and support. The industrial zones of Adityapur, Gamharia, Kandra, and Chandil have been grappling with inadequate infrastructure, including poorly maintained roads, lack of bridges, erratic water supply, and unreliable power. Entrepreneurs in these regions hope the new administration will address these issues and work toward improving the state's industrial ecosystem ...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 >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
Ranchi: More than 8,000 primary schools across the state, which account for nearly one-third of the total govt run primary cradles statewide, are operating with a single teacher, a new study released on Friday has claimed.The report, titled Single Teacher Primary Schools (STePS), was released in Manika in Latehar district. The study was carried out by Pallavi Kumari and Sarang Gaikwad for NREGA Sahayta Kendra, Manika with the support of social activist and noted economist Jean Dreze, who is also a professor at Ranchi University. The report is based on a detailed survey conducted in early 2025 ...Read More >
Shimla: The Shimla Meteorological Centre on Sunday issued a "red alert" for downpour in 10 districts of Himachal Pradesh while services on the Shimla-Kalka rail line were suspended after boulders and trees fell on the tracks following overnight rains. A landslide near Koti on the Shimla-Kalka National Highway (NH-5), connecting Shimla and Chandigarh, damaged some stretches of the road, resulting in a two to three-km-long traffic jam for hours. Solan Superintendent of Police (SP) Gaurav Singh on Sunday said two-way traffic has been restored near Chakki mod on NH 5 which was damaged due to lan ...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 major move to combat air pollution, the Delhi government has enforced a strict fuel ban on 'end-of-life' (EoL) vehicles -- petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years -- from being refuelled at petrol pumps across the national capital. Authorities confirmed that two motorcycles have already been identified and seized under the new enforcement, and the vehicles will be scrapped in accordance with the official policy. The crackdown follows the alarming findings by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), whose Novembe ...Read More >
In numerous parts of Africa, the struggle for clean drinking water continues due to resource constraints and insufficient infrastructure. Finding and applying affordable water purification techniques is crucial. This article explores various cost-effective methods that can be employed to guarantee the supply of safe drinking water. It focuses on simple and readily available solutions, addressing the needs of communities seeking a sustainable resolution to this critical challenge. One of the cheapest and simplest ways to clean water in Africa is solar disinfection. This method involves filling ...Read More >
DHARMAPURI: For the third time in the past two months, a wild leopard wandered into a private farmland near Valaithottam village near Palacode and hunted chicken raised by a local farmer. Locals are increasingly distressed and urged the forest department to take steps to relocate the leopard. Over the past few months, there have been several reports of leopard sightings in forest areas near Palacode, particularly in Valaithottam village, near the forest's fringe. There have been two instances when the leopard attacked farmlands, taking away a domestic dog and a chicken. On Saturday, the leop ...Read More >
Inflow into the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur increased to 80,984 cusecs on Saturday. Following an increase in inflow, the Water Resources Department (WRD) issued a flood warning to people living in low-lying areas on the banks of the River Cauvery. On Saturday, the dam's water level stood at 117.93 feet against its full capacity of 120 feet. The storage level stood at 90.20 TMC against its full capacity of 93.47 TMC. At 8 a.m., inflow into the dam increased to 73,452 cusecs from Friday's inflow o ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): Oil marketing companies revised the prices of commercial LPG gas cylinders on Tuesday, reducing the cost of a 19 kg commercial cylinder by Rs 58.50. The new rates came into effect from July 1, bringing relief to commercial users such as hotels, restaurants, and businesses. While in Delhi, with the latest revision, the retail sale price of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder was set at Rs 1665, down from the previous rate. There was, however, no change in the price of 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinders, which are widely used in households. Also Read | Bhopal Shocker: ...Read More >
MADURAI: Likening the custodial murder of Ajith Kumar in Tiruppuvanam to an 'organised crime by police where the state kills its own citizens,' Madras high court lambasted the Tamil Nadu police and said the action against the perpetrators should be more stringent than in normal murder cases.A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice A D Maria Clete pointed to 44 external injuries on the person of Ajith Kumar and said no part of the body was spared by the delinquent cops. "Even an ordinary murderer would not have inflicted such kind of injuries," the bench said on Tuesday.The natur ...Read More >
Patiala: Union minister for agriculture and farmers' welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited Rajpura in Patiala district on Thursday as part of an ongoing initiative, Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA), which is aimed at transforming Indian agriculture through direct farmer engagement and sustainable practices.At a 'Kisan Chaupal' in Gandia Kheri village, Chouhan emphasised on govt's commitment to formulating agricultural policies based on direct interactions with farmers rather than relying solely on bureaucratic inputs. " If scientists go to the ground, they'll know about the problem of farm ...Read More >
HYDERABAD: In a major move aimed at reducing pollution and improving urban transport in Hyderabad, the Telangana government has approved the introduction of 65,000 new eco-friendly auto rickshaws within the city limits and the Outer Ring Road (ORR). The decision, driven by Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and aligned with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's vision, is expected to contribute to environmental sustainability and employment generation. The state issued GO No. 263 relaxing the long-standing cap on new auto rickshaw permits within Greater Hyderabad. For over two decades, restriction ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is set to deploy joint enforcement teams from the transport department, traffic police, and MCD at fuel stations to implement the ban on refuelling end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) from July 1. These teams will monitor compliance on the ground and impound any vehicles found violating the directive. "We will deploy a team comprising transport and traffic police officials at each of these fuel stations. They will ensure that there is no law-and-order problem while implementing the system," said Ajay Chaudhary, Special Commissioner (Traffic), Delhi Police. End-of-lif ...Read More >
New Delhi: On this day in 2024, India defeated South Africa by 7 runs and lifted the T20 World Cup title at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. India posted a 177-run target for the Proteas in 20 overs after opting to bat first. Virat Kohli smashed 76 runs off 59 balls with the help of six boundaries and two maximums. Axar Patel also batted brilliantly and scored 47 runs off 31 balls, hitting four maximums and one boundary in his sensational knock. Chasing the target of 177 runs, Bumrah provided India their first breakthrough when he removed Reeza Hendricks in the second over of the run-chase, ...Read More >
Hyderabad: With the early onset of pre-monsoon showers, farmers across Telangana have started their agricultural activities ahead of schedule. However, the agriculture department is facing strong criticism for failing to provide adequate fertilizers and seeds necessary for the current season. According to officials, there is a significant shortfall in the availability of essential inputs like urea and cotton seeds, which may negatively impact crop planning and productivity across the state. Also Read: Madhuri Dixit Recalls 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun' Magic with Salman Khan as Monsoon Arrives For ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The government announced on Saturday that it would grant permits for 65,000 green autorickshaws to ply within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits. Permission has been granted for operating 20,000 electric autorickshaws, 10,000 fuelled by CNG, 10,000 by LPG and 25,000 retro-fitted electric three-wheelers. No permissions shall be given to petrol or diesel autorickshaws. Earlier, no new autorickshaws were delivered or sold to people unless they submitted a certificate issued by the transport department that they had scrapped their old vehicles. Government's special chief secretary Vikas ...Read More >
Guwahati, June 27: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday announced that his government will soon issue a blanket order to the Central Government to facilitate the exploration of Assam's mining potential. The announcement was made during the second edition of the North East Mining Ministers' Conclave, held in Guwahati. "This morning, we discussed granting a blanket exploration order for geological investigations. I want to commit that within a very short time, we will allow the Government of India to explore mining potential across," the Chief Minister said. He further informed that t ...Read More >
CHANDIGARH: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that as the Indus Waters Treaty has been put in abeyance, efforts will be made to ensure that more water reaches farmers in Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. He said that 80 per cent of water from the Indus river system was flowing into Pakistan. "Giving 80 per cent water to Pakistan at that time was not justified. Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan require water and that water is ours. Now we will utilize that water for our farmers," said Chouhan. Chouh ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi govt has geared up to enforce the ban on refuelling end-of-life vehicles, with plans to station enforcement teams from transport, traffic, and MCD to impound such vehicles.A senior official said that teams would be deployed at fuel stations to monitor the implementation and take action against such vehicles. The teams would be from MCD, the transport department enforcement wing, and traffic.The Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued to the pump owners says that there will be "immediate legal action by enforcement teams" when end-of-life vehicles are "identified". This woul ...Read More >
Guwahati: VL Kantha Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, underscored that the Geological Survey of India has identified over 36,000 square kilometres in the Northeast India as having mineral potential, translating to nearly 3,000 prospective mines. He highlighted that Assam has now firmly entered the national auction map, signalling a new era for mineral development. The 2nd North East Geology and Mining Ministers' Conclave was inaugurated in Guwahati, Assam on Friday. He called for expanding exploration and research, including leveraging Artificial Intelligence in mineral discovery. Notably, ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday said that government think-tank NITI Aayog has withdrawn a working paper on Indo-US Agriculture trade relations. The Aayog in a working paper, titled Promoting India-US Agricultural Trade Under the New US Trade Regime, had suggested that in the aftermath of 'reciprocal tariffs' by the US, India should adopt dual-track approach and selectively reduce high tariffs on non-sensitive agricultural commodities imports from Washington, while also strategically offer concessions where domestic supply gaps exist. "This was the NITI Aayog ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: India's two major private-sector refiners, which have long prioritised exports, are turning to local sales, grabbing share in the country's fast-growing $150 billion fuel retail market as weaker global demand squeezes profit margins offshore. Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy are stepping up sales at home as fuel demand growth slows in developed markets and China, the world's second biggest oil consumer, with the transition to electric vehicles. The lower demand offshore combined with supply competition from new refiners, such as Dangote in Nigeria, and rising exports from Chi ...Read More >
Assam continues to face a severe flood crisis, affecting nearly seven lakh people across 21 districts. The death toll from the first wave of floods and landslides has risen to 19, with one person missing in Cachar district. Nine major rivers, including the Brahmaputra and Barak, are flowing above danger levels, causing widespread inundation. A total of 1,494 villages across 66 revenue circles have been affected, with Sribhumi district hardest hit, impacting over 2.5 lakh people. Floodwaters have ...Read More >