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 Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), which manages retirement savings for salaried employees, reported a net addition of 1.46 million subscribers in March, with just over half being first-time enrollees, according to an official statement on Wednesday. EPFO recorded 754,000 new member enrollments in March. Provisional data showed that net subscriber additions increased by 1.15% compared to March 2024, reflecting stronger employment opportunities and growing awareness of employee benefits, supported by EPFO's outreach efforts. New subscriptions in March rose 2.03% sequentially, and were up 0.98% year-on-year. Read this | Demand for MGNEGS work rises in April-May, signalling strain in rural India The data also highlighted increased participation from women and young workers. Subscribers aged 18-25 dominated new enrollments, with 445,000 added in March, accounting for 58.94% of the total new subscribers. This age group's additions grew 4.21% month-on-month and 4.73% year-on-year. The net payroll addition in this group, after accounting for exits, stood at 668,000, marking a 6.49% annual increase. "This is in consonance with the earlier trend which indicates that most individuals joining the organized workforce are youth, primarily first-time job seekers," said EPFO. Additionally, 1.32 million former members rejoined EPFO in March, a marginal 0.39% rise from February but a significant 12.17% year-on-year increase. EPFO noted these members switched jobs within EPFO-covered establishments and transferred their accumulations instead of seeking final settlements, safeguarding their long-term financial security and social protection. Read this | Four issues you may face if you switched jobs but did not transfer your provident fund Female membership also saw growth, with 208,000 new female subscribers in March, up 4.18% year-on-year and 0.18% from February. Net female payroll addition reached around 292,000, a 0.78% increase compared to the previous year. EPFO said this reflects a broader shift toward a more inclusive and diverse workforce. On the regional front, Maharashtra led job creation with 20.24% of net payroll additions in March. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Haryana, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana each contributed more than 5% to the total net additions. Also read | EPFO alert! How to avoid, deal with rejections, delays Sector-wise, net payroll growth was driven by restaurants, cement, general insurance, canteens, forwarding agencies, travel agencies, and hotels. Expert services, including manpower suppliers, contractors, security services, and miscellaneous activities, accounted for approximately 45.59% of total net payroll additions.
Inflows into corporate bond funds have risen to multi-year highs in recent months with the risk-reward dynamics of AAA-rated corporate bonds improving significantly vis-a-vis government securities (g-secs), especially in the near term. The inflows into corporate bond funds jumped sharply in September 2024 to a multi-year high of Rs 5,039 crore. Investors poured in another Rs 4,644 crore in October. Including around Rs 2,200 crore estimated inflows in November, the three month tally rises to Rs 1 ...Read More >
CCI has also approved a 25.18 per cent equity stake in Future Generali India Life Insurance Company Ltd (FGILICL) through a bid/resolution plan submitted by Central Bank of India | Image: Wikimedia Commons State-owned Central Bank of India on Thursday said it has acquired a 25.18 per cent stake in Future Generali India Life Insurance Company Limited (FGILICL) for a cash consideration of Rs 57 crore as part of the insolvency process. With the acquisition of 65,43,80,439 shares on Wednesday (June ...Read More >
New Delhi: State-owned Central Bank of India on Thursday said it acquired a 25.18 per cent stake in Future Generali India Life Insurance Company Limited (FGILICL) for a cash consideration of Rs 57 crore as part of the insolvency process. With the acquisition of 65,43,80,439 shares on Wednesday (June 4), the bank has ventured into the insurance sector, Central Bank of India said in a regulatory filing. At present, Central Bank of India has 25.28 per cent stake in FGILICL, which had earned a gross written premium of Rs 1,810.53 crore in FY24. The CCI has also approved a 25.18 per cent equity s ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], January 21 (ANI): The Centre is expected to continue its fiscal consolidation efforts in FY26, with a fiscal deficit target of 4.5 per cent of GDP, according to a report by Emkay Research. For FY25, the report noted that the fiscal deficit is estimated to track close to 4.7 per cent, while states are likely to record a fiscal deficit of 3.2 per cent of GDP. It said "we do not see the Centre deviating from its consolidation path in FY26, and is likely to target 4.5 per cent GFD/GDP. States, on the other hand, are likely to now hug the 3 per cent of GDP target (+/-0.2 per ce ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], August 3 (ANI): Since its launch in 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has insured 78.41 crore farmer applications up to June 30, 2025. During this period, around 22.67 crore farmers have received compensation amounting to Rs 1.83 lakh crore, highlighting the scheme wide reach and impact in supporting farmers against crop loss, informed Ramnath Thakur, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in a written reply to Rajya Sabha on August 1. Pradhan ...Read More >
Mumbai/Pune : Bajaj Finance Ltd., India's largest private sector non-bank lender and part of Bajaj Finserv, today said it had seen a surge in consumption finance during the festive season, disbursing a record number of consumer loans, higher by 27% in volume and 29% in value as compared to the same period last year. The rise in consumption credit, represented by loans for consumer goods, reflects the positive outcome of the government's next generation GST reforms and changes in personal income tax, aimed at increasing consumers' purchasing power. Bajaj Finance disbursed approximately 63 lak ...Read More >
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season has barely begun, but it has already delivered its first major controversy. Following Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) six-wicket defeat to Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium, a pointed remark from captain Ajinkya Rahane has triggered a wider debate - forcing Cricket Australia (CA) to step in with a clarification. At the centre of the storm is Cameron Green, KKR's high-profile signing worth INR 25.20 crore, who did not bowl a single over despite MI's dominant chase of 220. KKR seemed in control after posting a commanding 220/4, but the script ...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 >
HYDERABAD: BRS working president KT Rama Rao has formally accepted Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's challenge to a public debate on what the governments of the pink party and the Congress did for the welfare of farmers in Telangana. Addressing a press conference at the BRS party office on Saturday, the former IT minister accepted the challenge, saying that he is ready for the debate 'anywhere, anytime' be it the Assembly, Ambedkar statue, Kondareddypalle, Chintamadaka or Kodangal, and asked Revanth to fix the date, time, and place for the same. "If none of these suits you, I'll be at the Som ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 6(ANI): The Defence Accounts Department (DAD) will host the Controllers' Conference 2025 from July 7 to 9 at the Dr SK Kothari Auditorium, DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi. The conference will be inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on July 7, in the presence of top military and civilian leadership including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Financial Adviser (Defence Services), S G Dastidar, and Controller General of Defence Accounts Mayank Sharma, marking it as a key platform for shaping the fu ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 17: In a major move that could bring relief to over 7 crore Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) members, the Centre is reportedly considering a proposal to allow full or partial withdrawal of EPF savings after 10 years of service. According to a Moneycontrol report, the retirement fund body has floated this idea to address the needs of those who wish to exit the formal workforce earlier than the official retirement age of 58. Currently, EPF members can withdraw their full balance only upon retirement or after remaining unemployed for over two months. However, many in ...Read More >
Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told a meeting of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in New Delhi on Monday (October 13, 2025) that the Cabinet was actively considering increasing the minimum PF pension. Though the issue was not in agenda, trade union members in the CBT said during the discussions that the minimum PF pension should be revised from the present amount of ₹1,000 a month. "The Minister did not rule it out and said the Ca ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], October 19 (ANI): The Odisha government has announced that all Registrar and Sub-Registrar offices across the state will remain closed on Monday after declaring October 20 an additional holiday, as Diwali falls on that day. All government offices and magisterial courts, except those in Nuapada district, will remain closed. In lieu of this, the fourth Saturday (October 25) has been declared a working day. According to an official notification issued by the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management on Friday, "In continuation of the Department's earlier Notifi ...Read More >
Hyderabad, mar 30 (Maxim News): The Telangana Assembly has passed the Gig Workers Bill. The Gig Workers Bill was introduced in the Assembly by Labor Minister Vivek Venkataswamy and was approved. Here To Join Us On WhatsApp Speaking on this bill, today, during the debate on the bill, Minister Vivek said if the gig workers are not taken care of, a penalty will be imposed on the aggregators. Minister Vivek said that they have prepared the draft bill after talking to the gif workers themselves. They have held 5 meetings with the companies on the draft bill for gig workers. They explained that th ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 30 (ANI): The Telangana Assembly on Monday passed the Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers Registration, Social Security and Welfare Bill 2026, a landmark step for the rights and security of gig workers. According to a press release, Labour, Employment and Mines Minister G Vivek Venkataswamy introduced the Bill in the assembly and said the government has brought this legislation to give legal recognition to gig workers in the digital economy and protect their rights, dignity and livelihood. As per the Bill, platform companies will have to submit details r ...Read More >
Mumbai: The Nifty 50 appears firmly on track to challenge its record high from last September after breaking out on Thursday from a one-and-a-half-month range-bound activity. Supported by bullish rollover signals from the June derivatives expiry, the index has turned former resistance into fresh support, even as foreign investors continue to pare equity holdings while domestic institutions keep pouring in funds. On Thursday, the bellwether index rose 1.2% to 25,549 on the expiry of the June series of derivatives, decisively breaching the 24,500-25,200 range that it had been stuck in since mid ...Read More >
Mumbai: Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will hold a joint protest march of their parties in the city on July 5 against what they allege is imposition of Hindi in the state's schools from Class 1 through the new three-language policy. This will be the first time they will come together on a political platform after Raj Thackeray's decision to quit Shiv Sena to form MNS nearly two decades ago.There has been speculation of a reunion of the estranged cousins for the coming civic polls, and the protest march is being seen as the first step in that direction, reports Chaitanya Marpakwar.Uddhav and Raj had ...Read More >
SHILLONG, July 2: The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation Regional Office (EPFO RO), Shillong, conducted an engagement session with local employers on Wednesday, to disseminate information about the newly approved Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme in a move to promote formal employment and enhance social security coverage in the region. As part of the broader communication and outreach efforts, the interaction was spearheaded by EPFO RO Shillong officials, who briefed representatives from a few prominent establishments. The interaction served as an informative platform where the pro ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 11 (PTI) Religare Enterprises on Friday said its board has approved a proposal to raise Rs 1,500 crore through the preferential allotment of warrants to support the company's business expansion plans and drive new strategic initiatives. Of this amount, entities linked to the Burman family, owners of Dabur, will contribute Rs 750 crore, accounting for 50 per cent of the total fundraise, while the remaining amount will be infused by The Hindustan Times Ltd, investors Ashish Dhawan, JM Financial Credit Solutions and others. "The promoters have reaffirmed their long-term commitmen ...Read More >
Mumbai, Aug 21 (PTI) Rapidly expanding global capability centres of banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector has led to an acute shortage of talent, widening skill gap and higher workforce expense for enterprises, a report said on Thursday. India's BFSI GCC sector was valued at USD 40-41 billion in 2023 and is projected to touch USD 125-135 billion by 2032, which reflects a CAGR of 12-13 per cent, according to 'BFSI GCC Talent Report 2025' by staffing and workforce solutions provider Quess Corp. However, the acute shortage of AI and data talent is evident with a 42 per cent sk ...Read More >
VMPLMumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 1: For most salaried Indians, Provident Fund (PF) is that one pot of money that quietly grows in the background, meant to be there when life stops going according to plan or there is a crucial life event such as marriage, home loan or purchase. Yet the moment people actually need it or try online PF withdrawal, many discover a hard truth: PF withdrawal often feels less like a process and more like a toss of a coin.The rules are written. The steps are lis ...Read More >
Mumbai: Net profit of Nifty 50 companies at the aggregate level is expected to increase 4.6% year-on-year while revenue may increase 4.5% for the June 2025 quarter. Net profit is likely to show single-digit year-on-year growth for the first time in at least nine quarters amid an anticipated poor performance by select companies, including Tata Motors, IndusInd Bank and Coal India. The sample's revenue is expected to grow in single digit for the fourth consecutive quarter reflecting persistent muted demand scenario. Select companies from metals, pharmaceuticals, cement, banking and finance and ...Read More >
New Delhi: Traffic in central Delhi will be affected on Thursday as the traffic police has issued an advisory due to the Janmashtami and Tazia processions.According to police, the traffic movement in Paharganj is likely to be affected from 1.30pm in view of the shobha yatra for Janmashtami and the Tazia procession.The Janmashtami procession will start from Mandir Shri Banke Bihari Ji in Paharganj's Sangatrasan Bazar and pass through Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, Chuna Mandi, Main Bazar, Munja Chowk and Arakashan Road. The Tazia procession will start from Ajmeri Gate and proceed through Pul Paharganj ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], October 16 (ANI): Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, and Labour and Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya, on Wednesday highlighted the substantial relaxation in the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) rules, making EPF withdrawal simpler for employees. According to the new rules, employees who lose their jobs can now withdraw 75% of their EPF amount immediately. The remaining 25% can be withdrawn after one year, ensuring that the employee's 10-year service tenure remains intact. Mandaviya said, "...EPF withdrawal has been made simpler now...If someone loses the ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's (EPFO) move to allow withdrawals of up to 75% of the corpus will make life easier for its over 7 crore subscribers, while the norms around 25% balance are meant to ensure a healthy kitty, without imposing any restrictions on pension or PF payment at the time of retirement, a top official said. "The idea is to empower members and repose trust. The changes are meant to pave the way for automated settlement of claims," Central Provident Fund commis ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) Subscribers of the retirement fund body EPFO may soon be able to withdraw money from their accounts through ATMs, a top official said. Union Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra has reportedly stated in a media report that the labour ministry is upgrading information technology infrastructure to provide enhanced services to the Indian workforce. She further said that claimants, beneficiaries or insured individuals will be able to access their claims through an ATM. According to the media report, the withdrawal will be capped at 50 per cent of the Employees' Provident Fund ( ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 18 (VOICE) The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on Wednesday gave a final opportunity till January 31, 2025 to employers to upload wage details regarding over 3.1 lakh pending applications for Pension on Higher Wages.Employers have also been requested to submit replies or update the information in 4.66 lakh cases by January 15, 2025 where clarification has been sought by the EPFO. The EPFO said that the final opportunity is being given as, in spite of so many extensions, it has been observed that more than 3.1 lakh Applications for Validation of Options/Joint Optio ...Read More >
Lucknow, June 27 (UNI): Aiming to take financial inclusion to the grassroots, the Uttar Pradesh government is set to launch a special saturation campaign across all gram panchayats in the state. Scheduled to run from July 1 to September 30, the initiative aims to ensure last-mile delivery of key financial services to eligible citizens. Launched under the directives of the Centre's Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, , the campaign will focus on extending the benefits of flagship Central schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: With the indefinite 'Quit Steering Wheel' protest by commercial drivers entering its third day, Odisha faces an escalating fuel crisis, prompting police to intervene. Fuel tankers in several parts of the state are now being escorted by police to ensure uninterrupted supply of petrol and diesel. Visuals from Soro in Balasore district showed police accompanying tankers along National Highway-16 near Chaparpada after incidents where agitators allegedly tried to block tankers and persuade drivers to join the strike. In some cases, protesters reportedly resorted to heated arguments, e ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) Central government employees are entitled to "assured payout on pro rata basis" on opting for voluntary retirement after completion of service of 20 years or more under the recently-notified rules, the personnel ministry said on Tuesday. The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare has notified in the official gazette on September 2, the Central Civil Services (Implementation of the Unified Pension Scheme under the National Pension System) Rules, 2025 for regulating the service matters relating to benefits under the Unified Pension Scheme in respect of central gov ...Read More >