(TOI) The government on Wednesday approved an outlay of Rs 5,940 crore for a revised master plan with greater emphasis on sustainable livelihood generation for families affected by the underground fire raging in the coal mines of Jharia in Jharkhand. The revised plan, called the Jharia Master Plan, makes a provision for a livelihood grant of Rs 1 lakh and access to credit support of up to Rs 3 lakh through an institutional credit pipeline. These will be available to both legal title holder families and non-legal title holder families. The Jharia Master Plan, focused on fire control and rehabilitation,…
Author: Aruna Sharma
(HT) Adani Total Gas Ltd and Reliance Industries Ltd arm Jio-bp have partnered to sell auto fuel across select outlets, the firms said in a statement on Wednesday. Select ATGL outlets will sell Jio-bp’s petrol and diesel, and the Jio-bp outlets will integrate ATGL’s compressed natural gas (CNG) dispensing units, the statement said. “This partnership will enable us to leverage each other’s infrastructure, thus enhancing customer experience and offerings,” said Suresh P. Manglani, executive director and CEO of Adani Total Gas. This is the second time the rival billionaires have partnered, after Reliance acquired a 26% stake in an Adani…
(HT) Despite rising global risks from trade tensions and geopolitical conflicts, India’s economy remains resilient, with key sectors maintaining momentum, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in its latest State of the Economy report released on Wednesday. The central bank, however, warned that prolonged trade policy uncertainty and increasing protectionism could leave a lasting impact on the global economy. “High-frequency indicators for May 2025 point towards resilient economic activity in India across the industrial and services sectors,” the RBI said, highlighting the economy’s relative stability amid external headwinds. The report, published as part of the RBI’s monthly bulletin, flagged…
(The New Indian Express) In a bid to strengthen electronic manufacturing in the country, the government on Wednesday approved the establishment of an Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC 2.0) in Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, with a project outlay of Rs 417 crore. The new cluster will cater to the production of consumer electronics, automotive and industrial electronics, medical devices, computer hardware, and communication equipment. Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, said the project is expected to attract investments worth Rs 2,500 crore and generate approximately 15,000 jobs. “The project will lead to the creation of world-class infrastructure and…
(PTI) Drugs are the biggest scourge for the youth and the Modi government is striking narco-cartels ruthlessly and bringing back the addicted youth to normal life with empathy, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday. Shah said this while extending greetings to the warriors and allies in the battle for ‘drug-free Bharat’ on the occasion of ‘International Day Against Drug Abuse’. “Drugs are the biggest scourge for our youth. The Modi government is heading with a whole-of-government approach to this threat, striking narco-cartels ruthlessly and bringing back addicted youth to normal life with empathy,” he wrote on ‘X’.
(HT) Travel time between Delhi and Jaipur is likely to reduce by about an hour as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to open a 67-km-long spur from the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, connecting Bandikui with Jaipur through a four-lane access-controlled road from the middle of July, officials said. This 67-km-long high-speed corridor will help commuters travelling between Delhi, Gurugram and Jaipur to avoid the congested NH 44 and reduce the distance between these cities by 12 kilometres. Currently, people going to Jaipur from Delhi have to exit the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway at the Bandhrej toll plaza and take the congested…
(The New Indian Express) The recent announcement of a FASTag annual pass priced at ₹3,000 is set to benefit frequent private commuters but could significantly affect toll revenues for private toll operators. Effective from August 15, 2025, the pass will be applicable to private vehicles—cars, vans, and jeeps—and will cover up to 200 trips (defined as crossing a toll plaza) or one year from the date of activation, whichever comes first. Initially, the scheme will apply only to national highways and expressways. According to an analysis by Crisil Ratings, based on 40 operational toll road projects, a private vehicle currently…
(The New Indian Express) Two people died and 20 were feared swept away as cloudburst, flash floods, and heavy rain wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday. Two bodies were recovered from the Manuni Khad in Kangra district while around 15-20 workers stationed at a labour colony near the Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric project site were feared swept away following a surge in water level in the Khaniyara Manuni Khad, reported PTI. According to officials, the workers were resting in temporary shelters near the project site, where work had been temporarily suspended due to rain, when floodwaters from Manuni Khad and nearby…
(NDTV) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a significant reduction in electricity tariffs across the state. According to a statement released by the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office, electricity rates will be reduced by 10 per cent in the first year and there will be a 26 per cent reduction in phases over the next five years. The proportion of people using less than 100 units of electricity in the state is 70 per cent. Work on Mukhyamantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana 2.0 has started on a war footing, CMO added. Hailing the decision, Mr Fadnavis said in a post on…
(NDTV) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived at the venue for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting at Qingdao, China, on Thursday. The Defence Minister, upon his arrival, was welcomed by the Chinese Defence Minister, Admiral Dong Jun. Mr Singh, along with the Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Jun and other leaders, also posed for a group photograph ahead of the Defence Ministers’ meeting. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had also arrived at the venue after Rajnath Singh made his entrance. The SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting is set to be held from June 25-26. The SCO, comprising India, China, Russia,…