Economy & Policy News

Govt reviewing bilateral investment treaty model to make BITs accommodating

The proposed overhaul seeks to make India's investment treaty regime more investor-friendly while retaining sovereign safeguards and advancing negotiations with key partners

Higher gas prices make Veg thali costlier by 4%, non-veg by 9% in July

A home-cooked vegetarian thali cost 4% more in July, while a non-vegetarian meal rose 9% as higher onion, oil, LPG and chicken prices pushed up food costs

Forex reserves surge $10.5 bn, highest weekly gain in over six months

Foreign currency assets increased by $8.75 billion and gold reserves rose by $1.69 billion during the week ended July 31, driving the sharp increase in total reserves

Odisha secures ₹43,437 crore food-processing investment commitments

The state signed 27 MoUs involving proposed investments of Rs 41,748 crore and received 12 additional investment intents worth Rs 1,689 crore at the New Delhi summit

India not in favour of separate BRICS currency: Commerce Min Goyal

India opposes any proposal for a BRICS currency, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said, as member states discuss boosting trade, investment and MSME financing

India's 43 mn rural enterprises can lift jobs, incomes with support: Report

The report also finds that hired-worker enterprises are more likely to have owners with higher educational attainment and access to formal bank accounts and computers.

WB to link industrial incentives with job creation: Industries Min. Roy

West Bengal plans to link industrial incentives to jobs created rather than investment, with a new policy and a Rs 5,000-crore incentive programme expected this month

Private sector investment moving at steady pace: Eco Affairs Secy

Private investment is rising steadily as higher public capex crowds in private capital, Economic Affairs Secretary Anuradha Thakur said, while calling for greater financing and innovation

India's July consumer inflation likely edged higher on food prices: Poll

Uneven rainfall across the ​country this year has hampered agricultural output, driving food costs higher

House panel on fertiliser calls for plan to ward off West Asia-like crisis

Says current DBT framework needs a relook; comes down heavily on bundling

1991 reforms were born of compulsion, not choice: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Adds economy became top of agenda only circa 2000

No dedicated audit of workplace creche provision: Labour Ministry

The Centre told Parliament it has not conducted a dedicated audit of mandatory workplace creche provisions and does not maintain data on compliance by establishments

Parliamentary panel seeks early India-US bilateral trade agreement

The Parliamentary panel urged an early India-US trade pact while seeking exemptions from future US tariff hikes and stronger safeguards for Indian exporters

Tariff on most items to be in single digits in FY28 Budget: FM Sitharaman

The government aims to bring customs duty on most items to single-digit rates by the FY28 Budget while continuing tariff rationalisation and asset-focused borrowing

India's ₹124.9 trn MSME procurement mkt offers digital growth opportunity

Four in five small businesses expect online sourcing to drive growth over the next three years, highlighting a vast opportunity for digital procurement platforms

Govt allocated ₹81,287 crore to NPCIL in five years: Jitendra Singh

The Centre told Parliament it allocated Rs 81,287 crore to NPCIL over the past five years while advancing nuclear projects and pursuing a 100 GW capacity target by 2047

Cabinet approves ₹23,731 crore GOBARdhan scheme for compressed biogas

The Union Cabinet has approved the ₹23,731-crore GOBARdhan scheme to scale up compressed biogas production, strengthen the circular bioeconomy and boost clean energy adoption

Cabinet approves ₹8,970 crore Guwahati-Tezpur highway project in Assam

The four-lane access-controlled NH-15 corridor will be developed under the BOT Toll model to improve connectivity, reduce congestion and support economic growth in Assam

No commitments relating to ethanol import from US under FTA talks: Govt

The government said India has made no commitment to import US ethanol for fuel blending, reaffirming that the blending programme relies entirely on domestic supplies

India must sustain 9.25% growth for 21 years to achieve 2047 goal: Lahiri

NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Ashok Lahiri says India must sustain 9.25 per cent annual nominal growth for 21 years, backed by reforms, to achieve developed-country status by 2047