As textiles return to the policy spotlight, India Art Fair reflects this moment, exploring fabric and fibre as living archives of labour, identity, and cultural memory

(L-R) Grace Lillian Lee, Australian First Nations artist-designer | Dream Weaver Shield: Guardian Grace (Model wearing Sculpture: Luke Currie-Richardson; Photo: Wendell Teodoro)

Business Standard

Gig workers associated with Urban Company are earning at par and, in several cases, much higher than entry-level salaried professionals employed in the country's IT and ITeS sectors, the doorstep home and personal care services firm said on Wednesday.
Urban Company claimed that the average monthly net in-hand earning of all active service professional partners on Urban Company platform has increased about 7 per cent to Rs 28,322.
"Urban Company service professionals earn at par, and in several cases much higher than entry-level salaried professionals employed in India's IT and ITeS sectors. With average net monthly earnings of Rs 28,322, Urban Company service professionals' earnings are comparable to typical IT fresher salaries," the company said in a statement based on nine month data of current fiscal year.
Urban Company said the findings are based on publicly available industry data, including Glassdoor estimates, assuming that entry-level IT and ITeS salary benchmarks are at Rs

Gig Workers, Home Delivery, Delivery Guy

Urban Company said the findings are based on publicly available industry data, including Glassdoor estimates, assuming that entry-level IT and ITeS salary benchmarks are at ₹4 lakh per annum

Press Trust of India

There are around 5.9 crore FASTags active across the country, of the total 11.86 crore FASTags issued so far, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.
FASTag is an RFID passive tag used for making toll payments directly from the customer's linked prepaid, savings, or current account.
Presently, more than 98 per cent of user fee on National Highways is collected through electronic toll collection system, the Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
"As of December, 2025, out of total issued 11.86 crore FASTags since inception, about 5.9 crore FASTags are active across the country and used for electronic toll transactions at National Highway Fee Plazas," Gadkari informed the Upper House.
The number of average daily ETC transactions on NH fee plaza is around 105 lakh in 2025-26 (till December, 2025).
The constant growth and adoption of FASTag by highway users is encouraging and has helped in increased efficiency in toll ...

Nitin Gadkari, Nitin, Gadkari

FASTag is an RFID passive tag used for making toll payments directly from the customer's linked prepaid, savings, or current account

Targeted housing under BLC component raised from 111,000 to 500,000 homes in FY27

branded residence, housing, real estate

The statutory body invited applications on a rolling basis in priority areas such as energy transition, AI, quantum computing, robotics and space

Artificial Intelligence, AI Technology, IT Sector

Younger demography, infra potential prime India's push to be most strategic higher education growth market globally

students

An expert report to the 16th Finance Commission suggests inflation-linked power tariff hikes could ensure timely revenue recovery for discoms and help consumers avoid sharp increases

electricity, power sector

Improving magnet availability and cost economics support demand, even as competitive intensity accelerates consolidation

Electric two-wheeler (e2W) companies have expressed concerns that the budget allocated for the subsidy under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (E-DRIVE) scheme, launched on October 1 for 2024-25 (FY25), may be exhaust

The easing of rare-earth supply is expected to drive electric two-wheeler volume growth in India to 16-18 per cent next fiscal after moderating to 12-13 per cent in the ongoing fiscal due to supply chain constraints, according to Crisil Ratings.
This fiscal, the electric two-wheeler (E2W) growth is expected to moderate due to temporary disruptions in the supply of rare-earth magnets and the goods and services tax (GST) rationalisation on internal combustion engine (ICE) models, Crisil Ratings said in a statement.
In the previous fiscal, E2W volume growth was at 22 per cent, it added.
"The supply disruption caused by the shortage of rare-earth magnets had weighed on E2W volumes around mid-year. As availability began to ease, coinciding with the GST-led price revision in ICE models, OEMs relied on discounting and introduced lower-priced electric models to narrow the ICE-EV price gap," Crisil Ratings Senior Director Anuj Sethi said.
While this has supported a recovery in volumes in ..

Ola Electric, electric bike, electric vehicles, Ola, EV

This fiscal, the electric two-wheeler (E2W) growth is expected to moderate due to temporary disruptions in the supply of rare-earth magnets and the goods and services tax (GST) rationalisation

India Yamaha Motor has announced the price of its first electric scooter, EC-06, at Rs 1.67 lakh, to be sold in select cities through premium Blue Square showrooms

Yamaha Motor, EC-06 scooter, Electric scooter

EV major Tesla India on Tuesday said it has launched various initiatives, including an EMI scheme, to lift weak sales in the country.
To encourage customers switching from the petrol and diesel cars to electric, Tesla said it is offering Rs 3 lakh exchange incentive.
Besides, customers can now purchase the Model Y at a monthly installment starting from Rs 49,000, with a down payment of just Rs 6 lakh significantly lowering the barrier to entry for premium electric vehicles, it added.
Tesla India commenced deliveries of Model Y in September last year.
As per the EV sales data shared by FADA, Tesla India has managed to sell 225 units last year.
Overall electric passenger vehicle retail sales rose to 1,76,817 units last year, up 77 per cent as compared with 99,875 units in 2024 calendar year.
By switching to Tesla Model Y the customers can achieve savings of up to Rs 20,000 per month through reduced fuel and maintenance costs, underscoring the long-term cost benefits and lower total

Tesla India, Tesla

To encourage customers switching from the petrol and diesel cars to electric, Tesla said it is offering ₹3 lakh exchange incentive

Compared with last year's Budget, the Union Budget 2026-27 builds on the credit framework while moving decisively towards equity funding, market-linked liquidity, and structured compliance support

MSMEs

TNC Rajagopalan answers SME queries related to GST, export and import matters

export

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy unveiled third round of speciality steel PLI scheme with relaxed thresholds, updated pricing benchmarks, and wider MSME participation to boost steel manufacturing

H D Kumaraswamy (Photo: X/@hd_kumaraswamy)

Base year revised, thresholds relaxed to reflect current market trends

Trade expert cites FTP Para 1.08 and CBIC circulars requiring that export consignments not be detained beyond three days, and clarifies documentation norms under the Advance Authorisation scheme

trade

Bandhan Bank founder and Group Chairman Chandra Shekhar Ghosh on Monday said the Union Budget's proposal to set up a High Level Committee on Banking for Viksit Bharat is a significant step towards aligning the banking sector with India's next phase of growth, while safeguarding financial stability, inclusion and consumer protection.
In the budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed formation of the panel to comprehensively review the banking sector, and align it with India's next phase of growth, while safeguarding financial stability, inclusion and consumer protection.
She also outlined a proposal for NBFCs with clear targets for credit disbursement and technology adoption, and suggested the restructuring of public sector NBFCs such as Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrification Corporation to improve scale and efficiency.
Ghosh said the proposed committee may play a key role in shaping the future regulatory and policy framework for banks, particularly those engag

Chandra Shekhar Ghosh

Ghosh said the recommendations of the proposed banking committee would have a positive spillover for lenders operating in the microfinance space

The government is discussing raising the foreign direct investment cap to 49 per cent from 20 per cent, federal banking secretary M Nagaraju said

banking, state banks

Bloomberg

The country's largest lender has set up a Centre of Excellence to support financing of sectors such as renewable energy, semiconductors, electric mobility and data centres, with large capital needs

SBI has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with 21 financial institutions

Bank credit growth slowed to 13.1% and deposit growth to 10.6% in early January, RBI data shows, though FY26 credit outlook remains positive

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data also suggest a sharp pickup in corporate credit growth, with credit to industry growing 9.6 per cent as of November 2025, compared with 8.3 per cent in the corresponding fortnight of last year

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