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Govt to deploy 10,000 AC E-buses in 116 cities by 2027; 35,000 more planned

The government on Monday informed the Rajya Sabha that 10,000 air-conditioned e-buses would be provided to 116 cities across 26 states/UTs by the end of 2027 under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, and a new scheme would be launched thereafter to provide another 35,000 e-buses. Replying to supplementary queries during Question Hour, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on August 16, 2023, announced that the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme to provide mobility in smaller cities and tackle rising pollution. Since states were unable to provide adequate finance for e-buses, a target of a total of 10,000 buses was put under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme for towns with a population between 3 lakh and 40 lakh, he said. The minister said states were told to give their demands, and a selection criterion was laid down, and buses were sanctioned on the recommendations of coordination committees. "Out of 178 cities eligible, 116 cities participated, and they were allot

FAI seeks govt relief for urea producers amid gas curbs, supply fears

Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) has urged the government to provide financial relief to urea producers hit by gas supply disruptions, warning that production shortfalls and a separate packaging materials crunch could disrupt fertiliser supplies ahead of the crucial kharif season. In a letter to the government, FAI called for energy cost reimbursements and penalty waivers for plants operating under constrained gas supplies, citing extraordinary circumstances stemming from the ongoing geopolitical crisis. Fertiliser plants are classified under Priority Sector-2 in the Natural Gas Supply Regulation Order notified on March 9, 2026, which allocates them 70 per cent of their six-month average consumption. FAI said the restriction was squeezing production at plants operating under the New Urea Policy 2025, modified NPS III and NIP 2012 frameworks. The industry body sought the government to recognise actual energy consumption or applicable energy norms - whichever is higher - during

Taking steps to address West Asia conflict's impact on flight ops: Govt

The financial implications of the West Asia conflict on the flight operations are evolving and appropriate measures are being taken in consultation with airlines and other stakeholders, the civil aviation ministry said on Monday. The escalating conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran that started on February 28 has significantly hit operations of airlines in and through the West Asia region. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha that the situation arising from the closure of the West Asian air corridor and its impact on flight operations was being closely monitored by the ministry. "The associated financial implications are evolving and appropriate measures are being taken as required by the ministry in consultation with airlines and other stakeholders," he said in a written reply. According to him, the ministry is in constant coordination with airlines and closely monitoring airfares to ensure that ticket prices remain reasonable and that th

India's strategic oil reserves at 64% capacity, govt informs Rajya Sabha

India's strategic oil reserves, designed to provide cover for about 9.5 days of supplies during disruptions or price shocks, are currently sitting at only two-thirds capacity, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday. India, the world's third-largest energy consumer and heavily dependent on imports for about 88 per cent of its crude oil needs, has built strategic underground storage facilities with a total capacity of 5.33 million tonnes across three locations -- Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, and Mangaluru and Padur in Karnataka -- to store crude oil used for producing fuels such as petrol and diesel. "Quantity of the crude available in the caverns varies depending on market conditions," Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said in a written reply in the Upper House. "Currently, ISPRL has around 3.372 million tonnes of crude stock available, which is around 64 per cent of the total storage capacity." Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Ltd (ISPRL) is the speci

Hindustan Foods to acquire Ultra Beauty Care unit for ₹19.9 crore

FMCG contract manufacturer Hindustan Foods Ltd on Monday announced the acquisition of ayurvedic, herbal beauty care and cosmetic products facility of Ultra Beauty Care Pvt Ltd in Maharashtra for Rs 19.9 crore. The company has executed a Business Transfer Agreement (BTA) on March 23, 2026 with Ultra Beauty Care Pvt Ltd and its authorised representatives, for acquisition of the business undertaking at C-15, Five Star Industrial Area MIDC Shendra, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Hindustan Foods Ltd (HFL) said in a regulatory filing. The acquisition is in line with HFL's strategy to enter contract manufacturing and expansion of its business into a comprehensive range of ayurvedic, herbal beauty care and cosmetic products, it added. The company identified the facility as a suitable acquisition target because it is into contract manufacturing of a comprehensive range of ayurvedic, herbal beauty care and cosmetic products. On the value of acquisition, HFL said it will be acquired for a cash ...

Strait of Hormuz open to friendly nations: Iran's envoy to Sri Lanka

The Strait of Hormuz remains open to friendly countries, the Iranian envoy to Sri Lanka said on Monday, stressing that Tehran is ready to supply oil or other essential goods to the island nation if the need arises. The conflict in West Asia, involving the US, Israel, and Iran, has led to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which 20 per cent of the world's energy is transported. Iran, which controls the Strait of Hormuz, has allowed very few ships to cross it since the conflict started on February 28. Addressing a press conference here, Iran's Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alireza Delkhosh said that the key strait remains open to friendly country vessels to pass. "Sri Lanka is our friendly country and as I told you, Hormuz is not closed to our friends like Sri Lanka," he said. "If Sri Lanka demands oil or any other necessary goods, Iran will supply," he added. The conflict, which has roiled global oil markets, entered its fourth week, coinciding with which

India's 17 towns host 575 co-working centres amid rising demand: Study

Co-working operators are expanding their business in tier II cities to meet demand of managed office spaces from corporates, as more than 575 centres, comprising nearly 9 million sq ft area, have been set up across 17 small towns, according to Vestian. US-based real estate consultant Vestian has come out with a report 'Flex Spaces Reshaping Tier II Office Markets', which suggests that India's 17 major tier II cities house more than 575 co-working or flexible workspace centres, representing nearly 29 per cent of the total such facilities across India. In terms of area, these 17 towns have over 8.8 million sq ft of flexible workspace stock, accounting for over 9 per cent of the pan-India flex stock. The average size of the co-working centre is 64 per cent smaller than that of Tier-1 cities. Co-working operators generally take on lease office space from real estate developers and property owners to set up their centres and then sub-lease workspaces to corporates of all sizes. These ..

HZL, Tata Steel tie up to boost low-carbon zinc use in steel manufacturing

Vedanta group firm Hindustan Zinc Ltd on Monday said it has partnered with Tata Steel to expand the use of its low-carbon zinc solution, EcoZen, in steel manufacturing. The partnership highlights both firms' resolve to weave climate priorities into their core operations and sourcing strategies. "Hindustan Zinc... has strengthened its longstanding association with Tata Steel to expand the integration of EcoZen, its lowcarbon zinc solution into sustainable steel manufacturing," Hindustan Zinc said in a filing to the BSE. EcoZen is produced using renewable energy and has a verified carbon footprint of less than one tonne of CO equivalent per tonne of zinc -- about 75 per cent lower than the global industry average. By significantly reducing emissions at the raw material stage, EcoZen enables downstream industries to lower value-chain emissions and advance their decarbonisation goals. "Our partnership with Tata Steel is a significant milestone in scaling up the adoption of low-carbon

No proposal for complete farm loan waiver under consideration: Sitharaman

There is no proposal of a complete loan waiver for farmers under consideration with the central government, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed Parliament on Monday. However, she said, the government has taken several measures to strengthen the economic conditions of the farmers, including timely and adequate credit through Kisan Credit Card (KCC), wherein crop loan up to Rs 3 lakh is provided at subsidised interest rates under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), with additional incentives for timely repayment. Besides, the government has enhanced collateral free short-term agricultural loans, including loans for allied activities, from Rs 1.60 lakh to Rs 2.00 lakh and ensuring adequate flow of credit from the banking system to the priority sectors of the economy, including agriculture, under Priority Sector Lending guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), she said in a reply to the Lok Sabha. Additionally, the government has launched crop insurance

Delhi records lowest PM2.5, PM10 levels since 2015, excluding Covid year

Delhi recorded the lowest yearly average of particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10 in 2025, barring the Covid year i.e. 2020, according to the economic survey of 2025-26 tabled in the Delhi Assembly by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday. The report, which quotes Delhi Pollution Control Committee's (DPCC) Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS) data, the yearly average of PM10 in 2025 was 209 (measured in micrograms per cubic metre) and that of PM2.5 was 100. This was the lowest since 2015, before which data is not available. In 2020, which was the year of the global Covid pandemic, PM10 yearly average had dropped to 187 but PM2.5 remained at 101, one unit higher than 2025. According to the DPCC data provided, the yearly average of PM10 and PM2.5 in 2024 were 225 and 110 respectively, in 2023 were 219 and 106. The PM10 and PM2.5 yearly average were 223 and 103 in 2022, and were 221 and 113 in 2021, respectively. The report quoted that the year-wise annual mean ambien

Accenture beats quarterly revenue estimates on strong AI demand

Acquisitions of fast-growing firms and AI-focused assets will account for roughly $5 billion in spending this year, Accenture CEO Julie Sweet said

Chain of Ideas: Ibram X Kendi on rise of modern xenophobia in conservatism

Ibram X. Kendi's Chain of Ideas traces the rise of replacement theory but struggles to balance ideology with real-world political and economic forces

New tax law from April 1: What it means for income, filing, and compliance

Taxpayers must be able to distinguish between matters where the old tax law still applies and those where the new one does

Iran says its Natanz nuclear facility has been hit in an airstrike

Iran's Natanz nuclear facility was hit Saturday in an airstrike, the official Iranian news agency Mizan reported. There was no radiation leakage, it said. Natanz, Iran's main enrichment site, was hit in the first week of the war and several buildings appeared damaged, according to satellite images. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog said that "no radiological consequence" was expected from that earlier strike. The nuclear facility, located nearly 220 kilometers (135 miles) southeast of Tehran, had been targeted by Israeli airstrikes in the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June 2025, and by the United States.

Transgender, queer groups oppose Amendment Bill, demand withdrawal

Transgender and queer collectives, along with individuals, on Saturday opposed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, demanding its immediate withdrawal and terming it "discriminatory". Addressing a press conference here, community representatives alleged that the Bill proposes a restrictive redefinition of "transgender persons". "It collapses intersex and transgender identities into a single category, despite these being distinct experiences. It also removes the right to self-identification, limiting legal recognition to specific socio-cultural identities such as Hijra, Kinnar, Aravani or Jogti, thereby excluding many others," community spokesperson Prasant Meera said. He added that the Bill assumes individuals are forced into transgender identities through "coercion" or "undue influence". The Supreme Court's 2014 NALSA judgment stated that "transgender" is an umbrella term recognising persons whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned at bir

Kerala approaches Centre to verify reports of native's death in Israel

The Kerala government has approached the Centre seeking the authenticity of reports regarding the death of a man from the state in the war-hit region of Israel. When contacted, the NORKA officials told PTI on Saturday that they received the information from a collective of Keralites working in Israel and therefore approached the Centre to confirm it. NORKA is a state-run agency that oversees matters related to non-resident Keralites. According to local media reports, the deceased man was a Thiruvananthapuram native and his cause of death was yet to be ascertained. A member of a WhatsApp group of Keralites working in Israel, told PTI that they got the information about the death on Wednesday and they are also trying to collect further details.

Iranian Navy guided Indian LPG tanker through Strait of Hormuz: Report

During the crossing, the officer's ship was in contact with the Iranian navy by radio, he said

Air India to introduce crew fitness policy; lapses may lead to pay loss

Air India is planning to introduce a health and fitness compliance policy for its cabin crew, under which those found underweight, overweight or obese could face derostering and loss of pay. The compliance assessment will be based on the cabin crew members' Body Mass Index (BMI) with a reading of 18-24.9 defined as 'normal' and accepted as 'desired range' by the airline. A BMI reading of less than 18 will be considered as 'underweight', though it may be acceptable subject to clearing of medical evaluation and functional assessment, according to the policy accessed by PTI. A BMI reading in the range of 25-29.9 will be defined as 'overweight' and will be considered acceptable, provided the cabin crew member clears the functional assessment. As per the policy, to be effective from May 1, a reading of 30 or above is 'obese' and not an acceptable range. A cabin crew member will be derostered if he or she is either 'underweight' or 'overweight' and will be required to clear the function

Safety of Indians in UAE is 'priority' amid West Asia crisis: Envoy

The UAE has assured India that the safety of Indians living in the Gulf country is its "priority", stressing that they are protected and treated like family, especially amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia which has seen the emirate facing attacks from Iran. UAE Ambassador to India Abdulnasser Alshaali also hailed India's move to co-sponsor a UN resolution that condemned Iran's attacks against Gulf countries, saying it was a statement of principle from a country that the UAE considers a strategic partner and friend, at a moment when it mattered most. The UAE will remember that India was among those "who stood with us first", he said. "The safety of Indian nationals in the UAE is a priority. They are protected and are treated as family, including the 200 nationalities living in the country in peace and harmony," Alshaali told PTI Videos. He said that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited five injured civilians in the hospital: two Emiratis, one Indian, one Sudane

Delhi govt to release ₹500 cr pending dues to NHAI for two expressways

The Delhi government has approved the outstanding payments to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the construction of two major expressways around the national capital. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday that the cabinet recently approved a proposal by the Public Works Department to clear the outstanding amount in a phased manner. "As part of this plan, Rs 500 crore will be released in the financial year 2025-26 from the revised budget estimates to the Union Government or the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said. The remaining Rs 3,203.33 crore will be paid in instalments in the coming years, depending on budgetary provisions, it added. According to the chief minister, the expressways, which became operational in 2018, have effectively created a protective traffic ring around Delhi through Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. "The payment would resolve long-pending inter-state financial issues and improve ..