Page 13 - Industry News

Infra projects above ₹150 cr report ₹5.66 trillion cost overrun: Govt

Several infrastructure projects worth above Rs 150 crore each registered a cumulative cost overrun of Rs 5.66 lakh crore, according to a monthly government report for February 2026. The latest 'Flash Report on Central Sector Infrastructure Projects' showed that the revised cost of all 1,948 projects, each valued at Rs 150 crore or higher, monitored by the statistics ministry stood at Rs 41,98,684 crore compared to their original cost of Rs 36,32,088 crore. The report did not specify the actual number of projects that are facing cost overrun. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) stated, in a press release on Wednesday, that as of February 2026, 1,948 ongoing infrastructure projects, with a total revised cost of Rs 41.98 lakh crore, are being monitored across 17 central ministries/departments. The cumulative expenditure incurred on these projects stands at Rs 19.71 lakh crore, accounting for approximately 46.95 per cent of the revised project cost, indicati

Govt puts UDAN 2.0 on runway with a total outlay of ₹28,840 crore

Government approves next phase of UDAN scheme to boost regional connectivity, develop airports and helipads, and support airlines operating in underserved regions

Elevated construction costs may put pressure on developers' margins

Rising construction costs, supply disruptions, and labour pressures are squeezing developers' margins, even as demand resilience and tech-led efficiencies help cushion the impact

Cabinet extends IVFRT scheme for 5 years to upgrade immigration services

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the extension for five years of the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking (IVFRT) Scheme, which aims to interlink and optimise functions related to immigration, visa issuance, and registration of foreigners in India. The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the continuation of the scheme from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2031, with a budget outlay of Rs 1,800 crore, a government statement said. The continuation of the scheme is not just a "technical upgrade, but a strategic transformation" aligned with the vision of the government to promote international mobility through a world-class immigration and visa issuance system, it said. "After the recent enactment of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 and its subsequent Rules and Order, it has become imperative to strengthen and modernize the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking (IVFRT) system to effectively meet emerging ...

NDR InvIT raises ₹410 crore via bonds to expand warehousing portfolio

NDR InvIT Trust on Wednesday announced raising Rs 410 crore through the issuance of bonds primarily for the acquisition of logistics and warehousing portfolio across key markets in the country. The issuance was anchored by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), with participation from India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL), which subscribed to Rs 205 crore of the total issue, NDR InviT said. The bonds are secured, rated, listed, redeemable non-convertible debentures with a tenor of 5-years and carry a coupon of 7.61 per cent. "NDR InviT announces the successful closure of its Rs 410 crore bond issuance, which was fully subscribed, reflecting strong investor demand for high-quality infrastructure-backed assets," the company said. The issuance is rated AAA (Stable) by leading rating agencies, indicating a high degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations, the company said, adding the strong participation from marquee institutional investors

55% of GCC work in India at risk from AI-driven disruption: Zinnov

Report flags growing AI-driven disruption in global capability centres, urging shift towards innovation, advanced skills and high-value work to sustain relevance

Sula Vineyards acquires Chandon's wine facility, estate in Nashik

Wine producer Sula Vineyards on Wednesday announced the acquisition of Chandon's wine production facility and estate in Dindori, Nashik, for Rs 20 crore, which will help expand its wine tourism footprint. Sula Vineyards is pleased to announce that it has signed a definitive agreement with Moet Hennessy India to acquire Chandon's estate in Dindori, Nashik, for Rs 20 crores, which will be raised through internal accruals, according to a statement. Chandon's wine production facility spreads across 19 acres, comprising a highly advanced facility with an annual capacity of 4.5 lakh litres, scalable up to 13 lakh litres. The acquisition is being undertaken through the company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Artisan Spirits (ASPL) and is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of FY27, subject to completion of regulatory approvals. Following completion, Chandon will cease wine production in India, and Sula will market wines produced from the estate under its own portfolio, with no ..

Parliamentary panel flags low fund use by tourism ministry, seeks reforms

Parliamentary panel highlights sharp underutilisation, recommends quarterly spending targets and a dedicated promotion board to boost tourism marketing

Power ministry directs plants using imported coal to run at full capacity

The Power Ministry is believed to have directed imported coal-based thermal plants to operate at full capacity for three months from April 1, to avoid any electricity shortage amid the estimated peak demand of 270GW during this summer. Sources said that in letters sent to imported coal-based plants in the country, the power ministry invoked Section 11 of the Electricity Act, asking them to run at full capacity. The step has been taken to ensure optimal power availability, considering the prevailing demand-supply scenario and the expected rise in electricity demand in the coming months, according to the letter. The ministry has estimated the peak power demand to be over 270GW during this summer season (April onwards). However, during last summer (April 2025 onwards), the peak power demand was 242.77 GW in June, 2025. According to government estimates, peak power demand was expected to touch 277 GW in the summer of 2025. The peak power demand touched an all-time high of about 250 G

Odisha keeps power tariff unchanged for fifth year despite rising costs

Regulator retains electricity rates for FY27 despite rising procurement costs, offering relief to consumers while introducing incentives for digital payments and efficiency

Odisha to take authentic Odia cuisine nationwide via restaurant chain plan

Odisha plans to promote its culinary heritage nationwide through dedicated restaurant chains across metros and tourist hubs, aiming to boost gastronomy tourism and cultural branding

Daily AMC repo volumes rise sharply in FY26, expected to double in FY27

Triparty repo platform operator AMC Repo Clearing has witnessed a sharp surge in daily trading volumes in FY26, and it is expected to double in 2026-27, a top official has said. The average daily volume in the market, which is majorly used by primary dealers and corporate treasuries for raising funds against their corporate bond investments, surged to up to Rs 7,000 crore a day in FY26, from a level of up to Rs 2,000 crore a day in FY25. Kashinath Katakdhond, Managing Director at the platform, said the daily volume is expected to surge to Rs 10,000-15,000 crore a day in the upcoming fiscal year, driven by a widening user base. "The increase in traded volume this fiscal year is due to more participants coming in, new participants getting activated, and a constant spread between CCIL TREPS and the ARCL triparty repo market," he told PTI. He added that market participants are increasingly leveraging their corporate bond portfolios to meet short-term funding needs, particularly amid ..

Tredence eyes Europe, GCC expansion to reduce US revenue dependence

The data analytics and AI firm is focusing on Europe and GCC markets, expanding beyond retail CPG and the US, while building partnerships and AI-led capabilities to drive growth

Govt may move proposal to merge Rail Vikas Nigam, Ircon International

The ministry of railways owns a majority stake in both Rail Vikas Nigam (72.8%), Ircon International (65.17%), and the two companies have a combined market capitalisation of around ₹65,000 cr

Datanomics: India's gems and jewellery export growth flat in FY26

Nearly half of the pearls and precious stones coming to India were imported from UAE in FY26 (till Jan). The UAE also supplied around 23% of India's gold imports in the same period

BTS world tour may generate $5.3 billion boost across host cities

BTS' world tour will kick off on April 9 in the South Korean city of Goyang and will make stops in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Tokyo, Singapore and other major destinations

Soft landing for aviation insurance premiums amid benign loss trends

Aviation insurance rates have softened due to excess reinsurance capacity and lower global losses, though geopolitical risks continue to influence underwriting conditions

West Asia conflict: Small firms face big strain from energy and cost shocks

Rising gas prices, disrupted routes threaten MSME margins and output: CII

Policy response to heatwaves remains cool even as nationwide instances grow

An early March heat spike has raised concerns of a prolonged summer as El Niño risks grow. While preparedness has improved, gaps in planning, funding, and implementation persist

JICA signs ₹16,420 crore loan deals for several projects in India

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Tuesday signed four loan projects, including a project for promoting sustainable horticulture in Punjab and Mumbai Metro Line, aggregating to Rs 16,420 crore. The loan agreement was signed with the Government of India to provide Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan for four key projects, JICA said in a statement. The loan agreement was signed in New Delhi between Alok Tiwari , Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Takeuchi Takuro, Chief Representative of JICA India Office. The four projects include a project for strengthening the tertiary Healthcare Delivery, Medical Education System and Nursing Education System in Maharashtra (62,294 million Japanese Yen); a Project for Promoting Sustainable Horticulture in Punjab (18,684 million Japanese Yen), Bengaluru Metro Rail Project (Phase 3) (I) (102,480 million) and the Mumbai Metro Line 11 Project (I) (92,400 million Japanese Yen). The projects aim