Page 2 - Industry News

Centre discusses rare-earth corridor sites in Andhra, Odisha and Kerala

Centre discusses SOP for monazite handling, private participation as corridor plans move ahead

Dubai airport closure affects flights from Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram

Flight operations to Dubai were affected after two Emirates flights returned to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram airports following security concerns reported at the destination airport on Monday, authorities said. Flight EK533 departed Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) at 4.30 am with 325 people on board. En route, the aircraft was directed to turn back due to the sudden closure of Dubai International Airport, airport spokespersons said. The flight landed back at CIAL at 8.30 am, and the passengers were later disembarked, the spokesperson said. Apart from this, another Emirates flight bound for Dubai was cancelled, and both flights have been rescheduled for Tuesday, he said. Flights to other Gulf countries continued to operate from CIAL. Similarly, an Emirates flight bound for Dubai from Thiruvananthapuram returned to the airport here on Monday due to similar issues reported at the destination airport. The airport spokesperson said the Emirates TRVDXB flight returned midwa

Odisha bio-refinery faces production delays due to tech challenges: Centre

Centre says commissioning of BPCL's second-generation ethanol bio-refinery in Odisha's Bargarh has been delayed due to pandemic disruptions and limited availability of specialised technology vendors

Higher-ticket loans drive microfinance disbursals in Oct-Dec: Equifax-SIDBI

Loans above Rs 75,000 now account for 38% of microfinance disbursals, reflecting lenders' growing preference for larger exposures to existing borrowers, says Equifax-SIDBI report

176 aircraft of non-scheduled, GA operators lack cockpit recorders: Govt

As many as 176 planes operated by non-scheduled and general aviation operators do not have flight data or cockpit voice recorders, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Under the norms, aircraft that have a take-off weight of less than 5,700 kilograms are required to mandatorily have CVRs only if they had received an airworthiness certificate on or after January 1, 2016. In a written reply, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said that a total 2,263 aircraft were registered and issued certificates of airworthiness (C of A) before January 1, 2016. "Aircraft operated by Non-Scheduled Operator's Permit (NSOP's) /General Aviation (GA) operators which are not equipped with Flight Data Recorder (FDR)/ Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) are 176," Mohol said. His reply was to a query on whether the government has data on the number of aircrafts without cockpit voice and flight data recorders. The nearly 40-year-old Beechcraft C90A aircraft that crashed in Jharkhand las

PM E-DRIVE rules eased; e-bus, e-truck firms can import motors till Aug-end

The government has eased localisation requirements under the Phased Manufacturing Programme of the Rs 10,900 crore PM E-DRIVE Scheme, providing major relief to manufacturers of electric trucks and buses by allowing them to import traction motors with rare-earth magnets till August 31. In separate notifications dated March 13, the Ministry of Heavy Industries deferred the deadline to stop imports of traction motors used in e-trucks (N2/N3) and e-buses (M2/M3), a decision expected to ease component shortages faced by manufacturers. The deadline for local manufacturing of traction motors used in e-bus and e-truck categories has been extended for the second time, as in September last year, the Centre deferred it till March 2026. The requirement under Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP) of the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme stipulates that the "manufacturing of traction motor which at least includes magnet fitment, fitment of rotor ...

IndiGo ties up with Adani Airport for airline's loyalty programme

Domestic carrier IndiGo on Monday said it has partnered with Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) for the airline's loyalty programme, BlueChip for duty-free shopping at AAHL-managed airports in the country. Under the partnership, members can earn five IndiGo BluChips for every Rs 100 spent on duty-free products pre-booked through the Adani platform. Travellers can browse, reserve and pay for products online before departure and collect their purchases conveniently at the airport, it said. AAHL operates eight airports at Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Lucknow and Ahmedabad. Duty-free stores under the programme are available at airports in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, Mangaluru and Lucknow, with expansion planned at Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport (LGBIA) in Guwahati and the newly operational Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), it said.

Gujarat ramps up LPG supply by 20% amid crisis, prioritises PNG connections

The Gujarat government on Monday said it has ramped up LPG supplies by 20 per cent over normal weekly distribution to ensure an uninterrupted supply, while prioritising Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections in areas with availability of network. The state has an adequate stock of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and the supply chain remains uninterrupted, said Mona Khandhar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department. Addressing a press conference, the senior official stated that the government has not imposed any restrictions on domestic or commercial use and is taking steps to ensure smooth availability of fuel across sectors. "The district teams, police system, oil marketing companies and our state-level teams are in constant coordination to ensure that there is no disruption in LPG supply. We are receiving LPG stock continuously, and buffer stock with agencies is also increasing," she said. The state government, under the direction of Chi

BenQ eyes 50% growth in India in 2026, to expand local manufacturing

Taiwan-based display solutions provider Benq is looking for a 50 per cent growth in its topline in 2026, driven by a high double-digit increase in its monitor and interactive flat panel business here, said its India and South Asia Managing Director Rajeev Singh. Benq, which will complete its 25 years in India in 2026, expects to cross Rs 1,000 crore sales as the company is quite encouraged by the opportunities coming from the educational institutions from both government and private institutions. Besides, BenQ will also encourage 'Make in India' by increasing the number of models with locally-manufactured interactive flat panel through its local OEM partners. It will also start local manufacturing of monitors. "So, at the same time, we have increased the number of models of interactive flat panels that we are manufacturing in India. We have also added a monitor for the 'Make in India' product line. We will be starting our local production for Make in India from next month, April ...

Naidu says ₹164 crore paid to passengers hit by IndiGo cancellations

Compensation to the tune of Rs 163.92 crore in the form of travel coupons has already been given to passengers who suffered due to mass cancellation of flights by IndiGo in early December, Minister of Civil Aviation K Rammohan Naidu informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Replying to supplementary queries during Question Hour, he said the government is taking multiple necessary measures to ensure that this kind of incident is not repeated and consumers do not suffer. Hundreds of flights by IndiGo were cancelled during the first week of December due to shortage of pilots after the expiry of the deadline on Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). The government has blamed the airline for the lack of adequate planning in implementing the second phase of the FDTL norms as the key reason for flight disruptions and had granted a one-time exemption from enforcement of norms. Responding to a specific query on the IndiGo crisis, the Civil Aviation Minister said the ministry is taking several ...

Casual workers shifting to formal jobs as economy grows: Mandaviya

Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said increasing number of casual workers are getting into formal employment and with economic growth job opportunities are increasing day by day. "Day by day employment in increasing in the country, and unemployment is getting reduced. When any economy grows, employment is generated," he said during the Question Hour. To meet the rising demand of a growing economy, supply has increase for which manufacturing is required and that is where jobs are getting created, he said. The Minister further said that self-employment too has increased from 52 per cent in 2017-18 to 58 per cent. He said according to Periodic Labour Force Survey, average income of casual workers have increased from Rs 255 in FY'18 to currently Rs 418. Further, casual labourers are also shifting to formal employment. "People with regular salary have risen in the country. Casual workers are joining the formal workforce and the number of casual labourers h

Govt prohibits PNG users to hold LPG cylinders amid supply shortage

India is facing tightening of LPG supplies as nearly 90 per cent of the country's LPG imports originate from the West Asia

Madurai Airport's international status to boost region's economy: Naidu

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday said that the declaration of the Madurai Airport as Madurai International Airport will transform the region into a major economic hub driven by more trade and tourism. It would also further boost the air traffic in Madurai, he observed. "Today, with the blessings of Meenakshi Amman (Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple), the decades-old demand of Madurai has been fulfilled with the renaming of Madurai Airport as Madurai International Airport," he said. With this development, the city of Madurai would gain greater prominence on global air routes, attracting more airlines and connectivity, he said at an event to rename the Madurai Airport to Madurai International Airport. "This will further empower Madurai's cultural and spiritual legacy while transforming the region into a major economic hub driven by more trade and tourism," he said in a social media post. He remarked that the passenger footfall since 2014 at Madurai

Geopolitics, AI posing challenges to corporate governance: Industry body

Geopolitical developments, economic volatility, rapid digitalisation, cyber threats and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are reshaping the global risk landscape for organisations, posing new challenges for traditional governance and control systems, an industry body said on Saturday. The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) India's Calcutta Chapter made the observation at its Annual Conference 2026, which brought together internal audit professionals, risk practitioners and industry leaders to deliberate on the expanding role of internal audit in strengthening corporate governance. The conference, held under the theme "Internal Audit: Control-Risk-Governance and Beyond," was formally inaugurated by Krishnan Venugopal, President, IIA India. Neeraj Bansal, Head, India Global, KPMG, attended as the Chief Guest and shared perspectives on evolving global risks, board expectations and the importance of resilient control frameworks. "India is no longer an isolated economy

West Asia crisis: India engages key players to secure energy supplies

Against the backdrop of spiralling hostilities in West Asia, India on Saturday said it has remained in touch with all key players, including the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran, the US and Israel, with a primary focus on safeguarding its energy security. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that besides advocating for dialogue and diplomacy, India has consistently underlined the necessity of ensuring the unimpeded transit of goods and energy supplies through the region. Aseem Mahajan, an additional secretary in the ministry, said five Indian nationals have lost their lives and one remains missing in the ongoing conflict. He said around 1,72,000 Indians have returned to India since February 28, the day the hostilities began. "We have also called for avoiding targeting civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, across the region. We believe that these are the priorities of a large part of the global community since the impact of the conflict is bei

Centre amends electricity rules to clarify norms for captive power

The government on Saturday announced amendments in the electricity norms for bringing more clarity for captive power generation, especially for industries, in line with India's energy transition goals. Generating power closer to the point of consumption will help reduce transmission losses, improve system efficiency and strengthen grid resilience, the Ministry of Power said in a statement. The Ministry said that the amendments have been finalised after extensive stakeholder consultations. The Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2026, have been notified to remove interpretational ambiguities, improve ease of doing business for industry, and align the captive generation framework with India's energy transition and industrial growth objectives. The ministry said that with the amendments, the government has simplified a number of provisions in the rules for ease of compliance. By clarifying ownership provisions, simplifying rules for group captive arrangements, and establishing a clear ...

Karnataka clears ₹4,824 crore industrial projects, to create 14,525 jobs

The Karnataka government has approved industrial projects with a total investment of Rs 4,824.31 crore, that will generate 14,525 new employment opportunities in the state, Industries Minister M B Patil said. The 158th State Level Single Window Approval Committee meeting approved a total investment of Rs 4,824.31 crore for 37 new industries and 2 additional investment projects across 13 districts, including Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Chitradurga, Kolar, and Ramanagara, the minister's office said in a release on Saturday. "The approved projects in sectors such as IT infrastructure, sugar manufacturing, technical textiles, compressed biogas, aerospace, jewellery production, electronics, software, and five-star hotel construction will generate 14,525 new employment opportunities in the state," the release quoted Patil as saying after the meeting on Friday. Among the projects approved, 22 are major large and medium industrial projects (investment above Rs 50 crore) totaling Rs 3,908.68 cror

AC makers flag production risks as LPG shortage worsens amid West Asia war

Air-conditioner makers warn of production risks as LPG shortages linked to the West Asia conflict disrupt supply of fuel used in brazing and coating processes

Gig workers report drop in orders on Zomato, Swiggy amid LPG shortage

West Asia crisis: Cooking gas crunch puts food delivery orders on slow boil

Fixed tenures may be next for upper-layer NBFC chiefs under new norms

Proposal could mirror RBI's 15-year limit for private bank leaders