Page 3 - Industry News

PNG push gains pace: 500,000 new connections amid LPG supply concerns

India has accelerated its shift to piped natural gas, with more than 5.01 lakh new PNG connections gasified since March and over 5.68 lakh consumers registering for fresh connections, even as authorities manage LPG supplies amid geopolitical disruptions. With the war in West Asia disrupting cooking gas LPG supplies, the government is pushing households as well as industries to move to piped natural gas -- a more convenient alternative whose supplies have not been very badly hit. LPG users within the reach of a PNG connection have been asked to shift, while orders have been issued for expediting approvals for laying of pipelines that supply gas to burner tips. "Since March 2026, more than 5.01 lakh PNG connections have been gasified," said Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, at a news briefing on Tuesday. Gasified means the start of gas supplies. These connections include ones that may have been applied before the crisis as well as after ...

Infra investments to grow 50% through FY28 despite West Asia crisis: Crisil

Crisil sees strong infrastructure investment growth through FY28 backed by policy support and balance sheets, though risks persist across renewables, roads and real estate

Centre allows extra 25 lakh tonnes wheat export amid strong harvest outlook

The Centre on Monday allowed export of an additional 25 lakh tonne of wheat considering comfortable stock position amid likelihood of another strong harvest. With this, a total of 50 lakh tonne of wheat and 10 lakh tonne of wheat products have now been permitted for exports. "In view of the comfortable production outlook and higher stock availability, permitting additional exports was considered appropriate," the food ministry said in a statement. The export of additional quantity of wheat is expected to enhance market liquidity, facilitate efficient stock management, and prevent distress sales during the peak arrival season. It will also help stabilise domestic prices and strengthen farmers' incomes, while ensuring that the country's food security remains fully safeguarded. The country's wheat production is pegged at 120.2 million tonne for 2025-26 crop year (July-June) as per the second advance estimate of the agriculture ministry. The higher production was due to increase in w

CSR spend by NSE-listed firms jumps 23% to ₹22,212 crore in FY25: Report

Higher corporate profits lifted CSR spending, with more firms meeting or exceeding mandated outlays even as some funds remained unspent and were moved to designated accounts

Odisha permits diversion of irrigated land for industries, but with a rider

Odisha allows diversion of irrigated land for industries, mandating firms to create double the lost irrigation capacity under a new compensatory framework

Govt sets up committee for expert advisory on India's AI governance

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has constituted an advisory body to provide specialised technical, policy, and strategic expertise to support the functioning of the recently constituted AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG). As an advisory body for the AIGEG -- the Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC) will provide it expert inputs necessary to make well-informed decisions on policy design, regulatory measures and India's engagements in AI governance across global forums, an official release said. The TPEC, chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, brings together a carefully selected group of experts spanning academic research, the technology industry and digital policy. The AI Governance Guidelines task the committee with ensuring that the AIGEG's governance deliberations are supported by a contemporary and nuanced understanding of technological developments, policy approaches, regulatory design and glob

El Nino impact may be muted, govt ready for kharif sowing: Shivraj Chouhan

The agriculture minister reviewed kharif preparedness amid El Nino concerns, said strong reservoir levels, irrigation and contingency planning will help limit impact on farm output

Cabinet clears ₹12,980 cr maritime insurance pool with 'war risk' cover

Announcing the decision, Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Cabinet has approved the setting up of a domestic insurance pool to support India's maritime sector

Govt extends PMGSY-III with ₹83,977 crore outlay, approves rail projects

The Cabinet has extended PMGSY-III till March 2028 with ₹83,977 crore outlay and approved key railway expansion projects to enhance connectivity, capacity and support economic activity

Centre okays UP potato procurement at ₹6,500/ton; raises gram limit in AP

The Centre has approved the procurement of 20 lakh tonnes of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh at a market intervention price of Rs 6,500.90 per tonne, which will cost the exchequer Rs 203.15 crore, as part of a broader push to protect farmers from distress sales across multiple states. In a separate decision, the Union Agriculture Ministry raised the procurement limit for gram in Andhra Pradesh to 1.13 lakh tonnes, up from the existing cap of 94,500 tonnes. In Karnataka, the procurement window for tur has been extended to May 15 under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), giving farmers additional time to sell their produce at the MSP. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan approved the proposals following a virtual meeting with state agriculture ministers and senior officials, an official statement said. The Karnataka extension is expected to allow a larger number of tur farmers to access remunerative prices and avoid being forced into distress sales, the ministry said. The decisions were

Labour market friction: India needs more jobs with better work conditions

Workers allege irregular wage payments and exploitative practices

CCI closes Adani case, says company has no 'dominance' in power market

A key finding of the Commission was that the Adani Group does not hold a "dominant" position in the relevant market

Odisha, NCCR sign pact on marine planning under Indo-Norway initiative

Odisha partners NCCR to roll out marine spatial planning under Indo-Norway initiative, aiming to balance coastal economy growth with environmental protection

Govt to launch 15th round of commercial coal mine auctions on April 17

The government will launch the 15th round of commercial coal mine auctions in Mumbai, aiming to boost domestic supply, attract investment, and strengthen energy security

Why India's AI ambitions demand a reset in virtualisation strategy

AI adoption accelerates across sectors, India must rethink virtualisation models to ensure cost efficiency, flexibility, and secure infrastructure capable of supporting scalable and inclusive growth

India's domestic urea production likely to jump over 11% in April

IPL tender receives urea import offers totalling 5.6 million tonnes

Govt plans mobile PLI 2.0 with $5 billion outlay to boost exports

The government is likely to roll out production-linked incentives to boost mobile phone exports from the country by May with an outlay of over USD 5 billion, about Rs 46,000 crore, sources aware of the development said. The Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing (LSEM) was launched in 2020 with the aim to boost domestic manufacturing of mobile phones in the country with an outlay of Rs 40,995 crore, or about USD 5.7 billion based on exchange rate at that time. LSEM was commonly known as production-linked incentive scheme (PLI) for mobile phones. "The PLI 2.0 for mobile phones is in the works with a focus on boosting exports. It should be in place by May. The outlay is expected to be over USD 5 billion," a source on condition of anonymity told PTI. Another source said the Ministry of Electronics and IT is in discussion with the finance minister for the PLI after which it will be placed before cabinet for final approval. "Target is to double export of mobile phones from In

Commercial vehicle growth seen moderating to 6-7% in FY27 amid headwinds

After nearly 12% growth in FY26, CV industry to grow around 6-7% in FY27 amid headwinds from oil price volatility, monsoon-linked rural demand and macroeconomic pressures

Centre likely to remove mandatory registration for non-money egames

Government is likely to relax gaming rules by removing mandatory registration for non-monetised games and easing compliance requirements ahead of new framework

Workers' salaries in UP, Haryana still below the national wage line

The average wage per worker per day has seen consistent annual increases across states as well as at the national level. However, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh remain below the national average