eznews.inIndia continues to play a pivotal role in global coal demand, with total consumption projected to decline slightly by 1.2% year-on-year in 2025, falling to 1,297 million tonnes (mt). The International Energy Agency (IEA) attributes this decrease to a 3% drop in coal-fired power generation, influenced by increased hydropower output and a shift towards renewable energy. Despite this, coal remains integral to India's electricity system, with an estimated 940 mt expected for power generation, constituting 73% of total consumption. Coal production is anticipated to remain flat at 1,089 mt, impacted by heavy rainfall affecting mining activities, particularly at Coal India and Singareni Collieries, which dominate output. However, the IEA forecasts that by 2030, coal production could reach nearly 1.3 billion tonnes, driven by government policies and rising demand, even as coal's share in the electricity mix is expected to decline from 70% in 2025 to 60% by 2030. 
Published: Dec 18 2025, 12 pmeznews.inIndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has outlined the airline's renewed focus on resilience, root-cause analysis, and rebuilding following significant operational disruptions that led to the cancellation of thousands of flights earlier this month, affecting countless passengers. In a video message to employees, Elbers confirmed that the airline has stabilized operations, restoring its network to 2,200 flights as of Thursday. He attributed the disruptions to a "compounding effect of several factors" and announced the appointment of an external aviation expert to conduct a thorough root-cause analysis. Elbers plans to engage with employees across the network to address the challenges they faced during the crisis, which saw severe backlash from the public due to inadequate communication and support during the cancellations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the matter, while the government has reduced IndiGo's winter schedule by 10% in response to the operational failures.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 12 pmeznews.inThe parliamentary standing committee on petroleum and natural gas has called for a comprehensive study to investigate the reasons behind the stagnation in LPG cylinder consumption among beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), despite government incentives. The committee's report highlights that while the per capita consumption of LPG has increased from 3.68 cylinders in FY 2021-22 to 4.47 in FY 2024-25, the growth remains modest. Currently, India has around 33.07 crore active domestic LPG consumers, with approximately 10.33 crore receiving subsidised cylinders under PMUY. The committee has urged the government to promote the use of smaller 5 kg and 10 kg cylinders to enhance accessibility. Launched in 2016, PMUY aims to provide deposit-free LPG connections to women from low-income households, with additional connections being rolled out under Ujjwala 2.0 to further support this initiative.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 12 pmeznews.inAn Air India Express flight from Jeddah to Calicut, carrying 160 passengers, made a safe emergency landing at Cochin International Airport at 09:07 am on December 18, 2025, due to a technical issue involving the right main landing gear and tyre failure. The aircraft diverted to Kochi, where all emergency services were activated, and fortunately, no injuries were reported among passengers or crew. A post-landing inspection revealed that both right-side tyres had burst, prompting authorities to clear the runway for further operations. The airline is currently conducting a baggage reconciliation process, after which passengers will be transported to Calicut by road. A spokesperson for Air India Express stated that the precautionary landing was necessitated by suspected tyre damage from a foreign object at Jeddah airport, emphasizing the airline's commitment to safety and expressing regret for the inconvenience caused.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 11 ameznews.inA recent paper titled “Policy Perspectives for a Developed Haryana,” co-authored by Niti Aayog Member Ramesh Chand, Narendra Kumar Bishnoi, and Gargi Boora, outlines a roadmap for Haryana to achieve developed state status by 2047. The authors advocate for inclusive and proactive policies in healthcare, education, and the MSME sector, emphasizing the need for equitable distribution of growth benefits across geographic and socio-economic divides. Despite averaging nearly 7% annual growth since 1990, Haryana's social development goals (SDG) score remains low, particularly in gender equality and decent work. The study suggests that with sustained reforms, Haryana could reach high-income status by 2038 and improve its Human Development Index (HDI) to 0.85 by 2039. Key recommendations include enhancing productivity, shifting agricultural focus to high-value crops, and aligning education with market needs to foster sustainable development across the state.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 11 ameznews.inThe Indian government has announced a significant reform aimed at simplifying the visa application process for foreign professionals, particularly engineers and technical experts, who are essential for various production activities. The new system, launched on November 29, allows domestic companies to generate digital sponsorship letters for e-visas, eliminating the need for lengthy approvals from line ministries. This initiative is expected to expedite the visa process, addressing previous concerns from Indian firms about difficulties in securing visas for foreign specialists, particularly from China. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) highlighted that the new e-Production Investment Business Visa (e-B-4 Visa) will streamline applications, leveraging auto-populated data from existing government databases. As of now, 129 sponsorship letters have been generated, marking a significant step towards enhancing the ease of doing business in India.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 8 ameznews.inThe Indian government is advancing the development of PM MITRA parks as integrated textile hubs, with detailed project reports (DPRs) worth approximately Rs 5,567 crore finalized for three locations: Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Kalaburagi in Karnataka, and Navsari in Gujarat. This initiative, announced by Additional Secretary in the textiles ministry Rohit Kansal during a stakeholder consultation, aims to explore partnership opportunities for the PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks, which will be established under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model. The consultation focused on engaging potential Master Developers for three Greenfield parks, each spanning around 1,000 acres, with Navsari covering 1,142 acres. In total, seven PM MITRA parks have been proposed across various states, including Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Maharashtra, as part of a public-private partnership strategy to bolster the textile sector.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 8 ameznews.inTitagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL) has announced the acquisition of a Rs 273.24-crore contract from Indian Railways for the supply and maintenance of Rail Borne Maintenance Vehicles (RBMV). This contract represents TRSL's first venture into the safety and signalling systems sector, as detailed in a regulatory filing. The Kolkata-based company will oversee the design, manufacture, supply, testing, and commissioning of the RBMVs, which are specialized, self-propelled machines intended for the inspection and maintenance of railway infrastructure. Additionally, TRSL is tasked with providing training, servicing, and breakdown maintenance support for Indian Railways personnel. The company described this contract as a significant strategic milestone, marking its entry into a high-value, technology-driven, and safety-critical segment, with the RBMVs designed to enhance operational safety and reliability across the rail network.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 8 ameznews.inIndia's textiles and apparel exports, including handicrafts, reached USD 2,855.8 million in November 2025, marking a year-on-year growth of 9.4%, according to government data released on Wednesday. This figure represents an increase from USD 2,601.5 million in November 2024. Despite facing significant challenges, including a 50% tariff imposed by the US, the sector demonstrates resilience, with cumulative exports from January to November 2025 totaling USD 32,560 million, a slight increase of 0.26% from the previous year. The overall textile and apparel market is projected to be worth USD 179 billion in 2024-25, with exports contributing USD 37 billion. Notable growth was observed in key segments for November 2025, including ready-made garments, which rose by 11.3%, and handicrafts, which surged by 29.7%. The textiles ministry highlighted a 3.6% increase in RMG exports during the January-November period compared to the previous year.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 7 ameznews.inHouseholds in India have seen a significant decline in employment days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with the average dropping from 48-52 days annually over the past five years to just 36 days in the current financial year. The proposed Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill aims to increase the statutory entitlement to 125 days, but experts suggest this may not lead to increased central spending. Data reveals that participation in the scheme has also waned, with households receiving the full 100 days of work plummeting from 71.97 lakh in 2020-21 to 40.70 lakh in 2024-25. Additionally, the Centre's funding share is set to decrease from 90% to 60%, shifting more financial responsibility to states. Economic growth, particularly in agriculture, may further reduce demand for MGNREGA as the Centre's contribution is expected to decline.
Published: Dec 17 2025, 10 pm
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