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An 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.inMumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (MIAL) has solidified its position as the leading air traffic hub in Maharashtra, handling 4.39 crore passengers in 2022-23, with projections rising to 5.28 crore in 2023-24 and 5.51 crore in 2024-25. Overall, Maharashtra's airports recorded a significant increase in passenger traffic, from 5.61 crore in 2022-23 to 7.08 crore in 2024-25. Pune Airport emerged as the second-largest contributor, with passenger numbers climbing from 80.07 lakh to over 1.04 crore during the same period. While major airports like Nagpur and Aurangabad experienced steady growth, smaller regional airports showed inconsistent trends. The data reflects a growing demand for air travel in urban centres, alongside uneven usage of regional facilities. Additionally, air cargo operations are expanding, with AAICLAS managing services at several airports, including Pune and Aurangabad, which have established significant cargo handling capacities.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 3 pmeznews.inIn a recent announcement, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has launched the Employees' Enrolment Scheme (EES)-2025, providing a six-month compliance window for employers to voluntarily enroll eligible employees who were excluded from the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) scheme between July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2025. The Ministry of Labour & Employment emphasized that employers can regularize past non-compliance by depositing only the employer's share of contributions, along with applicable interest and a nominal penalty of ₹100. This initiative aims to enhance social security coverage across the nation. The EPFO is actively reaching out to defaulting employers via SMS and email, urging them to seize this one-time opportunity to rectify their compliance issues. The scheme reflects the government's commitment to ensuring "Social Security for All" in India.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 3 pmeznews.inBusiness leaders in West Kochi have called for the urgent establishment of affordable water-based transport services to better serve local residents and businesses. During a meeting organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Loknath Behera, chairman of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd, emphasized the need for enhanced connectivity in Mattancherry, where new water services are expected to be operational by 2027, connecting Thoppumpady and Edakochi terminals. Behera highlighted Mattancherry's significance as a commercial hub, advocating for the revival of traditional grain trade and the alignment of transport facilities with the area's economic potential. Rajkumar Gupta, president of the Chamber, echoed these sentiments, stressing the necessity for a reliable and affordable boat service that operates consistently, regardless of tidal conditions, and integrates seamlessly with other Water Metro jetties. The initiative aims to bolster the region's transport infrastructure as part of Kochi's broader development strategy.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 1 pmeznews.inUnion Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the 'Securities Markets Code, 2025' Bill in the Lok Sabha, aiming to overhaul existing securities regulations by replacing the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, the SEBI Act of 1992, and the Depositories Act of 1996. Key provisions include mandatory disclosure of interests by SEBI board members during decision-making and the requirement for SEBI to transfer surplus funds to the government. The Bill seeks to eliminate conflicts of interest, streamline adjudication processes, and decriminalise minor infractions into civil penalties to ease compliance burdens. It also enhances investor protection through the establishment of an Ombudsperson for grievance redressal and introduces a Regulatory Sandbox to foster financial innovation. The proposed legislation will undergo scrutiny by a select committee before further consideration.
Published: Dec 18 2025, 1 pmeznews.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.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 am
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