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The Finance Ministry has unveiled a three-year public-private partnership (PPP) project pipeline, featuring 852 projects across Central Infrastructure Ministries and States/Union Territories, with a total estimated cost exceeding ₹17 lakh crore. This initiative, announced on Tuesday, aligns with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's FY26 Budget commitment to encourage infrastructure ministries and states to develop PPP projects, supported by the India Infrastructure Project Development Fund (IIPDF). Of the 232 projects from Central Ministries, the Road Ministry leads with 108 projects valued at over ₹8.76 lakh crore, followed by the Power Ministry and Ports, Shipping & Waterways. Additionally, 620 projects from States/Union Territories are projected at around ₹3.86 lakh crore, with Andhra Pradesh contributing the most. The Ministry emphasized that this pipeline will enhance visibility for investors and stakeholders, facilitating informed planning and investment decisions in India's extensive PPP landscape, which has seen significant growth over the past decade. 
Published: Jan 06 2026, 8 pmeznews.inDigital Green has launched an AI-backed initiative to provide localized climate-smart advisory services to smallholder farmers in Andhra Pradesh, supported by Cisco India and the state government. The initiative aims to assist 50,000 farmers, with a focus on ensuring at least 60% participation from women, across eight districts including Guntur and Kurnool. Central to this effort is the FarmerChat app, which offers tailored advice on crop management and pest diagnosis through photos uploaded by users. Over 300 frontline extension workers will be trained to onboard farmers onto the platform. K Sreenivasulu, Director of Horticulture and Sericulture, emphasized that the project aims to enhance the yield and quality of horticultural products. Cisco India's Harish Krishnan highlighted the importance of translating complex data into actionable guidance for farmers, thereby improving their daily agricultural practices.
Published: Jan 07 2026, 9 pmeznews.inGold prices surged past $4,500 an ounce and silver reached $80 per ounce late Tuesday, driven by the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela aimed at ousting President Nicolas Maduro. This geopolitical crisis has led to significant gains in precious metals, with gold rising 3%, silver over 10.5%, and platinum and palladium also seeing increases. In India, silver peaked at ₹2,59,692 per kg before settling at ₹2,48,000 in the Mumbai spot market. Analysts suggest that while the U.S. intervention may bolster gold prices due to increased safe-haven demand, it is unlikely to improve Venezuela's mining sector, which has suffered from decades of underinvestment and nationalization. Despite Venezuela's rich mineral resources, including critical minerals like nickel and coltan, the focus remains on oil production, which is easier and quicker to exploit. The long-term outlook for gold prices remains bullish amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.
Published: Jan 07 2026, 8 pmeznews.inThe Coffee Board has projected a record coffee output of 4.03 lakh tonnes for the 2025-26 season, up from 3.63 lakh tonnes in 2024-25, with robusta expected to account for 2.84 lakh tonnes and Arabica 1.18 lakh tonnes. However, farmgate prices for robusta have fallen by 13-17% compared to last year, driven by increased supplies from Vietnam, leaving growers concerned as they enter the harvest season. Prices for Robusta Parchment have dropped to ₹15,500-16,000 per 50-kg bag, while Robusta Cherry prices have also declined. In contrast, Arabica prices have risen, with Parchment now at ₹25,800-26,300. Growers face challenges from rising picking costs, which have more than doubled due to labour shortages, and muted demand from local traders. The situation has left many farmers feeling squeezed between volatile prices and increasing production costs.
Published: Jan 07 2026, 8 pmeznews.inThe Indian Agriculture Ministry has unveiled the draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025, aimed at replacing the outdated Insecticides Act of 1968. This revised legislation emphasizes farmer-centric provisions, including enhanced transparency and traceability, to improve services and promote a better quality of life for farmers. Stakeholders are invited to provide feedback by February 4, ahead of its anticipated introduction in the upcoming Budget session of Parliament. While the Bill includes modern reforms such as the use of technology to combat spurious pesticides and higher penalties for violations, critics argue it retains outdated references from previous drafts, notably the 2020 version, which was shelved. The Bill also seeks to ensure quality assurance through mandatory accreditation of testing laboratories and encourages the use of biopesticides. Industry experts have called for stricter regulations to ensure that only qualified entities are granted pesticide manufacturing registrations, highlighting the need for regulatory integrity.
Published: Jan 07 2026, 8 pmeznews.inUnion Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27 on Sunday, February 1, following the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs' decision. The budget session will commence on January 28 with an address from President Droupadi Murmu, followed by the Economic Survey on January 29. This marks a departure from tradition, as it is the first time in recent years that the Budget will be unveiled on a Sunday, although the government has maintained the practice of presenting it on February 1 since 2017-18. Notably, this will be Sitharaman's ninth consecutive budget presentation, surpassing the previous record held by C D Deshmukh. If she continues to present the FY28 Budget, she will match the record of Morarji Desai, who delivered ten Budgets in total. The stock exchanges are preparing for a potential special trading session in light of the Sunday presentation.
Published: Jan 07 2026, 7 pmeznews.inIndia is negotiating last-minute concessions with the European Union (EU) as both parties aim to advance Free Trade Agreement (FTA) discussions this month. Key demands from New Delhi include flexibility in meeting the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) obligations through alternative offset mechanisms, as well as increased quotas for concessional steel exports. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will join negotiators in Brussels to provide political momentum, coinciding with the upcoming visit of EU leaders to India for Republic Day celebrations. The CBAM, effective from January 1, 2026, requires importers of carbon-intensive goods to purchase certificates for embedded emissions, potentially forcing Indian exporters to reduce prices by 15-22% to remain competitive. Additionally, the EU seeks greater market access for automobiles and dairy products. With bilateral trade between India and the EU reaching $136.53 billion in 2024-25, both sides are eager to finalize the FTA amid global trade uncertainties.
Published: Jan 07 2026, 8 pmeznews.inIndia's natural rubber sector has made notable strides in the 2024-25 fiscal year, with the area under cultivation expanding to 9.39 lakh hectares and productivity improving slightly to an average yield of 1,500 kg per hectare. Production rose by 2.1% to 8.75 lakh tonnes, with RSS rubber accounting for 63% of this output. However, domestic consumption dipped to 14.10 lakh tonnes, primarily due to reduced demand from the auto-tyre sector, while imports surged by 11.8% to 5.51 lakh tonnes, with Côte d’Ivoire and Indonesia being key suppliers. Exports of natural rubber also increased, reaching 4,839 tonnes, with Sri Lanka as the main destination. Despite these gains, the sector faces challenges, including price volatility driven by fluctuating demand and climatic risks. Experts predict a tight global market in 2026, with stable to moderately firm prices, contingent on automotive demand and supply developments.
Published: Jan 07 2026, 6 pmeznews.inRecent reductions in war risk premiums in the Red Sea may prompt a shift back to Suez Canal routes for shipping, despite ongoing concerns for crew and cargo safety. According to BIMCO, ship sailings through the Suez Canal have plummeted by 60% compared to early 2023, although the situation in the Red Sea appears to be stabilizing. The last attack on a cargo vessel in the Gulf of Aden occurred in September 2025, and following a ceasefire announcement by Yemen's Houthi rebels, shipping companies are cautiously resuming Red Sea routes. Notably, a Maersk-owned vessel recently navigated this route for the first time in two years. While a return to the Suez Canal could significantly lower shipping costs, it may also lead to a 10% drop in container ship demand, according to BIMCO's chief analyst, Niels Rasmussen. The timeline for full normalization remains uncertain.
Published: Jan 07 2026, 6 pmeznews.inDeendayal Port, formerly known as Kandla Port, led India's major ports with a cargo volume of 116 million tonnes (mt) and a 7% growth in the first nine months of the financial year, contributing to an overall 8% increase in traffic across the country's 12 major ports. Total cargo handled reached 672 mt from April 1 to December 31, 2025, up from 621 mt the previous year, driven by a surge in container and Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants (POL) handling, despite a decline in Russian oil imports. Notably, all major ports reported positive growth, contrasting with declines seen at Kolkata, New Mangalore, and Mormugao ports last year. The rise in container volumes reflects India's growing manufacturing and e-commerce sectors, supported by government initiatives. Experts predict that while Russian oil imports may decrease, increased sourcing from other regions will sustain POL volumes, which currently dominate cargo shares at Indian ports.
Published: Jan 07 2026, 6 pmeznews.inIn a significant shift reflecting India's complex historical narrative, Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd is set to rename the Sir Shadi Lal sugar mill in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, to simply the Shamli sugar mill. This decision, driven by the company's new majority ownership, aims to address the moral discomfort associated with the mill's namesake, Sir Shadi Lal, who presided over the trial that led to the execution of revolutionary martyr Bhagat Singh in 1931. Local residents and labor unions have long felt uneasy about the mill's name, which evokes painful memories of colonial injustice. Triveni's move to adopt a geographic identifier aligns with its practice of naming mills based on location, thereby avoiding historical baggage. The renaming follows Triveni's recent acquisition of a controlling stake in the mill's holding company, with the change expected to be finalized by the end of the current financial year.
Published: Jan 07 2026, 5 pm
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