The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of 12.9 km ropeway project from Sonprayag to Kedarnath (12.9 km). The project will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode at a total capital cost of Rs. 4,081.28 crore.
The ropeway is planned to be developed in public-private partnership and will be based on the most advanced Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology with a design capacity of 1,800 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD) carrying 18,000 passengers per day.
The ropeway project will be a boon to the pilgrims visiting Kedarnath as it would provide an environment-friendly, comfortable and fast connectivity and reduce travel time in one direction from about 8 to 9 hours to about 36 minutes.
Kedarnath is one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas situated at an elevation of 3,583 m (11968 ft) in the Rudraprayag district of the State of UK.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Revision of Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP).
The scheme has three components namely National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), LH&DC and Pashu Aushadhi. LH&DC has three sub-components i.e. Critical Animal Disease Control Programme (CADCP),
Establishment and Strengthening of existing Veterinary Hospitals and Dispensaries - Mobile Veterinary Unit (ESVHD-MVU) and Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD). The Pashu Aushadhi is new component added to the LHDCP scheme. The total outlay of the scheme is Rs.3,880 crore for two years i.e. 2024-25 and 2025-26,
which includes provision of Rs. 75 crore to provide good quality and affordable generic veterinary medicine and incentive for sale of medicines under Pashu Aushadhi component.
The scheme will help in prevention and control of livestock diseases through vaccination, surveillance and upgradation of healthcare facilities.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of 12.4 km ropeway project from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji in Uttarakhand. The project will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode at a total capital cost of Rs. 2,730.13 crore.
Currently, the journey to the Hemkund Sahib Ji is a challenging 21-km uphill trek from Govindghat and is covered on foot or by ponies or palanquins. The proposed ropeway is planned to provide convenience to pilgrims and visiting the Hemkund Sahib Ji and the tourists visiting the Valley of Flowers and,
and will ensure all-weather last mile connectivity between Govindghat and Hemkund Sahib Ji.
The ropeway is planned to be developed in public-private partnership and will be based on Monocable Detachable Gondola (MDG) from Govindghat to Ghangaria (10.55 km), seamlessly integrated with the most advanced Tricable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology from,
Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib Ji (1.85 km) with a design capacity of 1,100 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD) carrying 11,000 passengers per day.
Hemkund Sahib Ji is a highly revered pilgrimage site situated at an elevation of 15,000 ft in Chamoli district of the State of Uttarakhand.
The Government of India has appointed Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Shri Ajay Bhadoo, as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Government e Marketplace (GeM) with effect from March 3, 2025. He will assume this role in addition to his existing responsibilities in the Department of Commerce.
His appointment as CEO of GeM, India’s largest e-marketplace for government procurement, comes at a pivotal time as the platform transitions to a next-generation digital marketplace powered by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Currently, GeM has recorded a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of Rs. 4.58 lakh crore, reflecting a 28.65% year-on-year growth.
An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1999 batch from the Gujarat cadre, Shri Bhadoo brings over two decades of experience in policy formulation and implementation across diverse sectors, including urban infrastructure development.
In August 2024, Shri Bhadoo was appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce.
The Competition Commission of India has approved the proposed acquisition of certain shareholding of Schott Poonawalla Private Limited by TPG Scion SG Pte. Ltd.
The proposed combination involves the acquisition by TPG Scion SG Pte. Ltd. of certain shareholding in SPPL by way of a secondary purchase from Serum Institute of India Private Limited. (Proposed Combination).
The TPG Scion SG Pte. Ltd. (TPG Scion/Acquirer), is a newly incorporated special purpose investment vehicle incorporated in Singapore on 11th October 2024 for the purposes of the Proposed Combination. Currently it does not have any operations in India. TPG Scion is an affiliate of the TPG Group, which is a global, diversified investment firm founded in 1992.
The Competition Commission of India has approved the acquisition of equity shares of PSP Projects Limited by Adani Infra (India) Limited.
The proposed transaction involves the acquisition by Adani Infra (India) Limited (Acquirer) of equity shares of PSP Projects Limited (Target) from: (i) Mr. Prahaladbhai S. Patel (Seller) (Initial Acquisition); and
(ii) public shareholders by way of an open offer (Open Offer), such that, post-closing of the Initial Acquisition and Open Offer, the Acquirer (on the one hand) and the Seller and other existing promoters (on the other hand) would hold equal shareholding.
The Competition Commission of India has approved the proposed acquisition of up to 72.8% shareholding of Orient Cement Limited by Ambuja Cements Limited.
Ambuja Cements Limited (Acquirer) is engaged in the manufacture and sale of grey cement, including Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Pozzolona Portland Cement (PPC), and Pozzolona Composite Cement (PCC).
The Acquirer (including its subsidiaries) operates 22 integrated cement plants across India, as well as 10 bulk cement terminals and 21 grinding units.
Orient Cement Limited (Target) is involved in the business of manufacturing grey cement, including PPC and OPC. It has three manufacturing facilities at Devapur (Telangana), Chittapur (Karnataka) and Jalgaon (Maharashtra).
The Competition Commission of India has approved the proposed acquisition of 100% equity share capital of Raj Petro Specialities Private Limited by Shell Deutschland GmbH and Shell Overseas Investments B.V.
The proposed combination envisages acquisition of 100% equity share capital of Raj Petro Specialities Private Limited (Raj Petro Specialities),
by Shell Deutschland GmbH and Shell Overseas Investments B.V.
Shell Plc is the ultimate parent company of the Shell Group of companies. Shell Group is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies, active in oil and gas exploration, production, manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals, as well as renewable energy products.
The Competition Commission of India has approved the proposed acquisition of 100% shareholding in KSK Mahanadi Power Company Limited by JSW Energy Limited.
JSW Energy Limited (JSWEL) is a public listed company having established its presence across the value chains of the power sector with diversified assets in power generation,
transmission and trading with strong operations, robust corporate governance and prudential capital allocation. Presently, JSWEL (through its subsidiaries) is engaged in power generation, power transmission, power trading, coal mining, and power equipment manufacturing.
JSW Thermal Energy One Limited (JSW Thermal) is a newly formed wholly owned subsidiary of JSWEL, incorporated in October 2024 for the purposes of facilitating the Proposed Transaction. JSW Thermal currently does not have any business activities of its own.
KSK Mahanadi Power Company Limited (KMPCL) was incorporated in 2009.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the appointment of Dr Ajit Ratnakar Joshi as executive director, effective from March 3, 2025.
Prior to this promotion, Joshi served as Principal Adviser in the Department of Statistics and Information Management (DSIM).
As executive director, Joshi will oversee the Department of Statistics and Information Management as well as the Financial Stability Department.
His role will involve ensuring the accuracy and reliability of statistical data used for policy formulation and overseeing financial stability measures critical to the banking sector, the RBI said.
India has emerged as a leading global wealth hub, with a current population of 85,698 High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs), placing it fourth globally, behind only the US, China, and Japan, according to the latest Global Wealth report by property consulting firm Knight Frank.
According to the latest wealth report, the number of HNWIs—defined as individuals with at least US$1 million in investable assets—rose by 4.4% globally in 2024, reaching over 2.3 million people. Notably, the population of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs), those with assets exceeding US$100 million, surpassed 100,000 for the first time,
reflecting a broader trend of growing wealth across the world.
America continues to dominate as the world's primary wealth creator, with nearly 40% of global HNWIs residing in the US, a figure far surpassing China, which holds 20%, and Japan, which accounts for just over 5%.
Despite this dominance, India has seen impressive growth, with its HNWI population expanding rapidly due to the country's economic dynamism and rising risk appetite, particularly in emerging markets.
India's remarkable progress is attributed to its thriving startup ecosystem, which has been fueled by widespread smartphone access and a growing culture of entrepreneurship.
The International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness seeks to promote better awareness and understanding of disarmament issues among the public, especially young people.
Observed on 5 March, the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness plays a role in deepening the global public’s understanding about,
how disarmament efforts contribute to enhancing peace and security, preventing and ending armed conflicts, and curbing human suffering caused by weapons.
Australian cricket legend Steve Smith has officially announced his retirement from One-Day Internationals (ODIs), marking the end of an illustrious 14-year career in the 50-over format. He will continue to be available for Test and T20I selection. Smith’s decision came just after Australia’s semi-final defeat to India by four wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy,
Smith told his teammates after the semifinal loss that he’ll retire from ODIs immediately. He said it feels like the right time to make way. It has been a great ride and he loved every minute of it, Smith said. The 35-year-old batter leaves behind an impressive legacy. Across 170 ODIs, scoring 5800 runs at an average of 43.28 and a strike rate of 86.96,
including 12 centuries and 35 half-centuries. He finished his career as the 12th-highest run-getter for Australia in ODIs. Having made his debut as a leg-spinning allrounder, he also picked 28 wickets and took 90 catches.
He captained Australia in 64 matches, winning 32 and losing 28.
