The Union Cabinet on January 21, 2026 approved an equity infusion of ₹5,000 crore into the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to expand the credit available to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The infusion will be made by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) in three tranches.
Of the total amount, ₹3,000 crore will be infused in 2025-26 at a book value of ₹568.65 as on March 31, 2025, and ₹1,000 crore each in 2026-27 and 2027-28 at the book value prevailing at the end of the respective previous financial year.
According to official data, as of September 30, 2025, around 6.9 crore MSMEs registered with the government employ 30.16 crore people. This works out to an average employment generation of 4.37 persons per enterprise, it said.
Based on this average, the addition of new MSME beneficiaries is estimated to generate employment for about 1.12 crore people by 2027-28.
The BCCI has secured a lucrative Rs 270 crore sponsorship deal from Google’s AI platform Gemini ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL).
The BCCI had to look for a new jersey sponsor last year when the Indian government banned real money gaming platforms like Dream11.
Eventually, Apollo Tyres replaced Dream11 as the jersey sponsor, securing the rights for Rs 579 crore.
Tata Group holds the title sponsorship rights for the IPL, the world’s biggest T20 league.
The latest sponsorship involving Gemini indicates the growing interest of AI platforms in Indian cricket.
SBI Life Insurance, one of India's most trusted private life insurers, launched 'SBI Life - Smart Platina Advantage', an individual, non-linked, non-participating life insurance savings product that offers long-term guaranteed benefits along with life insurance protection throughout the policy term.
Designed to help individuals plan confidently for life's milestones--be it children's education, retirement planning, corpus creation, building second income etc., --SBI Life - Smart Platina Advantage enables individuals to build a disciplined financial corpus with assured guaranteed additions every policy year.
SBI Life Insurance ('SBI Life' / 'The Company'), one of the most trusted life insurance companies in India, was incorporated in October 2000 and is registered with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in March 2001.
The flow of credit from non-financial sources as well as banks to commercial sector has increased by 44 per cent during the first nine months (April-December) of 2025-26 (M9FY26), indicating demand conditions in the economy remaining buoyant underpinned by a resurgence in rural demand and a gradual recovery in urban demand,the RBI’s monthly state of the economy report said.
India and the United Arab Emirates agreed to double bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032, unveiling a wide-ranging set of commercial and strategic outcomes covering energy security, defence cooperation, space, food exports, investment, and advanced computing.
The agreements were inked during UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's one-day state visit to New Delhi.
The UAE has now emerged as India’s second-largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG)
A key outcome on the energy front was the signing of a Sales and Purchase Agreement between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and ADNOC Gas.
Under the agreement, India will receive LNG supplies for a period of 10 years beginning 2028, strengthening long-term energy security amid volatile global gas markets.
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has extended the protection granted to directors of the newly constituted IL&FS board, shielding them from being prosecuted as wilful defaulters by banks.
A two-member bench, comprising Chairperson Justice Ashok Bhushan and Member (Technical) Barun Mitra, clarified that banks can pursue actions against professional directors of the new IL&FS board only after obtaining prior permission from the tribunal.
Earlier, on April 4, 2025, NCLAT had issued an order safeguarding directors appointed after the government takeover of IL&FS from prosecution by banks. However, state-run lenders such as Canara Bank and Indian Bank were allowed to proceed against former IL&FS directors who were not part of the new board.
The government had appointed a new IL&FS board on October 1, 2018, following the surfacing of the firm’s massive Rs 90,000-crore debt. Subsequently, on October 15, 2018, NCLAT had passed an interim order granting a moratorium that halted creditor actions against IL&FS and its 302 group entities amid a severe liquidity crisis.
HDFC Bank said that the RBI has approved the appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as a whole-time director on the bank's board.
HDFC Bank said, "The RBI, vide its communication dated January 20, 2026, has given approval for the re-appointment of Mr. Kaizad Bharucha as the Whole-time Director (Deputy Managing Director) of the Bank for a further period of 3 (three) years.
Non-bank lender Capri Global Capital has announced that its chief executive officer, Monu Ratra, has resigned after a brief tenure of less than four months to pursue an entrepreneurial path. Ratra's last working day will be January 31, 2026.He assumed charge as CEO of the company on October 7, 2025.
Prior to joining Capri Global Capital, Ratra served as the CEO of IIFL Home Finance.
The Union Cabinet has decided to continue the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) till FY31, ensuring financial security for workers in the unorganised economy in their old age.
According to the Finance Ministry, the extension will also secure funding for promotional and developmental activities, as well as meet viability gaps.
India has an aspiration of becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047 and achieving USD 30 trillion economy. This economic expansion will be driven by a significant increase in industrial activity and accompanied by extensive infrastructure development.
Increasing the share of manufacturing sector from 17% to 25% in GDP is a key national objective that is central to India’s developmental goals. India has also pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070. Therefore, a need was identified for developing industry specific green transition roadmaps that are consistent with Viksit Bharat by 2047. I
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) launched the Electronic Personnel Licence (EPL) services for Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) in an event held at DGCA Headquarters here today. The EPL ATPL service was inaugurated by the DGCA, marking an important milestone in its digital transformation journey.
The Electronic Personnel Licence is a secure digital licence incorporating ICAO-aligned security features to ensure authenticity, prevent tampering, and enable real-time verification. The EPL can be accessed through the eGCA mobile application.
The DGCA had initiated the roll-out of EPL in February 2025, starting with Commercial Pilot's Licence (CPL) and Flight Radio Telephone Operator’s (Restricted) Licence (FRTOL). With the launch of the EPL services for ATPL, the DGCA further strengthens its commitment towards enhanced efficiency, transparency and improved service delivery for the aviation sector.
The SAMPANN pension management system developed by the office of Controller General of Communication Accounts has been integrated with the UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) platform.
thereby ensuring that all the pensioners have access to vital information related to their pension available at all times.
UMANG constitutes a singular unified platform—encompassing a mobile application and web portal—for accessing government services proffered by Central, State, and Local bodies, anytime and anywhere.
About SAMPANN: SAMPANN (System for Accounting and Management of Pension) is a flagship digital platform of the Department, developed, owned, and operated by the Office of the Controller General of Communication Accounts for pension administration and allied financial management functions.
Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, is a fast-expanding urban hub with nearly 40 lakh residents and 7.5 lakh establishments. This rapid growth brings complex challenges in waste management and environmental sustainability.
In line with its scientific and sustainable approach to waste management, Lucknow has inaugurated its third fresh waste processing facility at Shivari Plant. With this, it becomes the first city in Uttar Pradesh to achieve 100% scientific processing of municipal solid waste—officially earning the distinction of a ‘zero fresh waste dump’ city.
The city generates around 2,000 metric tonnes of waste daily. To manage this, LMC and Bhumi Green Energy have set up three waste processing plants of 700 MT/day capacity each. Waste is segregated into organic (55%) and inorganic (45%) fractions.
