Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 27: Indian Railways has stepped up emergency preparedness as Cyclone Arnab approaches the eastern coast. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed arrangements before the storm’s expected landfall on October 28. Officially named TC02B, the cyclone may affect the South Coast and East Coast Railway zones. Around 600 km of track across vulnerable stretches is now under close surveillance. These include sections falling under the Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam divisions. War rooms have been activated at the zonal, divisional and Railway Board levels. They are tracking the situation round the clock. Wind speed and water levels are being recorded…
Author: Industry Odisha
Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 27: In view of Cyclone ‘Arnab’ and its anticipated impact on Odisha, a meeting was held under the chairpersonship of Er. Dillip Kumar Rout, Engineer-in-Chief, to review the Department’s preparedness and response measures. The meeting reviewed the rainfall forecast, reservoir status, inflows and outflows, and the preparedness of field formations. Emphasis was laid on continuous monitoring of rainfall, river and reservoir levels, and inflows and outflows to ensure timely action in response to the evolving situation. Special attention was given to major and medium reservoirs in southern Odisha, including Indravati, Kolab, Balimela, Bhanjanagar, Harabhangi and Bhaskel.…
Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 27: As India continues to strengthen its indigenous defence capabilities, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has contributed another important milestone to the country’s naval modernisation efforts with the commissioning of INS Mangrol, the Indian Navy’s third Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC). Built using 100 percent specialised steel supplied by AM/NS India, INS Mangrol was commissioned into service on October 12 at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The achievement highlights the growing contribution of advanced Indian steelmaking to the country’s defence manufacturing ecosystem and maritime security objectives. Ranjan Dhar, Director & Vice President – Sales &…
Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 27: Paper makers seek PM’s help on coal supply after costs jump over 50%. India’s paper manufacturers have asked the Prime Minister to step in on coal supplies. The Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA) says coal costs rose over 50% in two months. It also flagged irregular railway rakes and shrinking coal stocks at mills. The association warned some mills may halt production if costs make operations unviable. IPMA has made two main requests. It wants mills’ captive power plants treated on par with thermal power stations. That covers both coal allocation and movement by railway…
Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 27: New refining capacity could give India a bigger share of global diesel exports. India expects its diesel exports to climb sharply from 2027, industry officials said on Tuesday. State-run refiners plan to add about 16.5 million tonnes of annual diesel production capacity. The extra output could give India a bigger share of a tight global fuel market. The timing matters. The US-Iran and Russia-Ukraine wars have disrupted fuel trade and lifted freight costs. Plant closures have also squeezed supply, leaving operating refineries running near record utilisation. Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said India aims to…
Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 27: India should not deplete its reserves to defend one rupee level, Raghuram Rajan warns. Former RBI chief Raghuram Rajan has urged India to stop chasing a fixed rupee level. Speaking to the Reuters Global Markets Forum on Tuesday, he offered simple advice: don’t panic. He argued that spending reserves to defend one number wastes hard-won buffers. Some depreciation, he added, could even help Indian exporters. The rupee has lost about 6% so far in 2026, Reuters reported. That makes it Asia’s second-worst performing currency this year. It also touched a record low of 96.96 against…
Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 27: New vehicle emissions rules recognise pure ethanol for flex-fuel models. Retail availability at pumps remains uncertain. India has formally recognised E100, a fuel made entirely of ethanol. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has amended the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The change, notified as G.S.R. 911(E), places E100 alongside E85 for flex-fuel vehicles. Carmakers now have a legal framework to build and certify such vehicles. The move does not affect ordinary petrol cars on Indian roads. It also does not put pure ethanol at petrol pumps overnight. Instead, it creates a regulatory pathway…
Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 27: Deposit return schemes give used plastic packaging a cash value. Success will depend on infrastructure. Indian states are putting a price on empty bottles. Goa, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are building deposit return schemes for packaging waste. Each aims to improve the collection and recycling of bottles and other containers. The logic is simple. A refundable deposit gives used packaging a cash value. Consumers then have a reason to return it rather than discard it. According to Mint, the model starts with producers registering products on a digital platform. Each package carries a unique QR…
Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 27: Early rabi planting trails last year, but it is too soon to judge the harvest. Wheat sowing has made a slow start after a deficient monsoon. Farmers had planted wheat on 11,000 hectares by October 23. That compares with 27,000 hectares at the same point last year. The early shortfall is about 59%, according to Agriculture Ministry data. The ministry noted that sowing has only just begun in a few states. The numbers need perspective. Wheat is usually sown in October and November and harvested by March-April. Last season, the crop covered 336 lakh hectares.…
Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 37: India and Mexico will launch negotiations on a limited preferential trade agreement. Tariff relief, however, remains some distance away. India and Mexico are set to formally open negotiations on a preferential trade agreement. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal is on a two-day visit to Mexico City. He will sign the Terms of Reference, which set the framework for talks. The move responds to steep Mexican import duties that now apply to Indian goods. Signing the ToR starts the negotiation process; it does not cut any tariffs. In a post on X, Agrawal said the visit would…