News for 'Sector 18'

Big Labour Budget: 61% Unspent

Big Labour Budget: 61% Unspent

Rediff.com5 Feb 2026

Of the Rs 31,820.80 crore allocated to central sector schemes and projects, only Rs 11,868.05 crore was utilised, according to the revised estimates.

'Nehru Believed India And China Should Be Brothers'

'Nehru Believed India And China Should Be Brothers'

Rediff.com25 Feb 2026

'Nehru was an idealist, he was certainly a visionary in one way, but Mao Zedong was not. Mao Zedong was a very down-to-earth strategist. He wanted to take Tibet, to take the plateau, to take the rivers, to take the minerals.'

IDFC First bank flags Rs 590 crore fraud in Haryana govt accounts

IDFC First bank flags Rs 590 crore fraud in Haryana govt accounts

Rediff.com22 Feb 2026

IDFC First Bank reported a Rs 590 crore fraud involving its employees and others in accounts held by the Haryana government. The bank has informed regulators and filed a police complaint, initiating internal reviews and forensic audits.

Trade union strike sees mixed response; normal life unaffected

Trade union strike sees mixed response; normal life unaffected

Rediff.com12 Feb 2026

A nationwide strike called by central trade unions saw a mixed response across India, impacting various sectors and states differently, with some areas experiencing disruptions while others remained largely unaffected.

Economy growing at robust pace, banking sector remains sound: RBI report

Economy growing at robust pace, banking sector remains sound: RBI report

Rediff.com1 Jan 2026

The Indian economy is growing at a robust pace, driven by strong domestic demand, low inflation, and the healthy balance sheets of banks, said a Reserve Bank report released on Wednesday.

Phase out universal subsidies: ADB-PwC study to 16th FC

Phase out universal subsidies: ADB-PwC study to 16th FC

Rediff.com16 Feb 2026

Governments should move away from universal subsidies towards tightly targeted transfers, backed by stricter eligibility norms, sunset clauses and periodic audits to curb leakages and improve spending efficiency, a joint study by Asian Development Bank and PwC has recommended.

9 Most Difficult Exams Across The Globe

9 Most Difficult Exams Across The Globe

Rediff.com20 Feb 2026

Success percentage rates of some of these toughest exams in the world is in single digits

The Woman Making History On India's Oldest Toy Train

The Woman Making History On India's Oldest Toy Train

Rediff.com23 Feb 2026

Sarita Yolma is the first woman Train Ticket Examiner on the 145-year-old Darjeeling Hill Railway. 'It is a dream journey,' she says.

Jharkhand air ambulance crash: DGCA begins probe

Jharkhand air ambulance crash: DGCA begins probe

Rediff.com25 Feb 2026

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into the air ambulance crash in Jharkhand's Chatra district that killed all seven people on board. Two teams from the DGCA are probing the accident, while families mourn the loss of their loved ones.

Sensex reclaims 84K-mark; Nifty ends up 174 points

Sensex reclaims 84K-mark; Nifty ends up 174 points

Rediff.com9 Feb 2026

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty extended their gains for the second straight session on Monday, driven by optimism over the India-US trade deal and robust buying in public sector banks, consumer durables, and realty stocks.

'We have been building AI before it became mainstream'

'We have been building AI before it became mainstream'

Rediff.com20 Feb 2026

'Today, we are at a stage where we have launched a voice-to-voice model that supports 14 Indian languages.'

'LIC sets sights on sustained 60% plus market share'

'LIC sets sights on sustained 60% plus market share'

Rediff.com26 Feb 2026

'LIC will reduce but not fully exit its stake in IDBI Bank, which remains an important bancassurance partner,' says LIC of India' MD and CEO R Doraiswamy.

Gold, Silver Surge Pushes Jan Import Bill Up

Gold, Silver Surge Pushes Jan Import Bill Up

Rediff.com19 Feb 2026

Gold imports climbed 349.22 per cent to $12.07 billion in January, while silver imports rose 127 per cent to $2 billion.

How India-US Trade Deal Finally Shaped Up

How India-US Trade Deal Finally Shaped Up

Rediff.com12 Feb 2026

The turning point came with the appointment of Sergio Gor as the US ambassador to India.

Govt receives financial bids for IDBI Bank stake sale, says Dipam

Govt receives financial bids for IDBI Bank stake sale, says Dipam

Rediff.com7 Feb 2026

The government on Friday received financial bids for the strategic disinvestment of IDBI Bank, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (Dipam) said in an official statement on X.

Farmer groups slam India-US trade deal, call nationwide strike on Feb 12

Farmer groups slam India-US trade deal, call nationwide strike on Feb 12

Rediff.com8 Feb 2026

Several farmer organisations in India are protesting the proposed India-US trade deal, expressing concerns about its impact on the agriculture sector and demanding the resignation of the Commerce Minister.

Quality Funds: Should You Invest?

Quality Funds: Should You Invest?

Rediff.com23 Feb 2026

'Long-term investors seeking sustainable gains from resilient, fundamentally strong companies may go for these funds.'

Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: 'No Crew Would Crash A Plane'

Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: 'No Crew Would Crash A Plane'

Rediff.com23 Feb 2026

'In any aviation emergency, the first rule is aviate -- fly the aircraft.' 'The fact that the commander's voice is not on the recording simply means he was focused entirely on flying. It does not imply anything more than that.'

How The Taxman Plans To Close Cases Faster

How The Taxman Plans To Close Cases Faster

Rediff.com11 Feb 2026

Building on last year's clearance of 172K cases, I-T department is pushing for faster appeal disposals, penalty reforms and system-driven processes to curb litigation and boost tax certainty.

Public Cloud Service Drives Oracle India's Double-Digit Run

Public Cloud Service Drives Oracle India's Double-Digit Run

Rediff.com18 Feb 2026

'India is often skipping legacy cycles and moving directly to advanced AI-driven operations.'

PM Tarique Rahman vows to turn Bangladesh into safe land for all faiths

PM Tarique Rahman vows to turn Bangladesh into safe land for all faiths

Rediff.com19 Feb 2026

Bangladesh's newly-elected Prime Minister Tarique Rahman pledged to strengthen the rule of law and ensure the country is a safe land for people of all faiths, while also addressing corruption and improving law and order.

'Viksit Bharat cannot truly become a reality unless...'

'Viksit Bharat cannot truly become a reality unless...'

Rediff.com12 Feb 2026

'The real question is how best to leverage technology to deliver better services, all the way to the last mile, where we still haven't been able to get across the financial literacy that can enable us to unlock the potential of the entire country.'

Indian exports to attract 10% tariff in US for 150 days from Feb 24

Indian exports to attract 10% tariff in US for 150 days from Feb 24

Rediff.com23 Feb 2026

Indian exports to the US will face a 10% tariff, down from 25%, for 150 days following a US Supreme Court ruling. However, uncertainty persists due to potential further tariff hikes and long-term implications.

Advice For Investors: How To Handle Bull Market Traps, Invest In Gold

Advice For Investors: How To Handle Bull Market Traps, Invest In Gold

Rediff.com10 Feb 2026

'People become guided by emotions, fear of missing out, and greed. They tend to invest in booming sectors that may prove exceptionally expensive.' 'Typically, that represents the peak, and subsequently, they lose substantially.'

UPI Growth Slowdown Rings Alarm

UPI Growth Slowdown Rings Alarm

Rediff.com11 Feb 2026

This would imply a 29 per cent year-on-year rise, significantly lower than growth rates seen in recent years.

'Money Comes Only When Markets Do Well'

'Money Comes Only When Markets Do Well'

Rediff.com4 Feb 2026

'Given that India underperformed emerging markets by 28 per cent in 2025, the worst performance in over 30 years, the timing of the sharp STT hike could have been better.'

Anthropic's Scores Big On India Revenue

Anthropic's Scores Big On India Revenue

Rediff.com19 Feb 2026

India is emerging as Claude.ai's second-largest user base, driven by strong adoption in coding, maths and enterprise AI tasks.

Passenger vehicle dispatches in fast lane in Jan as demand remains robust: SIAM

Passenger vehicle dispatches in fast lane in Jan as demand remains robust: SIAM

Rediff.com13 Feb 2026

Domestic passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealers rose 13 per cent year-on-year to 449,616 units in January with demand remaining robust owing to GST rate rationalisation and subsequent dip in prices, industry body SIAM said on Friday.

India and France Elevate Ties to 'Special Global Strategic Partnership'

India and France Elevate Ties to 'Special Global Strategic Partnership'

Rediff.com18 Feb 2026

India and France have elevated their relationship to a 'special global strategic partnership,' with increased cooperation in defense, trade, and technology. The leaders also inaugurated a helicopter assembly line in Karnataka.

Macron's India visit gets a Bollywood twist with Dhurandhar track

Macron's India visit gets a Bollywood twist with Dhurandhar track

Rediff.com20 Feb 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron's recent state visit to India concluded with a tribute video featuring the title track from the Hindi blockbuster 'Dhurandhar,' sparking widespread social media buzz.

Modi's Long Game With Trump Has Paid Off

Modi's Long Game With Trump Has Paid Off

Rediff.com14 Feb 2026

India and the US have entered a new phase in their relationship, marked by greater parity, point out Harsh V Pant and Vivek Mishra.

AI startup Sarvam launches two made-in-India large language models

AI startup Sarvam launches two made-in-India large language models

Rediff.com19 Feb 2026

Indian artificial intelligence (AI) startup Sarvam launched two indigenous large language models (LLMs) specifically trained on Indian languages on Wednesday.

Wholesale price inflation rises to 1.81% in Jan

Wholesale price inflation rises to 1.81% in Jan

Rediff.com16 Feb 2026

Wholesale price inflation extended upward momentum for the third straight month, at 1.81 per cent in January, driven by an uptick in prices of food, non-food articles, and manufactured items on a month-on-month basis, government data showed on Monday.

India-US Deal Shields Farmers

India-US Deal Shields Farmers

Rediff.com4 Feb 2026

New Delhi will substantially reduce tariffs on industrial and agricultural goods while continuing to protect sensitive sectors. Tariffs on some agricultural products that are not traditionally considered sensitive will be brought down to zero, while in the case of relatively sensitive items, duties will be reduced in a graded manner and quotas will be imposed.

What India gives, and what it gets: Highlights of India-US interim trade deal

What India gives, and what it gets: Highlights of India-US interim trade deal

Rediff.com7 Feb 2026

Both countries commit to provide each other preferential market access in sectors of respective interest on a sustained basis

AI provides huge opportunities to Indian firms; won't hurt business: Nasscom

AI provides huge opportunities to Indian firms; won't hurt business: Nasscom

Rediff.com17 Feb 2026

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) globally presents significant opportunities for Indian companies and will not adversely impact their businesses, Nasscom AI head Ankit Bose said on Tuesday.

What Caused Nifty IT's 6% Fall On Thu?

What Caused Nifty IT's 6% Fall On Thu?

Rediff.com13 Feb 2026

The Nifty IT index hit a more than nine-month low, trading at its weakest level since April 17, 2025.

'More India Aligns With US, More China Aligns With Pak'

'More India Aligns With US, More China Aligns With Pak'

Rediff.com17 Feb 2026

'China continues to perceive its relations with India through the prism of India-US relations, with the US using India to counter balance against China in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.'

Can India Reset Ties With Bangladesh?

Can India Reset Ties With Bangladesh?

Rediff.com24 Feb 2026

Sensitive issues remain. Water sharing of the Ganga and Teesta rivers. Treatment of minorities, particularly Hindus. Border management. Trade imbalances. Connectivity projects.What happens next will shape not just bilateral ties, but the balance of South Asia itself, points out Ramesh Menon.

Budget 2026 is cautious and also focussed on the long-term journey

Budget 2026 is cautious and also focussed on the long-term journey

Rediff.com10 Feb 2026

This year's Economic Survey and the Union Budget were more closely followed for more reasons than one.