Battery swapping and charging coexistence urged to accelerate EV adoption, requiring standards, accountability and inter-ministerial coordination.
Advocacy for coexistence of battery swapping and charging infrastructure to accelerate EV adoption, with deployment at petrol pumps and CNG stations to improve accessibility and reduce concentration. Calls for regulatory parity between fixed-battery and swap providers on subsidies, adoption of safety and operational standards by relevant standard-setting bodies, accountability mechanisms, and coordinated implementation through inter-ministerial and industry collaboration.

Memorandum of Understanding strengthens startup-public partnership to boost ecosystem, attract global investor engagement through collaboration.
A Memorandum of Understanding between DPIIT and the Startup Policy Forum creates a strategic public private collaboration to deliver joint programming-including the SPF Baithak and immersive investor engagement initiatives-and to promote collaborations among SPF members and DPIIT to showcase Indian startup innovation internationally and facilitate global stakeholder relationships.

District-level statistical estimates expanded: sample design restructured to mandate district as basic stratum and enable local estimates.
NSO will undertake multiple nationwide surveys from January 2025 with a modified sample design making the district the basic sampling stratum to enable district-level estimates. MOSPI/NSO will generate State and National estimates while State governments will produce district-level estimates. The revisions also enable monthly all India PLFS indicators, quarterly rural PLFS estimates, and quarterly plus annual ASUSE estimates. Data will be collected by trained enumerators using tablets with e SIGMA, cover the entire Union, and be held confidential for planning and policy formulation.

Unincorporated sector growth: resurgence in establishments, employment, productivity and digital adoption across services and manufacturing.
ASUSE 2023-24 records substantial expansion in the unincorporated non agricultural sector: establishments rose markedly with strongest growth in Other Services and manufacturing; GVA increased driven chiefly by Other Services. Employment expanded by over one crore workers, female proprietorship share grew, and average emoluments per hired worker rose, with manufacturing showing the highest wage gains. Productivity measures improved-GVA per worker and GVO per establishment increased-and internet usage among establishments expanded, indicating rising digital adoption across the sector.

Competition approval permits IFC, ADB and DEG to acquire stake in Fourth Partner Energy, enabling investment in renewables.
Competition approval was granted for the acquisition of certain shareholding in Fourth Partner Energy by IFC, ADB and DEG, structured as a collective investment through primary subscription and secondary purchase, whereby each investor will acquire a specified percentage of the Target's share capital. The transaction combines new capital infusion and secondary share transfers. Fourth Partner Energy provides integrated renewable energy solutions, including owning and operating solar and wind power assets and offering EPC and O&M services primarily on a captive basis.

Merger approval: Mars to acquire Kellanova through merger sub, making Kellanova an indirect wholly owned subsidiary.
CCI approved Mars' acquisition of all outstanding equity shares of Kellanova by merger: Merger Sub, a direct wholly owned subsidiary of the Acquiror, will merge into Kellanova, which will become an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Mars. The Acquiror was created for the Proposed Combination, and the parties' product presence in India is limited to Mars supplying sweet confectionery and gum and Kellanova supplying breakfast cereals and potato crisps.