Category business

Apr 11 (BNP): India’s flagship port-led development initiative, the Sagarmala programme, continues to strengthen the country’s maritime economy with significant progress in infrastructure expansion, cargo movement, and employment generation.

According to official updates, the programme has already completed 315 projects, while 210 projects are currently under implementation and another 320 are in the planning stage. These initiatives are aimed at modernising ports, improving connectivity, and boosting industrial activity along India’s coastline.

 Pic Credit: Pexel

A major focus has been port modernisation, with 120 projects completed, adding more than 400 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of new handling capacity. In addition, 106 completed road and rail connectivity projects have significantly improved cargo evacuation efficiency, reducing delays and improving trade competitiveness.

The shift toward coastal shipping and inland waterways has also seen strong growth. Coastal cargo movement has increased to 195 MTPA from 87 MTPA, marking a rise of 118%, while inland waterway cargo has surged dramatically to 145.50 MTPA from 18.10 MTPA, reflecting a growth of nearly 700%. This transition has helped reduce logistics costs by moving freight from road to more efficient water-based transport systems.

Officials note that the programme is playing a crucial role in strengthening India’s economic growth by lowering transportation costs, improving supply chain efficiency, and enhancing export competitiveness.

The Sagarmala initiative is also expected to generate large-scale employment opportunities, with an estimated potential of around one crore jobs, including 40 lakh direct and 60 lakh indirect positions through port-led industrialisation and related infrastructure development.

Overall, the programme is emerging as a key driver in transforming India’s maritime sector into a modern, efficient, and globally competitive logistics hub, supporting the country’s long-term economic growth ambitions.

Udaipur, April 11: Udaipur’s largest retail destination, Urban Square Mall, has announced the opening of ‘The Banquet’ at Keys Lite by Lemon Tree Hotels, marking a strategic expansion of its hospitality and experiential offerings.

 Positioned as a contemporary event venue, The Banquet spans approximately 5000 sq. ft. and has a hosting capacity of 150-200 guests, making it suitable for a wide range of social and corporate gatherings. The space has been designed with a focus on functionality and flexibility, enabling it to accommodate diverse event formats while ensuring operational efficiency and a consistent guest experience.

Located on the ground floor of the Hotel, the addition aligns with the asset’s broader vision of integrating retail, leisure, and hospitality into a unified ecosystem. The development comes at a time when Udaipur is witnessing increasing demand for organised, high-quality event infrastructure, driven by both private celebrations and corporate engagements.

Commenting on the inauguration, Uddhav Poddar, CMD, Bhumika Group, said,

“At Bhumika Group, our approach has been to expand beyond conventional retail into a more integrated mix that includes hospitality and experience-led formats. The introduction of ‘The Banquet’ is part of that broader evolution at Urban Square Mall. We are seeing a clear shift in how consumers engage with spaces today; how they are looking for destinations that seamlessly bring together shopping, dining, and social experiences. With this addition, we are not only strengthening our hospitality footprint but also enhancing the overall relevance of the asset in a way that is both demand-led and operationally sustainable.”

Nandini Taneja, CEO, Bhumika Enterprises, added,

“Our focus with ‘The Banquet’ has been on creating a venue that is efficient, adaptable, and aligned with the expectations of today’s users. There is a clear shift towards professionally managed spaces that can seamlessly host both social and corporate engagements without compromising on experience. This facility has been planned to deliver consistency across service, layout, and execution, while remaining flexible enough to cater to varied event requirements. It strengthens our broader vision of building destinations that are not only well-designed, but also intuitive in how they function on a day-to-day basis.”

With this launch, Urban Square Mall continues to cater as a multi-dimensional destination, addressing not only shopping and entertainment needs but also curated, experience-led interactions.

New Delhi, Apr 11 ( BNP): United States Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Friday said he held a “productive interaction” with US Secretary of State Wright and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in New Delhi, with discussions centered on strengthening future energy cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting comes shortly after India’s passage of the Sustainable and Holistic Advancement of Nuclear Technology and Infrastructure (SHANTI) Bill, a landmark legislation aimed at expanding the country’s civil nuclear energy framework and boosting long-term clean energy development.

According to officials, the discussions focused on opportunities for deeper collaboration in the energy sector, particularly in areas such as nuclear technology, clean energy transition, and strategic energy security partnerships.

The engagement reflects growing momentum in India–US relations, with both sides exploring ways to enhance cooperation in critical and emerging energy technologies amid global efforts to transition toward sustainable energy sources.

Bhubaneswar, Apr 11 (BNP): The 13th Bhubaneswar International Trade Fair 2026 was officially inaugurated Yesterday at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar. The event is being organized by Gupta Event Management Pvt. Ltd. and marks another major edition of the city’s prominent trade exhibition.

 Pi Credit: Pexel

The inauguration ceremony witnessed the presence of several distinguished guests, including Odisha Olympic Association President Samir Mohanty, BJP Bhubaneswar State Coordinator Rashmi Ranjan Kanungo, former MLA Priyadarshi Mishra, social worker Rosalin Patashani, Managing Director of Gupta Event Management Sujit Kumar Gupta, former Red Cross Secretary Kalpana Das, and social activist Ravi Samal.

Organizers expect more than five lakh visitors to attend the 11-day event, which features a large B2B and B2C exhibition platform. The fair brings together participants from 22 Indian states and 10 countries, showcasing over one lakh national and international products in an air-conditioned exhibition setup.

Visitors can explore a wide range of products, including Kashmiri handicrafts and furniture, Afghan dry fruits, Bangladeshi Jamdani sarees, Iranian dates and herbal oils, Dubai perfumes and apparel, Thai jewellery and footwear, Korean cosmetics, and a variety of Indian traditional crafts. The exhibition also features antiques, metal crafts, marble sculptures, leather goods from various Indian states, and consumer electronics.

The food zone at the fair offers a diverse selection of cuisines, adding to the cultural and commercial experience of the event.

New Delhi, Apr 11 (BNP): The National Stock Exchange of India is set to roll out a major technology upgrade that will allow nanosecond-level order delivery acknowledgements across its equity, derivatives, currency, and commodity segments.

This advancement is aimed at significantly improving the speed and efficiency of trade processing on one of India’s leading stock exchanges. With the new system, traders will receive near-instant confirmation when their orders are received and processed, reducing latency to extremely fine time intervals.

The upgrade is expected to benefit high-frequency trading participants and institutional investors who rely heavily on ultra-fast execution and system reliability. It also reflects NSE’s continued focus on strengthening its technological infrastructure and keeping pace with global standards in modern electronic trading systems.

By extending this capability across all market segments, NSE is moving toward a more unified and high-performance trading environment, enhancing overall market responsiveness and operational efficiency.

New Delhi, Apr 11 (BNP): The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying hosted the Seafood Exporters Meet 2026 in New Delhi, bringing together government officials and industry stakeholders to strengthen India’s seafood export ecosystem and address key challenges affecting the sector.

 Pic Credit: Pexel

The meeting, attended by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, focused on strategies to scale up exports, improve compliance standards, and expand India’s presence in global seafood markets amid shifting international trade conditions.

The minister highlighted that India’s seafood exports have continued to grow steadily despite global uncertainties, with strong performance in non-US markets. He stressed the need to further diversify export destinations, enhance product quality, and ensure strict compliance with global safety norms, including traceability systems and antibiotic regulations.

A key emphasis was placed on tapping high-value opportunities in deep-sea fishing and island-based fisheries, particularly in regions such as the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and India’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The government also called for stronger cold-chain logistics, modern packaging, and increased value-added processing to reduce wastage and improve export competitiveness.

Officials outlined ongoing efforts to strengthen international outreach by working closely with Indian missions abroad and global trade partners. Institutions such as MPEDA, NABARD, and EIC are expected to play a larger role in capacity building, compliance support, and export facilitation.

Industry stakeholders raised concerns over high compliance costs, infrastructure gaps, tariff and non-tariff barriers, and delays in certification processes. They also called for greater support to inland fisheries, mariculture, and emerging sectors such as seaweed cultivation.

The meeting reflected a broader push to reposition India’s seafood sector as a high-value, globally competitive industry driven by innovation, diversification, and stronger global integration.