Proposed increase in EPF wage ceiling from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 – What does it mean for employees?

For millions of salaried employees and the organisations that employ them, the proposed increase represents a shift towards social security. (AI image) India’s social security framework is at an important inflection point. After the labour codes, the government is reportedly considering another major reform: raising the wage ceiling for mandatory Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) coverage…

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Shipbuilding In India: Structured tender model for shipbuilding: Government aims tech transfer, local manufacturing

NEW DELHI: With focus on building resilience in the shipping sector, amid the West Asia conflict and increased instances of global supply chain disruptions, govt will adopt a “structured tender” approach for manufacturing specialised vessels, such as gas and oil tankers, and fertiliser carriers. Under this, some vessels in the tender would be built overseas…

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Trump lifts whiskey tariffs: Scotland–Kentucky trade eased after King Charles & Queen Camilla US visit

Representative image (AI-generated) US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that he would remove tariffs and restrictions on whiskey linked to trade between Scotland and the US state of Kentucky.In a post on Truth Social he wrote, “In Honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who have just left the White House,…

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Stock market holiday on May 1: Are NSE, BSE, MCX open on Maharashtra Day?

Indian markets are set for a shortened trading week, with the NSE and BSE remaining closed on Friday, May 1, for Maharashtra Day. The holiday will pause trading across equity, equity derivatives and related segments.For investors planning trades or settlements, Friday’s closure will be the latest scheduled market break after the April 14 holiday observed…

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Govt replaces building code with a new standard, Retains fire safety provisions as ‘advisory’

New Delhi: Govt on Thursday replaced National Building Code (NBC) with National Building Construction Standards (NBCS) by withdrawing the earlier code. The new standards will serve more as guidelines, with this being done following directives from Deregulation Cell under Cabinet Secretariat.TOI has learnt that one of the main reasons for replacing NBC with NBCS was…

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US-Venezuela flights restart after 7 years, first direct Miami-Caracas service lands today

The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela in seven years was scheduled to land in Caracas on Thursday, marking a major step in the restoration of travel links between the two countries after years of disruption, AP reported.The resumption of nonstop service comes months after the US capture of then President…

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Infosys names Nitin Paranjpe vice chairman; Nilekani says no chairman transition planned

Infosys has appointed Hindustan Unilever Ltd’s non-executive chairman Nitin Paranjpe as non-executive vice chairman of its board with immediate effect, PTI reported on Wednesday.“The Board of Directors has approved the appointment of Nitin Paranjpe as non-executive Vice Chairman of the Board with immediate effect,” the company said in a statement.Paranjpe is also non-executive vice chairman…

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US stock markets today (April 30, 2026): Dow jumps 400 points as earnings cheer offsets oil swings; Alphabet rallies, Meta tumbles

US markets traded mixed on Thursday as strong corporate earnings helped Wall Street stay near record highs despite sharp swings in crude oil prices linked to the Iran war, AP reported.The S&P 500 rose 0.1 per cent and remained just below the all-time high touched earlier this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 413…

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Govt likely to notify FEMA changes for foreign firms with up to 10% Chinese stake

The government is set to soon notify changes under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) that will ease foreign direct investment (FDI) norms for overseas companies with up to 10 per cent Chinese shareholding, a senior official told news agency PTI on Thursday.Once notified by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), the revised framework will…

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