Santosh Kumar Yadav appointed NHAI chief; other key appointments

India Launches First Maritime Sector NBFC

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal recently inaugurated Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL), India’s first NBFC dedicated to the maritime sector. Formally registered with the RBI on 19 June 2025, SMFCL evolved from Sagarmala Development Company Limited.It will address financing gaps for ports, MSMEs, startups, and maritime institutions, supporting shipbuilding, renewable energy, cruise tourism, and education. The move aligns with India’s Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 and aims to catalyse innovation and sustainable logistics growth.Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur emphasis..

Centre Reviews Expansion of Rourkela Steel Plant

A high-level meeting on the expansion of the Rourkela Steel Plant was recently held, attended by Ministers H.D. Kumaraswamy, Jual Oram, and Dharmendra Pradhan, alongside Odisha government and SAIL officials.The expansion aims to double the plant’s capacity from 4.5 to 9.3 million tonnes with a supporting railway line upgrade. Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram raised concerns over employment for displaced youth and requested additional land for Rourkela airport expansion.It was decided that the Ministry of Steel will form a high-level committee with Odisha officials and SAIL to resolve local ..

DPIIT Reviews Progress of Mega Infrastructure Projects

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) recently reviewed 19 key infrastructure projects across Jharkhand, Sikkim, Nagaland, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh. Chairing the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) meeting, Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia assessed issues in projects worth over ₹75,000 crore.Highlights include NTPC’s 2,400 MW Phase-I of the Patratu Thermal Power Project, NHPC’s 2,880 MW Dibang Hydropower Project—India’s tallest dam—and NHIDCL’s Kohima Bypass Road. These projects aim to enhance connectivity, energy generation, and flood control in the r..