Maharashtra government partners with Tata Trusts and Naam Foundation to enhance rural healthcare, water security, and public service delivery through a collaborative CSR model, focusing on sustainable development and last-mile impact. A new partnership in Maharashtra is quietly showing how development work in India is evolving. The state government has signed multiple Memorandums of Understanding…
A fire broke out in a technical building at the Naval Dockyard, South Mumbai, and was contained swiftly by firefighters and naval personnel with no casualties, minimal damage, and operational readiness unaffected; preliminary cause points to a possible electrical short circuit. A major fire broke out inside a building at the Naval Dockyard in South…
Fifty years after the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, bonded labour and debt bondage continue across India due to weak enforcement and delayed rehabilitation. Experts stress the need for criminal accountability, proactive inspections, and protection of marginalised communities to ensure real freedom and dignity. Fifty years after India legally abolished bonded labour, thousands of…
The Gates Foundation’s vast influence in global development delivers measurable gains while concentrating power and raising ethical, ecological, and accountability concerns. It highlights risks posed by reputational scrutiny, philanthropic exit, and private capital shaping public systems, particularly in countries like India. ———————————————————————————————————— Over the last two decades, private philanthropy has become a central force in…
A new drive is underway to transform healthcare across Africa. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and OpenAI have unveiled a major $50 million initiative aimed at bringing advanced artificial intelligence tools to clinics in several African countries. The effort, named Horizon1000, plans to improve health services for millions by 2028. The announcement came at…
New Delhi, India – India is on the verge of sealing a major trade agreement with the European Union, marking one of the most significant shifts in global economic diplomacy in years. India’s Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said negotiators were “very close” to finalising the pact ahead of key summits in New Delhi this month….
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced its largest-ever annual budget, committing a record $9 billion in spending for 2026, even as it prepares to reduce its workforce by up to 500 positions over the next five years. The move marks a significant strategic recalibration for one of the world’s most influential philanthropic institutions,…
In a significant ruling delivered in January 2026, the Supreme Court of India directed Coal India Limited to create a supernumerary post for a visually disabled woman candidate who had been denied employment despite qualifying in a recruitment process. The Court held that the rights of persons with disabilities must be viewed as an integral…
Spending on corporate social responsibility (CSR) by Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) increased significantly in FY25, hitting a record high of ₹6,437 crore. The Public Enterprises Survey for FY25 shows that 183 CPSEs spent 31.1% more on CSR than they had the year before. Additionally, spending became more concentrated. The top 10 public sector businesses…
On 10 July, in Chennai, the 4th India Japan Business Conference brought together policymakers, industryleaders, and development experts under the Indo-Japan Business Council. At the center of the discussion was Takuro Takeuchi, Chief Representative of JICA India, who outlined a five-point agenda to strengthen economic cooperation between the two nations. JICA’s approach is both pragmatic…
