Blog - The Purbottar

30 Jan

Ahead of Budget 2026, Life Insurance sector calls for pension tax reform, GST relief to deepen financial security in Bharat

Business BureauBusiness

Ahead of the Union Budget 2026, leaders from the life insurance sector have outlined a set of fiscal and regulatory measures aimed at improving retirement readiness, expanding insurance penetration and sustaining long-term economic growth. VenkyIyer, Co-Chairperson of the Insurance Awareness Committee (IAC-Life), said taxation has a disproportionately harsh impact on pension earners. He proposed aligning pension taxation with other fixed-interest instruments by taxing only the interest or gains, a move he said would enhance post-retirement income while mobilising long-term savings through life insurance solutions. Iyer also called for a standard deduction for pensioners who do not commute their corpus to ensure…

30 Jan

NSDC International sends 39 trained youth to Japan, boost India–Japan skilled mobility push

Business BureauBusiness

In a step strengthening the India–Japan skilled mobility corridor, NSDC International, under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, on Tuesday organised a send-off ceremony for Indian candidates who have completed Japanese language training and are departing for employment in Japan. Held at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi, the ceremony marked the departure of 39 candidates trained under NSDC International’s structured Japanese language and cultural readiness programme. The candidates will take up opportunities in caregiving, hospitality and agriculture across Japanese prefectures including Tokyo, Ibaraki and Hokkaido. The initiative aims to ensure smooth workplace integration through language proficiency, cultural orientation and employer…

30 Jan

Samsung to unveil new privacy shield for Galaxy phones, built over five years

Business BureauBusiness

Samsung is set to introduce a new layer of privacy protection for its Galaxy smartphones, aimed at preventing “shoulder surfing” and keeping personal information safe in public spaces. The company said the upcoming feature has been developed over more than five years of engineering, testing and user research, as concerns around mobile privacy continue to grow. According to Samsung, smartphones have become deeply personal, storing messages, passwords and daily routines, yet they are often used in crowded places such as buses, elevators and queues. The new privacy layer is designed to shield sensitive on-screen content, allowing users to check messages…

30 Jan

INSERM–Paris Director Highlights Role of E-Biodiversity in Shaping Bioeconomy

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The biodiversity of Northeast India presents significant opportunities for enhancing its bioeconomy through the development of biomanufacturing industries. Dr. Srinivas V. Kaveri, Director of Research at INSERM, emphasized this potential during the International Conference on "Transforming Northeast India from Biodiversity Hotspot to Biomanufacturing Hotspot," held at Assam Royal Global University. Sponsored by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the conference featured discussions on the BioE3 Policy aimed at progressing India's biomanufacturing sector through sustainable practices and innovation. In his keynote address, Dr. Srinivas highlighted the importance of Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy and the need…

30 Jan

Workshop to Strengthen SOPs on Floods, Extreme Heat Underway in Guwahati

Sonakshi SarkarGuwahati

A two-day State-Level Consultative Workshop for developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on Flood and Extreme Heat is being organized by the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD), Government of Assam, in collaboration with the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) and UNICEF from Thursday. The workshop, being held in Guwahati, marks a critical step towards institutionalizing child and gender-responsive disaster preparedness in Assam, in alignment with the Assam DRR Roadmap 2030. Senior government officials, domain experts, academicians, development partners and field practitioners are attending the workshop to review and strengthen existing SOPs on floods and to draft a dedicated…

29 Jan

Assam Petro-Chemicals (APL) Signs MoU with Deendayal Port (DPA) to set up 150 TPD e-Methanol Plant at Kandla Port

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd (APL) signed an MoU with Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) to establish a 150 Tonnes Per Day (TPD) e-Methanol plant at Kandla Port in Gujarat, marking a significant step toward India’s clean energy and green shipping transition. The MoU was signed in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal among others at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat here today. More than ₹1,200 crores will be invested as capital for the project. Around 3,500 direct and indirect employment opportunities will arise as a result of this project. The…

29 Jan

Himanta Biswa Sarma Targets Gaurav Gogoi; Assam BJP Accuses Congress of ‘Pro-Pakistan’ Leanings

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday launched a sharp political attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, alleging that he is a “Pakistani agent” and claiming that his wife is also Pakistani. Throwing an open challenge, Sarma said Gogoi should take legal action against him if he has the courage. The Chief Minister made the remarks while speaking to reporters after distributing financial assistance to 37,000 women under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Yojana in the Teok Assembly segment. The event was held at the playground of Jorhat Institute of Science and Technology, where beneficiaries received cheques of ₹10,000 each…

29 Jan

Sarma Says Remarks on ‘Miyan’ Based on Supreme Court Observations, Not Politics

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday defended his recent remarks on the term “Miyan,” saying his position is based on observations made by the Supreme Court of India and not driven by political rhetoric or communal bias. In a post on X, Sarma said critics of his comments should refer to what the apex court has stated in the past regarding Assam and the issue of illegal migration. He clarified that the term is used in Assam in the context of Bangladeshi Muslim illegal migration and asserted that his remarks were in line with concerns previously expressed by…

29 Jan

Royal Enfield’s HunterHood Festival to rev up Shillong on February 7

Business BureauBusiness

Royal Enfield will bring its street culture platform HunterHood to Shillong on February 7, 2026, marking the festival’s debut in the Northeast after successful editions in Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai. Built around the spirit of the Hunter 350 motorcycle, the event aims to celebrate urban expression through music, art, sport and community-led creativity. The one-day festival will feature BMX and skateboarding showcases, street football, slam dunk zones and interactive challenges, alongside custom motorcycles by JD Customs. Skate showcases curated by the Shillong Skate Mag community and live graffiti by the Mixed Media Art Crew and Art of Motorcycling 2024 winner…

29 Jan

Economic Survey 2026: Why Gold matters?

Purbalee DuttaBusiness

Gold has re-emerged as a central element in India’s economic framework, serving not only as a traditional safe asset but also as a key stabilising force amid growing global uncertainty. The Economic Survey notes that the sharp rise in gold prices is not simply part of a normal market cycle, but reflects deeper shifts in global risk sentiment, real interest rate expectations, and declining confidence in conventional financial instruments. The Survey points out that global markets are already reacting to increasing fragility. Throughout 2025, gold prices climbed dramatically from $2,607 per ounce to $4,315 per ounce, supported by a weakening…