Blog - The Purbottar

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…

29 Jan

Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Rishabh Pant named global ambassadors as ‘Good Game’ launches in India with Rs 1 crore prize

Business BureauBusiness

Good Game, billed as the world’s first as-live global gaming reality show, has officially launched in India with the aim of finding the country’s first Global Gaming Superstar. Actor and entrepreneur Samantha Ruth Prabhu has joined cricketer Rishabh Pant as a global brand ambassador, alongside popular gaming creator Ujjwal Chaurasia. The show has announced a prize money of ₹1 crore, among the highest for a reality show winner in India, along with an opportunity to represent the country at a global level. The platform plans to invest up to ₹100 crore annually and is inviting brands and sponsors to associate…

29 Jan

Great Learning calls for GST rationalisation on digital courses, easier access to education loans to boost upskilling

Business BureauBusiness

Edtech company Great Learning has called for a more balanced approach to taxation on digital education services and improved access to affordable education loans, saying these steps are critical to accelerating upskilling efforts across India. Highlighting gaps in the current Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework, the company noted that while core educational services offered by formal institutions are exempt from GST, many online courses, coaching programmes and digital learning offerings continue to attract an 18 per cent tax. This, it said, adds to the financial burden on learners and education providers, particularly in a price-sensitive market focused on skill-based…

29 Jan

Data privacy becomes business imperative as AI raises cyber risks: Aon

Business BureauBusiness

As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the way organisations collect, analyse and use data, protecting personal information has become a major business priority, according to a senior executive at Aon. Sharing her views on Data Privacy Day, Apurva Gopinath, Cyber Leader and Vice President, Financial Services & Professional Group, India at Aon, said the financial and reputational impact of data breaches has reached unprecedented levels. Citing publicly available sources, she noted that in 2025 the global average cost of a data breach was estimated at between $4.4 million and $4.9 million. At the same time, global cybercrime losses are projected to…

29 Jan

BPCL to Invest ₹25,000 Crore in City Gas Network Expansion Over Five Years

editorBusiness

State owned Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) will invest ₹25,000 crore over the next five years to expand its City Gas Distribution (CGD) network across India. The investment aims to strengthen gas infrastructure and accelerate cleaner energy adoption.Speaking on the sidelines of India Energy Week in Goa on Wednesday, BPCL’s Business Head for Gas, Rahul Tandon, said the company has already spent around ₹8,000 crore in its 26 operational geographical areas. He expressed confidence that BPCL would scale up its CGD operations faster than other players in the sector.Aligning the expansion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat,…