Explained: RELIEF scheme to support exporters amid West Asia logistics disruptions

IANS | March 19, 2026 2:54 PM

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) The time-bound Rs 497 crore RELIEF (Resilience and Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) scheme under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) will support Indian exporters affected by extraordinary freight escalation, heightened insurance premia and war-related export risks arising from disruptions in the Gulf and wider West Asia maritime corridor, the government said on Thursday.

India's power plants well stocked with coal as PSUs step up production

IANS | March 19, 2026 2:45 PM

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) India's thermal power plants have adequate coal stocks of around 53.41 million tonnes which are adequate for nearly 23 days at the present rate of consumption, and further stocks are also being built up at the pitheads of coal mining companies as a proactive measure to meet any exigency amid the disruption in oil and gas supplies due to the Iran war, the Ministry of Coal said on Thursday.

Pakistan’s fragile economy faces turbulence due to Iran war

IANS | March 19, 2026 2:00 PM

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Pakistan’s fragile economy faces a major risk from the US-Israel war with Iran, as the country is heavily dependent on imported fuel and energy prices have shot up due the conflict which has spread across the Middle East countries.

Transfer to farmers under PM-KISAN scheme shoots past Rs 4.27 lakh crore

IANS | March 19, 2026 1:27 PM

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's release of over Rs 18,640 crore as the 22nd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme this month has enabled over 9.32 crore farmers to receive financial assistance, out of whom 2.15 crore are women farmers.

India's Tier-2 cities host nearly 9 mn sq ft or 9 pc of flex stock

IANS | March 19, 2026 1:25 PM

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Tier‑2 cities now host over 575 flex centres and about 8.8 million sq ft of flex stock, representing nearly 29 per cent of the nation’s flex centres and over 9 per cent of pan‑India flex stock, a report said on Thursday.