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Pakistan, IMF Reach Staff-Level Agreement for $1.2 Billion Disbursement – SUCH TV

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Pakistan, IMF Reach Staff-Level Agreement for .2 Billion Disbursement – SUCH TV



Under the agreement, Pakistan will receive $1 billion through the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and $200 million via the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), bringing total disbursements under these two arrangements to approximately $3.3 billion.

IMF lending programmes require countries to pass regular reviews, and once these are approved by the Fund’s executive board, the corresponding loan tranches are released.

A statement from the IMF noted, “Supported by the EFF, Pakistan’s economic programme is strengthening macroeconomic stability and rebuilding market confidence.”

The Fund highlighted that Pakistan’s recovery is progressing, with inflation under control, external buffers strengthening, and financial conditions improving as sovereign spreads narrowed significantly.

Pakistan has also committed to maintaining a tight, data-driven monetary policy and enhancing climate resilience following recent devastating floods.

Earlier on Tuesday, Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb confirmed that Pakistan was set to sign the deal with the IMF, following the departure of a Fund team last week without finalizing agreements.

Aurangzeb added that the government now plans to return to international capital markets, beginning with its first green bond denominated in Chinese yuan before the end of the year, followed by at least a $1 billion international bond.

The IMF’s support in September 2024 had bolstered Pakistan’s $370 billion economy, which faced a severe crisis that led to a sharp depreciation of the national currency.

Following is the text of the IMF statement:

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Iva Petrova, held discussions during September 24-October 8, 2025, mission to Karachi and Islamabad, and in Washington DC, for the second review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the first review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). At the conclusion of the discussions, Ms Petrova issued the following statement:

“The IMF team has reached a staff-level agreement with the Pakistani authorities on the second review of the 37-month Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the first review of the 28-month arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).

The staff-level agreement is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board. Upon approval, Pakistan will have access to about US$1.0 billion (SDR 760 million) under the EFF and about US$200 million (SDR 154 million) under the RSF, bringing total disbursements under the two arrangements to about US$3.3 billion.

“Supported by the EFF, Pakistan’s economic program is entrenching macroeconomic stability and rebuilding market confidence.

The recovery remains on track, with the FY25 current account recording a surplus the first in 14 years, the fiscal primary balance surpassing the program target, inflation remaining contained, external buffers strengthening, and financial conditions improving as sovereign spreads have narrowed significantly.

However, the recent floods- which have affected nearly 7 million people, caused over 1,000 deaths, and severely damaged housing, public infrastructure, and agricultural land- have weighed on the outlook, particularly of the agriculture sector, bringing down the projected FY26 GDP to about 3¼ -3½ percent. The floods underscore Pakistan’s high vulnerability to natural disasters and substantial climate-related risks, and the continuing need to build climate resilience.

“The authorities reaffirmed their commitment to the EFF- and RSF-supported programs, and to maintaining sound and prudent macroeconomic policies while advancing ongoing structural reforms. The authorities’ policy priorities include:

· Continuing the fiscal consolidation. The authorities remain committed to meeting the FY26 budget primary surplus of 1.6 percent of GDP, anchored in sustained efforts to mobilize revenue through tax policy and compliance measures, and stand ready to take necessary actions should revenue shortfalls risk program targets.

At the same time, the authorities are assessing the flood damage and are providing urgent flood relief support in the affected provinces via reallocations in the provincial and federal budgets.

· Strengthening poverty reduction and social protection. As social protection remains a key pillar of the EFF-supported program, the authorities are working to enhance the generosity, coverage, and administrative capacity of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).

They are also committed to scaling up non-BISP health and education spending at both the federal and provincial levels to support inclusive growth and safeguard vulnerable populations.

· Advancing fiscal structural reforms. Efforts are underway to enhance revenue mobilization, broaden burden-sharing between federal and provincial governments, and strengthen public financial management.

In particular, recognizing the provinces’ vital role in domestic revenue mobilization, the federal authorities will continue deepening collaboration with provincial counterparts. The authorities are also making important progress in strengthening tax policy design, with the newly established tax policy office, which will lead medium-term reforms to simplify the tax code and reduce reliance on ad hoc measures.

· Maintaining an appropriately tight and data-dependent monetary policy. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) remains committed to a prudent monetary policy stance, guided by incoming data, including the impact of recent floods and the evolving economic recovery, to ensure inflation remains durably within its target range of 5-7 percent.

While the floods are likely to have a temporary impact on prices, the SBP stands ready to adjust its policy stance should price pressures intensify or inflation expectations become unanchored.

While the sustained buildup of international reserves is welcome, further steps are needed to deepen the foreign exchange market to facilitate transactions, support price discovery, and cushion external shocks.

· Restoring the viability of the energy sector. The authorities remain committed to preventing the accumulation of circular debt through timely tariff adjustments that ensure cost recovery and maintaining a progressive tariff structure.

Structural reforms continue to focus on enhancing the performance, efficiency, and governance of distribution companies, including through privatization; upgrading the transmission system; privatizing inefficient generation companies; and completing the transition to a competitive electricity market.

· Advancing the pace of structural reform implementation. The authorities are making progress in delivering structural reforms aimed at boosting productivity, strengthening governance, and improving the business environment to support private sector development.

Further effort is needed to advance the state-owned enterprise reform agenda and scale back the state’s footprint in the economy.

The authorities are also planning reforms to reduce government intervention in commodity markets to foster a productive, diversified, and internationally competitive agricultural sector that meets food security needs.

Efforts to boost international trade continue, including with the implementation of the new national tariff policy.

· Building resilience to climate change. The recent floods and the 2022 catastrophic events underscore the priority of building Pakistan’s climate resilience.

Policies supported by the RSF and aligned with national commitments are helping to strengthen resilience, including recently implemented reforms to promote green mobility and transport decarbonization.

The authorities remain committed to advancing future reforms, including strengthening the climate information architecture and financial risk management, improving water system resilience, establishing a framework for coordinated disaster risk financing, and aligning energy sector reforms with national mitigation commitments.

“The IMF team wants to express its sympathy to those affected by the recent floods, and is grateful to the Pakistani authorities, private sector, and development partners for many fruitful discussions and their hospitality throughout this mission.”



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Those with MGNREGA cards to get work during transition to G RAM G Act – The Times of India

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Those with MGNREGA cards to get work during transition to G RAM G Act – The Times of India


NEW DELHI: People with job cards assigned under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Guarantee Scheme will be able to get work without disruption when transition takes place to new rural employment framework under Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act.Even though exact timeframe is not known yet, rural development ministry officials said the VB-G RAM G scheme will come into force in the coming financial year after the Centre frames and notifies the rules. After govt notifies the Act’s commencement date, states will get six months to make their schemes to enable implementation of the law.To ensure there is no disruption and job guarantee is upheld during transition from MGNREGA, it has been proposed to enable workers to use the same job cards issued under MGNREGA with Aadhaar-based eKYC.The officials said that as of now, around 75% of job cards have been verified with eKYC under the ongoing scheme. Moreover, ongoing projects under MGNREGA, if incomplete when the transition happens to the new scheme, would stay on course.Meanwhile, work is on to frame rules, lay out regulations on normative allocations, fund flow plan, IT framework, a national-level steering panel and social audits.Under the new law, focus will be on transparency to weed out leakages and duplicacy of work,the social audit system will be strengthened, and technology leveraged to create systems to establish work progress, timely wage payment and accountability through ‘e-measurement’ books, sources said. Demand for work will have to be entered on a digital platform. Officials made it clear the new law in no way interferes with demand-driven character of the scheme.



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Gurugram Attracts Rs 86,588 Crore In Real Estate Investments In 2025 As RERA Clears 131 Projects

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Gurugram Attracts Rs 86,588 Crore In Real Estate Investments In 2025 As RERA Clears 131 Projects


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Alongside rising investments, Gurugram RERA strengthened regulatory oversight to safeguard homebuyer and investor interests

Gurgaon Real Estate (Representative Image)

Gurgaon Real Estate (Representative Image)

Gurugram emerged as one of India’s top real estate investment destinations in 2025, with projects worth Rs 86,588 crore receiving regulatory approvals during the year, according to data from the Gurugram Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Gurugram RERA).

Market observers said the numbers reflect strong investor confidence in the NCR’s largest commercial and residential hub.

Gurugram RERA registered 131 projects in calendar year 2025, representing development potential of 35,455 units across housing and commercial segments.

A striking feature of the data was the dominance of large-ticket projects. Just 28 major developments accounted for investments worth Rs 59,360 crore, highlighting the growing influence of institutional capital and large developers in shaping Gurugram’s property market.

Residential assets continued to attract the bulk of investment interest. Of the total units approved, 31,455 were residential, underscoring sustained end-user demand and long-term confidence in the city’s housing fundamentals.

According to Authority data, the residential mix included 17,405 group housing units, 5,720 mixed land use units, 4,040 residential floor units, 2,122 affordable group housing units, 1,954 units under the Deen Dayal housing scheme, and 214 residential plotted colony units.

Market observers said this diversified supply pipeline indicates capital deployment across both premium and mass segments, helping reduce concentration risk and deepen market resilience.

On the commercial side, Gurugram RERA approved about 4,000 commercial units, of which 168 were dedicated to IT parks, reinforcing Gurugram’s position as a preferred hub for technology firms and Global Capability Centres.

Analysts noted that the combination of office-led employment growth and residential expansion continues to make Gurugram attractive for long-term capital deployment.

Industry experts said the scale of investments approved in 2025 highlights Gurugram’s ability to attract capital despite global uncertainty, supported by infrastructure growth, a strong corporate base and an improving regulatory environment.

“With a large pipeline of approved projects and sustained interest from developers and institutional investors, Gurugram is expected to remain a key real estate investment destination in the coming years,” a Gurugram-based real estate expert said.

Tighter regulatory checks

Alongside rising investments, Gurugram RERA strengthened regulatory oversight to enhance transparency and safeguard homebuyer and investor interests.

“These steps included stricter scrutiny of developer submissions, mandatory site inspections by domain experts, and public consultation through mandatory notices before project registration,” an Authority official said.

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National Startup Day 2026: How India’s Startups Are Shaping The Future

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National Startup Day 2026: How India’s Startups Are Shaping The Future


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National Startup Day highlights India’s thriving startup ecosystem, celebrating innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation driven by founders, unicorns and Startup India mission

National Startup Day 2026 honours Indian startups, entrepreneurs and innovators driving economic growth and job creation.

National Startup Day 2026 honours Indian startups, entrepreneurs and innovators driving economic growth and job creation.

National Startup Day 2026: India’s startup ecosystem has evolved into one of the world’s most vibrant and promising innovation hubs. To recognise the contribution of entrepreneurs, founders and startups transforming ideas into impactful solutions, National Startup Day is observed every year on January 16 across the country.

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, the day celebrates visionary entrepreneurs who play a crucial role in economic growth, employment generation and technological advancement.

National Startup Day serves as a reminder that innovation, backed by determination and policy support, can reshape society and create global impact.

National Startup Day 2026 Theme

The official theme for National Startup Day 2026 is yet to be announced. However, the core focus areas are expected to revolve around:

  • Innovation and emerging technologies
  • Entrepreneurship and leadership
  • Self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat)
  • Startup India Mission
  • Youth empowerment
  • Job creation

How Startups Are Shaping India’s Future

India currently ranks as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, with over 1.59 lakh startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as of early 2025. Backed by 100+ unicorns, the ecosystem continues to grow rapidly.

Metro cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi-NCR lead this expansion, while Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are emerging as new innovation centres, adding diversity and scale to India’s entrepreneurial journey.

Startups across fintech, edtech, health-tech, e-commerce and deep-tech are addressing real-world challenges and gaining global recognition. Technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain and IoT are increasingly driving innovation, according to Startup India ecosystem reports.

Industry-Wise Startup Impact

DPIIT-recognised startups have generated over 16.6 lakh direct jobs across sectors as of October 31, 2024, strengthening India’s employment landscape.

  1. IT Services: 2.04 lakh jobs
  2. Healthcare & Life Sciences: 1.47 lakh jobs
  3. Commercial & Professional Services: 94,000 jobs

Through the Startup India initiative, the government continues to focus on skill development, funding access, ecosystem collaboration and global outreach.

Key Initiatives Under Startup India

  • Capacity building and mentorship
  • Outreach and awareness programmes
  • Ecosystem development events
  • International exposure and global linkages
  • Collaboration between startups, corporates and institutions.
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