Business
Council leaders and MPs call for international railways links to reopen in Kent
A cross-party coalition of council leaders and MPs have called for international railway links to reopen in Kent to save “struggling” industries.
Ashford and Ebbsfleet stations were purpose built for international travel, but neither has seen a European-bound train stop at their platforms since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
On Friday, Kent County Council (KCC) hosted an event to entice “competitors” to Eurostar, and underline the desire for renewed railway links with the continent.
Standing on a podium in Ashford International, beside a large poster advertising Disneyland Paris, Lord Peter Hendy, the Rail Minister, voiced his support for the campaign.
“We all agree here that international rail services are hugely beneficial to the areas and communities they serve, providing sustainable, fast and convenient connections to Europe,” he said.
He added that international rail travel has “bounced back” since the Covid-19 pandemic but that services have remained cut, although others suggested Brexit was being ignored as a reason for the shut down.
Antony Hook, the Liberal Democrat opposition leader of KCC said: “The idea it’s because of Covid is just rubbish because Covid has been and gone and everything else has come back, things like this that had a connection to Europe have not.
“That’s because you’ve got to think about the different types of passengers Eurostar used to have, so pre-Brexit everyone in the UK had the right to work in Europe and vise-versa”.
Along with people no longer commuting for work on the continent, there are also 50% less EU students studying in Britain, who would be regular users of the service, Cllr Hook said.
Reform’s KCC leader Linden Kemkaran dismissed his concerns as trying to be “too clever” saying “Brexit’s got absolutely nothing to do” with the current state of the services.
Cllr Kekaran and others shared their experiences of the convenience of Kent’s international links at their best, and warned that Kent’s tourism industry is “suffering terribly” without it.
Susie Warran-Smith CBE, Chair of Produced in Kent addressed Lord Hendry on behalf of food producers and hospitality in the county: “We are really struggling, it’s really really hard out there, so whilst it’s great sitting in this building when you leave can you please all remember this is about people’s jobs and we are struggling.”
A petition with over 75,000 signatures calling for a reintroduction of Kent’s international rail links was presented formally to the government during the event.
Olivier Morel, a lawyer who specialises in Franco-British projects, spoke of the convenience and importance of international stations to business people.
He said: “In the old days, the glorious pre-Brexit days, your young French entrepreneur would jump on the Eurostar come to London either to do a bar job, to start a business, they was a sort of easy flow, and the other way was probably a lot of tourists, so that was priceless.”
Mr Morel, like the majority of the guests at the event, wants to see more competition with Eurostar, and a return of Kent’s international stations, which the Good Growth Foundation suggest could bring £500 million a year to Kent’s tourist industry.
The next step will rest with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) which will decide whether their depots have the capacity for a new train operator to join the lines.
Lord Hendy has written to the ORR to encourage it to support the reintroduction of these international services in Kent.
Asked whether there was more his Government could be doing to combat Eurostar’s monopoly on international travel, he pointed out that the Conservatives sold off their share in the company in 2015.
“I’ve used every attempt at moral assuages that I can but we have no purchase on them other than promoting competition, so that’s why we’re promoting competition,” said Lord Hendy.
The new introduction of Entry/Exit System (EES) checks at UK-EU borders to be phased in from October 12, mean Ashford and Ebbsfleet would likely need those systems installed before they could be operational again.
The EES systems installed at London St Pancras have reportedly cost £11 million and similar facilities would be needed at Kent stations.
French national assembly member Vincent Caure said that overhaul is “not a lot of money” compared to “all of the economic opportunities” attached to the renewed rail connections.
Leaders were quick to stress that this was a “long term” project despite calls from some audience members that the stations are “ready now” for international passengers.
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.
Business
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)
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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January 16, 2026, 07:44 IST
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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: 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.
- IT Services: 2.04 lakh jobs
- Healthcare & Life Sciences: 1.47 lakh jobs
- 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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January 16, 2026, 07:00 IST
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Canada Goose reshuffles leadership to drive global growth
Those with MGNREGA cards to get work during transition to G RAM G Act – The Times of India
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