Business
SIFC to take final decision on chemical licences | The Express Tribune
Industries demand extension in date for acquiring licences, get assurance from DG explosives
ISLAMABAD:
The issue of delay in extension for acquiring dangerous petroleum licences has landed in the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) as the business community of Karachi is disappointed over the absence of a solution.
Sources said that the extension was discussed in SIFC, which would take the final decision and it would be binding for the Ministry of Petroleum/Explosives.
They said that a meeting was held in Karachi between DG Explosives Abdul Ali Khan and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) to discuss issues related to dangerous petroleum licences required for the release of consignments of chemicals and petrochemicals for industrial and commercial consumers. They fall under petroleum Classes A, B and C.
FPCCI Senior Vice President Saquib Fayyaz Magoon asked the DG to consider the extension in acquiring licences, which had already expired on October 23, 2025. The matter has been under discussion for the last one year and the stakeholders have yet to reach a solution. He emphasised that traders would certainly abide by provisions of the relevant law but the Department of Explosives was asking for the dangerous petroleum licence for chemicals which were not hydrocarbons and the demand was unjustified.
It is clear from the definitions of petroleum and petrochemicals that both are different products based on their use. Petrochemicals are basic raw material for almost all industries and the majority of consignments are imported by commercial importers whereas direct import by industrial consumers comprises 18-22%. For instance, the chemicals used in the textile industry and the raw material for other industries are not hydrocarbons.
Department of Explosives Director General Abdul Ali Khan said that recent amendments to the Petroleum Act 1934 showed that things had not changed with respect to norms and standards, ie, the petroleum products which included Classes A, B and C. As far as the industrial consumers were concerned, he said, the ministry had a soft corner for them and things were being streamlined.
In case of commercial importers and traders, he argued, there was a need to regulate the products coming under the purview of the Petroleum Act 1934.
The DG stressed that the ministry had been actively sorting out the issue since September 2023 and it should be regulated either by the Department of Explosives or the Ministry of Environmental Coordination. The government was committed to settling the issue, which was why the last date to acquire the licence was being extended from time to time, he said.
An industrialist belonging to the tannery sector said that apart from the problems discussed, the leather industry was concerned about the availability of raw material such as formic acid.
While pointing to the interpretation of federal and provincial laws, the DG emphasised that various courts had ruled that the federal law would prevail over provincial laws if the laws were related to the same subject. He highlighted that the laws of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Explosives were overlapping and clarified that the NOC and licence were two different things as the NOC could not be a licence.
A chemical company representative told meeting participants that their principals abroad were questioning about import restrictions, saying that trade in formic acid was not restricted by any licence worldwide. The DG revealed that some stakeholders had acquired dangerous petroleum licences in Punjab and the number may increase in future.
A representative of the Pakistan Chemical and Dyes Merchants Association (PCDMA) said that a huge quantity of products, coming under the ambit of dangerous petroleum licence, was being imported by commercial importers and the percentage of industrial consumers was not more than 15-20%.
The DG told meeting participants that major items, according to a list provided to PCDMA, may be tested by reputable laboratories to find hydrocarbon content and those items in which no hydrocarbon was detected would not be included in the category.
The PCDMA representative said that the collection of samples and their testing by laboratories may take some time. Therefore, the last date to obtain dangerous petroleum licences may be extended in such a manner that the stakeholders have ample time to get the samples tested. The DG said that he had already forwarded the proposal of a two-month extension to the government.
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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