Category: BUSINESS

New Delhi: India’s total non-fossil fuel installed capacity reached 213.70 GW in November, marking an impressive 14.2 per cent growth from 187.05 GW in the same month last year, the government said on Wednesday.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) reported significant progress in India’s renewable energy sector from November 2023 to November 2024, underscoring the country’s commitment to achieving its clean energy targets in line with the goals set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, the total non-fossil fuel capacity, which includes both installed and pipeline projects, surged to 472.90 GW, a substantial 28.5 per cent increase from the previous year’s 368.15 GW.

During FY24-25, a total of 14.94 GW of new RE capacity was added till November 2024, nearly doubling the 7.54 GW added during the same period in FY23-24, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

In November 2024 alone, 2.3 GW of new capacity was added— marking a dramatic fourfold increase from the 566.06 MW added in November 2023.

India’s renewable energy sector has seen widespread growth across all major categories.

Solar power continues to lead, with installed capacity rising from 72.31 GW in 2023 to 94.17 GW in 2024, a robust growth of 30.2 per cent.

Including pipeline projects, total solar capacity surged by 52.7 per cent, reaching 261.15 GW in 2024, compared to 171.10 GW in 2023. Wind power also made notable contributions, with installed capacity rising from 44.56 GW in 2023 to 47.96 GW in 2024, reflecting a growth of 7.6 per cent.

According to the ministry, total wind capacity, including pipeline projects, increased by 17.4 per cent, from 63.41 GW in 2023 to 74.44 GW in 2024.

Bioenergy and hydroelectric projects also made steady contributions to the renewable energy mix. Bioenergy capacity rose from 10.84 GW in 2023 to 11.34 GW in 2024, reflecting a growth of 4.6 per cent. Small hydro projects saw a slight increase, from 4.99 GW in 2023 to 5.08 GW in 2024, with total capacity, including pipeline projects, reaching 5.54 GW.

Large hydroelectric projects grew incrementally, with installed capacity rising from 46.88 GW in 2023 to 46.97 GW in 2024, and total capacity, including pipeline projects, increasing to 67.02 GW from 64.85 GW in the previous year.

In nuclear energy, installed nuclear capacity grew from 7.48 GW in 2023 to 8.18 GW in 2024, while the total capacity, including pipeline projects, remained steady at 22.48GW.

Cupertino: Apple on Wednesday announced the release of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, with a new set of Apple Intelligence features that will elevate users’ experience with iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Now, users can explore creative new ways to express themselves visually with Image Playground, create the perfect emoji for any situation with Genmoji, and make their writing even more dynamic with new enhancements to Writing Tools, the company said in a statement.

Building on Apple Intelligence, users with an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro can instantly learn more about their surroundings with visual intelligence with Camera Control.

And now with ChatGPT integrated into Writing Tools and Siri, users can tap into ChatGPT’s expertise without having to switch between apps, helping them get things done faster and easier than ever before.

Apple Intelligence also begins language expansion with localised English support for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK.

“Additional languages, including Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese will be coming throughout the year, with an initial set arriving in a software update in April,” said the tech giant.

According to the company, the Image Playground experience allows users to easily create fun and unique images, with concepts like themes, costumes, accessories, and places.

“Users can add their own text descriptions, and can even create images in the likeness of a family member or friend using photos from their photo library. Image Playground generates images in distinct styles, including Animation — a modern, 3D-animated look — and Illustration, which offers images with simple shapes, clear lines, and colourblocking,” said Apple.

With the power of Apple Intelligence, emoji is taken to the next level with Genmoji, making conversations with family and friends more fun and playful, and opening up entirely new ways to communicate.

The Notes app gets new tools to make note-taking more visual and dynamic. With Image Wand in the tool palette, users can quickly create images in their note using the written or visual context already captured within the note.

“Writing Tools build on the existing options of Rewrite, Proofread, and Summarise with the new ability for users to specify the change they’d like to make, using the new Describe Your Change option,” according to Apple.

Mumbai: Thousands of users worldwide reported outages on Meta Platforms’ services, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, on December 11.

According to Downdetector, over 50,000 users reported issues with Facebook, where many faced difficulties logging in, uploading posts, and updating existing content.

Instagram also saw more than 23,000 users affected, with reports of inaccessible posts and frequent app crashes.

The disruptions began around 10:58 PM, leading to widespread frustration as users struggled with slow access to messages and posts. Many reported being unable to log in or update their feeds on both desktop and mobile versions of the platforms.

WhatsApp users encountered similar problems, with difficulties in sending and receiving messages.The outages prompted a surge in complaints on social media, with users sharing their experiences of the disruptions. Notably, the issues appeared to affect all Meta services simultaneously.

As of now, Meta has not issued an official statement regarding the cause of the outages or when they might be resolved. The situation remains fluid as users continue to seek updates on the status of their accounts and services.

New Delhi: India’s burgeoning Data Centre market has attracted USD 60 billion from both domestic and international investors between 2019-2024 and given the current growth curve is expected to surpass USD 100 billion in cumulative investment commitments by the end of 2027, according to the latest report by real estate consultant CBRE South Asia.

Mumbai continues to dominate data centre stock, followed by Chennai, Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru, accounting for 90 per cent of the country’s total data centre stock as of September. Currently, India’s total DC stock stands at around 19 Mn. Sq. ft. (land area), which is expected to reach 31 Mn. Sq. ft. by the end of 2025, the report states.

The sector is poised for significant growth in 2025, with nearly 475 MW of capacity under construction across major cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi-NCR. Key demand drivers for the year ahead include BFSI and Technology companies, it observes.

Tier-II cities like Ahmedabad, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, and Lucknow are gaining traction as key locations for data centres, driven by regional data consumption growth and cost-efficiency advantages, the report points out.

State-wise Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal emerged as the leading states in terms of cumulative investment commitments.

India’s current data centre capacity stands at around 1,255 MW, and it is projected to further expand to 1,600 MW by the end of 2024. The country’s accelerated technology proliferation, digital transformation, increased Internet penetration, policy enablers, and growth in AI-generated data workload will pivot this growth, the report observes.

As sustainability becomes a critical priority, there is a growing focus on integrating renewable energy solutions and advanced cooling technologies, which are helping enhance energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of India’s data centres, the report points out.

Additionally, with AI workloads expected to surpass traditional cloud computing demands, data centre operators are making significant upgrades to their infrastructure to accommodate the evolving needs of AI-driven applications, ensuring they can support the next generation of digital transformation, the report adds.

Bengaluru: The contractual employees in the Indian manufacturing sector saw their compensation packages grow at a 5.9 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from FY21 to FY24, according to a report on Monday.

This growth was driven by inflation, increased demand for skilled workers, and the need for competitive pay to retain talent, according to the report by TeamLease Services, India’s leading staffing solutions company.

Moreover, the sector’s workforce is predominantly young, with most individuals in the 28-37 age group (43.6 per cent).

The expansion of the manufacturing sector in the country is led by industries like electronics manufacturing, automotive, textiles, and chemicals.

“To unlock its potential, the sector must prioritise inclusive policies and invest in upskilling for Industry 4.0. Strategic workforce outsourcing can help reduce costs and address operational inefficiencies,” said Subburathinam P, Chief Operating Officer of TeamLease Staffing.

“By focusing on retention and adaptability, the sector can not only achieve its $1 trillion valuation goal but also set a global standard for sustainable and equitable industrial growth,” he noted.

As the manufacturing sector aims to achieve a $1 trillion valuation by 2025-26, addressing workforce dynamics will be pivotal in ensuring sustained growth.

This growth is led by strategic government initiatives, technological advancements, and an evolving workforce landscape.

The workforce is also diverse in terms of educational backgrounds, with nearly half being graduates.

Both genders show the highest representation at the graduation level, 48.5 per cent for males and 46.4 per cent for females.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra (17.2 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (14.6 per cent) are the leading states in contractual workforce contributions, followed by Uttar Pradesh (9.6 per cent) and Karnataka (9.4 per cent), the report mentioned.

“A significant 89.5 per cent of employees in temporary roles are male, highlighting a significant underrepresentation of women. Females in the workforce, however, demonstrate higher representation in postgraduate qualifications (24.3 per cent compared to 10.5 per cent of males),” it noted.

The report highlighted that companies are encouraged to enhance workplace safety, foster inclusivity, and invest in career development initiatives such as structured mentorship programmes.

New Delhi: After witnessing a bumper growth in 2024 across residential, office and industrial domains, 2025 is likely to be a year of consolidation and continued innovation for the Indian real estate sector, a report showed on Monday.

While residential and office markets can potentially stabilise after consecutive peaks, industrial and warehousing demand can witness heightened traction, fuelled by rising manufacturing output and a thriving logistics industry, according to a Colliers India report.

In 2025, rapid urbanisation, key infrastructure project completion and industrial corridor development will create new growth opportunities, particularly in tier 2 and 3 cities.

In 2024, annual gross leasing across the top six cities reached 47 million square feet by the third quarter of the ongoing year, reflecting a 23 per cent year-on-year increase.

On the residential front, supported by stable interest rates, launches and sales across major cities of the country are likely to end on a strong note this year. Average housing prices across the top eight cities have already surged 11 per cent annually in 2024.

The first nine months of 2024 saw a 17 per cent annual growth in industrial and warehousing demand, registering 20.2 million square feet of leasing across the top five cities. Almost half of the leasing activity is expected to come from Delhi-NCR and Chennai.

Institutional inflows in Indian real estate continue to remain healthy in 2024, indicating sustained investor confidence. Of the $4.7 billion real estate investments during the first nine months of 2024, office and industrial and warehousing segment together accounted for over 70 per cent share.

Buoyed by domestic growth prospects and long-term returns, institutional investments are likely to be around $5-6 billion by the end of 2024.

“2025 could be another year, wherein multiple real estate classes ride high on investor and end-user optimism. Notably, alternative asset classes such as data centres, co-living and senior housing are likely to witness accelerated growth, reflecting a broader and steady shift in demographics and consumer preferences,” said Badal Yagnik, Chief Executive Officer, Colliers India.

A supportive regulatory environment and recent regulatory push such as SM-REITs (Small and Medium REITs) and refinement of state-specific RERA (Real Estate Regulation and Development Authority Act) regulations have enhanced transparency and institutionalisation in the real estate sector.

Policy frameworks have also driven a sense of fair pricing across real estate segments, attracting both developers and investors.

“Leasing activity from both domestic occupiers, as well as Global Capability Centres (GCCs) is likely to end on a strong note in 2024. Residential activity is expected to match 2023 levels, with strong sales across affordable, middle-income and luxury segments,” said the report.

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who initiated the debate on the Constitution in Rajya Sabha on Monday, launched a sharp attack on Congress, accusing the party of amending the Constitution repeatedly to restrict civil liberties and for their gains.

“In the last seven decades, this living document, our Constitution, has seen many amendments,” she said, alleging that the first amendment under Nehru’s interim government “curbed the freedom of speech”.

Giving details about the First Amendment, Sitharaman said, “…The Supreme Court in 1950 had ruled in favour of the Communist magazine “Cross Roads” and the RSS organisational magazine “Organizer”. But in response, the (then) interim government thought that there was a need for a first Constitutional amendment and that was brought in by the Indian National Congress (INC) and it was essentially to curb the freedom. So India, a democratic country which prides itself even today on freedom of expression saw the first interim government coming up with a Constitutional amendment which was to curb the freedom of speech of Indians and that within one year of adoption of the Constitution…”

“This First Amendment was done to harm the press and it is still affecting the freedom of media. This amendment was done by PM Nehru despite MPs being against it,” she said.

She said a critical evaluation of amendments based on four criteria: whether they were genuine, their outcomes for the people, the processes adopted, and adherence to the Constitution’s spirit, was required.

“The first Prime Minister of this country scrutinized the amending bill himself before its approval in Parliament. However, the debate in Parliament was far from smooth. Shri Syama Prasad Mukherjee remarked: ‘You can pass a law and claim to frame and form the Constitution, but now you are treating this Constitution as mere paper. You trusted the people of this country to write it, and now you come forward and stab them in the back.’ Kameshwar Singh, a member of the Constituent Assembly, also expressed disagreement, stating: ‘It is highly improper to make such changes to the Constitution.’ These actions showed an utter disregard for the Constitution, bypassing the judiciary,” she said.

“Those who are working on amending the Constitution, if they are good people outcome will be good, if they are bad people outcome will be bad,” said the Union Minister.

“Today, we hear comments from the Congress party on the judicial system, but they themselves went to great lengths in the past to undermine it. For instance, to nullify judgments, they introduced amendments. In the case of Indira Gandhi vs. Raj Narain, during the Emergency in 1975, a biography of Nehru was banned, and the film ‘Kissa Kursi Ka’ was also banned just because it questioned Indira Gandhi and raised critical issues…That’s the extent they went to bypass judicial scrutiny. Congress speaks about protecting rights and also the judicial system…how?”

The Finance Minister while lauding the Consitution and the people of India said, ” As we mark 75 years of the Constitution, it is time, I think, to reaffirm our commitment to building India, that is Bharat, which upholds the spirit and shines through this sacred document.”

“…Post Second World War, over 50 countries had become independent and had their Constitution written. But many have changed their Constitutions, not just amended them but literally changed the entire feature of their Constitution. But our Constitution has stood the test of time, of course, yielded itself to very many amendments…”