Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: The market ended flat with no Budget cheer, but realty and FMCG were on a roll. The Budget’s focus on agriculture—income, inflation, imports, and climate change—hopes to tackle food inflation, which hit 8.4%, while non-food inflation stayed cool at 2.7%.

TOP STORIES

Gig Economy Gets a Game-Changer

What Happened

Big news for the gig crew! Urban Company, Zomato, Blinkit, and Uncle Delivery have finally joined the e-Shram portal. What’s that, you ask?

It’s the government’s way of making sure gig workers get the social security perks they deserve.

Why It Matters

Let’s talk money! The government’s not just making promises—they’re backing them up with ₹32,646 crore.

Yep, that’s how much the Ministry of Labour & Employment got for FY 25-26. That’s nearly 80% more than last year! 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget speech revealed that 1 crore gig workers will soon have healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana.  

And it doesn’t stop there. 

• The Employment Generation Scheme (ELI) got a fat ₹10,000 crore boost—now it’s ₹20,000 crore. 

• The Employees’ Pension Scheme got ₹300 crore more, and the PM Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana is 37% richer. 

The future?

NITI Aayog predicts that by 2024-25, there will be 1 crore gig workers in India. By 2029-30, that number will rise to 2.35 crore. 

Plus, the Code on Social Security, 2020, now officially recognizes gig workers as, well, workers!

They get social security, legal backing, and all the good stuff that comes with it.

PAISON KA KHEL

India Drops ₹20,000 Crore on R&D

The government has announced ₹20,000 crore to kickstart a ₹1 lakh crore fund for research and development.

Since private companies weren’t exactly jumping into R&D and tax breaks weren’t cutting it, they’ve decided to give science the cash it deserves!

Right now, the government covers half of India’s research costs, while businesses pitch in just 41%.

Fingers crossed for flying cars, or at least a robot that makes tea!

Marico Turns Oats and Beards into a ₹1,900 Crore Success

Marico is cooking up success—literally! Its packaged foods and premium personal care business just hit a ₹1,900 crore annual revenue run rate.

From oats and muesli to beard oils and wellness supplements, Marico’s portfolio is as diverse as an Indian wedding buffet. 

Digital-first brands like Beardo and Just Herbs chipped in ₹600 crore, proving that good hair and great skin are serious business.

TOP STORIES

India Post Enters the Logistics Game

What Happened?

India Post, the OG of delivering letters and postcards, is now stepping up its game!

The government is turning this iconic service into a logistics giant, aiming to increase its revenue by 50-60% in the next 3-4 years. 

• The government has pumped in ₹27,099 crore for FY26 to make this vision a reality.

Why It Matters?

Remember the days of waiting forever for a birthday card to arrive? Well, India Post is done with that!

They’re now expanding their services to include cash pickups, EMI collections, and digital solutions for rural areas. 

For MSMEs and rural entrepreneurs, this could mean easier access to banking and logistics, all thanks to that trusted postman.  

Zoom out

India Post, with its vast network of 150,000 rural post offices and 240,000 postal workers, is gearing up to become the Amazon of rural India—just without the drones (for now).

GLOBAL NAZARA

Shein’s Back! Ambani Pulled a Reverse UNO

Shein! Banned in 2020 alongside TikTok, the fast-fashion giant is now strutting back into India—this time, hand-in-hand with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Retail.

But wait, plot twist! Shein’s clothes will now be Made in India, dodging all those pesky import issues.

Why the grand return? Reliance is eyeing India’s fashion-hungry youth, offering trendy outfits starting at just ₹350.

Trump’s Trade Tussle Begins as Canada, Mexico, and China Hit Back

Donald Trump has fired the first shot in a new trade war, slapping a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, plus a 10% tax on Chinese goods.  

Predictably, the affected nations aren’t taking it lightly.

Canada and Mexico are gearing up for their own tariffs on US goods, while China has vowed “necessary countermeasures.”

Economists warn this could spike prices on everything from cars to food.

TOP STORIES

Budget Cuts Import Duties on Big Bikes

What Happened

The Indian government just dropped some serious news in the budget - import duties on premium motorcycles have been slashed.

So, if you’ve been dreaming of that Harley, well, it might just be the time to make it a reality.

For bikes over 1,600cc, the import duty has zoomed down from 50% to 30%.

Fully built bikes? They now attract a 40% duty instead of 50%. Smaller bikes will be less taxed too. 

Why it matters

Who doesn’t love a good deal? And let’s face it, the price tag on those premium bikes has always been a “heart-attack moment” for most of us.

But, with these new duty cuts, those dream bikes may soon be a little easier on your wallet.

• For example, expect bikes like Harley-Davidson’s Road King, which cost around ₹15 lakh, to drop closer to ₹12 lakh.  

So what?

Not only does this make these powerful machines more affordable, it also helps brands like Harley and Ducati expand their presence in India – and hey, who wouldn’t want to see more of those badass bikes cruising down the streets?

MIRCH MASALA

🚗 Is your car AC secretly drinking your fuel? Let’s find out

🪐 NASA discovers asteroid Bennu may hold clues to life beyond Earth

🍺 How climate change is brewing a new flavor for your beer

🦴 Take a look: Croc-like creature’s bite marks found on dinosaur bone

😆 FM Sitharaman’s tax rebate decision sparks hilarious meme fest