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Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Govt's Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I costs exceed estimates by 40%: Nitin Gadkari
New Delhi: The expenses of the government's flagship project for national highways, Bharatmala Pariyojana (BMP) Phase-I, have already exceeded the estimated costs by 40% ( ₹2.18 lakh crore), union minister for transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday. The Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase I, involving 24,800 km of new national highway infrastructure, was approved by the cabinet committee on economic affairs on October 24, 2017. (Representative photo) The project — initially proposed to be completed by 2022 — has seen only 76% (26,425 km) of the roads being tendered to contractors and 60% (20,770 km) of the roads completed so far, Gadkari said while replying to a question raised by Congress lawmaker Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy from Telangana's Khammam in the Lok Sabha. He added that issues related to land acquisition, delays in pre-construction activities, financial difficulties faced by contractors, force majeure events, and a scarcity of construction materials have led to delays and cost overruns in certain projects. The Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase I, now set to be completed by 2027, involving 24,800 km of new national highway infrastructure, was approved by the cabinet committee on economic affairs on October 24, 2017, along with 10,000 km of previously planned national highway projects that are still pending. Also Read: Bharatmala Pariyojana to get delayed by five years: Centre in Parliament 'Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase I was approved by the Government in 2017, covering a length of 34,800 km across the country at an estimated cost of Rs. 5.35 lakh crore. Under the program, projects covering a total length of 26,425 km were awarded at a cost of about ₹8.53 lakh crore and 20,770 km has already been constructed,' Gadkari said. The project, spread across the country, includes economic corridors, feeder routes, border and international connectivity roads, coastal and port connectivity roads, and new greenfield expressways. Also Read: 55 instances of collapse, damage on NHAI roads, bridges, tunnels in 5yrs: Gadkari To expedite project execution, the government has undertaken various initiatives including streamlining and expediting the land acquisition process through the Bhoomi Rashi portal, revamping the Parivesh Portal to facilitate faster forest and environmental clearances, enabling online approval of General Arrangement Drawings (GAD) for Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and Road Under Bridges (RUBs) from the Railways, and conducting review meetings at various levels with all stakeholders, including state governments, Gadkari added.
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Concerns voiced over ‘renewed' surge in inflation
LAHORE: The Businessmen Panel (BMP) has sounded the alarm over a renewed surge in inflation, warning that recent hikes in utility tariffs and food prices are intensifying pressure on already struggling households and industries. The caution follows the latest figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), which reported a 4.07 percent week-on-week increase in the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ending July 24, 2025. The increase, among the sharpest in recent weeks, was largely driven by a staggering 29.85 percent rise in gas charges and a 21.46 percent increase in electricity tariffs. Key food items such as tomatoes and eggs also saw notable hike of 22.93 percent and 3.96 percent, respectively. The lowest-income group, categorised as Q1 by PBS, was hit hardest, facing a 3.98 percent rise in their weekly cost of living. Mian Anjum Nisar responded to the data with serious concern, calling the current inflationary trend dangerous and unsustainable for both consumers and producers. He criticized the government's policy approach, saying that the burden of fiscal reforms and IMF commitments was being unfairly passed on to the public and private sectors without protective measures in place. He said the removal of energy subsidies and subsequent price shocks are driving both households and manufacturers to a breaking point. He said the absence of a comprehensive policy to shield vulnerable segments and support industrial production has created a dual crisis of rising living costs and shrinking economic activity. The surge in inflation, he added, is not just an economic indicator—it is a warning sign that the broader structure of the economy is under strain. Nisar linked the latest surge to international energy price movements, domestic gas and electricity tariff adjustments, and disruptions in food supply chains. He suggested that monthly inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July 2025 is likely to reach 3.3 percent year-on-year. The CPI is expected to reflect a 15 percent month-on-month increase in electricity tariffs and a 22.7 percent rise in gas prices, as the government normalizes administered prices in line with fiscal reforms. Anjum Nisar criticized this normalization process, stating that it ignores the realities on the ground. He said industries are being squeezed by high input costs, while consumers are struggling with the rapid erosion of purchasing power. He noted that food inflation, combined with utility price hikes, is making daily life unaffordable for large sections of the population. Meanwhile, the export sector continues to face setbacks due to rising costs, refund delays, and international demand slumps. He also expressed alarm over broader economic indicators. The country has witnessed a significant drop in exports, foreign direct investment, and remittances. At the same time, private sector borrowing is shrinking, and manufacturing activity has declined. He attributed these negative trends to policy instability, exchange rate volatility, and a lack of incentives for industrial revival. According to him, unless corrective steps are taken urgently, the country risks deeper stagflation. He said the recent inflation surge is not a one-time spike but part of a dangerous cycle rooted in structural imbalances. He stressed the need for agricultural reforms to stabilize the food supply chain, greater investment in storage and logistics, and improved coordination between federal and provincial authorities to manage market disruptions. Regarding the upcoming monetary policy announcement by the State Bank of Pakistan on July 30, Anjum Nisar urged a cautious and balanced approach. He said that while inflation control is essential, monetary tightening must not come at the cost of choking industrial activity. He called for targeted subsidies for low-income households and special energy pricing mechanisms for export-oriented industries and SMEs. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Health dept distances itself from rape accused
Gaya: The health department has clarified that the ambulance driver and technician accused of raping a home guard job aspirant in Gaya are not its regular employees but were hired through a private agency. The alleged incident took place on July 24 when the woman was raped inside a slow-moving ambulance between the Bihar Military Police (BMP) ground and Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College Hospital. Speaking to reporters, Gaya civil surgeon Dr Raja Ram Prasad said, "Both the driver and the technician are not regular employees of the health department. Their recruitment was done by a private agency engaged at the state level. Therefore, the question of departmental action against them does not arise." When asked whether background checks had been conducted before the duo were deployed, the civil surgeon said, "It is for the agency to explain." On the medical report of the survivor, Bodh Gaya SDPO Saurav Jaiswal said it was expected to be made available soon. "The sealed report will be received by the investigating officer, Rinku Kumari," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Gaya SSP Anand Kumar said the survivor's statement would be recorded before a judicial magistrate. "The statement will be taken under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which is the amended version of Section 164 of the CrPC," he said. Meanwhile, questions have been raised over possible administrative lapses at the recruitment venue. Authorities have yet to clarify whether a doctor was present at the site or who authorised the woman's hospitalisation without standard precautions, such as ensuring a woman attendant accompanied her.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Hair Regrowth Without Transplant? New Molecular Approach Offers Hope
Mumbai: A team of scientists by mapping the complete molecular network of human hair, have identified several treatment procedures that can potentially eliminate the need for surgery or transplants for restoring hair growth. According to a recent study published in "Stem Cell Research & Therapy" integrating stem cell biology, gene therapy, and molecular signalling can potentially help to treat hair loss conditions like androgenetic alopecia (AGA) without the need of a transplant. The study co-authored by a multidisciplinary team from US and India, involving researchers of QR678, a hair regrowth formulation and The Esthetic Clinics (TEC) , suggest androgenetic alopecia (AGA)—the most common form of hair loss—not as an irreversible condition, but as a breakdown in regenerative signalling that can potentially be reversed.' Under the study, the researchers analysed five key molecular pathways—Wnt/β-catenin, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), Notch, and AKT/MAPK—that collectively manage the hair follicle lifecycle. During their analysis, researchers found that in conditions like AGA, the communication between these aforementioned pathways breaks down, particularly with Wnt suppression and BMP overactivation, causing follicles to fall into dormancy. To correct such breakdowns the study outlined that gene-editing tools like CRISPR and stem cell therapies can help to correct misfiring signals, rebuild a supportive microenvironment. As per the researchers some of these treatments have already shown success in lab-grown tissue and animal models, and early clinical trials are expected to begin within the next two years. 'By mapping out the molecular misfires behind hair follicle dormancy, we now have a clearer pathway to develop therapies that don't just slow hair loss—but potentially reverse it by reawakening the body's own regenerative systems,' said Dr Michael Gold, dermatologist and founder of Gold Skin Care Center, USA. 'Hair follicles don't disappear; they go dormant due to disrupted cellular signals. By identifying how these signals fail—and how they can be restored—we move closer to resetting the system at a molecular level. It's a fundamental shift in how hair loss can be understood, and ultimately, reversed,' Dr Debraj Shome, senior author and Director at TEC, added. Scientists involved in the study suggest the global hair loss treatment market, valued around $4 billion (₹34,000 crore) available solutions includes only external therapies–-drugs, and treatment procedures—surgery, transplants. Whereas, the study's findings signal a space for exploring gene- and cell-based molecular therapies—a therapeutic domain that follows a completely different approach with differentiated targeting and treatment mechanisms.
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Business Standard
21-07-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Researchers map hair growth pathways for non-surgical hair restoration
Mumbai-based The Esthetic Clinics (TEC), in collaboration with QR678 Research, have co-authored a research paper that maps the complete molecular network governing human hair growth—potentially offering the clearest path yet to hair restoration without the need for surgery, medication, or transplantation. Shome added that the global hair transplant market is currently valued at $15.22 billion and is projected to reach $23.32 billion by 2030. Published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy, the paper was developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from India and the United States. It redefines androgenetic alopecia (AGA)—the most common form of hair loss. Significantly, the study is among the first to integrate stem cell biology, gene therapy, and molecular signalling into a unified therapeutic approach for treating AGA. 'For decades, we have treated hair loss as a cosmetic issue. This paper consolidates what we now understand about the biological breakdown behind it—and reframes baldness as a malfunction of the body's regenerative system,' said Debraj Shome, senior author and Director at TEC. The paper focuses on five main molecular pathways—Wnt/β-catenin, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), Notch, and AKT/MAPK—that work together to control the hair follicle's growth cycle. In cases of AGA, this communication system breaks down—especially due to reduced Wnt activity and increased BMP signals—causing hair follicles to become inactive or dormant. The research proposes several therapeutic strategies to biologically 'reset' hair follicles, such as using stem cell therapies to restore a healthy follicle environment, among other approaches. The Esthetic Clinics noted that some of these approaches have shown results in lab-grown tissues and animal models, with early-stage clinical trials expected to begin within the next two years.
