The bill would authorize autonomous vehicle pilot programs in a handful of Illinois counties, including Cook County, before opening the door to statewide legalization of self-driving cars in three years.
Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust was closed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, citing unsafe and unsound conditions and an impaired capital position."
The government will maintain its focus on infrastructure development through increased capital expenditure, despite fiscal constraints and global economic uncertainty. Expenditure Secretary V. Vualnam dismissed concerns from states regarding the discontinuation of revenue deficit grants, emphasizing the need for states to manage their own expenditure. The Centre has enhanced funding for state-level capital investment schemes to encourage public investment-led growth.
Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran states strong manufacturing is vital for the rupee's long-term strength. The recent budget includes measures to boost factory output. He emphasizes that manufacturing prowess influences currency strength more than services. Countries with robust manufacturing bases have seen their currencies retain strength over decades.
The government aims to raise 80,000 crore through disinvestment and asset monetisation in FY27. DIPAM secretary Arunish Chawla expressed confidence in meeting this ambitious target. Plans are underway to unlock value from land assets of state-run firms by establishing dedicated real estate investment trusts. Industry feedback is also being sought for stake dilution in public sector companies.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation will launch a six-month rapid survey in April to assess the economic contribution of functional cooperatives across India. This initiative aims to estimate their gross value added, gross value of output, and employment generation for financial years 2020-21 and 2023-24, addressing existing data gaps.
India's manufacturing activity saw a slight rebound in January, driven by increased new orders and output, though business confidence dipped to a three-and-a-half-year low. While consumer goods led the growth, capital goods lagged, and future output expectations weakened despite buoyant domestic demand and moderate international orders.
