Business

India’s ambitious piped natural gas expansion is significantly hampered by a severe shortage of certified gas plumbers. Despite government targets, only a fraction of the required household connections are being made daily. This bottleneck leaves millions waiting for installations, even with pipelines at their doorstep, impacting the nation’s energy goals.

Escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have triggered a surge in US fuel prices, pushing inflation to a three-year high and eroding wage gains. While the US economy has shown resilience with steady consumer spending and job growth, persistent inflation threatens household budgets and consumer sentiment, with higher bond yields signaling deeper economic worries.

Overseas Indians withdrew nearly $2 billion more than they deposited in Indian bank accounts in March, driven by a fall in Non-Resident External Rupee Accounts and Non-Resident Ordinary accounts. This trend, linked to geopolitical uncertainty from the Iran war, saw total NRI deposits decline to $165.65 billion.

CNG prices have seen a third hike in under ten days, now costing Rs 81.09 per kg in Delhi. This follows recent increases in petrol and diesel prices, driven by surging global crude oil costs due to Middle East tensions. Transport operators are protesting, demanding fare revisions and a rollback of fuel surcharges.

Fuel prices have seen a third hike in under 10 days as global crude oil prices surge due to the West Asia conflict and Strait of Hormuz disruptions. State-run oil companies are facing significant losses, prompting these revisions after a period of unchanged prices. India is taking steps to secure energy supplies and urges citizens