Union Minister Hardeep Puri Fielded by BJP in Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha By-election

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has selected Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh. According to a statement released on Wednesday, the party’s national election committee approved his candidacy.

The vacancy left by former Union minister L Murugan’s retirement from the Rajya Sabha on October 14 will be filled through the by-election. Murugan stepped down to concentrate on strengthening the BJP’s position in Tamil Nadu. Puri’s current Rajya Sabha tenure from Uttar Pradesh was scheduled to expire on November 25.

Rajya Sabha members are elected by members of state legislative assemblies. Voting for the by-election will take place on November 12, with the counting of votes scheduled for the evening of the same day.

Cabinet Approves ₹10,000 Crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme

Piyal Chatterjee

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS), with a financial allocation of ₹10,000 crore until FY 2039–40.

The programme aims to strengthen India’s container manufacturing industry and support ancillary businesses producing components such as corner castings, specialty steel, hardwood frames and paints. It is expected to create approximately 3,000 direct jobs and more than 50,000 indirect jobs.

The scheme seeks to improve supply-chain resilience, reduce import dependence and establish a globally competitive container manufacturing ecosystem in India. It is designed to support both the expansion of existing manufacturing facilities and the establishment of new production units.

The Union Budget 2026–27 included the Container Manufacturing Scheme. One of its main components is Interest Subvention Assistance (ISA), which has a financial allocation of ₹859 crore. It will provide a 3% annual interest subsidy on eligible term loans taken by container manufacturers to establish greenfield facilities or expand existing brownfield plants.

Additionally, the scheme provides ₹8,891 crore in Operational Expenditure Assistance (OEA) for containers manufactured according to international shipping standards and sold by eligible manufacturers. According to an official statement, the assistance is intended to narrow the cost gap and improve the competitiveness of Indian-made shipping containers.

Another component is testing and certification support, backed by a financial allocation of ₹150 crore. It will facilitate the development of shared testing facilities, including infrastructure for dynamic longitudinal impact testing.

According to the Cabinet, the scheme will strengthen India’s maritime and logistics supply chains and establish an internationally competitive manufacturing base. It could also help position India as a global export hub for high-quality shipping containers.

The programme aims to increase India’s annual domestic container manufacturing capacity by approximately ten times, reaching 7.5 lakh TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). The government expects the initiative to support domestic production, generate employment and improve the country’s position in the global shipping and logistics industry.