Welcome you to the Fifty eighth edition of DevMantra Times for the month of January 2026. This edition of our newsletter, where we bring you the latest developments shaping India’s dynamic business and innovation landscape. India’s finance, startup, and regulatory landscape saw several notable developments this week. HDFC Bank ramped up its CSR spending to ₹1,068 crore in FY25, while the RBI imposed a ₹61.95 lakh penalty on Kotak Mahindra Bank for regulatory lapses and initiated a review of scale-based regulations for NBFCs amid their growing systemic role. Private sector banks continued to lead small business lending, with NBFCs gaining significant traction among sole proprietors, as total small business credit rose 16% year-on-year to ₹46 lakh crore. LIC Housing Finance reduced home loan rates to 7.15% to boost housing demand, and the Finance Ministry directed banks to promptly report vigilance issues relating to directors.
Industry & Economic Updates HDFC Bank spends Rs 1,068 crore in CSR during FY25
EDITORIAL NOTE: HDFC Bank has significantly scaled up its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, with total CSR expenditure rising to ₹1,068.03 crore in FY 2024–25, reflecting an increase of about ₹123 crore over the previous year. Over the past decade, the Bank’s flagship CSR programme, Parivartan, has emerged as a key vehicle for inclusive and sustainable development, positively impacting more than 10.5 crore lives across India. The initiative focuses on critical areas such as rural development, livelihood enhancement, education, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and financial inclusion, underscoring HDFC Bank’s long-term commitment to social responsibility and nation-building alongside its core banking operations.
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