Dhruvaksh Saha, Harsh Kumar

Stories by Dhruvaksh Saha, Harsh Kumar

India pitches for more info sharing on int'l payments

India pitches for more info sharing on int'l payments

Rediff.com   11 Sep 2024

India is pushing for greater disclosures by credit card companies, fintech firms, and payment aggregators (PAs) at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), so that the sender and recipient in a cross-border financial transaction can be easily identified and the information shared with law enforcement agencies. Separately, the inter-governmental group, which sets standards to curb money laundering, will release the fourth round of its mutual evaluation report on India on September 19. FATF in June had adopted the mutual evaluation report on India and placed the country in the "regular follow-up" category - the highest rating given by the global watchdog and a distinction shared by only four other G20 countries.

I am not against incentives on EVs, but its not my call: Nitin Gadkari

I am not against incentives on EVs, but its not my call: Nitin Gadkari

Rediff.com   10 Sep 2024

Days after saying that there is no need for subsidies to achieve greater penetration of electric vehicles (EVs), Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday clarified that the view is his own, but any official call on EV subsidies is not one that he can take.

Govt defends Great Nicobar project amid criticism, cites national interest

Govt defends Great Nicobar project amid criticism, cites national interest

Rediff.com   26 Aug 2024

The central government's Great Nicobar development project, proposed around an unprecedented transhipment port, will be executed to keep environmental impact minimal, and is essential as it is of national importance, the government has said amid calls to abort the controversial project due to ecological concerns, the Centre said in an official statement.

Changes to banking laws have a consumer tilt

Changes to banking laws have a consumer tilt

Rediff.com   12 Aug 2024

Better protection for depositors and investors was one of the chief considerations in Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introducing, on Friday, the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha to amend four pieces of legislation. This amendment is also to improve audit quality in public-sector banks (PSBs), offer consistency in reporting by banks to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and provide for an increase in the tenure of directors in cooperative banks.

'Should Have Bids For IDBI Before End Of FY'

'Should Have Bids For IDBI Before End Of FY'

Rediff.com   10 Aug 2024

'We are in a position to start due diligence and private data room access shortly.'

How Banks Plan To Tackle 'Mule' Fraud

How Banks Plan To Tackle 'Mule' Fraud

Rediff.com   8 Aug 2024

'A mule operates someone else's account to transfer illegal money.'

WazirX Seeks FBI Help To Recover $230M

WazirX Seeks FBI Help To Recover $230M

Rediff.com   31 Jul 2024

WazirX lost about 45 per cent of its crypto assets to the security breach. People privy to the discussions say North Korea has been mentioned.

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to review RRBs' performance after Budget session

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to review RRBs' performance after Budget session

Rediff.com   30 Jul 2024

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will review the performance of regional rural banks (RRBs) after the Budget session of Parliament, according to two people familiar with the matter. The finance minister will review the performance of RRBs after August 13. The review will include discussions on enhancing the digital capabilities of RRBs, said a senior government official.

Public sector banks may take QIP route to meet shareholding norm

Public sector banks may take QIP route to meet shareholding norm

Rediff.com   26 Jul 2024

Public-sector lenders Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and Uco Bank are likely to raise funds through qualified institutional placement (QIP) next month. Punjab & Sind Bank is likely to follow suit later this financial year to meet the public shareholding norm of 25 per cent. When a public-sector unit raises funds through QIP, the money goes to the company because it involves issuing new shares whereas in the case of offer for sale (OFS), the money raised goes to the government because its shares are sold.

Meet Nirmalaji's Core Budget Team

Meet Nirmalaji's Core Budget Team

Rediff.com   23 Jul 2024

The finance minister continues to be backed by the same policy team in charting out the broad strategy as in the few earlier Budgets.

Who's To Be Blamed For Bridge Collapses?

Who's To Be Blamed For Bridge Collapses?

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2024

Government officials believe that central bridge projects perform better than state projects due to stricter checks and balances.

How Postmen Can Help Micro-Entrepreneurs

How Postmen Can Help Micro-Entrepreneurs

Rediff.com   11 Jul 2024

'The dakiyas will be our partners, receiving credit proposals from micro-enterprises at the grassroots level.'

Railways To Revamp Signal Failure Protocols

Railways To Revamp Signal Failure Protocols

Rediff.com   4 Jul 2024

The government will look to standardise rules around operations protocol during failure of automatic signalling.

Union Budget 2024-25: MSMEs bat for Rs 5,000 crore export booster

Union Budget 2024-25: MSMEs bat for Rs 5,000 crore export booster

Rediff.com   3 Jul 2024

India SME Forum, an organisation for small and medium businesses, has called for creating a dedicated fund of Rs 5000 crore for the export capacity development, promotion, and marketing of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in its Budget recommendation. The forum for MSMEs with over 98,000 members said that to enhance India's global competitiveness and increase its market share in global exports, it was "crucial to increase the number of active exporters and enable at least 3-4 lakh first-time micro, small, and medium exporters while supporting them in promoting Indian products globally."

Highway Spending May Rise 10%

Highway Spending May Rise 10%

Rediff.com   24 Jun 2024

'With new projects and recently awarded projects kicking in, capital expenditure should only increase going forward.'

4 offshore crypto exchanges join queue for nod to restart India ops

4 offshore crypto exchanges join queue for nod to restart India ops

Rediff.com   21 Jun 2024

The Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-India), the national agency responsible for analysing suspicious financial transactions, has received requests from four more offshore crypto exchanges to operate in India again, said a senior government official familiar with the matter. In the beginning of 2024, India had banned nine crypto exchanges - Binance, Kucoin, Huobi, Kraken, Gate.io, Bitstamp, MEXC Global, Bittrex, and Bitfenix - for non-compliance with anti-laundering law in the country.

Nirmalaji Listens To Economists' Ideas

Nirmalaji Listens To Economists' Ideas

Rediff.com   20 Jun 2024

'The Budget needs to focus more on social welfare schemes.'

Budget 2024: MSME ministry gets 'positive' feedback on 45-day payment rule

Budget 2024: MSME ministry gets 'positive' feedback on 45-day payment rule

Rediff.com   19 Jun 2024

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has received "positive" feedback from industry regarding the 45-day payments cycle for MSMEs, according to a senior official familiar with the matter. The comment assumes significance amid concerns raised by some MSMEs that big companies may stop buying from small and medium suppliers and instead choose to make purchases from unregistered enterprises.

'Housing finance Sector Will Only Grow'

'Housing finance Sector Will Only Grow'

Rediff.com   18 Jun 2024

'The demand for housing is always increasing, and so is housing shortage.'

Railways To Begin Hiring Again

Railways To Begin Hiring Again

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2024

With a large number of Indian youth aspiring to work in the railways, delays in filling up railway job vacancies were a point of criticism against the BJP in the run-up to the elections.