Harsh Kumar, Ajinkya Kawale

Stories by Harsh Kumar, Ajinkya Kawale

Consensus eludes GoM on GST rate rationalisation, over 100 items discussed

Consensus eludes GoM on GST rate rationalisation, over 100 items discussed

Rediff.com   26 Sep 2024

The Group of Ministers (GoM) on goods and services tax (GST) rate rationalisation, which convened in Goa on Wednesday, reviewed the GST rates for over 100 items, including textiles, handloom goods, agricultural products, fertilisers, and educational materials. However, no consensus was reached on any of the items, with further discussions scheduled for next month in Delhi.

India Working on 30,000 cr Maritime Development Fund

India Working on 30,000 cr Maritime Development Fund

Rediff.com   26 Sep 2024

The fund will promote domestic shipbuilding of all types and sizes to reduce India's dependence on foreign ships.

Are I-T Returns Details Private?

Are I-T Returns Details Private?

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2024

Disclosing an individual's income-tax returns is tantamount to violating the person's fundamental right to privacy as recognised by the Constitution.

Binance detaches self from liabilities after WazirX hack

Binance detaches self from liabilities after WazirX hack

Rediff.com   20 Sep 2024

Global cryptocurrency giant Binance has asserted that it never owned or controlled WazirX before or after the embattled Indian exchange was hacked in July that led to a security breach of more than $230 million. Binance added that there was no legal basis for the firm to be liable for claims made against the embattled crypto exchange. It refuted WazirX's claims that the global exchange owns the company, adding that it does not operate the platform.

GST Gamed For Rs 81,875 cr, Finds Report

GST Gamed For Rs 81,875 cr, Finds Report

Rediff.com   16 Sep 2024

The highest-ever goods and services tax (GST) evasion has been done by the online money gaming industry.

Tax notices to employees a 'discrepancy', says TCS

Tax notices to employees a 'discrepancy', says TCS

Rediff.com   16 Sep 2024

Information technology major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Friday termed the tax demand notices received by several of its employees a "discrepancy," and the tax department will be reprocessing the returns. "We understand that the tax authorities will be reprocessing the returns, post which TDS shall be in sync with Form 26AS issued by the Income Tax Department, and Form 16 Part A issued by TCS. Associates that received the notice will receive a rectification intimation in due course and are not required to pay any demand amount.

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.

Flipkart-backed super.money aims to be among top five on UPI leaderboard

Flipkart-backed super.money aims to be among top five on UPI leaderboard

Rediff.com   27 Aug 2024

Flipkart-backed fintech firm super.money is aiming to be among the top five players on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) leaderboard by the end of this year, a senior company executive has said. The company, which rolled out its beta version in June this year, has processed about 10 million transactions till date. "We have a target of 100 million transactions for the end of the year.

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.'

RBI releases draft rules on AePS to counter frauds on payments system

RBI releases draft rules on AePS to counter frauds on payments system

Rediff.com   1 Aug 2024

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday released draft guidelines for streamlining the onboarding and monitoring of Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) operators to counter frauds perpetuated through the ecosystem. Banks and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) are required to comply with these directions within three months from the date of issue of the guidelines.

Draft framework: RBI for more options to authenticate digital payments

Draft framework: RBI for more options to authenticate digital payments

Rediff.com   1 Aug 2024

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday issued a draft framework for alternative authentication mechanism for digital payments, wherein it has mandated that all digital payment transactions would have to be authenticated with an additional factor of authentication (AFA), except small value contactless card payments for up to Rs 5,000 at point of sale terminals, e-mandates for recurring transactions, and small value digital payments through offline mode, among others. Additionally, it has said that all digital payment transactions, other than card present transactions, have to ensure that one of the factors of authentication is dynamically created, i.e., the factor is generated after initiation of payment; is specific to the transaction; and cannot be reused.

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.

WazirX Breach: 'Recovering Stolen Crypto Is Hard'

WazirX Breach: 'Recovering Stolen Crypto Is Hard'

Rediff.com   22 Jul 2024

'A lot of them are converted to other tokens, and since crypto is dealt with internationally, it can go to any exchange in any country.'

'Banks must be prepared for providing UPI credit'

'Banks must be prepared for providing UPI credit'

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2024

'A credit line on UPI is going to make banks think about credit fundamentally as they digitise the credit process entirely.'

WazirX Loses $234 Million In Security Breach

WazirX Loses $234 Million In Security Breach

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2024

The swindled amount is nearly half of WazirX's total assets.