Manojit Saha, Harsh Kumar, Ashutosh Mishra

Stories by Manojit Saha, Harsh Kumar, Ashutosh Mishra

Meet Nirmalaji's Budget Team

Meet Nirmalaji's Budget Team

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2025

This will be the first full-year Budget of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government since it came to power for a third consecutive term in July last year.

Is foreign exchange rate stability desirable? Not really

Is foreign exchange rate stability desirable? Not really

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2025

The recent depreciation of the rupee along with sharp fall in the country's foreign exchange (FX) reserves has sparked a debate whether stability of the exchange rate is necessary and desirable. The rupee was one of the least volatile currencies among peers for almost two years before the current downward pressure started in September after the US Federal Reserve lowered interest rate.

Why Is RBI Gov Meeting Top Bankers?

Why Is RBI Gov Meeting Top Bankers?

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2025

'Growth, liquidity and deposit mobilisation are likely to be discussed during the interaction.'

Banks post sixth year of profit growth in FY24, bad loans decline further

Banks post sixth year of profit growth in FY24, bad loans decline further

Rediff.com   27 Dec 2024

Commercial banks in India reported a sixth consecutive year of rise in their net profits in 2023-24 while bad loans continued to fall, according to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) annual publication "Trends and Progress of Banking in India", released on Thursday. "Banks' profitability rose for the sixth consecutive year in 2023-24 and continued to rise in H1:2024-25 with the return on assets (RoA) at 1.4 per cent and return on equity (RoE) at 14.6 per cent," the report said.

Will CBI Train Bankers To Detect Fraud?

Will CBI Train Bankers To Detect Fraud?

Rediff.com   18 Dec 2024

The number of frauds in the banking sector increased over four times in the past five years to 36,075.

New RBI Guv promises to do 'what is best for the economy'

New RBI Guv promises to do 'what is best for the economy'

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2024

A day after his appointment as the 26th governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), outgoing Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra on Tuesday said one must understand the economic landscape and do what was best for the economy. "Let me first go, join, understand the turf ... Here it is a different role," Malhotra said, speaking to reporters in front of North Block.

Growth Or Inflation? What Will RBI Gov Tackle?

Growth Or Inflation? What Will RBI Gov Tackle?

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2024

Sanjay Malhotra takes charge as the 26th RBI governor at a time when headline retail inflation has shot up to 6.2%.

'We want to create an all-weather franchise'

'We want to create an all-weather franchise'

Rediff.com   10 Dec 2024

'We have seen something do very well when the times are good but maybe not as well when the times are bad.'

What Will RBI Governor's Agenda Be?

What Will RBI Governor's Agenda Be?

Rediff.com   10 Dec 2024

As RBI governor, Sanjay Malhotra will have to give the highest priority to the interest of the economy while deciding on the growth-inflation trade off at Mint Street.

'Har Ghar Lakhpati': SBI's new mantra for deposit accretion

'Har Ghar Lakhpati': SBI's new mantra for deposit accretion

Rediff.com   9 Dec 2024

At a time when banks are finding it challenging to mobilise resources, State Bank of India (SBI)-the country's largest lender-has devised a three-pronged strategy to boost deposit accretion. First is an aspirational product that promises to make depositors lakhpatis by helping them grow their deposits to Rs 1 lakh through recurring deposit (RD) schemes.

Will RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das get an extension?

Will RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das get an extension?

Rediff.com   4 Dec 2024

The December meeting of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will start on Wednesday even as there is no clarity on whether Governor Shaktikanta Das, the chair of the panel, will continue in office after his term ends next week. The outcome of the meeting will be announced on Friday by Das at 10 in the morning.

PSBs prepare to open AT-1, Tier-2 bond floodgates

PSBs prepare to open AT-1, Tier-2 bond floodgates

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2024

Public sector banks (PSBs) have proposed the Finance Ministry their plan to raise Rs 54,800 crore through Additional Tier-1 (AT-1) and Tier-2 bonds in the current financial year (FY25), 37 per cent more than the Rs 39,880 crore raised in FY24

RBI rate cut in Dec? Unlikely, say experts

RBI rate cut in Dec? Unlikely, say experts

Rediff.com   2 Dec 2024

Despite gross domestic product (GDP) growth being lower-than-expected for the July-September quarter, the six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) may not cut the policy repo rate in the review meeting scheduled for next week due to high inflation in October, according to experts. "Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation breaching the upper limit of the RBI's tolerance band in October (6.2 per cent year-on-year) is not a favourable backdrop for the MPC to commence the easing cycle, even as the growth outcome disappointed the MPC's expectations," said Shreya Sodhani, regional economist at Barclays, who expects the policy repo rate to be kept unchanged in the December meeting.

'GST Council Should Jack Up Rates'

'GST Council Should Jack Up Rates'

Rediff.com   30 Nov 2024

'Rates go up, revenues go up, and the need for compensation diminishes.'

'When the market is good, you have to capitalise on it'

'When the market is good, you have to capitalise on it'

Rediff.com   29 Nov 2024

'Within India, people want high-quality, personalised banking services, and the demand for such services has exploded.'

Banks urge RBI for boards' workload mgmt

Banks urge RBI for boards' workload mgmt

Rediff.com   19 Nov 2024

Private sector bank board members have urged the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) top brass to consider workload management of the boards as they feel there are too many issues that go to the boards for approval and the situation becomes unmanageable at times. The views were conveyed to the regulator on Monday in a conference of directors of private sector bank boards on the theme "Transformative Governance Through Sound Boards". RBI governor Shaktikanta Das, deputy governors Swaminathan J and M Rajeshwar Rao, and other senior officials of the central bank participated in the conference.

PSBs clocked 11% growth in H1FY25

PSBs clocked 11% growth in H1FY25

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2024

The Union Finance Ministry on Tuesday said that aggregate business of public sector banks (PSBs) has shown strong growth of 11 per cent in the first half of the financial year 2024-25 (H1FY25) to touch Rs 236 trillion. The operating and net profit were also robust. At Rs 1.5 trillion, operating profit grew by 14.4 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) while the net profit saw an impressive 25.6 per cent jump at Rs 85,520 crore in the first half of FY25.

'Focus Is To Maintain The Casa Ratio'

'Focus Is To Maintain The Casa Ratio'

Rediff.com   8 Nov 2024

'It has remained around 38 per cent over the past four to five quarters.'

Asset quality risk, a worry for IndusInd

Asset quality risk, a worry for IndusInd

Rediff.com   6 Nov 2024

A Rs 525-crore contingency provision during the July-September period led to a 19 per cent fall in IndusInd Bank's share price on Friday (October 25). Contingency provisions are generally made when a lender expects more bad loans in the coming quarters. Shares of the bank on Tuesday (October 29) declined 1.53 per cent to settle at Rs 1,038.2 apiece on the BSE.

Pillar Two tax regime unlikely soon as India moves with caution

Pillar Two tax regime unlikely soon as India moves with caution

Rediff.com   6 Nov 2024

The Union government is expecting to rake in Rs 100-200 crore in additional revenue from Pillar Two, only under specific circumstances, a senior finance ministry official said requesting anonymity. It is proceeding cautiously, and is unlikely to implement rules anytime soon, the source said.