The PPP framework for these projects, like building hospitals and schools, will be different from the existing regime for infrastructure.
Besides, as urbanisation spreads, the country will consume more wheat, pulses and less rice and coarse cereals in the coming years.
The working group on food and public distribution constituted under the chairmanship of Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia is likely to recommend using the numbers effectively for streamlining PDS.
The government is expected to end the benefits under Section 10A and 10B of the Income Tax Act.
Small and medium information technology companies operating out of the Software Technology Park of India (STPI) and who have not relocated their business operations to the special economic zones (SEZs) could stand to lose a substantial part of their tax holidays after the forthcoming Budget.
This Budget, the finance ministry may consider a proposal for a seed fund that would provide financial support to states willing to sell items other than foodgrain, sugar and kerosene through the public distribution system (PDS). The move, experts believe, will help reigning in food inflation that remains in double digits, despite moderation.
To fund infrastructure projects in the public-private-partnership model, the forthcoming Budget could lay down some broad contours on the setting up of debt funds, which will provide investment for the core sector.
As a bonanza to southern states, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to allocate funds worth Rs 6,000 crore (Rs 60 billion) for Chennai and Bangalore Metro rail systems in the forthcoming Budget.
Officials said the proposal and funding could be included in the coming budget and preliminary discussions have been held with finance ministry officials.
While stock exchanges worldwide are consolidating, not much action is happening in India due to the cap on equity holding in stock exchanges.
The Madras High Court order for closure of over 700 dyeing and knitting units in Tirupur may trigger huge loan defaults. Repayment of loans worth about Rs 20,000 crore would be hit if operations came to a halt, said Tirupur Exporters Association President A Sakthivel.
In December 2010, Mumbai-based Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies received an A*** grading by credit rating agency Crisil.
The government is considering a common appellate authority for insurance and all instruments traded on the stock or commodity exchanges. This comes after the formation of the Financial Stability Development Council, a statutory body to coordinate the functioning of financial market regulators.
After its various corrections since Diwali, the stock market is expected to settle and consolidate in the next few days, with most uncertainties thought to have been priced in. That applies to the telecom scam-related implications, too, as long as its toll does not go beyond ministers and no more bad news comes from European countries. Most players believe there are several good stocks at attractive valuations.
Investment banking sources said players with leveraged positions widely used this instrument. Even several foreign investors disallowed from investing in the market for failing to comply with regulatory norms have been using the PN route.
Stung by the controversy over the sudden sacking of the Managing Director at India's largest microfinance institution, SKS Microfinance, lenders have decided to raise corporate governance issues at board meetings of other MFIs.
The Cabinet cleared amendments to the Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act, giving the FMC autonomy and including various provisions aimed at developing the market. Business Standard spoke to Khatua on how the amendments will impact the markets once it comes into force.
Brokerages will soon have to send the brief details of every transaction in an investor's account to his email address.
The issue of allowing trading in indices such as the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) is being considered by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Indiabulls has offered to sell 26 per cent of its stake in the year-old Indian Commodity Exchange to an ADAG group company.