A finance ministry official said Vodafone had threatened arbitration against something that had not happened. He said the UK-based telecom company was presuming it might happen.
Higher online filing of returns that is expected in the ongoing financial year will enable faster processing of claims and hence a further increase in refunds.
To ensure its financial inclusion drive is not restricted to meeting branch opening targets, the Union finance ministry is to ask banks for a performance report of the 'ultra small' branches set up in the past two years in about 73,000 villages.
To capitalise on the proposed changes in the Budget and the information on black money available with the government, the government is revitalising the economic intelligence council (EIC) headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Considering the disvestment mop-up target of Rs 30,000 crore (Rs 300 billion) for financial year 2012-13, the government is thinking of optimising the collection from stake sales in central public sector enterprises (CPSEs).
A senior income tax department official in the know of the discussions to have taken place in the finance ministry said the ministry was looking into the issue as a possible option.
The next time Amitabh Bachchan hosts Kaun Bangea Crorepati or Sachin Tendulkar hits a ton in an Indian Premier League match, the taxmen may come knocking on their doors.
Disinvestment Secretary Mohammad Haleem Khan told Business Standard that till now, public sector companies were only allowed to invest in mutual funds, apart from putting money in bank fixed deposits, but the Cabinet had now approved the proposal to allow these companies to buy equities of other CPSEs.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will likely encapsulate this thinking in his Budget speech, to be finalised by March 13.
The requirement of one million units would entail a huge market for firms such as HCL Infosystems, Geodesic, VeriFone, Visiontek and others manufacturing micro-ATMs.
Move to allow the FDI in domestic airlines is expected to benefit Kingfisher Airlines.
The Unique Identifiaction Authority of India is expediting creation of platforms for implementing the model, likely to include coverage of the Public Distribution System and other areas of subsidy, and also government's social sector schemes.
Budget likely to list tax-exempt items as finance ministry, states agree
Bailout packages for fiscally stressed states are in the works, as the government seeks to garner political backing for the key policy reforms it plans to fast-track after the five state elections. A senior finance ministry official involved in the process said a high-level committee under expenditure secretary Sumit Bose had held consultations to identify measures to help West Bengal, Punjab and Kerala.
Provident fund body may get support to ensure interest rate comparable with other savings instruments.
The authority is set to cross the target by the end of this month, with a million enrolments every day. It has already allotted 116.3 million Aadhar numbers.
A senior government official says the idea is to facilitate mutually beneficial ways to keep the supply going.
The question is which tool it should use to shift gear.
Bankers and industry analysts say a number of public and private sector banks have expressed willingness to offer fresh loans to Indian companies to help them repay their overseas dues maturing in the near term.
The idea is to save customers the inconvenience of opening and closing bank accounts or keeping multiple accounts if they have to shift to a new location or find their bank's services unsatisfactory.
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