News for 'Union Finance Ministry'

After snub to Rajnath, Arun Jaitley to skip SAARC meet in Pakistan

After snub to Rajnath, Arun Jaitley to skip SAARC meet in Pakistan

Rediff.com16 Aug 2016

As persources, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das will represent India at the 2-day event to be hosted in Islamabad from August 25-26.

'RBI shouldn't touch key rates now'

'RBI shouldn't touch key rates now'

Rediff.com7 Jun 2010

CRR is the proportion of deposits each bank must keep in the form of cash.

Coming soon: Biometric PAN cards!

Coming soon: Biometric PAN cards!

Rediff.com11 Apr 2011

The government has decided to issue biometric PAN (Permanent Account Number) cards to taxpayers across the country to weed out the problem of duplicate and fake ones.

Can We Fight China With Such A Budget?

Can We Fight China With Such A Budget?

Rediff.com5 Mar 2024

India has allocated Rs 1.72 trillion, or 27.67 per cent of the total defence budget to cater to modernisation of the country's arsenal. Modern militaries spend up to 50 to 60 per cent of their total defence budget so that they go into combat with superior weaponry and equipment.

Prabhu seeks merger of railway and union budgets

Prabhu seeks merger of railway and union budgets

Rediff.com15 Jul 2016

Currently, Railways is facing a loss of Rs 34,000 cr in passenger segment and its earnings are falling.

Currency note-printing outsourced! Panel raps RBI

Currency note-printing outsourced! Panel raps RBI

Rediff.com30 Apr 2010

The Parliamentary Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU) expressed serious concern over outsourcing of printing of Indian currency notes amounting to Rs 1 lakh crore (Rs 1 trillion) to three countries in 1997-98 and said that such a tendency would put India's economic sovereignty at stake.

India a $4 trillion economy? No official word yet

India a $4 trillion economy? No official word yet

Rediff.com19 Nov 2023

Billionaire Gautam Adani to two Union Ministers and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis among others on Sunday hailed India crossing $4 trillion mark though there was no official confirmation if the country has achieved the landmark. The finance ministry and the National Statistical Office did not immediately comment on the viral social media post on India's GDP crossing $4 trillion. Highly placed sources said that the viral news was incorrect and India was still shy of that landmark.

Indians Dominate TIME 100 AI Titans List

Indians Dominate TIME 100 AI Titans List

Rediff.com23 Sep 2024

The TIME 100 AI list is an interesting assortment of titans. Indians make up about 20 per cent of the coveted list, which is pretty commendable, notes Sandeep Goyal.

The Worrying Decline Of PSU Capex

The Worrying Decline Of PSU Capex

Rediff.com23 Feb 2023

The government must expedite its plan for asset sale and privatisation, both of which hardly got any mention in the Budget speech, points out A K Bhattacharya.

Insurance staff salaries may rise

Insurance staff salaries may rise

Rediff.com25 Feb 2005

Nirmalaji And Why I Was Suspended!

Nirmalaji And Why I Was Suspended!

Rediff.com2 Feb 2024

'My protest was in the interest of the nation.' 'I am just doing my duty as a citizen of this country.'

Govt plans TDS in service tax

Govt plans TDS in service tax

Rediff.com18 Aug 2011

TDS has been successfully used for direct taxes like the income tax.

6 years of GST: Rs 1.5 trillion monthly tax revenues becomes 'new normal'

6 years of GST: Rs 1.5 trillion monthly tax revenues becomes 'new normal'

Rediff.com29 Jun 2023

Six years after the rollout of the biggest indirect tax reform in India, Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue of Rs 1.5 lakh crore every month has become a new normal and tax officers are focusing on dealing with fraudsters who are adopting newer modus operandi to game the system, causing loss to the exchequer. To apprehend black sheep, who operate as syndicates and create fake entities on the basis of forged documents to claim input tax credit (ITC), tax officers have started using data analytics, artifical intelligence and machine learning aiming to curb evasion, which was over Rs 3 lakh crore since inception of GST. It was over Rs 1 lakh crore in 2022-23. Thinktank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said the most critical pending GST reform is upgradation of GST Network to prevent fake supplies and fraudulent claims of Input Tax Credit (ITC).

Assam: Gogoi wants more funds, not visits by Union ministers

Assam: Gogoi wants more funds, not visits by Union ministers

Rediff.com27 Jun 2015

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has stated that backward state of Assam and the Northeast region as a while need more fund from the Centre instead of frequent visits of Union ministers, a new and unprecedented trend since Independence.

FinMin considers fresh steps to curb inflation

FinMin considers fresh steps to curb inflation

Rediff.com18 May 2007

The department of economic affairs in the Union finance ministry has suggested aggressive sterilisation of foreign capital inflows, tightening of government expenditure and intervention in key farm produce markets like wheat.

Kerala finance minister booked in bar bribery scam

Kerala finance minister booked in bar bribery scam

Rediff.com11 Dec 2014

In a major embarrassment to the Congress-led United Democratic Frontn government in Kerala, state Finance Minister K M Mani was on Thursday booked by the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau in the bar bribe scam.

Govt may dilute stake in listed PSUs to 90%

Govt may dilute stake in listed PSUs to 90%

Rediff.com4 Jun 2009

May dilute stakes in PSUs to 90% instead of big-bang approach

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.com21 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.

Why the team for Budget 2019 will be different

Why the team for Budget 2019 will be different

Rediff.com20 Nov 2018

Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia vacates his post on November 30 and Expenditure Secretary Ajay Narayan Jha, the second seniormost bureaucrat in the finance ministry, retires on January 31, the day before Jaitley presents the 2019-20 interim budget.

Govt to set up e-comm hubs to promote exports

Govt to set up e-comm hubs to promote exports

Rediff.com23 Jul 2024

The government on Tuesday announced setting up of hubs to promote exports through e-commerce medium in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode and initially 10-15 hubs will be established. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that these hubs, under a seamless regulatory and logistic framework, will facilitate trade and export-related services under one roof. "To enable MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) and traditional artisans to sell their products in international markets, e-commerce export hubs will be set up in PPP mode," she said.

Kerala FM is new chairman of GST Empowered Committee

Kerala FM is new chairman of GST Empowered Committee

Rediff.com25 Mar 2015

The GST, an indirect tax regime, is to be rolled out from April 2016.

Income Tax dept debuts on Twitter

Income Tax dept debuts on Twitter

Rediff.com7 Nov 2015

Income Tax dept debuts on Twitter.

Budget 2020: FY21 growth rate likely to be pegged at 6-6.5%

Budget 2020: FY21 growth rate likely to be pegged at 6-6.5%

Rediff.com6 Jan 2020

It is also likely to assume a deflator of around 4 per cent. That could take the nominal GDP outlook for FY21 to around 10 per cent. It is this nominal GDP forecast on the basis of which the finance ministry is calculating key Budget targets like the fiscal deficit as a percentage of GDP and tax revenue growth for the coming year.

FinMin likely to tax film rights

FinMin likely to tax film rights

Rediff.com5 Oct 2010

A recent decision of the high court in Chennai on the levy of service tax on software sale has made the Union finance ministry hopeful of a similar verdict in the case of copyright services.

Settle claims fast, govt tells insurance firms

Settle claims fast, govt tells insurance firms

Rediff.com28 Dec 2004

The ministry has also advised the Reserve Bank of India to make provisions for immediate relief in the affected areas.

PowerMin nudges states, gencos to take up insolvent assets

PowerMin nudges states, gencos to take up insolvent assets

Rediff.com12 Nov 2023

To tackle increasing demand, the Union Ministry of Power has urged central and state public-sector power-generating companies (gencos) and state power and energy departments to pick projects that are undergoing insolvency proceedings. The power ministry is looking at a quicker turnaround of these stressed power plants and enhancing power supply. Increasing demand is pushing states to scout for more power sources. "It is requested that state-owned gencos may be encouraged to participate in the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) of stressed power assets, which are of strategic and commercial significance to the capacity addition plans of the states concerned.

4 major things 47th GST Council is likely to discuss

4 major things 47th GST Council is likely to discuss

Rediff.com28 Jun 2022

The 47th GST Council meeting that is currently underway is slated to discuss a host of issues, including a mechanism for compensating states for revenue loss, tax rate tweaks in some items and relaxed registration norms for small online suppliers. Further, the meeting of the Council, chaired by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and comprising state counterparts, will also clear levying the highest tax of 28 per cent on online games, casinos and horse racing, besides, measures to curb tax evasion, especially devising ways to tackle high-risk taxpayers in GST. "The meeting is being chaired by Hon'ble Union Minister of Finance @nsitharaman and many important decisions are expected to be taken at the meet," PIB Chandigarh tweeted.

Banks alarmed at rising defaults in study loans

Banks alarmed at rising defaults in study loans

Rediff.com19 Aug 2010

With a rising proportion of Non-Performing Assets in education loans, banks have approached the government, seeking protection in the form of a credit guarantee fund of at least Rs 2,500 crore.

EPF board to meet on May 31

EPF board to meet on May 31

Rediff.com27 May 2003

Union Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma said on Tuesday that the Central Board of Trustees would be meeting on May 31 at New Delhi for reviewing the interest rate of employees provident fund.

Excise duty hike on petrol, diesel put off by a month

Excise duty hike on petrol, diesel put off by a month

Rediff.com1 Oct 2022

The government has put off by one month the levy of an additional Rs 2 per litre excise duty on petrol and diesel that is not doped with ethanol and bio-diesel in a bid to give the industry more time to implement the measure.

BJP plotting to topple Delhi govt, to impose Prez rule: Atishi

BJP plotting to topple Delhi govt, to impose Prez rule: Atishi

Rediff.com10 Sep 2024

The accusation comes a day after the President's secretariat forwarded the assertions of the Opposition BJP that Delhi was facing a constitutional crisis to the ministry of home affairs for "proper attention".

DA hike to 31% effective from July 1: FinMin

DA hike to 31% effective from July 1: FinMin

Rediff.com26 Oct 2021

Dearness Allowance for central government employees has been hiked to 31 per cent of the basic pay from 28 per cent with effect from July 1, 2021, the Finance Ministry said. In an office memorandum, the Department of Expenditure, under the Finance Ministry, said the term 'basic pay' means the pay drawn as per the 7th pay commission matrix and does not include any other type of pay like special pay, etc. "....the Dearness Allowance payable to central government employees shall be enhanced from the existing rate of 28 per cent to 31 per cent of the basic pay with effect from July 1, 2021," said the office memorandum dated October 25.

Officer who headed 2G, CWG probes gets BJP ticket from Sarojini Nagar

Officer who headed 2G, CWG probes gets BJP ticket from Sarojini Nagar

Rediff.com2 Feb 2022

He was permanently absorbed into the ED cadre in 2014 and has headed some high-profile investigations into the 2G spectrum allocation case, the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the money laundering cases against former Union finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, the Aircel Maxis and VVIP choppers case.

Jaitley unlikely to be a minister in new govt on account of ill health

Jaitley unlikely to be a minister in new govt on account of ill health

Rediff.com24 May 2019

Jaitley, 66, has become 'very weak' as his health has deteriorated over the past few weeks, sources said, adding that he has developed some throat condition as well that prevents him from speaking for long.

Defence gets Rs 6.21 lakh cr, 4.79% hike from previous allocation

Defence gets Rs 6.21 lakh cr, 4.79% hike from previous allocation

Rediff.com23 Jul 2024

The total allocation to the defence sector is 12.9 per cent of the total budget of the government of India for the financial year 2024-25.

India made max requests to foreign financial intel agencies in '18-'19

India made max requests to foreign financial intel agencies in '18-'19

Rediff.com24 Jul 2020

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the federal economic snoop agency under the Union finance ministry, sent 289 legal requests to its counterparts across the globe during 2018-19 as compared to 177 in 2017-18 and 138 in 2016-17.

Tax parity with ULIPs tops Afmi's wish list ahead of Union Budget

Tax parity with ULIPs tops Afmi's wish list ahead of Union Budget

Rediff.com5 Jan 2021

The pre-Budget proposals sent to the finance ministry aim to bring uniformity in tax treatment for investments in different financial sectors, mitigate hardship to retail taxpayers, and encourage participation in mutual funds.