News for 'West Bengal Finance'

Vaccinating 70% of 18-44 year olds to cost Rs 300 bn

Vaccinating 70% of 18-44 year olds to cost Rs 300 bn

Rediff.com1 May 2021

UP Rs 50 billion, followed by Maharashtra, Bihar, and West Bengal which may need close to Rs 25 billion for the massive task.

Mamata returns land to Singur farmers

Mamata returns land to Singur farmers

Rediff.com14 Sep 2016

Mamata offered 1,000-acre land at Goaltore and said anyone be it the Tatas or BMW are most welcome to set up an auto plant in the state

Impact of the pay hike burden on 11 key states

Impact of the pay hike burden on 11 key states

Rediff.com8 Jul 2016

West Bengal and Maharashtra, despite having fewer public sector employees, are likely to face a higher burden of salaries and pensions.

'A time bomb is ticking towards a fiscal crisis in states'

'A time bomb is ticking towards a fiscal crisis in states'

Rediff.com8 Aug 2016

An interview with Amit Mitra, the finance minister of West Bengal.

4 CMs urge PM to end tussle between Delhi L-G, AAP govt

4 CMs urge PM to end tussle between Delhi L-G, AAP govt

Rediff.com17 Jun 2018

On the sidelines of the NITI Aayog governing council meeting, CMs of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala met PM Modi.

Bengal government welcomes SC order on CBI probe into Saradha

Bengal government welcomes SC order on CBI probe into Saradha

Rediff.com9 May 2014

Initially reluctant to involve the CBI in the investigation on the ground that the central agency had not been able to make any headway into the Nandigram and Netai killings, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee later changed her stance, saying that the government was not averse to it.

Mamata, KCR skip Niti Aayog meet

Mamata, KCR skip Niti Aayog meet

Rediff.com15 Jun 2019

Sources said the Telangana chief minister was busy with preparations for the launch of his ambitious Rs 80,000 crore Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project that would end water woes in the state, while in a letter to Modi, the West Bengal chief minister had expressed her inability to attend the Niti Aayog meeting on June 15, saying it is "fruitless" as the body has no financial powers to support state plans.

Yashwant Sinha recalls Mamata's courage during Kandahar hijack

Yashwant Sinha recalls Mamata's courage during Kandahar hijack

Rediff.com13 Mar 2021

Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha who joined Trinamool Congress on Saturday narrated how West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had offered to go as a hostage in exchange for passengers of Air India's IC 814 that was hijacked by the militants over two decades ago.

Who Is Amit Shah Taking Blessings From?

Who Is Amit Shah Taking Blessings From?

Rediff.com13 Jan 2023

What some of our leaders were up to on Thursday and Thursday.

'Mamata govt doing exactly what Communists had been voted out for'

'Mamata govt doing exactly what Communists had been voted out for'

Rediff.com25 Mar 2014

Attacking the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal over the issue of development, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said funds worth crores were sent from the Centre to the state but they never reached the people.

I stick to my words: Mamata to contest from Nandigram

I stick to my words: Mamata to contest from Nandigram

Rediff.com5 Mar 2021

Announcing the name of candidates for the West Bengal assembly polls, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she will be contesting from the Nandigram constituency as announced earlier.

WBPCC chief criticises Amit Mitra's remarks against Tata

WBPCC chief criticises Amit Mitra's remarks against Tata

Rediff.com9 Aug 2014

West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday criticised the statements of West Bengal ministers against Ratan Tata, and said Tata's views and opinions about the development of the state would always be welcomed by the people of Bengal.

GST hike on textiles put on hold

GST hike on textiles put on hold

Rediff.com31 Dec 2021

Heeding to demands made by several states, the GST Council on Friday put on hold a decision to hike the tax rate on textiles to 12 per cent and referred to a panel of state ministers to recommend rate by February, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. The panel, the highest decision-making body for indirect taxes, met under emergency provisions after states made a request for deferring the tax rate hike on textiles, from the current 5 per cent, to be effective from January 1, 2022. Currently, the tax rate on manmade fibre (MMF) is 18 per cent, MMF yarn 12 per cent, while fabrics are taxed at 5 per cent.

Unwell Nitish skips Chennai but Friday's Opposition conclave is very much on

Unwell Nitish skips Chennai but Friday's Opposition conclave is very much on

Rediff.com20 Jun 2023

Ill-health forced Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to cancel his scheduled visit to Chennai on Tuesday, where he was invited by his Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin, a key aide of the Janata Dal-United leader said.

Heat Wave: States Brace For Impact

Heat Wave: States Brace For Impact

Rediff.com2 May 2023

While some states have kicked in their heat action plans, experts feel this is not enough to tackle the current extreme weather.

FinMin rejects debt relief plea of 3 states

FinMin rejects debt relief plea of 3 states

Rediff.com11 Apr 2011

Finance Ministry has rejected the requests of Punjab, Kerala and West Bengal for relief on their mounting debt.

Demonetisation was an ethical move, not political: Jaitley

Demonetisation was an ethical move, not political: Jaitley

Rediff.com17 Nov 2018

The minister said demonetisation has increased the tax return filings and also increased the revenue of the states and the Centre immensely.

Mamata finally meets PM on his ground, on her terms

Mamata finally meets PM on his ground, on her terms

Rediff.com9 Mar 2015

In January Amit Shah launched the 'Bhag Mamata Bhag' programme in West Bengal. On Monday Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the red carpet for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. What changed in two months?

NOT AGAIN! Chit funds resurface in Bengal in a new avatar

NOT AGAIN! Chit funds resurface in Bengal in a new avatar

Rediff.com29 Jun 2016

According to the consumer affairs department, these chit funds are operating at a small level.

Debt swaps for states to begin soon

Debt swaps for states to begin soon

Rediff.com28 Jan 2003

With all states barring Maharashtra and West Bengal agreeing to exchange high cost interest bearing bonds with softer loans, the Centre will start the debt swap very soon.\n\n\n\n

72% of Indian districts exposed to extreme floods, only 25% have...

72% of Indian districts exposed to extreme floods, only 25% have...

Rediff.com13 Jul 2023

Despite high exposure to floods, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim are the best performing states in terms of flood early warning systems (EWS), according to the report by independent policy research think tank The Council on Energy Environment and Water.

Modi to induct youngsters, allies as ministers

Modi to induct youngsters, allies as ministers

Rediff.com14 Feb 2020

Among the names being mentioned for inclusion as ministers are Tejasvi Surya, the 29-year-old MP from Bangalore South, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, the 35-year-old MP from Ladakh, Locket Chatterjee, the 45-year old MP from Hooghly, and Dilip Ghosh, MP from West Medinipur and president of the BJP's West Bengal unit.

Yashwant Sinha is joint Opposition candidate for presidential poll

Yashwant Sinha is joint Opposition candidate for presidential poll

Rediff.com21 Jun 2022

Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha will be the consensus presidential candidate of several opposition parties, including the Congress, the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party, the parties said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

It's the Centre not states who don't want GST on fuel

It's the Centre not states who don't want GST on fuel

Rediff.com12 Mar 2021

Many states are open to the idea of petrol and diesel being brought under the goods and services tax (GST) regime - contrary to the perception that they are averse to it - but they want a concrete proposal, including a compensation mechanism, from the Centre. West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra says while the issue can be discussed, the Centre may not be keen to bring the change because it earns "much more" from taxes on petrol and diesel. "(The peak rate of) GST is 28 per cent. Under the regime, the Centre would only get 14 per cent. "So, definitely, the Union government does not want GST on fuel. It is all lies. Currently, they are in a very cozy place," Mitra said.

How GST changed Indian politics

How GST changed Indian politics

Rediff.com1 Jul 2018

Shadow of elections may overshadow political consensus at GST Council meetings.

Football: East Bengal to file complaint against referee

Football: East Bengal to file complaint against referee

Rediff.com7 Jan 2021

Benzema to stand trial in sex tape case, says lawyer.

Consensus reached, GST to be rolled out from July 1

Consensus reached, GST to be rolled out from July 1

Rediff.com16 Jan 2017

The consensus was reached after the Centre agreed to the demand of states to go in for horizontal split

Chidambaram's arrest depressing: Mamata

Chidambaram's arrest depressing: Mamata

Rediff.com22 Aug 2019

In her first reaction after Chidambaram's arrest on Wednesday evening, Banerjee quoted Rabindranath Tagore and said the "message of justice is crying silently in isolation".

Cong gets desperate, Pranab turns to Left for support

Cong gets desperate, Pranab turns to Left for support

Rediff.com14 Jun 2012

Amidst the flurry of political activities in Delhi over selection of the Presidential nominee, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, whose name has been reported to be Congress' first choice as candidate, on Thursday telephoned former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

In non-cigarettes push, how ITC built more than 25 FMCG mother brands

In non-cigarettes push, how ITC built more than 25 FMCG mother brands

Rediff.com4 Jan 2024

A young couple sharing a laugh - in the living room over a Polish joke book, on the beach, in the rain - with the tagline, "Made for each other", hung from billboards at prominent street corners from the 1960s to the 1990s. It was a campaign for one of the largest selling cigarette brands in India, Wills (Navy Cut) from the ITC stable, that resonated with a generation of smokers and non-smokers alike till the curtains came down on tobacco advertising in 2004. As we prepare to welcome 2024, ITC has metamorphosed from a tobacco giant into a conglomerate straddling multiple large-sized businesses. In the mind space of Gen Z or millennials, the company represents a gamut of branded products - from frozen food (ITC Master Chef), noodles (YiPPee!), and cookies (Sunfeast) to snacks (Bingo!) and notebooks (Classmate), and so on and so forth.

Freebies: Nothing Called A Free Lunch

Freebies: Nothing Called A Free Lunch

Rediff.com28 Oct 2022

To help the country emerge as a true welfare State, political parties must put the country's interests first before strategising to win elections and short-term goals, argues Ramesh Menon.

Why Is Priyanka Running So Fast?

Why Is Priyanka Running So Fast?

Rediff.com13 Dec 2022

What some of our leaders were up to on Monday, December 12.

Not just a flyover collapse; Malaise runs deep

Not just a flyover collapse; Malaise runs deep

Rediff.com4 Apr 2016

The tragedy comes at a particularly sensitive juncture.

BJP meet: Yogi moves resolution heaping praises on Modi

BJP meet: Yogi moves resolution heaping praises on Modi

Rediff.com7 Nov 2021

The resolution praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and accused the opposition of 'opportunism' and a mindset of 'extreme hate'.

More than 680,000 registered companies have 'closed' down in India

More than 680,000 registered companies have 'closed' down in India

Rediff.com30 Jul 2019

Maharashtra and Delhi lead the pack of states in terms of absolute number, with 142,425 and 125,937 closed companies, respectively.

Post office staff swindles Rs 96 cr of public money in saving schemes: CAG

Post office staff swindles Rs 96 cr of public money in saving schemes: CAG

Rediff.com10 Aug 2022

The staff at post offices misappropriated Rs 95.62 crore of public money between November 2002 and September 2021, the Comptroller and Auditor General has said. The money may seem small but it is what common citizen invested in post office savings, the oldest and the largest banking system in the country. The system serves the investment needs of urban and rural clients through schemes such as savings bank, recurring deposits, time deposits, national savings certificates, kisan vikas patras, public provident fund, monthly income account scheme, sukanya samriddhi accounts and senior citizens savings scheme.

Madras HC grants Nalini Chidambaram interim protection from arrest

Madras HC grants Nalini Chidambaram interim protection from arrest

Rediff.com12 Jan 2019

The ED had registered an ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) in the matter under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Modi slams opposition-ruled states for not lowering VAT on fuel

Modi slams opposition-ruled states for not lowering VAT on fuel

Rediff.com27 Apr 2022

Flagging higher fuel prices in many opposition-ruled states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called it "injustice" to people living there and urged the governments there to reduce VAT in "national interest" to benefit the common man. Modi raised the issue of many states not adhering to the Centre's call for reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel after his government slashed excise duties on them in November last, and asked them to work in the spirit of cooperative federalism in this time of global crisis. Higher prices in some states were also harmful for neighbouring states, he added.

Why South India Is Unhappy With Modi

Why South India Is Unhappy With Modi

Rediff.com20 Feb 2024

On one hand, South Indian states have been complaining about denial of a proportionate portion of the sharable funds from the Centre, based on population. On the other hand, they stand to lose Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seats that again are based on population, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.

Why was Dinesh Trivedi 'allowed' to speak? Trinamool questions RS chair

Why was Dinesh Trivedi 'allowed' to speak? Trinamool questions RS chair

Rediff.com14 Feb 2021

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday alleged that Dinesh Trivedi, who resigned from the Rajya Sabha on Friday, took the 'House for a ride' and was 'allowed' to use the floor of the House for his 'devious political ends'.