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The government on Tuesday said it will borrow Rs 6.55 lakh crore in the second half of 2023-24 through dated securities, including Rs 20,000 crore through issuance of Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs). The government meets its fiscal deficit mainly through market borrowings. The government had projected gross market borrowing of Rs 15.43 lakh crore for 2023-24. "...the Government of India has decided to borrow the balance amount of Rs 6.55 lakh crore (42.45 per cent of Rs 15.43 lakh crore) in the second half of the fiscal year 2023-24 through dated securities, including Rs 20,000 crore through issuance of Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs)," the finance ministry said in a statement. "Responding to market demand for longer duration securities, 50-year security will be issued for the first time," it added. The gross market borrowing of Rs 6.55 lakh crore will be completed through 20 weekly auctions. The market borrowing will be spread over 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 30, 40 and 50-year securities. The
The total borrowing of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) increased to Rs 3,06,704 crore in March 2021 from Rs 74,742 crore in March 2017, Parliament was informed on Monday. Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said Since 2017, NHAI has availed external borrowing to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore. The minister informed that the amount of interest paid by NHAI in 2020-21 was Rs 18,840 crore. He also said that as of date, there are 140 arbitration cases pending before various arbitral tribunals, wherein an amount of Rs 91,875.70 crore of the contractors/ concessionaires claims and Rs 44,600 crore of NHAI's counterclaims is involved for adjudication. Further, there are 240 cases pending before the courts wherein Rs 21,601 crore is involved, he added. Replying to a separate question, Gadkari said the Centre has not notified green tax on older vehicles. However, state/UT governments of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka,