Page 16 - Vrishti Beniwal

FM sees current account deficit of $60 bn

Says a rise in exports will continue until the end of March

Jalan panel's first meet on new bank licences today

There are 26 applicants for new bank licences, including Tata Sons, L&T, Aditya Birla Group, India Post and IFCI

Post-June gold duty rises bring less revenue

The mop-up has sharply come down from Rs 2,195 crore in April to Rs 113 crore in September

CAT annuls appointment of senior revenue official

Govt might now make a fresh selection

Finance ministry remains silent on RBI's actions

In past, FinMin openly expressed displeasure over repo rate increase or status quo maintained by then RBI governor D Subbarao

Stringent gold import norms may be relaxed

Owing to 10% customs duty and import curbs, the govt is expecting gold imports to be below 750 tonnes this year - a drop of 11% from last year

FinMin to engage with investors to ward off impact of QE tapering

Finance ministry to engage with debt funds from the Nordic countries, West Asia and Australia in a big way

Gold smuggling surges with govt's import curbs

Apr-Sep seizures higher than in past 24 months; annual haul set to be 50% higher than total of past decade; at least 90% of illegal flow estimated to get in

IMF team coming to check India's economic health in Nov

Part of periodic Article IV consultations on state of the economy; team to have discussions with government as well as banks, private investors and civil society

Rajan, Subbarao to discuss ways to blunt taper impact with FM

Sebi, Irda, FMC chiefs to attend meeting; financial sector reforms may also be discussed

FM wants govt banks to cut rates; lenders reluctant

Even after RBI's 50 bps reduction in MSF, cost of funds remains high for banks to offer fresh cuts in loan interest rates

Finmin asks banks to monitor NPAs

Asks PSUs to set up a vertical to monitor NPAs

Mint Road now closer to North Block

At least for now, helped by Rajan's honeymoon phase, his global stature and economic circumstances

FM to grill govt banks' chiefs tomorrow

Meet to review progress on lending, impact of recent rate cuts and what is being done on NPAs, among other things

Despite negative list, service tax coverage yet to increase

Shortage of manpower a hurdle

FinMin worried over tax mop -up

Chidambaram to meet revenue boards on how to get much more and quickly; special audits and notices among measures likely

ED finds no violation of FDI norms by Walmart

Verdict seen as a signal to MNCs that India can be a favourable investor destination

Govt likely to move towards uniform stamp duty for states

Bill to amend model law coming in winter session

Is the Raghuram Rajan-Chidambaram bonhomie too good to be true?

Chidambaram and Rajan seem to be getting along well or is it a lull before the storm?

Expenditure cuts to compensate for stimulus to industry

To help government contain its fiscal deficit at 4.8% of GDP in FY14