Page 32 - Finance Minister

Govt aiming to make India global hub for green hydrogen: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the government is aiming to make India a global hub for production, utilisation and export of green hydrogen. Speaking at the launch of HSBC India's strategic partnerships towards enabling innovation in Green Hydrogen, the minister said the government is focused on driving green growth through a range of green reforms. The initiative, she said will provide a roadmap towards reducing carbon intensity in the economy and enable the creation of green job opportunities. "Green hydrogen has a pivotal role to play as we counter climate change and work towards enabling a low-carbon and self-reliant economy. We're aiming to make India a global hub for production, utilisation and export of green hydrogen," Sitharaman said, as per an HSBC release. HSBC India has partnered with IIT Bombay and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF) to pursue technological advancements to make green hydrogen more efficient, cost-effective, and ...

Inflation may stay elevated in coming months, says finance ministry

The government's continued emphasis on capital expenditure is expected to drive growth in the coming years, the finance ministry said in its monthly economic review for the month of July

Path to Viksit Bharat: FM Sitharaman for optimum resource utilisation

Sitharaman is chairing a three-day Chintan Shivir of the Ministry of Finance from 20-22 August 2023 at Tent City in Kevadiya

Govt saves Rs 2.73 trn in last 9 years by adopting DBT: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said the government has saved Rs 2.73 lakh crore of taxpayers' money in the last nine years by adopting Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to send money to targeted beneficiaries and weeding out bogus accounts. It has helped plug leakages and better targeting of genuine and deserving beneficiaries of the government scheme, she said at an event organised by NGO Disha Bharat. Talking about various initiatives taken by the government, Sitharaman said, "Efficiency in governance in the last nine years has improved the possibilities for more money available for, let us say, education and health because we adopted DBT". With DBT in place, pension, money for work, interest subvention and LPG gas subsidy transfer are being credited to Aadhaar-verified bank accounts of deserving beneficiaries, and all bogus accounts have been weeded out, she noted. "Since 2014, by gradually increasing the number of schemes under DBT, we have saved Rs 2.73 lakh crore..

FM Sitharaman exhorts int'l community to help debt-saddled countries

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday pitched for greater coordination among the international community to address the challenges faced by debt-saddled low and mid-income countries. Addressing a seminar on the global economy organised as part of the finance track of India's G-20 presidency, Sitharaman said such a move can help shield vulnerable populations from economic hardships. "The international community must collaborate and find stronger ways to coordinate debt restructuring, for low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries facing debt distress," the finance minister said in a video address. She said as part of the Indian presidency of the top economies' grouping, the country has placed great importance on the management of global debt vulnerabilities because of its commitment to be the voice of the global south. The finance minister said the G-20 finance track has discussed the issue of debt challenges in vulnerable economies which present "significant ..

G20: FM calls for global efforts to restructure poor countries' debt

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday called for concerted global efforts led by rich nations to help indebted countries deleverage at a time when multilaterism is the most potent challenge. Addressing online a G20 session, organised by the finance ministry and the Reserve Bank here, ahead of the grouping's summit next month in New Delhi, she said multilaterism faces the biggest challenge in recent years. "We haven't seen such enormous challenges in recent years at all". She added that New Delhi has ensured that so far the geopolitical differences do not supersede international cooperation which is the core mandate of the G20 grouping and the summit. The Indian presidency of the G20 has placed great importance on the management of global debt vulnerabilities that many nations are facing today. It's time the international community collaborate and find stronger ways to coordinate in debt restructuring efforts for low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries facing debt .

No-confidence motion: India in unique position of optimism, says FM

Importing pulses, tomatoes from neighbouring nations to help manage price rise

Improve CASA ratio, leverage account aggregator framework: FM to RRBs

During the meeting, discussions revolved around financial performance of RRBs

FinMin approves Maharatna status for Oil India, ONGC Videsh gets Navratna

The Finance Ministry has approved the upgradation of Oil India Ltd to the category of 'Maharatna', a move which will impart enhanced powers to the OIL board while taking financial decisions. Post the upgrade, the state-run oil major has become India's 13th Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE). "Finance Minister approved upgradation of Oil India Ltd (OIL) to Maharatna CPSE. OIL will be the 13th Maharatna amongst the CPSEs. OIL is a M/o Petroleum & Natural Gas CPSE with annual turnover of Rs 41,039 crore and net profit of Rs 9,854 crore for the Year 2022-23," the Department of Public Enterprises said in a post on Twitter, now branded as X. In another post, the Department of Public Enterprises shared: "Finance Minister has approved the upgradation of ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) to Navratna CPSE. OVL will be 14th Navratna amongst the CPSEs. It is a M/o Petroleum & Natural Gas CPSE with annual turnover of Rs 11,676 crore and net profit of Rs 1,700 crore for the Year ...

11 World Bank officials meet Finance Minister Sitharaman in New Delhi

The Executive Directors of the world bank shared their key takeaways with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman from their visits to Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Lucknow

Amit Mitra highlights countrywide GST frauds, urges FM to call Council meet

Alleging that GST frauds are proliferating across the country and MSMEs are facing problems due to a web of regulations, Dr Amit Mitra, principal chief advisor to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to convene a GST Council meeting to discuss these issues. Mitra, a former state finance minister, referred to the central government's admission in the Lok Sabha that Rs 1.15 lakh crore of fraud have been detected from GST invoices between 2018-19 and 2022-23. "I write this letter with great anguish and deep concern. On one hand, GST frauds are proliferating across the country penetrating each and every state. On the other, the web of regulations is so overpowering for the MSMEs, that they are on the verge of deregistering back to their informal status," Mitra said. The humongous' fraud taking place in the country and the suffering of the MSME in the current GST system require a total rethink by the Centre and the GST Council on the

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to launch backstop fund, AMC Repo Clearing on Friday

Both Sebi initiatives aimed at developing corporate bond market

Govt considering PLI for chemical, petrochemicals sector: FM Sitharaman

Wants India to become manufacturing hub of sector, she says

Centre may begin PLI scheme for chemical, petroleum sector: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman states that India plans to be energy independent by 2047 and achieve net zero by 2070

Global gaming firms running 'no GST' ads to lure Indians to their platforms

The development has come in the wake of a recent government decision that imposed a 28% GST on the full-face value of the placed bets

100,000 tax notices to be disposed of by March: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Notices served in past years for misreporting, non-filing of returns for income above Rs 50 lakh

Govt told banks not to take harsh action against borrowers for loans: FM

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said both public and private banks have been instructed that harsh steps should not be taken when it comes to the process of loan repayment and that they should handle such cases with sensitivity. Sitharaman said this while making an intervention during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha on a question related to repayment of loans taken by small borrowers. "I have heard complaints about how mercilessly loan repayments have been followed up by some banks. The government has instructed all banks, both public and private, that harsh steps should not be taken when it comes to the process of loan repayment and they should approach the matter with humanity and sensitivity in mind," she said.

Indian will maintain its growth momentum despite inflationary pressures: FM

The FM asked CBIC officials to ensure that they focus on stopping smuggling

Debt restructuring talks at G20 meet hurt by differences, low attendance

The two-day meetings that kicked off on Monday were seen as key to setting the tone for the G20 leaders' summit in September in New Delhi

G20: FMs and Central Bank Governors meeting to be held in Gandhinagar

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Dr Shaktikanta Das will jointly chair a meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) to be held on July 17-18 in Gandhinagar where 66 delegations will be in attendance, officials said on Thursday. The meeting, where a range of issues related to global economy and international financial architecture will come up for discussion, will be preceded by a conclave of G20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies (FCBDs) in the Gujarat capital from July 14 to 15. These meetings are being held under India's presidency of Group of Twenty or G20, an influential bloc that comprises 19 countries and the European Union. Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Sitharaman and RBI Governor Das will jointly chair the third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBGs) meeting. The 3rd meeting will mark the culmination of the work on many of the key deliverables from the G20 Finance