Page 8 - Finance Minister

Sitharaman to assess RRB consolidation as 'One state-one RRB' takes effect

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to review the implementation and progress of 'One state-one RRB' on May 6. One state-one RRB will become a reality from May 1 with consolidation of 15 Regional Rural Banks across 11 states to achieve better operational efficiency and cost rationalisation. With this fourth round of consolidation of regional rural banks (RRBs), the number would reduce to 28 from the existing 43. According to sources, the Finance Minister is scheduled to hold a meeting with RRBs and review various issues including consolidation. RRBs in 11 states - Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan - are to be merged into one entity, for each of these to realise the goal of One state-one RRB. In Andhra Pradesh, Chaitanya Godavari Grameena Bank, Andhra Pragathi Grameena Bank, Saptagiri Grameena Bank and Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank sponsored by Union Bank of ...

India to navigate global disruptions with policy agility: FM Sitharaman

Speaking at the 150th anniversary celebration of the BSE, Sitharaman acknowledged the risks posed by "tariff wars" but expressed confidence in India's resilient economy

FM Sitharaman invites Austrian firms to invest in emerging sectors in India

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday urged Austrian companies to invest in India as it offers many opportunities in new and emerging sectors. Addressing the India-Austria business roundtable in the capital city Vienna, she said Austrian companies should harness many opportunities that India offers as the country has made tremendous progress as a result of the government's efforts in accelerating economic growth and equity as well as reforms to ensure the ease of doing business. "I also highlighted emerging opportunities in new and emerging sectors such as green hydrogen, electric vehicles, digital public infrastructure and innovation. India is an excellent gateway to Asia and the global south," she said. Overall, she said, the prospects for a stronger India-Austria, economic and commercial partnership are very bright. Stressing that India has the manufacturing base and scale, she said, several Austrian companies have set up capability centres in India to leverage the ...

India's domestic demand big magnet amid US trade tariffs, says Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday that the resilience of the economy and strength of domestic demand will continue to make India an engine of growth amid the rapidly evolving global trade landscape as a result of US tariffs. In an interaction entitled the Opportunities and challenges for India's quest to become a developed economy by 2047' at the High Commission of India in London, she asserted that the economy was well placed to capitalise on domestic efficiencies and competitiveness as it tackles global headwinds. The world has seen depressed growth for over several years; earlier, it was low interest for long and now it's going to be low growth for long, and that's not happy news for anybody, said Sitharaman, who is here on her first UK visit in her current Union Cabinet term. India has maintained its fastest growing economy tag continuously now for five years and we still think that momentum may moderate a bit, but it will still be India who will keep that grow

Nirmala Sitharaman arrives in London at start of six-day Europe tour

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived in London on Monday evening at the start of a six-day official tour of Europe from April 8-13, which will also cover Austria. The Ministry of Finance announced her arrival with a social media post after the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, received the minister at Heathrow Airport. Sitharaman is scheduled to kick-start her UK visit with an in-conversation session at the High Commission of India in London in partnership with the London School of Economics (LSE) on Tuesday. This will be followed by the 13th Ministerial Round of the India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) with her UK counterpart, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, on Wednesday. Both leaders are expected to announce and launch various reports and new initiatives for further bilateral collaborations, according to an official pre-visit Indian government statement. The 13th EFD is a significant bilateral platform between the two countries that offers ...

'Laboured and tortuous': Chidambaram on Sitharaman's explanation on capex

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave a "tortuous" explanation to his question about capital expenditure and asserted that the numbers "conclusively" proved that there was a "cut" in capex during 2024-25. Chidambaram said this in a statement late this evening while responding to the answers given by Sitharaman in the Rajya Sabha. The former finance minister said Sitharaman has given a "laboured and tortuous" explanation to a simple question on what was the budget estimate for capital expenditure in the 2024-25 budget and what is the estimate at the end of year. "There is a reduction (cut), and I asked in the Rajya Sabha what are the reasons for the cut? FM could have listed the reasons and it is for the people to decide whether the reasons are acceptable or not. "Instead, she has questioned the very comparison of BE and RE. I am astonished that the Hon'ble FM should say that comparison of BE and RE is 'flawed'. If BE and RE ar

Capex not cut, states got Rs 1.46 trn special assistance in FY25: FM

Sitharaman said that state governments have requested for continuing the scheme and enhancing the outlay for the scheme from time to time. In FY25, a total of Rs 1,53,673 crore was earmarked for this

India to scrap 6% equalisation levy on digital ads, leading to revenue loss

This decision, announced in the Finance Bill 2025-26, will benefit global tech companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon by reducing their tax burden and operational costs in India

Capital expenditure not cut, rises to Rs 11.21 trn for FY26: Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the capital expenditure has not been cut, but has gone up to Rs 11.21 lakh crore for 2025-26 fiscal, and there has been proportional increase in loans given to states for capital expenditure for the same year. Replying during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman said the capital expenditure was at Rs 11.11 lakh crore in 2024-25. "Actually, (in) the budget this year..., it has gone up to Rs 11.21 lakh crore. So, the capital expenditure has not been cut at all," she said. Loans to states under the scheme for interest-free 50-year special assistance for capital expenditure has gone up proportionately. "So, cutting down the capital expenditure is not the case with us," she added. Sitharaman was responding to a question by senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram. Chidambaram sought to know the reason for reduction in the capital expenditure for FY25 in the revised budget estimate to Rs 10,18,429 crore

New Income Tax Bill set for discussion in monsoon session: Sitharaman

The new Income Tax Bill will be taken up for discussion in the monsoon session of Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday. Replying to the discussions on the Finance Bill 2025 in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said the new income tax bill, which was introduced in the House on February 13, is currently being vetted by the Select Committee. The Select Committee has been mandated to submit its report by the first day of the next session of Parliament. "...we will take it (new income tax bill) up in the monsoon session," Sitharaman said. The monsoon session of Parliament is usually convene in July and runs through August. The simplified Income Tax Bill, which is half the size of the 1961 Income Tax Act, seeks to achieve tax certainty by minimising the scope of litigation and fresh interpretation, the Income Tax department had earlier said. The new bill has a word count of 2.6 lakh, lower than 5.12 lakh in the I-T Act. The number of sections is 536 against 819 effec

Sitharaman, Citi CEO discuss bank's staff growth in India, digitalisation

During their discussion, Jane Fraser highlighted Citi's expansion in India and expressed interest in strengthening the company's presence in the country

Employees' salaries grew at 11% CAGR in 10 years: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

FM Sitharaman says factors of production being reset after pandemic

Uttarakhand finance minister resigns in tears amid public outrage

Uttarakhand's finance and parliamentary affairs minister Premchand Aggarwal's remark, perceived as disrespectful to hill residents, led to widespread protests

Banks wrote off bad loans worth Rs 16.35 trillion in last 10 years: Govt

Banks have written off non-performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans worth about Rs 16.35 lakh crore in last 10 financial years, Parliament was informed on Monday. Highest amount of Rs 2,36,265 crore was written off during financial year 2018-19 while NPAs worth Rs 58,786 crore were written off in 2014-15, the lowest in the last 10 years. During 2023-24, banks wrote off bad loans of Rs 1,70,270 crore, lower than Rs 2,16,324 crore done in the previous financial year. Banks write off non-performing assets (NPAs), including those in respect of which full provisioning has been made on completion of four years, as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines and policy approved by banks' boards, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a reply in the Lok Sabha. Such write-offs do not result in waiver of liabilities of borrowers and therefore, it does not benefit the borrower, she said. Banks continue pursuing their recovery actions initiated against borrowers under the various recover

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to launch PM Internship Scheme app on Monday

The FM will also launch the first facilitation centre for the Internship Scheme being set up in Kolkata by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry

Removing high-cost debt has lowered borrowing cost: FM Sitharaman

Sitharaman's comments came in the backdrop of the government's target of bringing down the debt-to-GDP ratio to 50 per cent by 2030, from the current 57 per cent

Deregulation Commission for India's growth: An idea whose time has come

But it will work only if it has both central & state-based regulations within its remit with active participation by all states

In ChatGPT era, Chhattisgarh FM presents 100-page handwritten Budget

In an age where even court rulings are drafted using AI-powered chatbots, Chhattisgarh's Finance Minister OP Choudhary showcased his personal dedication by presenting a 100-page handwritten budget in Hindi, reflecting his hands-on approach and commitment to the budget preparation process. Choudhary, a former IAS who quit service to join politics as he saw it as a bigger medium to serve the public, literally burnt midnight oil, hardly sleeping for a couple of hours in the days leading to the March 4 presentation of the Budget for the fiscal year starting April 1 in the Chhattisgarh assembly. The rare act that displayed a sense of ownership and dedication to the state's financial planning and goals stood out, especially since most budget documents are typically prepared by a team of officials or typed out on computers. "I was writing my own (Budget) speech and I realised that a handwritten document expresses my feelings, my emotions, my vision, my commitment, and my attachment more. A

India eyes strong trade deal with US, aims to double trade: Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said India is looking for a "good" trade agreement with the US to promote economic growth and ensure smooth supply chains. She also said that amid a growing global tariff war, India will have to move "smartly" to guard against possible dumping of goods from countries that are facing higher US tariffs. At the same time, India will protect the interests of domestic industries that rely on affordable imports. "In a broad sense, I think, both sides should have ambition for a good treaty, and nobody can fault that. Particularly for India, when you are looking at Viksit Bharat, you need to have good traction. Everybody is concerned about the growth numbers," she said at The Economic Times Awards. The minister said that a lot more steps are required to strengthen the country's exports across the board, wherever there is potential. "So, I am sure the commerce minister (Piyush Goyal) is quite seized of this, and he would take this (trade) ...

Very close to decision on reducing GST rates & slabs: Nirmala Sitharaman

Speaking on the ongoing efforts to simplify the GST structure, Nirmala Sitharaman said, 'We are very close to closing in on a final call on the reduction in GST rates and slabs'