Page 38 - Finance Ministry

Cloudy future

Higher oil prices increase risks for India

'Finmin decided to seek explanation on Acharya's wrath of markets speech'

Achrya later resigned six months ahead of his three-year tenure for 'personal reasons', said the book titled 'We Also Make Policy: An Insider's Account of How the Finance Ministry Functions'

More than 3 million audit report filed for assessment year 2023-24

Deadline for e-filing of income tax for companies was extended to November 30, while the deadline to file of audit reports by companies was extended to October 30

Gross GST collection rises 10% to over Rs 1.62 trillion in September

Gross GST collection rose 10 per cent to over Rs 1.62 lakh crore in September, crossing the Rs 1.6 lakh crore mark for the fourth time during current financial year. Gross GST revenue collected last month was Rs 1,62,712 crore. Of this, Central GST was Rs 29,818 crore, State GST was Rs 37,657 crore, Integrated GST was Rs 83,623 crore (including Rs 41,145 crore collected on import of goods) and cess was Rs 11,613 crore (including Rs 881 crore collected on import of goods). The revenue in September 2023 was 10 per cent higher than the GST revenue of Rs 1.47 lakh crore in the same month last year, the finance ministry said in a statement. "During the month, revenues from domestic transactions (including import of services) are 14 per cent higher than the revenues from these sources during the same month last year. It is for the fourth time that gross GST collection has crossed Rs 1.60 lakh crore mark in FY 2023-24," it said.

FinMin notifies Oct 1 date for implementing amended GST law for e-gaming

The Finance Ministry has notified October 1 as the date for implementation of the amended GST law provisions for taxing e-gaming, casinos and horse racing. According to the changes to the Central GST Act, these supplies will henceforth be treated as "actionable claims" similar to lottery, betting and gambling and subject to 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on full face value of bets. The amendments to Integrated GST (IGST) Act makes it mandatory for offshore online gaming platforms to take registration in India and pay taxes in accordance with domestic law. In its meetings in July and August, the GST Council, comprising finance ministers of Centre and states, had approved amendments to the law to include online gaming, casinos and horse racing as taxable actionable claims, and clarified that such supplies would attract 28 per cent tax on full bet value. Parliament last month passed amendments to the Central GST and Integrated GST laws to give effect to the Council's ...

Govt's gross debt rises 2.2% QoQ to Rs 159.53 trn in Q1: Finance Ministry

The government's total gross debt increased by 2.2 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs 159.53 lakh crore in April-June this fiscal, a finance ministry report said on Friday. The liabilities stood at Rs 156.08 lakh crore at March-end. "This represented a quarter-on-quarter increase of 2.2 per cent in Q1 2023-24. Public debt accounted for 89.5 per cent of total gross liabilities during the quarter," according to the Public Debt Management report for the April-June 2023 quarter. Nearly 26.6 per cent of the outstanding dated securities had a residual maturity of less than 5 years, it said. Since April-June 2010-11, the Public Debt Management Cell (PDMC), the Budget Division in the finance ministry, has been bringing out a quarterly report on debt management on a regular basis. During the first quarter of 2023-24, the central government on the issuance/settlement basis of dated securities raised the gross amount of Rs 4.08 lakh crore, and Rs 2.71 lakh crore after adjusting for switches.

Decoded: What is the government borrowing programme and calendar?

The Central Government adheres to a semi-annual borrowing calendar, while State Governments follow quarterly calendars

Centre keeps option open to reduce market borrowing in second half of FY24

Government will also issue Treasury bills worth Rs 3.12 trillion in the third quarter of 2023-24. Each of these weekly T-bill auctions will be to the tune of Rs 24,000 crore

India may not be planning tax changes for bond inclusion in global indices

India is not planning any changes to its tax regime to help Indian government bonds be included on other global indices, a government source said on Wednesday

Centre sticks to market borrowing plan for H2FY24; introduces 50-year bond

To borrow Rs 6.55 trillion in second half

Preventing the mistakes of 2019

Interim Budget projections for 2024-25 should conform to standard practices of transparency, pragmatism and caution

Vivad se Vishwas - I scheme: Govt grants Rs 256 crore in relief to MSMEs

The Ministry of Finance said in a release that this move will increase the flow of bank credit by freeing up guarantees

Y-Combinator-backed Mudrex becomes FIU-registered crypto platform

Mudrex has become the third crypto platform to be registered with the FIU after WazirX and CoinDCX

Household savings report: There is no distress, says finance ministry

The clarification comes in the backdrop of Reserve Bank of India data showing that household net financial savings rate is at its lowest in decades

Savings puzzle: Does the fall in financial savings show household distress?

The finance ministry thinks otherwise

FinMin retains 6.5% GDP growth estimate for FY24, says 'outlook bright'

The Finance ministry is confident that the impact of these developments on underlying economic activity in India should be relatively contained

FinMin retains 6.5% FY24 growth estimate amid steady high-frequency indicators

The finance ministry on Friday exuded confidence that the country will achieve 6.5 per cent growth in FY24 on the back of improved corporate profitability, private capital formation and bank credit growth, notwithstanding the risks of rising crude oil prices and monsoon deficit. The ministry's August edition of Monthly Economic Review said the 7.8 per cent growth recorded in the first quarter (April-June) was on account of strong domestic demand, consumption and investment. The growth was also witnessed in various high-frequency indicators. Flagging certain risks like steadily climbing crude oil prices in the global market, impact of monsoon deficit in August on Kharif and Rabi crops, the review said, "that needs to be assessed." At the same time, it observed, the rains in September have erased a portion of the rainfall deficit at the end of August. Furthermore, the review said, a stock market correction, in the wake of an overdue global stock market correction, is an ever present .

'No distress', people investing in other fin products, says FinMin

The finance ministry on Thursday dismissed the criticism over the impact of declining household savings on the economy, saying people are investing in different financial products and "there is no distress". The statement posted on X by the ministry brushed aside critical voices raised with regard to the decadal fall in household savings and its overall effect on the economy. "Lately, critical voices have been raised w.r.t. to household savings and its overall effect on the economy. However, data indicates that changing consumer preference for different financial products is the real reason for the household savings and there is no distress as is being circulated in some circles," it said. Net household savings declined to a 47-year low of 5.1 per cent of gross domestic product in FY23 as compared to 7.2 per cent recorded in the previous year, as per the data released by the Reserve Bank in its latest monthly bulletin. At the same time, annual financial liabilities of households ro

Economist Shankar Acharya appointed chancellor of AP Central University

Acharya has been India's longest-serving chief economic advisor, advising three finance ministers over eight years. He has been a columnist for Business Standard for over twenty years

Finance ministry raises gratuity limit and insurance cover for LIC agents

Brings in uniform family pension rate at 30% for LIC employees