Page 4 - Finance Ministry

FM Sitharaman asks toy makers to aim for a quarter of global market by 2032

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged the Indian toy industry to target a quarter of the global toy market, citing government support and quality measures to boost manufacturing and exports

Over ₹1.55 trillion guarantee cover issued under ECLGS 5.0: FinMin

The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0 has crossed 4.11 lakh guarantees to businesses affected by the West Asia geopolitical situation, with the guaranteed amount reaching over Rs 1.55 lakh crore, the finance ministry said on Tuesday. The scheme has benefited India's small businesses with 98 per cent of the total number of guarantees and 82 per cent of the total guaranteed amount going to MSMEs. "Since launch, 4,11,497 guarantees have been issued under ECLGS 5.0, with the guaranteed amount reaching Rs 1,55,229 crore - a sign of the scheme's rapid absorption across the lending ecosystem," the ministry said in a statement. The ECLGS 5.0 was approved by the Union Cabinet on May 5, 2026. The scheme aims to infuse additional credit of Rs 2.55 lakh crore to existing borrowers to tide over the liquidity challenges arising due to the West Asia crisis. As the scheme evolves and outreach expands, it is expected to further strengthen liquidity support for businesses, including

Inflation may remain relatively contained in coming months: FinMin report

The report said the cessation of the conflict in West Asia had also brightened the growth outlook and reduced external deficit risks

AI tools helping identify GST evasion, easing compliance: FinMin

The finance ministry on Tuesday said advanced technologies like AI and data analytics are being used in GST registration and scrutiny to identify possible tax evasions, while easing regulatory requirements for compliant taxpayers. The number of taxpayers registered under Goods and Services Tax (GST) has increased from 66.5 lakh in 2017 to 1.65 crore as of May 2026, reflecting greater formalisation of the economy, according to the ministry. Also, gross GST collection, which stood at around Rs 7.4 lakh crore in 2017-18, has increased steadily over the years. In the last five years, collections rose from Rs 13.76 lakh crore in 2021-22 to Rs 22.27 lakh crore in 2025-26. In April-May this fiscal, GST collections have reached Rs 4.37 lakh crore. Introduced on July 1, 2017, GST replaced a complex system of 17 central and state taxes and 13 cesses with a unified indirect tax framework. The reform, rolled out after years of negotiations between the Centre and states, was aimed at creating a

Economy resilient, but monsoon and geopolitical risks persist: FinMin

India's inflation likely to remain contained in coming months, says FinMin

Small savings rates remain unchanged for 10th consecutive quarter

The Centre has retained interest rates on all small savings schemes for the July-September quarter, extending the status quo for the 10th consecutive quarter despite policy rate cuts

Govt extends deadline for filing GSTAT appeals by one month till July 31

Extension follows representations over technical issues on the GSTAT portal and a sharp increase in appeal filings as the new appellate mechanism becomes operational

Customs duty exemption on key petrochemical imports extended till July 15

The extension, prompted by supply-chain disruptions arising from the West Asia conflict, will continue to provide relief to industries dependent on critical petrochemical imports

Small savings scheme interest rates unchanged for second quarter: FinMin

The interest rate on the Public Provident Fund (PPF) has been retained at 7.1 per cent, while post office savings deposits will continue to earn 4 per cent

Govt approves ₹1.25 trillion outlay for India Semiconductor Mission 2.0

Under ISM 1.0, the government approved 10 major projects with cumulative investments of roughly ₹1.60 trillion across six Indian states as of December 31, 2025

Govt to add ₹30,000 crore to NIIF to catalyse foreign investments

The Centre's total commitment to the sovereign-anchored fund will rise to Rs 60,000 crore, supporting a new infrastructure fund and attracting global investors

Govt offers retrospective tax relief for nuclear power equipment imports

The exemption covers specified goods imported for nuclear power generation under designated customs tariff categories

Govt extends microfinance guarantee scheme, raises loan cap to ₹1,000 cr

The government has approved the extension of the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Microfinance Institutions - 2.0 and a hike in the maximum loan limit to Rs 1,000 crore. As of date, loans totalling Rs 770 crore have been sanctioned under the scheme, the Finance Ministry said in a statement. The CGSMFI-2.0 scheme was introduced on March 20, 2026, and aims to provide guarantee cover to Banks/ FIs through National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) against expected losses on the financial assistance extended by them to NBFC-MFIs and MFIs for on-lending to small borrowers. The scheme was valid till June 30, 2026 or loans up to Rs 20,000 crore are guaranteed, whichever is earlier. "The Government of India has approved extension in validity of the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Microfinance Institutions-2.0 (CGSMFI-2.0) up to August 31, 2026, or till guarantees for an amount of Rs 20,000 crore are issued, whichever is earlier," the ministry said. The government has also approved a

Govt considers selling 2% stake in Hindustan Zinc to raise ₹5,000 crore

The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management, which is under the Finance Ministry, aims to launch the process this month or in July

Industry seeks faster disposal of high-value GST disputes, appeal relief

With GSTAT benches becoming operational, industry bodies have urged the government to fast-track large disputes and extend the June 30 deadline for filing appeals

Spending cut by 50 ministries helps Centre meet FY26 fiscal deficit goal

Expenditure by 50 ministries and departments came in below revised estimates, helping the Centre contain the fiscal deficit despite lower-than-projected receipts

Govt plans 'AI-against-AI' approach to strengthen digital public infra

Govt is considering deploying artificial intelligence to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen digital public infrastructure as concerns grow over advanced AI models' cybersecurity capabilities

FinMin calls for policy agility as economy shows 'cautious resilience'

The finance ministry on Saturday said strong domestic fundamentals support growth, but rising oil prices, a weaker monsoon and global uncertainty warrant continued policy vigilance

Anti-dumping duties can save India $3 billion per year in forex: Report

A report by C-DEP and Centre for WTO Studies says implementing pending DGTR recommendations could reduce forex outflow and support domestic industry with limited inflationary impact

DRI seizes 300,000 smuggled e-cigarettes worth ₹120 crore across 4 states

The Ministry of Finance said all the prohibited e-cigarettes were sourced from China and were concealed inside consignments labelled as other goods to avoid detection