Page 25 - Nirmala Sitharaman

Need safeguards before raising FDI limit to 100% in insurance: Parl Panel

A Parliamentary Panel on Wednesday urged the government to put safeguard measures in place to counter concerns like profit repatriation while raising the foreign direct investment limit to 100 per cent in the insurance sector. The Standing Committee on Finance, in its report, said the downside of the FDI in India's insurance sector should be dealt with adequately and scrupulously. The Committee would like to emphasise the need for some safeguard measures to be in place to counter concerns like profit repatriation i.e. foreign investors sending earnings back to home countries rather than reinvesting in India; reduced decision-making power of domestic firms; job security concerns arising due to potential automation and cost-cutting measures; focus on high-margin policies, neglecting rural and financially weaker sections etc, it said. With regard to the integration of InsurTech (Insurance Technology) in the sector, the report said it has the potential to enhance efficiency, customer ..

Sebi lowers minimum investment in social stock exchange to Rs 1,000

According to the latest directive, the September 2022 circular will now specify that the minimum investment size for ZCZP instruments will be Rs 1,000

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

FM Sitharaman says factors of production being reset after pandemic

Over Rs 11.8 trn locked in direct tax litigation, FM informs Rajya Sabha

For indirect taxes, 82,011 cases are pending, with a locked revenue of Rs 5.76 trillion as of January 31, 2025

Believe in 'Make in India', it's giving good results: FM to Oppn in RS

FM Nirmala Sitharaman said that production-linked incentive schemes attracted investments worth Rs 1.5 trillion so far, created 950,000 jobs

PM Internship scheme: FM Sitharaman launches mobile app for candidates

I appeal to industry that more companies should come forward and participate in the scheme, says FM

FM Sitharaman launches dedicated mobile app for PM Internship Scheme

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday launched a dedicated mobile application for the Prime Minister Internship Scheme and urged more companies to join the programme. Also, the minister said she has appealed to MPs to encourage youth to join the scheme. The pilot project of the scheme targeted at providing 1.25 lakh internship opportunities to the youth during 2024-25 was launched on October 3, 2024. After launching the app in the national capital on Monday, Sitharaman, who is in charge of the Finance and Corporate Affairs ministries, said the scheme is aimed at getting youth from Tier II and III cities and help them to understand the skills that are required by the industry as well as the job availability. There is a shortage of people in terms of industry expectations and requirements and the scheme is aimed at bridging that gap, the minister said. Regarding the scheme, she emphasised that there is no compulsion on industry and no interference. The scheme is for a nationa

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

'Secessionist sentiments': FM Sitharaman slams DMK over ₹ symbol change

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman slammed Tamil Nadu's move to replace the rupee symbol with a Tamil letter in the 2025-26 state Budget logo, calling it a threat to national unity

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

FM Sitharaman tables Manipur Budget with total expenditure of Rs 35K cr

The state, currently under President's rule, has seen an increase of 9 per cent in the total capital outlay to ₹7,773 crore over the current financial year ending March 2025

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'

Indian banks must continue to innovate, boost efficiency: Finance Minister

The finance minister virtually inaugurated 70 branches across India, 501 women customer service points, coinciding with the International Women's Day

WTO compliant trade tariffs meant for national development: FM Sitharaman

The trade tariffs running up to 100 per cent, consistent with the World Trade Organisation norms, are levied for national development and the growth of domestic industry, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Reacting to a query in defence of 100 per cent trade tariffs on some US imports, the finance minister said that tariffs are legitimate instruments. "So, when you are at a stage of development when your own industry has to grow, you will tend to make sure that, as per the WTO norms, whatever is the trade tariff which you can levy... you will levy. So that is how it's been happening and it is consistent as I said with the WTO," she said during a post-budget interaction in the port city on Thursday. Observing that trade tariffs prevailing today serve multiple purposes, such as protecting domestic industry, Sitharaman asserted that this protection will continue afterwards as well, and also emphasised on exports and the possibility of reaching newer markets. Referring to

Will keep India's interests on top in US trade talks: FM Sitharaman

Says govt seized of potential reciprocal tariff problems

India is closely monitoring trade talks with US, says FM Sitharaman

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is currently in the US for discussions aimed at safeguarding Indian exporters' interest

Don't be mere spectator, grab global opportunities: PM Modi to industry

The PM also pressed the point that India remains a growth engine for the global economy and that it has proven its resilience in challenging situations

Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0: Govt working to boost trust-based governance, says FM

Govt plans to bring Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 to decriminalise over 100 provisions, said FM Sitharaman at a post-Budget webinar on 'Regulatory, Investment and EODB reforms'