Page 80 - Nirmala Sitharaman

FM Sitharaman stresses on need for IMF to remain well capitalised

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday participated in a roundtable discussion on 'IMF policy priorities and how the institution should support its membership' and underlined the need for the institution to remain well-capitalised to meet future challenges. The roundtable was hosted by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on the sidelines of the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings in Marrakech, Morocco. Sitharaman spoke about IMF's mandate and lending policies, a strong, quota-based, and adequately resourced IMF, Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) Financing and IMF governance reforms, the finance ministry said in a statement. Sitharaman drew attention to India's G20 Presidency's focus on the importance of multilateralism to move towards coordinated and consensus-based solutions to global challenges. She highlighted that in line with the evolving needs of the membership, the IMF's primary focus needs to be macroeconomic surveillance and policy guidance, it said. She ...

FM to attend World Bank-IMF meet, G20 FMBCBG in Morocco from Oct 11

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will embark on a six-day official visit on Tuesday to Marrakech, Morocco, to attend the World Bank-International Monetary Fund annual meet, along with the G20 FMCBG meeting. Besides, bilateral meetings with Indonesia, Morocco, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany and France are scheduled to take place on October 11-15, 2023, in Marrakech. The Indian delegation for the annual meetings will be led by the Finance Minister, and comprise officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India, an official statement said on Monday. During the visit, it said, Sitharaman and RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das will co-chair the fourth G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting. The G20 FMCBG meeting under India's presidency will witness the participation of 65 delegations from G20 countries, invitee countries, and international organisations in multilateral discussions centred around a broad spectrum of important global issues, it ...

G20 FMCBG meeting at Marrakesh: All eyes on MDB reform road map

On crypto assets, Lavasa said it may not be a major priority as there are several issues related to it that require acceptance

FM Nirmala Sitharaman meets MDBs ahead of Morocco summit next week

During the Leaders Summit in New Delhi, G20 Leaders emphasised the need for reforms to deliver better, bigger, and more effective MDBs

Corporate exits under C-PACE now in 100 days instead of 180 days: MCA secy

In her Budget speech last year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had introduced the inception of C-PACE for the 2022-23 fiscal year

Rededicate to better corporate governance: FM tells company secretaries

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday urged company secretaries to rededicate themselves for better corporate governance, as India gears to become a developed nation by 2047. Addressing the 55th Foundation Day of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), the finance minister said it is time to "rededicate ourselves for and towards better corporate governance... we cannot see our value systems being diluted... corporate governance is an issue on which all of us are committed." Praising ICSI, she said, the high standard set by the institute is well recognised across the world. She appreciated the decision of the ICSI to waive off registration fee for Agniveer, defence personnel and families of martyrs for enrollment in company secretaries course. The other decision, to donate Rs 11 lakh for the education of daughters of martyrs, is also praiseworthy, she noted. The Finance Minister said the government has taken significant steps to promote ease of doing busine

Never imagined I will become Finance Minister: Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said she never imagined that she would become the country's Finance Minister and one should never forget there is 'some infinite grace' above all. The Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister, taking part in a series of events earlier in the day, gave away loans amounting to Rs 3,749 crore to over one lakh beneficiaries. "Did I imagine becoming Finance Minister of the country? No chance." Sitharaman said she had no political background and still one day she managed to do so (become a Minister). "I am being spiritual here. Instead of only praying to God, we should put in sincere efforts...But never forget that you cannot be there (reach your destination) without some infinite grace," she said. Sitharaman made these comments while addressing students at the PSG R Krishnammal College for Women here. "I remind myself during difficult times that there is some cosmic power to give that strength (to you). I always say that you (God) have brough

AMC Repo Clearing gains ground, gets Rs 160 crore in past fortnight

Insiders revealed that this uptick in volume comes from the participation of one major bank and some mutual funds

TN BJP core committee to discuss AIADMK ties break up: Senior leader

The BJP, which was initially dazed over the AIADMK's decision to break up ties with it in Tamil Nadu, will discuss the issue and the other political developments at the party's core committee and executive committee meeting soon, a senior leader said on Thursday. Terming the Dravidian major's announcement to part ways with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance as "unfortunate", BJP national co-incharge of Tamil Nadu Dr Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy said the matter will be discussed at the party's state core committee and executive committee meeting soon. "I can't officially comment on the alliance. The Central leadership is watching the development in Tamil Nadu and they will take a call," Reddy told PTI. He however, remained tight slipped when asked if the party leadership has sought a "status report" on the AIADMK parting ways with the BJP, from Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Another senior leader in the BJP indicated that only those senior leaders already in touch with

GST Council meet on Oct 7, may review SGST amendments on online gaming

The GST Council, chaired by Union finance minister and comprising state ministers, will meet on October 7. "The 52nd meeting of the GST Council will be held on 7th October, 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan , New Delhi," the GST Council said in a post on X. In the previous meeting on August 2, the council had approved amendments to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) laws to provide clarity on the taxation of casinos, horse racing and online gaming. A 28 per Cent GST is levied on full face value of bets in the three supplies.

Learn local language to serve better: FM Sitharaman at Rozgar Mela

Candidates getting selected for jobs and deployed in other states as per the job profile should learn the local language to be able to provide better services, Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said here on Tuesday. Sitharaman, after handing over orders to successful candidates at the Rozgar Mela, encouraged more candidates to apply for jobs in public sector undertakings located in Tamil Nadu. Referring to the Centre's Rozgar Mela, Sitharaman said the government has been holding it since October 2022 and about 10 lakh people have received job offers so far. "Today 51,000 appointment orders are being given across the country by Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) virtually. I was told 553 people are getting job offers from Tamil Nadu," she said. Speaking of improving the delivery of services to be rendered by the candidates post their selection at a public sector undertaking or bank, Sitharaman said, "If a job offer is given to a candidate who will be servin

Finance Minister Sitharaman meets G20 expert group on strengthening of MDBs

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday met the G20 Independent Expert Group on strengthening of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). The G20 Independent Expert Group (IEG) is co-convened by former American treasury secretary Lawrence Summers and ex-chairman of the 15th Finance Commission N K Singh. The IEG set up by G20 India Presidency has focused on strengthening MDBs and delivered Volume 1 of its report which was acknowledged by G20 leaders in New Delhi Leaders Declaration earlier this month. "The #G20IEG members are currently in India working on Volume 2 of their report to be discussed in #G20 meetings scheduled to be held under the Indian Presidency in #Marrakech on sidelines of @IMFNews @WorldBank #AnnualMeetings," the finance ministry said in a post on X. The fourth and final Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting under India's G20 Presidency is taking place next month in Morocco. MDBs need to provide an additional USD 260 billion annually t

Chandrayaan-3 success will have big impact on industry ecosystem: FM

While speaking in the Rajya Sabha, the Union Minister briefed the House about the Chandrayaan-3 mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation

TMS Ep523: Car airbags, Nirmala Sitharaman, Zomato stock, Google antitrust

Has cost trumped safety for car airbags? What are three key takeaways from FM's interview with BS? Time to add Zomato stock to your portfolio? What's the US vs Google antitrust trial? Answers here

Speed up digitisation to ensure better services in rural areas: FM to RRBs

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday expressed concern over the slow progress of computerisation in Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and urged them to speed up the process to strengthen credit delivery in rural areas. There is still a lot of work to do in digitising RRBs and cooperative banks, she said after launching the 'Kisan Rin Portal' and Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) manual here. Cooperative banks are not equally endowed, and their financial health varies, she said, adding ramping up capacity in the sector is taking place under the Ministry of Cooperation headed by Home Minister Amit Shah. The cooperative bank digitisation would happen with the necessary speed, she said. However, she said, "I am more concerned about RRBs, their digitisation and computerisation. Therefore, if they didn't have it, extending phone bank facility...or internet banking facility...won't work out". A lot of work is still pending, and the Department of Financial Services is .

EU's carbon tax seeks to doubly punish India: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

The finance minister said the EU has to consider India's concerns, and other countries will not view them kindly

Govt to provide up to 8% interest subsidy for Vishwakarma Yojana: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will offer up to 8 per cent subsidy for loans given to artisans under the Vishwakarma Yojana launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. The government has already made a provision of Rs 13,000 crore in the Budget 2023-24, she said during the launch event of the Yojana. Sharing the details of Vishwakarma Yojana, the finance minister said collateral-free loans to artisans would be provided at a very affordable interest rate of 5 per cent. The scheme covers 18 activities including carpenter, goldsmith, blacksmith, mason, stone sculpture, barber and boatmakers, she said, adding, the government will provide up to Rs 3 lakh loan. Initially, she said, Rs 1 lakh loan will be given and the beneficiary would be eligible for an additional Rs 2 lakh after repayment schedule of 18 months. The components of the scheme will include not only financial support but also access to advanced skill training, knowledge of modern digital ..

Auditors should embrace technology, contribute to nation building: FM

Observing that the next 25 years are 'critical' for India to achieve developed nation status, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday appealed to auditors to embrace technology and educate smaller companies to grow. The Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister remarked that the country has progressed at many levels in the last 20-25 years and even the World Bank report has said India has achieved in the last decade what it could not be achieved in 60 years. "I am talking to veterans of this profession. You are one of the oldest registered bodies. I would think my meeting with you all is not just only to celebrate the 90 years, but also to say celebrating at a time when this profession has to take newer responsibilities," she said at the 90th-anniversary celebrations of The Society of Auditors here. Sitharaman pointed out that the practices of chartered accountants were going through a lot of change, globally and said that even some of the audience gathered at the venue had alrea

Finance ministry defends GDP deflator and real GDP growth estimate

The finance ministry said India's GDP deflator is dominated by the Wholesale Price Index

Weekend Bites: FM's wish, 15 yrs since Lehman fell, Taper Tantrum, Apple

In which we munch over the week's platter of news and views