Despite the handsome growth in tax collections, there is a possibility of a fiscal slippage in FY24 because of higher spends on employment guarantee scheme and subsidies, a domestic rating agency said on Tuesday. India Ratings and Research, which is a unit of international rating agency Fitch Ratings, said the fiscal deficit for FY24 will come at 6 per cent, as against the budgetary target of 5.9 per cent. "Higher-than-budgeted revenue expenditure triggered through the first and likely second supplementary demand for grants in combination with lower-than-budgeted nominal GDP will push the fiscal deficit," the agency said in a note. It said the fiscal slippage will happen despite higher tax and non-tax revenue collections, and also added that these will be more than sufficient to offset the lower-than-budgeted divestment proceeds. In the first supplementary demand, the union government will spend more on prioritised areas/sectors such as food, fertiliser and LPG subsidy and Mahatma

An official said that allowing updated returns under the GST regime will simplify the process of filing returns

India is on the cusp of making history, as it looks forward to becoming a developed nation by 2047, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday. Puri made the remarks after offering prayers at the Patna Sahib Gurudwara on the occasion of Veer Bal Diwas', which is being observed to commemorate the martyrdom of two sons of Guru Gobind Singh. "We are on the cusp of making history. India looks forward to becoming a developed nation by 2047. At such a point of time, commemoration of the martyrdom (shahadat') is of immense value, he said. Puri, who is the only Sikh in the Narendra Modi cabinet, expressed delight upon visiting the historical site where the 10th Sikh Guru was born. "I consider myself privileged to be here on this occasion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last year announced that December 26 will be observed as Veer Bal Diwas, said the Union minister, who was accompanied by senior leaders of the BJP in Bihar. Puri, who holds the crucial portfolios of Housing & Urban

As many as 746 applications have been approved till November 2023 under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes for 14 sectors such as pharma, white goods, and electronics, an official statement said on Tuesday. The schemes for 14 sectors were announced with an outlay of Rs 1.97 lakh crore to enhance India's manufacturing capabilities and exports. The commerce and industry ministry said that beneficiary companies have set up units in more than 150 districts (24 states) and over Rs 95,000 crore of investment has been reported till September, which has led to production/sales of Rs 7.80 lakh crore and employment generation of over 6.4 lakh. "746 applications have been approved till November 2023... Incentives worth around Rs 2,900 crores have been disbursed in 2022-23. There has been a value addition of 20 per cent in mobile manufacturing within a period of 3 years," the statement said. It added that of the USD 101 billion worth of total electronics production in 2022-23, ...

The department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) is working with 24 sub-sectors, including furniture, aluminium, agrochemicals and textiles, to promote domestic manufacturing, boost exports and reduce imports, according to an official statement. The commerce and industry ministry on Tuesday said that since its launch, 'Make in India' has made "significant" achievements and is now focusing on 27 sectors under 'Make in India 2.0'. While the DPIIT is coordinating action plans for 15 manufacturing sectors, the Department of Commerce is coordinating for 12 service sectors. "Now, DPIIT is working closely with 24 sub-sectors which have been chosen keeping in mind the Indian industries strengths and competitive edge, need for import substitution, potential for export and increased employability," the ministry said. It added that these sub-sectors are -- furniture, air-conditioners, leather and footwear, ready to eat, fisheries, agri produce, auto components, aluminium, .

As Sri Lanka and India marked their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2023, New Delhi has again emerged as a steadfast ally of Colombo, playing a pivotal role in the debt-trapped island nation's steady economic recovery. When the unprecedented economic turmoil struck Sri Lanka last year, India swiftly extended a lifeline to the country with assistance of over USD 4 billion, surpassing the International Monetary Fund's 48-month bailout of about USD 3 billion. The timely financial support from India was a testament to the strong bond between the two countries. Sri Lanka, acknowledging India's role, successfully navigated the IMF negotiations in March this year, crediting India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her role during the early stages of discussions with the global lender. A significant development was Sri Lanka's decision to utilise the first tranche of USD 330 million of the IMF bailout to repay Indian loans. This underscored India's patience and generosity