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Showing posts from January, 2018

Budget 2018: FM Arun Jaitley expected to show that India means business

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In advance of the Union Budget 2018 , here's a preview via IIFL Wealth control: The timing couldn’t were better. The Sensex and Nifty soared to record highs after a bout of volatility at start. The IMF projected a 7.four consistent with cent and 7.8 in step with cent increase price for India in 2018 and 2019 respectively. This makes India one of the fastest-growing us of a among emerging economies. All this just ahead of top Minister Narendra Modi’s cope with at a roundtable of forty CEOs of global companies on the annual global monetary forum where he stated India approach commercial enterprise and presented an interesting possibility for global companies. The outlook is a smart start. Volatility could continue to be beforehand of the F&O modifications on Thursday. US markets ended higher after the 3-day government shutdown ended. Can Fin homes, United Spirits, Indiabulls Housing and RBL financial institution are set to record their quarterly numbers today.

Budget 2018 will look to revive investments, alleviate rural distress

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BUDGET 2018 - The Union budget of 2017-18 had introduced three important structural changes i.e. a) the finances became preponed to February from March; b) the railway and Union Budgets have been merged; and c) expenditure changed into reclassified as capital and income spending as opposed to plot and non-plan. Union charge range 2018-19 as well is expected to have some detail of marvel. Given the truth that this charge range is going to be the closing fee variety of the ruling authorities earlier than the 2019 fashionable election, expectancies of the market are diverse from populist to marvel to stringent measures that the government is likely to take (especially, considering that this government has accompanied this approach in beyond). We anticipate the price variety to be no longer so populist. The government has been creating a important try to deliver the charge variety within the direction of what it essentially is – a trifling accounting and allocation exercise and i...

Budget 2018: India biggest arms importer, but defence of realm falters

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BUDGET 2018 - India is the 5th largest army spender (2016) inside the global and the biggest importer of arms, accounting for thirteen% of the arena’s total imports among 2012 and 2016, consistent with the Stockholm international Peace research Institute, a assume tank. however, over 3 years to 2017-18, there has been a nine% decline in budget allocation for capital investments towards necessities, or “projections” in officialese, a element that might delay procurement and modernisation of the defense force, in keeping with a document by way of the Parliamentary status Committee On Defence 2017-18, an advisory frame to the defence ministry, provided to the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) on December 19, 2017. The air pressure capital price range turned into forty six% decrease than its requirements, the army's become 41% and the army's 32%, the document said. The price range for defence expenditure–together with revenue (salaries, transportation expenses, stor...

Hedging gets pricey for sky-high Indian stocks before Budget 2018

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BUDGET 2018 - Investors in Indian shares are developing more and more aggravating after a stellar rally. The India VIX Index, which measures the cost of NSE Nifty 50 Index alternatives, has risen the maximum given that September 2016 in January, mountain climbing in tandem with the fairness gauge. while the fashion has been similar within the US and different Asian markets, it’s in particular pronounced in India, in which five instantly weeks of simultaneous profits marked a report. With Finance Minister Arun Jaitley readying to deliver the Union price range 2018 on Thursday, traders are in search of to hedge a rally that has delivered more than $425 billion in fairness values in the past 4 months. The Nifty, which has already hit thirteen statistics in January, trades at 18.four instances anticipated earnings for the next year, close to an all-time excessive and a 30 in keeping with cent top class to the MSCI Asia Pacific Index. The truth that the India VIX and Nifty have b...

Modi's Budget 2018 dilemma: Win rural voters or stick to deficit plan

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BUDGET 2018 - Indian high Minister Narendra Modi has a difficult balancing act in this week’s budget: preserving monetary prudence or handing out coins to placate rural electorate in advance of subsequent yr’s election. After scoring a unprecedented sovereign improve late closing year, Modi desires to maintain global traders and credit-score agencies on his aspect. Key to so one can be sticking his purpose to slim one in all Asia’s largest finances deficits. Bond traders have already concluded that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will deviate from those plans when he supplies his price range on Thursday, with yields mountain climbing ninety six foundation factors within the beyond six months, the maximum in Asia. in the ultimate complete finances before the elections, Jaitley needs a increase boost for an economic system that’s slowing right down to a four-12 months low, while appeasing angry younger electorate, who contributed to the ruling celebration’s worst overall performa...

Budget 2018: Govt may sidestep demand for boost to maternity benefit scheme

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BUDGET 2018 - Demands from activists and economists for a boost within the finances allocation for the authorities's maternity advantage programme have didn't reduce ice with the Centre. The Ministry of girls and child improvement has no longer sought any increase for the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), which promises Rs 6,000 to pregnant and lactating moms for the start in their first child, in its wishlist to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for Union budget 2018, an reputable said. The ministry has asked for Rs 25 billion for the programme, the same as last year. An initial amount of Rs 27 billion was introduced for the scheme at some stage in Union finances 2017 however it became later revised to Rs 25 billion.

Budget 2018 should cognizance on economic, job boom, says P Chidambaram

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The fifth and final Budget 2018 of the Narendra Modi authorities would want to deal with the hassle of economic boom and meet the challenge of creating jobs, senior Congress chief P Chidambaram and previous deputy chairman of the erstwhile planning fee Montek Singh Ahluwalia stated on Tuesday. collaborating in a panel dialogue after former president Pranab Mukherjee launched Chidambaram’s e book, speaking fact to energy, a collection of his essays published in newspapers, Ahluwalia and Chidambaram disputed current claims in a take a look at that the Modi government created 7 million jobs. Ahluwalia termed the inferences of the look at primarily based on personnel' Provident Fund company records became “wrong”. Chidambaram stated the financial Survey became “an utter confession” that inside the 4 years the Modi authorities has failed to address three of the most important issues — employment, schooling and agriculture. He stated the try via Pulak Ghosh, of IIM-Bangalore, a...

No tax remedy, spending spree due in budget 2018 earlier than elections: poll

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BUDGET 2018 - India is expected to unveil only modest stimulus at this week's budget, a Reuters poll of analysts confirmed, despite it being the closing earlier than the next election, with government spending possibly constrained through longer-term efforts to trim the economic deficit. monetary consolidation became first proposed with the aid of prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata birthday celebration (BJP) authorities in its maiden budget in financial 2014/15, aiming to break a protracted line of Indian governments that favored to borrow and spend. however in following budgets, the time-frame for accomplishing a discount to a three.0 percentage fiscal deficit goal turned into pushed back. The present day Reuters poll suggests the authorities is expected to postpone the timeframe for hitting that focus on through some other yr, for the 0.33 year in a row, due to setbacks in the economic outlook. The median forecast from over 40 economists polled Jan ...

India's spending on R&D reduces against rising per capita income

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BUDGET 2018 - India’s spending on research and improvement as a percentage of gross domestic product fell against a rising according to capita earnings in latest years, opposite to China and pick advanced economies in comparison, the evaluation supplied inside the financial survey has tested. India spent simplest zero.7 according to cent of its GDP on R&D in 2016-17, were given simplest a 5th of its filed patents granted in 2016 and filed most effective six patents per million human beings. although R&D spending in India (per cent of GDP) grew quicker than China at a time whilst their in line with capita incomes had been comparable, China’s spending charge outpaced India’s when the former’s income stages rose. This reinforces the direct relationship between improved incomes and scientific prowess whilst we don't forget this truth: non-public investment has contributed to scientific development more than authorities efforts in superior economies.

Economic Survey 2018 may not shape Budget 2018, it's a treasure of insights

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BUDGET 2018 - The economic Survey 2018 (ES) isn't always sincerely a precursor to the Union price range 2018; this is, its projections and suggestions won't form the budget. however, it has become a treasure trove of insights approximately the economy, based totally on records sets no longer generally to be had to the ones out of doors the authorities. The topics it explores are novel, applicable and properly researched. This yr’s file is no exceptional. The analysis of tendencies below the goods and offerings tax (GST) is the most vital and timely. Given the winning confusion out of doors (or even inside) the government, it's far comforting to look the 50 in step with cent improvement in number of indirect tax assessees. Now, nine.8 million establishments are registered: though handiest thirteen according to cent of general non-agricultural establishments in India, they account for ninety three according to cent of revenues. much less than 10 in keeping with cent o...

Economic Survey prescription: Beat investment slowdown with public spending

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BUDGET 2018 - The distinctive and revolutionary analysis of the past few financial Surveys became ratcheted up in FY18, with the products and service tax (GST)-enabled statistics deluge providing insights on systems, agents and their interactions, for example on inter-state change. fortunately, this will permit coverage to be increasingly tuned and centered. certainly “a brand new planet swims into his ken”. this article, regretfully, has area simplest for more than one excessive-level observations. First, assumptions at the macroeconomic scenario, in all likelihood for use for the FY19 price range. A 7-7.five per cent forecast for gross home product (GDP) growth is eminently feasible, for the reason that oblique tax collections make contributions to the difference between GDP and the underlying gross cost brought (GVA). The Survey estimates a 12 consistent with cent increase in oblique taxes, in comparison to the budgeted eight.8 according to cent for FY18, probable to upward p...

No tax relief, spending spree due in last budget before elections: Poll

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BUDGET 2018 - India is expected to unveil handiest modest stimulus at this week's price range, a Reuters poll of analysts showed, despite it being the remaining before the next election, with authorities spending possibly constrained by using longer-time period efforts to trim the economic deficit. monetary consolidation changed into first proposed by using high Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata birthday celebration (BJP) government in its maiden budget in monetary 2014/15, aiming to interrupt a protracted line of Indian governments that favored to borrow and spend. however in following budgets, the time frame for accomplishing a reduction to a 3.0 percent fiscal deficit target was pushed back. The present day Reuters ballot  shows the government is anticipated to put off the time-frame for hitting that concentrate on by means of every other year, for the third 12 months in a row, due to setbacks inside the financial outlook.

Budget 2018: FRBM panel's 3% fiscal deficit target obsolete- Arvind Subramanian

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BUDGET 2018 - The recommendations of the monetary duty and price range control (FRBM) panel, which had encouraged a fiscal deficit goal of 3 in line with cent of gross home product, for 2018-19, were rendered out of date via circumstances, chief monetary guide Arvind Subramanian informed business preferred in an different interview, a day after providing his modern financial Survey. Subramanian indicated that at the same time as the imminent finances 2018-19 will now not be an outright populist document, fiscal goals ought to be practical. “The FRBM Panel’s roadmap has been rendered out of date. The situations had been pretty distinct when the record got here out,” he stated. The panel, headed by means of 15th Finance commission chairman N k Singh, and which covered Subramanian as a member, had submitted its document in April 2017. It had advocated a economic deficit goal of 2.5 according to cent of gross home product, and sales deficit of 0.8 per cent for fiscal 12 months 20...

Budget 2018: After Economic Survey 2018, all eyes on what Jaitley does on Feb 1

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BUDGET 2018 - In its personal #MeToo moment, the economic Survey 2018 become launched with a symbolic pink cowl and a committed chapter on India's notorious gender troubles. The Survey, over the previous few years under Arvind Subramanian, has supplied a clean take on resolving the demanding situations dealing with the Indian economic system. in the past, he has given quite some out-of-the-container policy tips like the established order of a horrific bank for decision of the hassle of horrific loans and implementation of a accepted primary income to dispose of the inefficiency of subsidies. The document this year is not any much less insightful. The Survey places the GDP boom estimate for the present day economic at 6.75 in line with cent. This determine is a tad better than the central records office's projection at 6.five in line with cent, as in its very own estimates, it has now not integrated the pick-up in boom in the latter half of the yr. moreover, the Survey...

Budget 2018: Brokers asked to collect higher margins to contain risks

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BUDGET 2018 - In advance of price range 2018, market regulator Securities and alternate Board of India (Sebi) and inventory exchanges are taking precautions, expecting a sizable run-up in the equity marketplace. Sebi has requested brokers to collect better margins from people with vast positions in futures and alternatives. those include overseas institutions, wealthy investors and proprietary desks. There are worries that the large build-up of positions in fairness derivatives could pose a systemic hazard. inventory exchanges have asked agents to mop up more deposits from clients with giant publicity to derivatives. “within the joint assembly of exchanges and Sebi, it has been determined that markets ought to be alerted at special degrees of MWPL utilisation so that buyers can take an informed choice on whether to keep or rectangular off their present positions well before regulatory/surveillance moves set in,” said an NSE circular on January 23.

Budget 2018: Revenue shortfall put corporate tax cuts on hold

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BUDGET 2018 - Companies waiting for Indian prime Minister Narendra Modi to observe through on a pledge to cut company taxes may additionally want to wait a bit longer. In his closing full finances earlier than 2019 elections, Modi is dealing with a revenue squeeze that can make it difficult to supply on a promise to lower the fundamental corporate tax rate over time to twenty-five percentage from 30 percent. It’s a trap-22 situation for the most beneficial, who is additionally looking to lure overseas investors at a time whilst america, uk and other international locations are reducing business taxes. right here’s a have a look at Modi’s task beforehand of the authorities’s finances 2018 on Thursday. Why reduce? Modi pledged in 2015 to carry down corporate taxes over 4 years, however groups are nevertheless awaiting a roadmap on how so as to happen. It’s a part of his assignment to enhance India’s investment climate: he is likewise reducing pink-tape, spurring the liquida...

Budget 2018: India's healthcare crisis is keeping back national capacity

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BUDGET 2018 - India has the arena’s highest population of stunted kids–short for his or her age–and the united states’s failing primary healthcare and overburdened tertiary care are sick-geared up to address the disaster of formative years malnutrition, leaving India unable to fulfil its countrywide ability. this is the backdrop against which Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present his government’s last full budget earlier than the overall elections in 2019. even though India’s stunting rate has declined almost 10 percentage points in a decade–from 48% in 2005-06 to 38.four% in 2015-sixteen, an envisioned forty eight million Indian children are still stunted. At a time of declining monetary increase and jobs, those children may also have a more disadvantage over the ones in other emerging countries with decrease malnutrition and higher healthcare. similarly, inadequate public healthcare and healthcare expenses push an additional 39 million people back into poverty in India...

Economic Survey 2018: want complementary reforms to reduce unviable banks

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BUDGET 2018 - Addressing the twin stability-sheet (TBS) mission through effective resolution of confused property and bank recapitalisation ought to stay on the pinnacle schedule of the authorities next 12 months, said the monetary Survey document on Monday. The TBS refers to strain within the balance sheets of groups and the resultant stress at the stability sheets of banks that had lent to those corporations. The authorities and the Reserve bank of India (RBI) have stepped up efforts to deal with the difficulty by using recapitalising banks and forcing defaulting corporations to go through liquidation. but, liquidating companies and forcing the management to go away gained’t be sufficient, the survey stated. “The TBS movements, noteworthy for cracking the long-status ‘exit’ trouble, need complementary reforms to reduce unviable banks and permit extra personal region participation,” the record stated.

Budget 2018: Brokers asked to collect extra margins to contain risks

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In advance of Budget 2018 , marketplace regulator Securities and change Board of India (Sebi) and inventory exchanges are taking precautions, waiting for a enormous run-up inside the fairness marketplace. Sebi has requested agents to collect higher margins from people with good sized positions in futures and options. those include foreign institutions, wealthy traders and proprietary desks. There are concerns that the large build-up of positions in equity derivatives ought to pose a systemic danger. stock exchanges have requested agents to mop up extra deposits from clients with giant publicity to derivatives. “in the joint assembly of exchanges and Sebi, it has been determined that markets have to be alerted at distinct degrees of MWPL utilisation in order that investors can make an informed selection on whether or not to maintain or rectangular off their present positions nicely earlier than regulatory/surveillance movements set in,” said an NSE circular on January 23.

Economic Survey 2018 highlights: 50% surge in indirect taxpayers due to GST

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BUDGET 2018 - India's economy should grow between 7 per cent and 7.5 per cent in 2018/19 (April-March) with exports and private investment set to rebound, the Economic Survey 2018, which was presented on Monday, said. The survey, which sets the stage for Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's annual Budget on Thursday, forecast that economic management will be challenging in the coming year. The survey was prepared by the finance ministry's Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, who estimates that gross domestic product will have grown 6.75 per cent in the current fiscal year ending in March. Highlights of the Economic Survey, 2017-18, tabled in Parliament on Monday: i) Economic growth pegged at 7-7.5 per cent for FY'19. ii) The growth to be higher at 6.75 per cent in FY'18 than advance estimates of 6.5 per cent.

Economic Survey 2018: Demonetisation, GST brought 1.8 million new taxpayers

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BUDGET 2018 - Demonetisation of excessive-cost foreign money notes and the advent of the products and offerings Tax (GST) brought 1.eight million more humans into the earnings-tax net, said the financial Survey 2017-18 released on Monday. The Survey’s evaluation confirmed that 10 million new people filed tax returns among November 2016 and November 2017, compared with 6.2 million during the identical period in the preceding six years. “before everything blush, there does appear to had been a large growth within the wide variety of latest taxpayers,” the Survey stated. It said that traditionally, there was a 0.eight in keeping with cent monthly growth in new tax filers – representing increase of 10 per cent annually before GST and demonetisation. “the extent of tax filers through November 2017 become 31 in line with cent more than what this fashion would advise, a statistically enormous distinction. This interprets kind of into about 1.eight million extra taxpayers due to de...

Only 5 states account for 70% of exports, Economic Survey shows

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BUDGET 2018 - Severe disparity among states in terms of exports, the growth of the logistics sector and the continuing expansion of services trade despite rising protectionism by importing nations are among the issues marked by the Economic Survey 2017-18 regarding India's foreign trade. Tabled by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday, the Survey has for the first time included data on the international exports of states. Such data indicates a strong correlation between export performance and states‘ standard of living, it says. States that export internationally and trade with other states have been found to be richer. Handful of states account for majority of India's exports Dwelling on the subject of International Trade, Inter-State Trade and Economic Prosperity, the Survey points out for the first time in India‘s history that five States Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana account for a whopping 70 % of India‘s exports.

Budget 2018: The healthcare system needs more money and an urgent overhaul

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BUDGET 2018 - Sluggish upgrades in primary indicators of maternal and infant mortality, double burden of communicable as well as non-communicable illnesses, high out-of-pocket expenditure, a failing public region and heavily commercialised non-public area characterise the healthcare crisis in India. The 12 months 2017 noticed a number of incidents inside the fitness zone across the u . s . which highlight each of those issues. even as the deaths of kids in a public clinic in Gorakhpur because of alleged disruption of oxygen deliver highlighted the systemic failures in public fitness provision, the cases of excessive billing and negligence in big corporate hospitals (e.g. the case of dengue demise in Fortis health facility, Gurugram) confirmed that the unregulated non-public zone isn't any approach to India’s healthcare issues. The protests against the NEET examination, mainly in Tamil Nadu, brought forth the complexities concerned in making sure a fair and inclusive syste...

Budget 2018: Economic Survey 2017-18 out today- Were past editions accurate?

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BUDGET 2018 - After the 2009-10 economic survey, which projected economic growth on the dot for 2010-11, most surveys in succeeding years have been off track in predicting growth. Surprisingly, the only other exception was the survey of 2015-16 that pegged economic growth in a range of 7-7.75 per cent for 2016-17 and actual growth was indeed 7.1 per cent. The growth fell in the range predicted by the survey despite the year witnessing demonetisation. The major setback in terms of prediction could be the survey of 2010-11, which had forecast growth to be nine per cent for 2011-12 (plus or minus 0.25 per cent) but growth fell down to just 6.5 per cent. Nine per cent growth has remained wishful thinking in recent times even after the change in the GDP computation methodology, which many say overestimates the growth. Let us now see the focus of the four surveys presented under the Modi government, three of which were authored by Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian's...

Budget 2018: Arun Jaitley's last full one to focus on two aspects

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The closing full Union Budget 2018 to be offered via Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the coming near near session of Parliament beginning on Monday might be in contrast to his previous four such physical games due to the entire overhaul of the indirect tax regime suffering from enforcing the products and services tax (GST) last year. The price range, to be the last for the BJP in view of the general elections due inside the first half of 2019, generally has two essential components. additionally examine: price range 2018: government might also supply tax advantages to make electric vehicles attractive the first element offers with new schemes and outlays for numerous current schemes and sectors for the approaching financial 12 months, at the same time as the second includes announcements on direct and oblique taxes. With GST realising the desires of the pre-Independence nationalist bourgeoisie of a unified marketplace thru a unmarried tax regime, replacing the sooner s...

Govt may target raising up to Rs 1 trn through asset sales in FY18: Experts

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BUDGET 2018 - India's government may look to raise as much as a record 1 trillion rupees ($15.7 billion) from the sale of state assets in the next fiscal year to help meet tough fiscal deficit limits while giving it room to boost spending and woo voters before general elections that must be called by early 2019. Investment bankers and economists expect the finance minister, Arun Jaitley, to set an ambitious target for the year beginning on April 1 following strong sales in the current fiscal year to the end of March. The government is on track to raise about 925 billion rupees this fiscal year after state-run ONGC, an upstream oil company, agreed to pay 369 billion rupees to buy just over 51 percent of refiner HPCL. The deal is set to close this month and would take the government's asset-sales tally beyond the budget goal of 725 billion rupees, marking the first time in eight years that India had exceeded its targets.

Budget 2018: Govt may give tax benefits to make electric vehicles alluring

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The Centre may dole out incentives to promote electric vehicles in the country by considering lower GST and extending tax benefit for buyers in this week's Budget 2018 -19, say sources. The announcement is expected in view of the government's aim to have 100 per cent electric vehicles for public mobility and 40 per cent for personal mobility by 2030. "Finance Minister Arun Jaitley may announce tax benefits for the electric mobility in the Budget on February 1, 2018 as there has been a lot of brainstorming so far," industry sources said. The government may lower the goods and services tax (GST) on electric vehicles from existing 12 per cent to 5 per cent, they said, adding that there could also be income tax benefits to enthuse buyers to make electric vehicles a viable and alluring option.

Union Budget 2018 : The Common Man's Expectations from Budget 2018

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BUDGET 2018 - The financial year 2017-18 has been a game changer for the Indian economy. With GST replacing the existing flawed VAT regime and demonetisation closely following, it was a year of bold steps and reforms. The previous budgets of current government were regarded as unambitious by many experts and the general public. But with aforementioned milestones achieved, budget 2018 is one where expectations of the common man are riding high. Tax Slab Revision This is the most desired wish on common man’s list of expectations from the budget. After demonetisation, the government added Rs54 lakh new individual taxpayers in 2017 whereas Goods and Services Tax (GST) brought Rs92283 crore to government’s coffers. With widened tax base, low evasion and high tax revenues from direct and indirect taxes, every taxpayer is expecting that the direct tax rates will be lowered and the limit of non-taxable income increased. A recent survey by the citizen and community engagement platform ...

Budget 2018: Why India merged Railway, Union Budget in 2017

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BUDGET 2018 - On 21 September 2016, Government of India approved the merger of the Railway Budget with the Union budget of India, and thus came to end — a 92-year-old practice of separate rail and general budgets. The decision of merger was taken along with advancing the date of the Union Budget in the Parliament under the process of budgetary reforms taken up by the government. Earlier, NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), which constituted a committee headed by economist and NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy, produced a whitepaper and recommended that the British-era practise should be phased out. The recommendations were forwarded to the Railway Ministry, after which former railway minister Suresh Prabhu, in a letter, urged Arun Jaitley to merge the Railway Budget with the general budget for the long-term interest of both the railways and the country’s economy. After raising the matter in the Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley constituted a committe...

Sneak Peak in to Some Lesser Known Budget Terminology

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Budget 2018 -19 will be presented in the Parliament in the next few days. The Budget session of the Parliament will start on 29th January and the Budget will be presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 1st of February 2018. Prior to the Budget being presented, in the Budget while it’s being presented and even after the Budget has been presented one will hear some Budget Terminology which is mostly heard in and around the Budget period. Mentioned below are some lesser known Budgetary terms that you are going to come across in the next few days after the Budget 2018-19 is presented on 1st February 2018. Economic Survey - Economic Survey, also known as the Economic Survey of India is a document that is presented in the Parliament prior to the presentation of the Union Budget of India. The Economic Survey of India is prepared and presented by the Department of Economic Affairs which operates under the Finance Ministry of India. The document reviews and lists all major fiscal de...

Budget 2018: GST Effect And Focus On Income Tax

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Union Budget 2018 : 88th Budget After Independence Our Finance Minister will present our Union Budget before the Parliament in eight days. This is the first Union Budget after the country’s biggest tax reform GST and eighty-eighth Budget after the independence. Last year the budget was presented in a traditional way of presenting the budget in Part A which dealt with financial policies and their significance and part B which deals with various taxations, customs duty, central excise, service tax and VAT with other direct tax subheads like income tax and corporate tax. Union Budget 2018: Post GST Budget In this year’s budget, Part B has become shorter as GST engulfing many indirect taxes, guessing that Mr. Jaitley’s speech will be shorter. There are about 20 sundry cesses which are absorbed by GST. According to CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General), six major cesses gets more than 4 lakh crores of revenue, and 45% of which is still unutilized by the government. Hence the comm...

Budget 2018: An Opportunity to Reform the Banking Sector

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The Banking Sector has seen its share of action which has happened over the last few years. First with the issue of NPAs, then demonetization and now finally with recapitalization of banks the sector has been in the eye of the storm so as to speak. Experts believe that the said issues are going to have a very substantial impact on the Budget 2018. It is expected that the FM will have a special focus on the Banking and the financial sector in the Budget 2018 -19. The Government in October 2017 announced and then recently detailed the nature of the recapitalization plan of 2.11 Lakh crore for Public Sector Banks (PSBs). Around 20 PSBs will be recapitalized with Government infusing capital to improve health and functioning of these PSBs. The capital will be used by the Public Sector Banks mostly to tide over bad debts and to revive credit growth. Along with recapitalized a sleuth of Banking reforms and other measures are expected to be put in place. Some of these measures have alrea...

Budget 2018: Corporate America urges Arun Jaitley to reduce tax uncertainty

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Ahead of the Budget 2018 , corporate America has urged Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for further reduction in tax uncertainty for multinational companies and institutional investors, a step which it said would help attract more foreign direct investments to India. "A significant positive step toward improving the investment climate would be to further reduce tax uncertainty for multinational companies and institutional investors in India," Nisha Desai Biswal, the president of the US India Business Council (USIBC), said in a memorandum submitted to Jaitley. Noting that in today's economic environment, scarce capital is allocated to markets offering optimal returns, Biswal said global businesses allocate investments where post-tax returns for a given risk profile are highest.

Budget 2018: New bottoms-up mechanism for farm-gate marketing likely

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The Budget 2018 -19 may announce haats and organic hubs in 1,000 village clusters across the country. Modelled on Harihar Haath in Jagdalpur district of Chhattisgarh, these markets will enable villagers to sell their produce directly to consumers, bypassing middlemen, thereby helping them realise a good price for their produce. Started as a pilot project in 2017, Harihar Haath is a unique bottoms-up approach to farm marketing. It is a consortium of four farmer-producer companies, five cooperatives, and 13 women self-help groups. It has been taking great strides to create a risk-free space for farmers. The farmers collectively purchase goods from growers and sell them at rates lower than prevailing market prices. Most of the farmers are women, drawn from self-help groups under the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana of the rural development ministry.

Ananth Kumar, Sumitra to hold two all-party pre-Budget meetings on Sunday

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Two all-party meetings will be held on Sunday, ahead of the Budget 2018 Session of Parliament which is due to start on Monday, government sources said on Saturday. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar has called for an all-party meeting at 4.00 p.m., and Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will hold a meeting at 7.30 p.m, which will be followed by dinner, sources said. The Budget Session will start on Monday with President Ram Nath Kovind's address to a joint sitting of the two Houses. This will be Kovind's first address to a joint sitting of Parliament since he took over as the President. The Union Budget will be tabled on February 1. The session will go into a break on February 9. The second phase of the Budget Session will start on March 5 and conclude on April 6. The session is likely to see important bills, including one for the commission for backward classes and another on Triple Talaq. While The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill was stuck...

Budget 2018: Has Modi govt delivered on its promise of urban development?

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BUDGET 2018 - With India’s city population growing by means of eleven million annually–the equal of adding a Bengaluru every 12 months–and concrete voters forming a prime vote base for the Bharatiya Janata celebration (BJP), getting cash and control to be had for cities would look like a concern. however promises of clever cities and coping with increase to provide jobs and housing for the coming urban populace leap from 377 million in 2011 to 600 million in 2031–with 20% of this increase expected to come back from rural misery and migration–are, currently, displaying little progress. much less than a quarter of principal price range for 4 major countrywide programmes for India’s urban renewal were used, in keeping with an IndiaSpend evaluation of presidency statistics. given that urban improvement is a kingdom issue, nation governments put in force these country wide schemes with critical help gambling a key function. state and concrete our bodies also are expected to financ...

Budget 2018: Note ban, GST raise hopes of radical steps by FM Arun Jaitley

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The imminent Budget 2018 , which Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present on February 1, is predicted to be extra substantial than other recent ones, especially as it's miles coming after a 12 months complete of radical reforms by way of the Narendra Modi government inclusive of demonetization of excessive-fee currency notes, implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) and a brand new bankruptcy regime. The year 2017 ended on a excessive with gross home product (GDP) boom inside the July-September quarter status at 6.three%, indicating the substantial impact of the 2 structural reforms — GST and demonetisation — is now behind us and, hopefully we ought to expect an upward growth in 2018. i'm hopeful that this 12 months, too, there may be a thrust on talent enhancement to resource task creation. this would us leverage our demographic dividend extra successfully. Technological disruptions within the shape of synthetic intelligence and system learning are a fac...

Budget 2018: Tax incentives, faster clearances needed for start-ups to grow

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BUDGET 2018 - India’s start-up environment has seen rapid growth during the last few years. At present it has reached a stage wherein it may be said have matured enough be referred to as one of the very critical cogs inside the Indian economy’s wheel. consistent with industry gamers, the country’s begin-usaneed simplest a bit of a push inside the form of certain incentives, specifically when Finance Minister Arun Jaitley present the Narendra Modi government’s very last full price range in this time period on February 1. Jaitley need to consider in the approaching Union budget 2018-19 giving begin-united statessome impetus with tax incentives and faster process clearances, shows Avinash Tiwari, co-founder & director of pCloudy, a software program testing startup. “we're looking forward to the tax vacation period would be boom from 3 to seven years. thinking about the hunch in valuations in next rounds of funding by using begin-ups, we sit up for the authorities providi...

Budget 2018: Start-up ecosystem should get a boost to revive investments

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BUDGET 2018 - Various path-breaking initiatives and policy reforms implemented in 2017 by the Narendra Modi-led central government have already paved the way for a New India by 2022. The year 2018 has started on strong footing, with a positive momentum driving growth across different sectors of the economy, especially since the execution dust of demonetisation and goods and services tax (GST) implementation has almost settled. Now, some push in the right direction by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the upcoming Union Budget 2018-19 will set the stage for a strong business environment for start-ups in the key areas of the economy like commercial real estate. In 2018, the retail sector is expected to show higher returns in the Indian real estate market. Institutional investments in commercial real estate will be on an upsurge and shared workplaces will continue to grow with flexible leasing structures. Since the government has set ambitious targets with the Start-up India init...

Budget 2018: Tourism sector wants Jaitley to cut GST on sub-Rs 7,500 rooms

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BUDGET 2018 - The tourism enterprise is one of the key drivers of employment era and inclusive growth in India. And, it could be made to be even greater vital as a region of the financial system with a few push from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the upcoming budget 2018. according to the tourism ministry, the tourism zone bills for six.88 in line with cent of the united states of america’s general gross domestic product (GDP), and 12.36 consistent with cent of the whole employment in terms of jobs. therefore, it is vital that the Narendra Modi-led crucial authorities would take essential steps to nurture this industry. on the way to enhance home and inbound tourism, the authorities ought to reduce the goods and offerings tax (GST) rate, that is 18 in keeping with cent on inn rooms with tariff within the range of Rs 2,500 to Rs 7,500 a night. that is very excessive whilst as compared with our competing locations, so it's miles essential that we rationalise this charge t...

Budget 2018 will be more keenly watched than last few non-event Budgets

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BUDGET 2018 - Price range 2018-19 is one which the markets are looking ahead to eagerly – greater eagerly than the beyond few years when the Union Budgets have been cited by many as a non-event. this is specially as it can't be disregarded that this can be the final full budget earlier than the next general elections in 2019, and 8 country elections are developing inside the medium time period. Markets would, consequently, intently watch bulletins round taxation, rural economy, social zone and infrastructure spending. After the rollout of the goods and services tax (GST) in July last 12 months, the feasible oblique tax change inside the finances would possibly happen inside the shape of customs obligation tweaks, for the reason that GST Council meetings determine on the bigger tax shape. In in advance Budgets a street map for bringing organisation tax down become hinted at. corporate entities would be watching for a few headway on this whilst Finance Minister Arun Jaitley o...

Budget 2018: Despite record harvests in 2017, why farmers still struggle

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Indian farms produced record harvests in 2017, and the government’s agricultural Budget 2018 rose 111% over four years to 2017-18. Yet, prices crashed, 8,007 farmers committed suicide in 2015, unpaid agricultural loans rose 20% between 2016 and 2017, and 600 million Indians who depend on agriculture are struggling to get by. This is the situation that faces the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government as it heads into its last full budget before general elections in 2019, at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised a doubling of farm incomes by 2022. The agriculture sector will not just watch how much money is set aside in the 2018-19 budget but also how it is used, as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also tries to woo disaffected farmers before upcoming assembly elections in eight states–Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and the northeastern states of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. Agriculture is the government’s “top priority...

At Rs 867.03 bn, GST receipts short of target for third month in a row

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BUDGET 2018 - Goods and offerings tax (GST) collections for December did no longer supply a whole lot consolation to the authorities beforehand of the price range 2018, even though these rose after two months of declines. GST collections at Rs 867.03 billion had been much less than the goal of Rs 910 billion mixed for the Centre and states. The figures, released via the finance ministry on Thursday, highlighted subdued series inside the composition scheme — a flat fee provided to taxpayers who do now not are searching for enter tax credit. The government thinks evasion on this scheme may be plugged through the e-way bill, with a view to be brought for the inter-state motion of products on February 1. December became the 1/3 directly month whilst the GST sales was beneath Rs 900 billion. The tax yielded Rs 808.08 billion in November and Rs 833 billion in October. GST receipts have fallen quick of goal in August, October, November and December. The target of Rs 910 billion is b...

Budget 2018 issues: After note ban, tax base, digital drive up, realty down

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BUDGET 2018 - On 8 November, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes citing black money, corruption, terror funding as threats to the country. The immediate impact of the note-ban drive on economy was ambiguous at the beginning, considering the fact that the goalpost on its objective was gradually shifted. However, a spin-off from demonetisation has been the overall increased emphasis on digital transactions and that channel has seen a multi-fold growth, along with new additions made in the tax-payers list.

Budget 2018: Betting on stock market boom? Capital gains tax may end party

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BUDGET 2018 - The taxman may end up being a speed bump for the Indian stock market, which like its counterparts across the world has marched to multiple records in the past year. Brokerages including Kotak Securities say Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration may make it harder for investors to claim exemptions on capital gains from equity investments when the federal Budget is announced on February 1. Modi's move in 2016 to scrap high-value currency bills and the implementation of the new sales tax last July have hurt demand and revenue, forcing the government to borrow more. "The government has to find avenues for generating additional revenue to bridge the fiscal deficit," Shefali Goradia, partner at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP, said in an interview in Mumbai. "Tweaking the long-term capital gain break is a low hanging fruit." Even so, the government may shy away from doing so -- any change may spook individual investors, who...

Budget 2018: Will rules be eased to make marketing operating expenditure?

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As Finance Minister Arun Jaitley prepares to give Budget 2018 , the Narendra Modi-led NDA authorities’s ultimate full finances earlier than going for the 2019 fashionable elections, the retail area needs him to don't forget reworking the income-tax regulations to categorise marketing spend as running expenditure in preference to capital expenditure. With low patron loyalty as is seen in the retail area, advertising and marketing must virtually be understood to be operating expenditure. Even physical stores that provide end-of-season income consider reductions as notional working expenditure. among different key price range expectations from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is allowing overseas direct investment (FDI) inside the united states’s multi-brand e-commerce area thru the automated course. At present, a whole lot of complex structures are utilized by companies to get this to work in spirit. The abolition of ‘Angel Tax’ and scrapping of profits tax on angel investmen...

Budget 2018: Logistics sector wants FM Jaitley to lift regulatory barriers

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BUDGET 2018 - Nowadays, Narendra Modi-led valuable authorities has brought in numerous measures to uplift the usa’s economy. It has also set the level for unlocking the boom ability for India’s logistics zone via putting in a devoted logistics division beneath the Ministry of trade & enterprise and granting the arena an infrastructure repute. Now because the government heads for its closing complete price range on this phrases when Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presents Union price range 2018 on February 1, we'd look forward to seeing more emphasis on enhancing the infrastructure. final year, we saw the finance minister announcing an funding of approximately Rs 39.sixty one lakh crore in infrastructure improvement. this is sure to be a boon – not handiest for specific shipping gamers but for plenty industries. This yr, we'd also count on efforts from the authorities to reduce regulatory limitations and provide a unbroken, transparent virtual platform to e...

Budget 2018: Centre earmarks Rs 10 bn for fixing Delhi-NCR's pollution woes

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The severity of Delhi's air pollutants woes has earned the problem an area inside the Centre's allocations in budget 2018. according to reviews, an quantity of Rs 10 billion (1,000 crore) may be allotted below Budget 2018 to fight troubles like stubble burning, which has been attributed as a primary motive for Delhi's now-infamous air great. so as to easy up the capital's air, or at the least make it more breathable, and quit the residents' annual workout of choking beneath a blanket of smog, the Centre has decided to earmark Rs 10 billion (1,000 crore) in the upcoming price range to lessen the exercise of stubble burning in Delhi's neighbouring states like Punjab and Haryana, the times of India mentioned on Thursday. also read: India among five worst international locations in curbing environmental pollution How will the Centre placed a prevent to stubble burning, an issue that proved to be contentious and noticed the Delhi and Punjab governments ju...

Budget 2018: India's renewable progress is slipping, after record growth

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BUDGET 2018 - Consistent with its climate-alternate commitments and domestic pollution concerns, India has one of the world’s largest programmes to increase renewables–a tripling of potential over the following five years. but after two years of report growth, the diversion of a countrywide smooth-electricity cess to subsidise GST (items and offerings tax)-brought on losses and a brand new import duty to defend home producers of solar device threaten to derail India’s ambitious 2022 goal. this is why February 1, 2018–the day the ruling Bharatiya Janata birthday celebration (BJP) will gift its ultimate complete price range earlier than the 2019 standard elections–is of specific importance to the renewables area, which comprises power from sun, wind, hydro and bio electricity. those are the issues the finances must take care of: India has neglected every year renewable enlargement targets when you consider that 2016; no extra than 29% of the smooth power cess–a major supply f...

Centre's FY19 capex may rise 16% to Rs 3.6 trn, as pvt sector remains shy

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BUDGET 2018 - Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is looking at yet another year of the Central Government and state-owned companies carrying a bulk of infrastructure spending. The Centre’s capital expenditure for 2018-19 could be at least Rs 3.6 trillion (Rs 3.6 lakh crore), about Rs 510 billion (RS 51,000 crore) or 16 per cent higher than 2017-18 budgeted estimates of Rs 3.09 trillion (Rs 3.09 lakh crore). For PSUs and the Centre combined, the capex target is easily expected to cross Rs 4.2 trillion (Rs 4.2 lakh crore), Business Standard has learnt. This would be the highest for any given year, and would surpass the previous high by a wide margin. The 2018-19 budget, to be presented by Jaitley on February 1, will be last full budget before the 2018-19. While it isn't expected to be outright populist, it will still be huge on public spending. Officials say higher outlay on projects in sectors such as roads, railways and affordable housing will help in job creation. “While t...