News

Cigarettes and tobacco currently attract 28 per cent GST

Updated : Feb 2, 2021

For a change, no increase in cigarette prices in this year's Budget

Experts say the likelihood of a tax hike for tobacco products and cigarettes was low in this year's budget because it was hiked sharply in Budget 2020

Union Budget 2021-22 proposes to raise Rs 1.75 lakh crore from disinvestments and strategic sales

Updated : Feb 1, 2021

Budget 2021 proposes to monetise assets to meet higher capital expenditure

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed in the Budget to create a National Monetisation Pipeline, comprising of potential brownfield infrastructure assets

The gold reserves rose by $398 million to $36.459 billion in the week ended January 22

Updated : Feb 1, 2021

Budget 2021: Forex reserves reach a high of $585 billion in Jan 2021

India's foreign exchange reserve stood at $585.334 billion in the week ended January 22. It had touched a life-time high of $586.082 billion in the week ended January 8

There are more than 500 companies that partner with ISRO in carrying out space activities

Updated : Feb 1, 2021

Budget 2021: Is there space for space in times of COVID-19?

The government created Indian National Space, Promotion & Authorisation Centre (INSPACe), under the Department of Space to encourage, promote, and handhold the private sector for their participation in Space Sector

As many as 1,75,000 persons trained by the Ministry's skilling ecosystem

Updated : Feb 1, 2021

Budget 2021: How is 'Skill India' doing?

There are high expectations that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will announce measures to create jobs during the Budget. Although creating millions of jobs is an uphill task, the government can still do it by strengthening its very own flagship programme - PMKVY

The government's receipts stand at Rs 8,30,851 crore, which is 37 per cent of budget estimates of the financial year 2021 as of November 2020

Updated : Feb 1, 2021

Soaring fiscal deficit remains a worry; record-high GST may be a silver lining

Fiscal deficit is languishing at Rs 10,75,507 crore or 135.1 per cent of the budget estimate 2021, as of November 2020. It has largely soared on account of low realisation of revenues because of the COVID-19 pandemic

In FY21 budget, the finance minister had set aside Rs 30,000 crore for WCD ministry

Updated : Feb 1, 2021

Budget 2021: Will schemes for women receive a push?

CMIE data added that India's biggest challenge on the employment front is getting its womenfolk into the labour force. CMIE data showed, in contrast with men, only nine per cent of all women of working age were employed until November

Updated : Jan 29, 2021

Economic survey calls for change in CPI base year, greater focus on core inflation

To avoid supply side disruptions that cause inflation seasonality in vegetables, food, CPI-C and in inflation expectations, a system needs to be developed to reduce wastage and ensure timely release of stock, the survey pointed out

At a time when the government is struggling to manage its fiscal deficit and tide over cash flow issues due to lower collections than budgeted, a Covid cess, if introduced, could provide a much-needed relief to the government

Updated : Jan 28, 2021

Covid cess--India's 10th--could grow cess revenue to over Rs 3 lakh crore

Speculations are rife that the government may levy a Covid cess of around 4 per cent on high income earners to fund the coronavirus vaccination drive

Updated : Jan 27, 2021

Tax experts call for higher exemption on equity LTCG, donations as Budget nears

Even though the government is staring at a gaping hole on the revenue front in the current financial year due to the pandemic, tax practitioners are expecting tax relief under multiple heads in the estimates for 2021-22