The Reserve Bank of India today released on its website, a Discussion Paper on “Engagement of ‘for profit’ Companies as Business Correspondents (BCs)” to seek the views/comments of banks, non-banking financial institutions, ‘for-profit’ companies, regulators, academicians, NGOs and the public at large.
The Government has set up a committee headed by Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for comprehensive review of National Small Savings Fund (NSSF) Structure, interest rate, tenor and other administrative matters. The Terms of reference of the Committee include, interalia, review of the existing parameters for the small saving schemes, terms of lending to States and other related issues.
The Directorate of Currency has been set up in the Ministry of Finance as a permanent body to monitor and review the efficacy of the existing security features in the currency notes, study best practices prevailing in other countries, drive and fund research and Development (R&D) on continuous basis and act as a clearing house on research on the subject.
The domestic savings rate which had fallen in 2008/09 is expected to pick up substantially in 2010-11. We estimate the savings rate at 34.3 per cent of GDP in 2010/11 and the corresponding investment rate will be 37.0 per cent. These savings and investment rates will further improve in 2011/12. These rates should enable the economy to grow in a sustained manner at 9 per cent
Ever heard of a Rs. 50-crore compensation package? That’s what V Vaidyanathan, former managing director (MD) and CEO of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, has been offered to shift loyalties to Future Capital Holdings, the finance company promoted by Kishore Biyani of Big Bazaar/Pantaloons fame.
The employer and employee contribute to the Provident Fund each @ 12% of wages. Out of employer share of Provident Fund, 8.33% contribution is diverted to Employees’ Pension Fund.The rate of contribution by the Employer to Employees’ Pension Fund has not been raised by the Central Government for the last one decade as the total contribution as percentage of wages is at sufficient level i.e. 25.66%.
Section 80-IA [4 (iii)] of the Income Tax Act, 1961 provides for a tax holiday for 10 out of 15 years in respect of profits of any undertaking which develops, develops and operates or maintains and operates an industrial park or special economic zone.
Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia pointed out that the government took away powers under Section 24 of the Criminal Procedure Code, under which Public Prosecutors were appointed in consultation with the Chief Justices of the High Courts. “Why the power was taken away I don’t want to comment,” he said.
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, in consultation with Medical Council of India, has recently taken more stringent steps to curb malpractices resorted to by the doctors by amending the Indian Medical Council (Professional conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, on 10.12.2009.
Secondary packing on fabrics leaving the factory gate for upcountry customers would not attract excise duty, the Supreme Court stated last week in the judgment , National Leather Cloth Manufacturing Co vs Union of India, setting aside the ruling of the Bombay high court.
