The Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for debit and credit cards has hitherto been similar in India. The debit card is a secured product with the card usage being linked to the availability of funds in the accounts of the customers. Credit cards, on the other hand, are a part of the unsecured credit product portfolio of the issuers. The credit card usage is linked to the credit limit sanctioned by the issuer and carries with it an element of credit risk. Thus given the different nature of the two products, there is no rationale for having a similar MDR for debit and credit cards. Further, it is observed that debit cards are mostly being used for withdrawal of cash at ATMs.
It has been decided to phase out short term subordinated debt (Tier-III bonds) as an eligible source of capital for standalone PDs. Accordingly, PDs should not raise fresh funds through issuance of Tier-III bonds with effect from July 1, 2012.
Government of India, in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), No. 12/2012-Central Excise, dated the 17th March, 2012, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) vide number G.S.R. 163(E), dated 17th March, 2012, namely:-
Notification No. 43/2012-Customs Central Government, on being satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do, hereby makes the following further amendments in the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) No. 12/2012- Customs, dated the 17th March, 2012, which was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) vide number G.S.R. 185(E), dated the 17th March, 2012, namely:-
Government of India has decided to extend interest subvention of 2% on rupee export credit on specified export sectors from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013. Accordingly, the interest subvention on pre-shipment and post-shipment rupee export credit is extended from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013 on the same terms and conditions as mentioned in our circular dated November 3, 2011 for the following sectors – Handicrafts, Carpets, Handlooms, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) , Readymade Garments, Processed Agriculture Products, Sport Goods, Toys.
Various companies, and professionals such as Cost Accountants, Chartered Accountants, & Company Secretaries, and other stakeholders from corporate sector are connected with the usage of product group classification. All are welcome to examine the draft and furnish comments/suggestions to this Ministry within a period of three weeks i.e. by 15th July, 2012 through email on the following e-mail address: –
Reserve Bank, vide it’s circular No.FMD.MSRG.No.67/02.05.002/2011-12 dated March 9, 2012, had advised that all inter-bank OTC foreign exchange derivatives transactions should be reported on a platform to be developed by the CCIL. The CCIL has since completed development of the platform for reporting of USD-INR forwards, FX swaps and FCY-INR options. It has been decided that the platform should be operationalised with effect from July 9, 2012. The salient features of the reporting requirement are as under.
Notification No. 42 /2012-Customs Seeks to amend Notfns.100/2009-Cus, 101/2009-Cus, 102/2009-Cus and 103/2009-Cus all dt.11-09-2009 and 104/2009-Cus dt.14-09-2009
As per extant guidelines, banks are permitted to undertake ‘notional’ short sale whereby they can sell a security short from HFT portfolio even if the security is held under their AFS/HTM portfolio (circular RBI/2006-07/243 dated January 31, 2007). In view of the various scenarios under which a participant may end up with simultaneous ‘long’ and ‘short’ position in specific securities in the HFT portfolio
Notification No. 40/2012-Service Tax- Govt exempts the services on which service tax is leviable under section 66B of the said Act, received by a unit located in a Special Economic Zone (hereinafter referred to as SEZ) or Developer of SEZ and used for the authorised operations, from the whole of the service tax, education cess and secondary and higher education cess leviable thereon.
