16th Finance Commission submits report to President

NEW DELHI: The 16th Finance Commission, headed by economist Arvind Panagariya submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu on Monday, setting the stage for rolling out recommendations of the panel from April 1 next year.The report will be available in the public domain once it is tabled in Parliament by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on…

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GST disruption slows FMCG sales in September quarter

MUMBAI: The sales of consumer goods like soaps, shampoos and washing detergents slowed in the Sept quarter in anticipation of the GST cuts, impacting FMCG volume growth sequentially. Volumes grew by 5.4% compared to 6% in the June quarter with the decline being led by the home and personal care categories, data released by NielsenIQ…

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17 electronics parts projects get nod

NEW DELHI: Govt on Monday approved 17 projects under Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS), entailing an investment of Rs 7,172 crore. Govt wants greater involvement of domestic companies in electronics supply chain, especially in view of changing geopolitical situation, electronics and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday. These projects are expected to create 11,800…

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Tracking tools become mainstay in IT, BPM companies

BENGALURU: IT and BPM firms are accelerating the use of advanced productivity tools that provide clients with real-time operational insights. Many of these tools include built-in time tracking, analyse workforce patterns, and proactively flag inefficiencies in performance trends. Tracking workforce productivity has been part of industry routines, largely at the clients’ behest, as companies seek…

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Murugappa Group’s former chairman Arunachalam Vellayan passes away

Arunachalam Vellayan, former Chairman of the Murugappa Group CHENNAI: Arunachalam Vellayan (72), former Chairman of the Murugappa Group and Chairman Emeritus of Coromandel International, passed away on Monday after a prolonged illness, the ₹902-billion Murugappa Group said in an official statement.A fourth-generation member of the Murugappa family and great-grandson of Dewan Bahadur Murugappa Chettiar —…

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Gold surge: Imports hit record $14.72 bn in Oct; festive demand drives spike as trade deficit widens

India’s gold imports surged nearly threefold to a record $14.72 billion in October, propelled by strong festive and wedding-season demand, government data showed on Monday. Imports stood at $4.92 billion in the same month last year, PTI reported.Cumulatively, gold inflows rose 21.44 per cent to $41.23 billion in April–October, up from $34 billion a year…

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Trade watch: Govt tightens curbs on platinum jewellery; move targets FTA misuse

The government on Monday tightened import controls on select categories of platinum jewellery, imposing licensing requirements until April 30, 2026, in an effort to check misuse of free trade agreements (FTAs), particularly with ASEAN nations, PTI reported.The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), in a fresh notification, revised the import policy for these platinum jewellery…

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Trade relief: India to gain from US tariff cuts on select agri items; officials say level playing field restored

India is set to benefit modestly from the United States’ decision to withdraw reciprocal tariffs on a set of agricultural products, including tea, coffee and spices, the commerce ministry said on Monday, PTI reported. The tariff exemptions, announced through a White House Executive Order on November 12, took effect the next day.The move rolls back…

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