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99% of banned notes returned after demonetisation: RBI annual report The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday said it estimated that people had returned  almost 99 per cent of the scrapped Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes after demonetisation,  effectively putting a question mark over the government gaining handsomely by the  unreturned money turning into a special dividend by the central bank. In its annual report, the RBI also said the face value of fake high-value notes was  minuscule at Rs 41 crore. The central bank said people had returned Rs 15.28 lakh crore of the Rs 15.44 lakh banned  currency, or 98.96 per cent of the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, to the banking  system. “Subject to future corrections based on the verification process when completed, the  estimated value of Specified Bank Notes received as on June 30, 2017, is Rs 15.28 lakh  crore,” the annual report said.  The old notes came to the RBI either directly...

Green light for 25% GST cess makes automakers see red Bigger sedans and sports utility vehicles (SUVs) will cost more now, as the Cabinet on  Wednesday cleared an ordinance to increase the cess ceiling on these vehicles to 25 per  cent from 15 per cent. This cess would be over and above the peak goods and services tax (GST) rate of 28 per  cent on these vehicles. Hybrid vehicles will continue to attract a cess of 15 per cent.   Announcing this decision, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the objective of any  taxation policy cannot be that luxury goods become cheaper and essential items become  costlier. “If at all relief is to be given, it has to be given to a common man’s item  rather than a luxury item. So a person who can afford Rs 1 crore for a vehicle can also  afford Rs 1.20 crore.” The exact increase in the cess will be taken up by the GST Council, which will meet on  September 9 in Hyderabad. It is widely speculated that a ...

Delisted firms to contest BSE order The promoters of at least two dozen of the 200 companies that have been compulsorily delisted by the BSE plan to file a writ petition against the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and the stock exchange. Their contention is that they are under liquidation and therefore not liable to follow the delisting process, which entails payout to minority shareholders. Around 45 companies in the list of 200 are undergoing liquidation. These include Alpic Finance, Blue Bird, CFL Capital Financial Services, Dhanus Technologies, Koutons Retail India and DSQ Biotech. Official liquidators have been appointed to wind up the companies’ affairs and to sell-off assets. The assets are being used to pay shareholders followed by the claims of creditors. “BSE had gone ahead with compulsorily delisting without any prior approval from appellate tribunal. We have not been intimated about it, neither have we been given a chance of a hearing,” said the promot...

Defence ministry trims Army flab; 57,000 soldiers will shift to combat roles The Army currently deploys more soldiers on non-combat administrative and supply chain duties than in the trenches in wartime. On Wednesday, to increase what the defence ministry terms the Army’s teeth-to-tail ratio by putting a larger percentage of soldiers  on the frontline, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley ordered 65 reforms to the structure of the military. Improving the teeth-to-tail ratio involves whittling down administrative and logistic units that support combat operations, and redeploying the manpower thus saved into combat units. The defence ministry says the 65 reforms must be completed by December 31, 2019, involving “redeployment and restructuring of approximately 57,000 posts of soldiers and civilians.” These reforms are part of the 99 measures recommended by the Lieutenant General (Retired) D B Shekatkar Committee, which former defence minister Manohar Parrikar constituted in 2015. T...

GST, farm debt waivers likely to hit fiscal consolidation A day after the government released buoyant tax figures because of the goods and services  tax (GST), the Reserve Bank of India cast doubts over short-term revenue mobilisation.  Besides, farm debt waivers in some states could mar fiscal consolidation efforts there,  it said. This, the report said, could impact fiscal consolidation at both the Centre and  state levels, as this fundamental reform gains pan-India traction.  According to figures released by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday, the Centre and  state governments have earned Rs 92,283 crore from the GST in July, against a target of  Rs 91,000 crore. This  even as 36 per cent of assessees did not file returns. On Wednesday, the RBI warned: "Additionally, state government finances are likely to face  several challenges during 2017- 18. First, the announcement of farm loan waivers by four  state governments ...