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  Govt seeks proposals for debt exchange traded fund by May 16 ETF structure to be decided by advisor in conjunction with government The government plans to launch its first debt exchange traded fund (ETF) early in the second half of 2018-19. The ETF’s basket is expected to contain debt offerings from 12-15 state-owned companies, including banks and central public sector enterprises (CPSE), Business Standard has learnt. The Centre will also discuss how to attract more retail investors into corporate bond markets, with market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), starting with the planned debt ETF. Bonds of NTPC, Power Finance Corporation, Rural Electrification Corporation, LIC Housing Finance, Indian Railway Finance Corporation, National Highways Authority of India and others could be included in the basket. These would be fresh issuances. All these public sector undertakings (PSUs) are active in the corporate bond markets. “The ETF will comprise PSUs, whic

One year after coming into force, Rera remains a work in progress According to property consultancy firm Knight Frank, only 19 states and UTs have a functional portal in place, that too with a lot of information dissymmetry across data points A year after coming into force, what the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, or Rera, has achieved is that it has made buyers more aware and developers cautious.  The implementation of Rera, however, remains an issue, as majorities of the states are yet to implement it fully. Only three states — Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab — have implemented full-time regulators under Rera, while 26 states are yet to appoint full-time regulators. A full-time regulator would have implemented the norms in an effective manner. According to property consultancy firm Knight Frank, only 19 states and Union Territories (UTs) have a functional portal in place, that too with a lot of information dissymmetry across data points. In Andhra

GST, note ban brought 1.8 mn more people into I-T net: India India has informed the UN that the Goods and Services Tax reform implemented by it, coupled with the demonetisation of high-value currency notes, has brought 1.8 million more people into the income-tax net.Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs A Gitesh Sarma, addressing the ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development Follow Up, said India is currently implementing a wave of reforms. The Mint, New Delhi, 28th April 2018

GST collection in first 9 months of its roll out at Rs 7.41 trillion Goods and services tax (GST) collection in the first nine months of its roll out during 2017-18 stood at Rs 7.41 trillion, even as average monthly collection turned out lower than initial targets of the government. The monthly average was Rs 890 billion, against the targeted Rs 920 billion. However, very close to the FY18 Revised Estimates (RE) of the Union Budget. GST was enforced from July 1.The figures issued by the government on Friday comprised Central GST (CGST) and State GST (SGST) for August-March 2017-18 and integrated GST (IGST) and compensation cess for July-March. While the tax on domestic supplies in a month is collated through returns and gets collected the next month, the IGST and cess on import gets collected the same month. While the GST on domestic supplies was collected only from August 2017, IGST and cess on imports wa collected from July 2017. "During 2017-18, total revenue collecte

9 shortlisted for RBI deputy governor's post; interview on May 10 A search panel headed by the Cabinet Secretary is  scheduled to interview candidates on May 10 to find a successor to RBI Deputy Governor S S Mundra, who completed his three-year term in July last year.Out of about 40 applications received, the Financial Sector Regulatory Appointment Search Committee (FSRASC) has shortlisted about 9 names who have been called for interview on May 10, sources said. The Business Standard, New Delhi, 28th April 2018

Govt appoints Officers for conducting Search and Seizure under Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance The Ministry of Finance, on Tuesday, appointed officers to carry out search and seizure under the newly pronounced Fugitive Economi Offenders Ordinance. As per a Notification issued by the Government on 24th April, officers not below the rank of Assistant Directors in the Directorate of Enforcement are authorized to exercise the power to search any person and to seize such record or property which may be useful for or relevant to proceedings under the said Ordinance. In a separate notification, the Central Government also appointed the Special Directors of Enforcement of the Regional Offices of the Directorate of Enforcement to perform the functions of an Administrator. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, pronounced by the President a few days ago, allows the Government to confiscate properties and assets of loan defaulters who flee the country. The ordinance seeks to confi

EPFO interest rate for 2017-18 at 5-yr-low of 8.55%; FinMin clears proposal With rates of all small savings schemes, including the Public Provident Fund, going down in the past year, EPFO's return of 8.55 per cent is still the best rate The finance ministry on Thursday approved for 2017-18 an interest rate of 8.55 per cent on provident fund savings administered by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for around 200 million formal sector workers.“The finance ministry has approved the interest rates according to the decision taken by EPFO's central board of trustees. However, they have also given us some suggestions informally,” a senior labour ministry official said. The EPFO trustees, headed by Minister of State for Labour and Employment Santosh Gangwar, had announced at a meeting on February 21 a five-year-low interest rate of 8.55 per cent for 2017-18. EPFO had paid returns of 8.65 per cent on provident fund savings for the previous year, and 8.8 per cent