Radha Vembu, India's Richest Self-Made Woman in India as Per Hurun India List 2023
Zoho Corp. co-founder Radha Vembu became the richest self-made Indian woman surpassing Falguni Nayar, founder and CEO of online beauty and fashion retailer Nykaa, according to a report by Hurun India.
The report titled '360 One Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2023' was released in October. As per the report, the 50-year-old entrepreneur became the richest self-made Indian woman with a net worth of Rs. 36,000 crore.
Radha Vembu was ranked 40th among India's 100 richest persons, while Falguni Nayar ranked 86th with a net worth of Rs. 22,500 crore.
Spice Money Partners with NSDL Payments to Revamp Rural Banking in India
Spice Money (a subsidiary of DiGiSPICE Technologies), India's leading rural fintech company that creates nanopreneurs for emerging India, announced a groundbreaking collaboration with NSDL Payments Bank to make a significant impact in rural India by allowing citizens to open zero balance accounts. Spice Money hopes to empower rural communities with greater financial inclusion by providing them with access to critical banking services and supporting economic growth in these areas. More people in rural India will be able to participate in formal banking institutions, unlocking the potential for increased financial stability and possibilities, thanks to the convenience of zero balance accounts.
Spice Money and NSDL Payments Bank formed a strategic relationship that will pave the path for a brighter and more equitable future for rural India.
Oct 13, 2023
South Indian Bank Names V. J. Kurian as its New Chairman
V. J. Kurian was appointed as the non-executive part time chairman of the Thrissur based South Indian Bank with effect from November 2 to March 22, 2026.
The Reserve Bank of India conveyed its approval for the appointment.
Kurian will succeed Salim Gangadharan, who will be retiring as non-executive part-time chairman of the bank on November 1 after completion of his term.
RBI Slaps Rs 5.39 crore Penalty on Paytm Payments Banks
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 5.39 crore on Paytm Payments Bank for violating Know Your Customer norms, among others.
As per RBI, Paytm Payments Bank failed to meet certain regulatory provisions under Know Your Customer (KYC), as well as the norms on enhancement of maximum balance at the end of the day as indicated in the licensing conditions of payments banks.
The bank was also found non-compliant with the 'Cyber Security Framework in Banks', in the context of 'Guidelines on Reporting of Unusual Cyber Security Incidents' and 'Securing Mobile Banking Applications Including UPI Ecosystem'.
Oct 12, 2023
IMF Raises India's FY24 GDP Growth Forecast to 6.3%
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its FY24 growth projection for India by 20 basis points to 6.3 per cent, citing stronger than expected consumption between April and June.
The IMF's latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) kept its global growth forecast unchanged at 3 per cent for 2023 and pared down the 2024 projection by 10 basis points to 2.9 per cent.
The IMF's inflation projection for India has been revised upward to 5.5 per cent for FY24.
UNCTAD released the 'Trade and Development Report 2023'
UNCTAD's Trade and Development Report 2023 warns that the global economy is stalling, with growth slowing in most regions compared with last year and only a few countries bucking the trend.
It says the global economy is at a crossroads, where divergent growth paths, widening inequalities, growing market concentration and mounting debt burdens cast shadows on the future.
The prospect of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 is fading as a combination of rising interest rates, weakening currencies and slowing export growth squeezes the fiscal space needed for governments to fight climate change and provide for their people.
The report calls for a change in policy direction – including by leading central banks – and accompanying institutional reforms promised during the COVID-19 crisis to avert a lost decade.
Air India commissions mega warehouse facility in Delhi
Air India has commissioned a mega warehouse facility in Delhi for storing over 1,000,000 engineering spares for aircraft maintenance.
Spread across 54,000 square feet and located near Terminal 3, at Delhi Airport's cargo complex, the centralized warehousing facility will improve the turnaround time of flights operating out of Delhi.
The facility will offer a one-stop solution for storing aircraft spares, tools, and ground support equipment ranging from hardware to sophisticated and complex avionics, hydraulics, structural, pneumatic, and mechanical components.
This facility will not only boost Air India's fleet and operational efficiency but will also strengthen India's aviation ecosystem.
The warehouse will offer us more proximate access to and better control over our aircraft spares enabling us to meet any engineering requirement promptly — leading to improved punctuality of flights.
Bangladesh inaugurated the 82-km Padma Bridge Rail Link
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday inaugurated the 82-kilometre railway track, connecting Dhaka to Bhanga, as part of the "Padma Bridge Railway Link Project."
She opened the rail route unveiling a plaque by pressing a button at a civic rally at Mawa Railway Station in Munshiganj in presence of PM's younger sister Sheikh Rehana.
Padma Bridge Rail Link Project (PBRLP), is being implemented to build a 172-km rail line from Dhaka, the capital city, with the southwestern district of Jessore through Padma Bridge at a cost of Tk 39,247 crore.
It is being executed by Bangladesh Railway (BR) in collaboration with China Railway Group Limited (CREC), a Chinese construction company, and the Corps of Engineers of the Bangladesh Army acting as the construction supervision consultant.
Indian Navy & SBI launches unique NAV-eCash card for online transactions
India is leading the world with over 100 billion digital financial transactions being recorded annually and the number is steadily growing.
Indian Navy and the State Bank of India have launched the 'Nav-eCash' card, a unique e-cash card that can work in both online and offline mode.
This is a giant step as India eyes complete Self-reliance and digital transformation. The SBI Nav-eCash card will be implemented pan Navy.
This system is ready for implementation in every domain where there are restrictions on real-time internet connectivity or internet usage or there is non-availability of internet due to being in a remote location.
India's Fiscal Deficit Rose to Rs 6.42 trillion, 36% of the FY24 Target
In the same period in FY23, the fiscal deficit was 32.6 per cent of the full-year target.
It aim to narrow its fiscal deficit to 5.9 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of the current financial year, against 6.4 per cent last year.
India's fiscal deficit in the first five months of the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) stood at Rs 6.42 trillion, 36 per cent of the full-year target of Rs 17.87 trillion.
Mukesh Ambani overtakes Gautam Adani become richest Indian on Hurun list
Adani's wealth fell significantly due to the effect of the Hindenburg report on the group's shares.
Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani overtook Gautam Adani and reclaimed the title of the richest Indian, according to Hurun India Rich List 2023.
Cyrus S Poonawalla and family remained in third position.
Industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and family and Niraj Bajaj and family re-entered the top 10.
India's Net Direct Tax Collections Surge by 21.8%
While tax refunds amounting to ₹1.5 lakh crore have been remitted to taxpayers so far, some refunds are being withheld on the basis of pending tax demands from the past that taxpayers are being given a chance to address.
India's net direct tax collections grew 21.8% to ₹9.57 lakh crore by October 9, surpassing over half of the Budget estimates for 2023 with personal income tax revenues rising 32.5% and corporate taxes increasing 12.4%.
Oct 11, 2023
Navneet Munot Elected AMFI Chairman
Navneet Munot, MD and CEO of HDFC Asset Management, was elected the new Chairman of the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI). He was elected to this position in a board meeting following the 28th AGM of the association.
Munot will take over the position from A. Balasubramanian, Chief Executive Officer, Aditya Birla Sun Life Asset Management. A chartered accountant and a CFA charter holder, Munot has over three decades of rich experience in financial services.
The board of AMFI also elected Anthony Heredia, MD and CEO, Mahindra Manulife Mutual Fund as the Vice-Chairman of AMFI.
Axis Bank, Fibe Launch India's First Numberless Credit Card
To reduce the risk of identity theft and unauthorised access, private lender Axis Bank partnered with fintech firm Fibe and launched India's first numberless credit card. The card does not display any card number, expiry date, or CVV number. These details are be available on the Fibe app.
The Fibe Axis Bank Credit Card is powered by RuPay and allows customers to link their credit card to the United Payments Interface (UPI). It also offers a tap-and-pay feature for all offline retail stores across the country.
This numberless Axis Bank card prioritises the security of customers while offering a robust financial solution that empowers the smart and ambitious youth of our nation.
IiAS Tells Investors to Vote against Anant's Appointment on RIL Board
Proxy advisory firm IiAS recommended that institutional investors should vote against the appointment of Anant Ambani on Reliance Industries' (RIL's) board, stating his age as the reason. The firm, however, gave its green light to the appointment of Anant's elder siblings — Akash and Isha.
In its recommendation note, IiAS said that at 28 years of age, his appointment as a non-executive, non-independent director does not align with the voting guidelines.
According to IiAS voting guidelines, it will recommend voting for the appointment of any director (among other criteria) unless the director lacks adequate experience. That is, less than 10 years of relevant work experience or is less than 30 years of age. (IiAS will make exceptions to this rule when the director is a first-generation promoter or founder).
RBI orders Bank of Baroda to Suspend Customer Onboarding on 'bob World' App
The Reserve Bank of India directed Bank of Baroda (BoB), India's second largest state-owned lender after State Bank of India, to suspend any further onboarding of its customers onto the 'bob World' mobile application with immediate effect.
The central bank, in exercise of its power under section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, stated that the action against the lender is based on certain material supervisory concerns observed in the manner of onboarding of new customers onto this mobile application.
RBI further directed the bank to ensure that already onboarded and existing 'bob World' customers do not face any disruption on account of this suspension.
Oct 10, 2023
RBI Doubles Gold Loan Limit for UCB in Bullet Repayment Scheme
The Reserve Bank of India, in line with Priority Sector Lending criteria, elevated the maximum threshold for gold loans within the Bullet Repayment Scheme from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 4 lakh for Urban Co-operative Banks. Initially, in 2007, the RBI authorised bullet repayment of gold loans up to Rs. 1 lakh, which was subsequently augmented to Rs. 2 lakh in 2014, with a repayment period capped at 12 months.
Urban Co-operative Banks have the prerogative to extend gold loans through both the Bullet Repayment and Equated Monthly Instalment (EMI) Repayment channels for a duration of 12 months. In the former, borrowers settle the principal and interest collectively in a lump sum to the lender at the end of the loan term. Conversely, in the EMI method, a fixed sum encompassing both principal and interest components is remitted by the borrower to the lender on a designated date each month.
AyanWorks Gets Digital Public Good Status
AyanWorks, a Pune-based blockchain solutions firm, became the first Indian company to receive a Digital Public Good status for an open-source self-sovereign identity (SSI) and digital credentials management system from the United Nations-endorsed Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA).
AyanWorks Technology Solutions will benefit immensely with this global and unique recognition, which is the first in India in the self-sovereign identity technology domain.