General Awareness

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY - December 2018

Dec 2018

Feb 03, 2024

Bandhan Bank Appoints Santosh Nair as its Consumer Lending and Mortgages Head

Bandhan Bank appointed Santosh Nair, Chief Executive of HDFC Sales Private Limited, as the head of its consumer lending and mortgages.
Nair, a veteran with over three decades of experience in banks and financial services companies, will drive Bandhan Bank's housing finance portfolio and also the retail lending franchise and distribution.
Nair worked in marquee entities such as Housing Development Finance Corporation, HDFC Bank, American Express and Kotak Mahindra Primus.

RBI Slaps Rs. 5 lakh Fine on Bajaj Housing Finance for Violating Provisions

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 5 lakh on Bajaj Housing Finance for changing management, which resulted in a change of directors in the company without seeking prior written permission from the regulator.
The action was taken on the basis of an assessment conducted by the National Housing Bank for a time period ending on March 31, 2022.
The action stood in violation of certain provisions of the 'Non-Banking Financial Company - Housing Finance Company (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2021' issued by the RBI.

Mahindra Announces Key Leadership Appointments

Mahindra Group announced key leadership appointments as well as reshuffling among its top management following Kavinder Singh's decision to leave his role as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited (MHRIL). The Mahindra Group will onboard Manoj Bhat and reassign Vimal Agarwal to take on key positions in MHRIL, May 2024 onwards.
Manoj Bhat, the group chief financial officer, was appointed as the new MD & CEO of MHRIL, while Vimal Agarwal, the current CFO of Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Ltd (MLDL), was appointed CFO for MHRIL. Additionally, Amarjyoti Barua, the executive vice-president - group strategy will lead the Mahindra Group's Finance Organisation as the Group CFO.

Feb 02, 2024

Interim Budget 2024: Five Key Points

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the interim Budget 2024 in the Parliament.
Here's a list of the key differences between the interim Budget presented this year (2024) and the Union Budget presented last year (2023).
Tax Regime
In 2023 Union Budget, FM Sitharaman introduced revised tax slabs. As per the announcement, an individual need not pay any tax for income up to ₹7 lakh (around $8,000) per annum in the new tax regime. However, during her presentation this year (2024), the Finance Minister did not propose any changes in tax rates in direct and indirect taxes including import duties.
Sitharaman also announced that tax collections have more than doubled over the last ten years and the average processing of tax returns was less than ten days in 2024.
Infrastructure
The government allocated ₹1.10 lakh crore (over $1 trillion) for infrastructure development. This year (2024), the government dispensed 11.11 per cent more than in 2023 for infrastructural development.
Agriculture & Rural Economy
In 2023, the government proposed to set up a new agency to provide credit and other support services to farmers, including a new insurance scheme, to improve the livelihood of farmers. This year (2024), FM Sitharaman mentioned that the government will promote private and public investment in post-harvest activities, including aggregation, modern storage, efficient supply chains, primary and secondary processing, marketing and branding to ensure growth.
Women Empowerment
In the Union Budget 2023-24, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiatives. This year (2024), in the interim Budget she mentioned that 83 lakh self-help groups (SHGs) with over nine crore women have been positively changing the rural socio-economic landscape by empowering and making them self-reliant.
These SHGs have already helped nearly one crore women to become 'Lakhpati Didi' (women with a net worth of more than one lakh). As a result of this success, the government has decided to raise the target for 'Lakhpati Didi' from 2 crore to 3 crore.
Green Growth
Green growth was among the top seven priorities or 'Saptarishis' during the Amrit Kaal. The Union Budget 2023-24 focused on adopting green fuel, energy, and building practices to reduce carbon intensity and create new green job opportunities. In the interim Budget 2024, FM Sitharaman announced several measures to meet the 'net zero' target by 2070.

Cabinet Approves Bilateral Investment Treaty with UAE

The Union Cabinet approved an investment treaty with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that is likely to significantly boost bilateral economic engagement in a range of areas, including manufacturing and foreign direct investment (FDI).
The approval for the signing and ratification of the ambitious investment treaty came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's likely visit to the UAE.

Three Indian Markets in Three Cities, Three Online Markets Figure in Notorious Markets List of US

Three Indian markets across New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and three online markets figured in the annual notorious market list that highlights markets that 'reportedly engage in or facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy'. The 2023 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy (the Notorious Markets List) was released by the US Trade Representatives, identifying 39 online and 33 physical markets.
The three Indian markets were Heera Panna in Mumbai, Tank Road in Karol Bagh in New Delhi, and Sadar Patrappa Road Market in Bengaluru.
The online markets in the list were IndiaMart, Vegamovies, and WHMCS Smarters.

Feb 01, 2024

RBI Orders Halt on Paytm Payments Bank Transactions

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) directed Paytm Payments Bank to cease all deposits and credit transactions after February 29, 2024. This action stems from persistent non-compliances and ongoing supervisory concerns within the bank, raising questions about the impact on its customers.
Starting from the specified date, Paytm Payments Bank customers will face restrictions on several key transactions. No further deposits, credit transactions, or top-ups will be allowed in customer accounts, prepaid instruments, wallets, FASTags, or National Common Mobility Cards.

AU SFB Appoints Former RBI Deputy Governor H. R. Khan as Non-executive Chairman

Private sector lender AU Small Finance Bank appointed Harun Rashid Khan, former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as non-executive chairman following approval from the shareholders.
Khan took charge from Raj Verma, whose tenure as Part-time Chairman ended in January.
Khan is a former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and has vast experience of more than four decades in the areas of banking & finance, payment and settlement systems, economics, financial markets, and has held leadership positions.

Reliance Industries Most Valuable Indian Company: Hurun Global 500 2023

Reliance Industries continued to be the most valuable company in India, according to the 2023 Hurun Global 500, a list of the 500 most valuable non-state-controlled companies in the world.
However, globally, no Indian company featured in the top 40 ranks. Reliance Industries stood on the 44th spot with a total valuation of $198 billion. The report highlighted that Reliance, which was the most valuable Indian company last year too, fell ten spots in the rankings as its net worth decreased by 2 per cent in the year.
Reliance Industries was followed by Tata Consultancy Services (60) and HDFC Bank (68). The net worth of TCS rose by 14 per cent to $158 billion during the year. Its rank improved by five spots in 2023.
Two companies, Titan Company and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, entered the top 500 rankings.

ACC Approves Sanjay Mudaliar as Bank of Baroda Executive Director

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the Department of Financial Services (DFS) proposal to post Sanjay Vinayak Mudaliar as Executive Director at Bank of Baroda.
Mudaliar will serve his new post from the day he assumes charge for the remainder of his term, i.e. up to December 31, 2025, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Simultaneously, ACC approved the DFS proposal to post Joydeep Dutta Roy, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda, as Executive Director in the Indian Overseas Bank. Roy will serve his new posting from the day he took charge for the remainder of his term, i.e. up to October 20, 2024, or until further orders, whichever is earlier, according to the DoPT order.

Jan 31, 2024

GAIL Secures 10-year LNG Deal with UAE

GAIL, India's leading gas company, inked a 10-year partnership with the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) ADNOC Gas. Under this deal, GAIL is set to procure 0.5 million tonnes of LNG annually for a decade, marking a crucial step towards meeting India's growing demand for natural gas.
This deal with ADNOC Gas underscored GAIL's commitment to diversifying its LNG portfolio and ensuring a stable supply of natural gas for India's energy needs. With a focus on long-term sustainability and strategic partnerships, GAIL is positioning itself as a key player in the global LNG market.
This agreement with ADNOC Gas marked the second long-term LNG purchase deal signed by GAIL in the same month. Earlier, the company sealed a deal with global commodity trader Vitol, wherein GAIL committed to purchasing one million tonnes of LNG annually for a decade, also starting in 2026.

NTPC Limited Certified as a Top Employer 2024 in India by the Top Employers Institute

CPSU power major NTPC Limited was certified as a Top Employer in India by Top Employers Institute, the global HR authority on certifying excellence in HR best practices.
NTPC completed the required steps and qualify for the certification: HR Best Practice Survey, Validation and Audit. NTPC's performance score was rated against an international standard and the company achieved 'Top Employer' status.
Director (HR), Dillip Kumar Patel received the Award on behalf of NTPC at the Top Employers 2024 certification celebration event held in Singapore.
Top Employers Institute is a global HR authority on certifying excellence in HR best practices. For over 33 years, the firm has been dedicated to accelerating the impact of HR strategies to enrich the world of work through certification, benchmarking, aligning and connecting Top Employers around the globe.

Toyota Retains its Position as the World's Top-Selling Automaker in 2023

Toyota, the renowned Japanese automaker, has once again secured its position as the world's top-selling automaker in 2023. This achievement underscores Toyota's continued dominance in the global automotive market and its commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction.
A key factor in Toyota's success has been its pioneering work in hybrid and electric vehicle technology. The company's investment in eco-friendly vehicles, such as the Prius and its expanding line-up of hybrid models, demonstrates its commitment to sustainable transportation solutions.

Jan 30, 2024

THDCIL Inaugurates India's Largest Green Hydrogen Pilot Project

THDC India Limited (THDCIL), a prominent Power Sector PSU, unveiled India's largest electrolyser end fuel cell-based Green Hydrogen Pilot Project at its office complex in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. The initiative aligns with the 'National Green Hydrogen Mission', showcasing THDCIL's commitment to sustainable energy practices.
R. K. Vishnoi, Chairman and Managing Director, THDCIL, inaugurated the project.

Amit Shah Launches Computerisation Projects for Agri, Rural Dev Banks, Registrar of Coop Societies

Union Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah inaugurated a significant initiative – the Computerisation Project of Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs) and the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCSs) in all states and union territories.
This collaborative effort by the Ministry of Cooperation and the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) aligns with the vision of 'Sahkaar Se Samriddhi', and targets 1,851 units across 13 states and UTs, aiming to connect them with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development through a common national software.
This initiative standardises business procedures, reduces transaction costs, facilitates streamlined loan distribution to farmers, and provides real-time data access for improved monitoring and assessment.

Bank of Baroda's Subsidiary 'BOB Financial Solutions Limited' Rebranded as 'BOBCARD Limited'

Bank of Baroda's wholly-owned subsidiary for cards, 'BOB Financial Solutions Limited', was rebranded as 'BOBCARD Limited' with the tagline 'Credit Reimagined'.
The NBFC also unveiled a new logo called 'Baroda Sun', which comprises dual 'B' letterforms that hold the rays of the rising sun.
The rebranding signifies a revitalized commitment to providing excellent credit solutions and customer-centric offerings. BOBCARD aims to differentiate itself as a forward-thinking financial partner, emphasizing adaptability and a focus on elevating financial experiences.

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