Category: Finance

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Finance

Union Budget 2021 Live Updates: Expect Costlier Phones as Govt hikes customs duty on parts

Budget 2021 live updates

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today presented her third Union Budget in the Parliament this year. The Budget 2021 is based on the six pillars as physical, financial capital and infrastructure, health and well-being, inclusive development for aspirational India, reinvigorating human capital, innovation, and R&D, and minimum government and maximum governance.

Calling the current Budget an active and not a reactive budget, the FM stated that India is moving from Covid-related reforms to Atmanirbhar resolve. All eyes were set on the Union Budget 2021 and besides the parliamentarians, it was seen by both domestic and foreign investors, middle class, and corporates, along with various interest groups like farmers.

The 2.5 % duty hike is also applicable on parts of manufacture of PCBA (Printed Circular Board Assembly)of cellular mobile phones, camera modules, and manufacture of connectors and raw materials.
In a bid to improve the manufacturing sector in India, the government has increased the customs duty for up to 10% on mobile chargers, sub-parts of phones. This step could lead to a rise in the cost of mobile phones by 3-4% from February 2, 2021.

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Finance

Union Budget 2021 Live Updates: Healthcare expenditure doubles up in “Get Well Soon” budget

Budget 2021 live updates

With FM Nirmala Sitharam unveiling the annual budget on February, 1, the government focuses on the healthcare sector in the wake of the pandemic. The focus of the entire world has been majorly centered on the healthcare industry. Keeping with the trend, the post-COVID budget provides a major boost to healthcare and infrastructure.

In healthcare spending, Sitharaman announced a total spend of around Rs 2.23 Lakh crore on healthcare, which is a 137% increase from last year under the Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana. The government also proposes a budget of Rs 35,000 crore on COVID 19 vaccine development and inoculation. This will ensure uninterrupted healthcare services for more people.

Along with the National Health Mission, the investment of Rs 64,180 crores over the next 6 years are expected to improve primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare. The government has also proposed the establishment of critical care units and hospital blocks that will act as a catalyst in the country`s domestic market growth and place India as a key player in the global markets.

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Finance

Union Budget 2021 Live Updates: No Income Tax Slab Change in Budget 2021.

Budget 2021 live updates

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has concluded Union Budget 2021 speech. She has proposed various benefits for the investors, depositors, and taxpayers. While keeping the Income Tax slab rates unchanged, FM Sitharaman has provided relief for senior citizens above 75 and NRIs by proposing few changes.

Senior citizens who are earning pension and income from deposits are exempted from filing Income Tax Return. Annual premium up to Rs 2.5 lakh on the maturity of ULIP will also be exempted from Tax. However, EPF interest income above Rs 2.5 lakh will be taxable.
The Government will also take all the necessary steps to provide GST relief by reducing inverted GST structures.

As the FM earlier had promised that the post-COVID Budget 2021 will be like no other, the common man was expecting that the government would expand some tax advantages through the budget. Several experts and professional bodies like ICAI had also recommended the government to increase the deduction limit under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act.

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Finance

Union Budget 2021 Live Updates: Government focuses on Fiscal Deficit & Tax Exemption for Senior Citizens

Budget 2021 live updates

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting the most awaited post-COVID Budget 2021. Not only the Union Budget 2021 will be paperless this year, but it will also put forward a concrete plan to boost the COVID-hit economy.

Finance Minister has announced some significant changes to the taxation process that involves the removal of income tax for senior citizens under certain conditions, new rules for the scrapping of double taxation for NRIs, and a reduction in the period of tax assessments. She has also announced that the advance tax liability on dividend income will arise after the declaration of payment of dividends.
In her speech, Nirmala Sitharaman also said that India`s fiscal deficit is expected to jump to 9.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2020-21 as per Revised Estimates. The rise in fiscal deficit is estimated on the account of the increase in expenditure
While unveiling the Union Budget 2021-22 in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said that the government is expecting to bring down the fiscal deficit below 4.5 percent, which has soared to a high of 4.6 percent in 2019-20. The fiscal deficit is expected to go down below 4.5 percent of GDP by 2025-26

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What is a Fiscal Deficit?
Fiscal Deficit is the difference between the expenditure of the government and the revenue generated in a financial year. It is calculated both in absolute terms and as a percentage of the country`s gross domestic product (GDP).

According to the Finance Minister, the government is planning to borrow Rs. 80,000 crores during the residual two months of the current fiscal year.

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Finance

Union Budget 2021 Expectations: What India’s Aviation Sector is Expecting?

Aviation Sector (Photo Credits: Pexels)

The novel coronavirus pandemic has majorly affected the aviation sector. The industry incurred severe losses after thousands of flights daily came to a standstill in March 2020. To cope with this, the sector is hoping for support from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the 2021 Budget on February 1.

From lowering air turbine fuel taxes (ATF) to reducing airport, landing, parking and navigation charges- the industry is expecting help from the government. The ATF comprises around 30-40 per cent of the total cost of an airline.

The sector is also expecting the government to remove a cap on fare prices. A fare cap price band was introduced in order to avoid exploitation by airlines. However, the sector now believes that the government should remove the price band and airlines should be allowed to set ticket prices.

“Since the airlines have to currently follow a fare band as per the directives of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), which is constraining their ability to charge higher fares, they want relaxations in terms of the fares they can charge,” said Kinjal Shah, vice president, ICRA.

Recently, the government also hintend at rationalisation of various taxes in the aviation sector. “We are working on a long-term plan to help the sector by rationalizing various taxes,” said Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation. As of now, the government has allowed airlines to run on 80 per cent capacity, after starting out with 33 per cent in May 2020.

 

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Finance

Union Budget 2021: How the post-COVID Budget will Impact the Corporates & Common Taxpayers?

union budget-2021
Union Budget 2021-22 | Representational Image

With the economy slowly gaining momentum from the pandemic, a lot of hopes are riding on the Union Budget 2021. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is supposed to announce the first post-COVID Budget 2021 on February 1, is ready to steer the Indian economy back on the growth track.

Due to the global pandemic, almost all the sectors of the economy were knocked-off in 2020. However, there have been few indications that some of them are showing a quick recovery.

The major challenge for the Finance Minister is to hit the perfect balance between managing the fiscal deficit considerations and reviving broad-based growth.

While the auto and real estate sectors are still struggling, MSMEs across several sectors are still facing the financial crunch, resulting in little or no job creation. In the wake of the pandemic-induced economic shock, the government is expected to provide more tax breaks to netizens, so that they can have higher disposable incomes.

Now that the end of the pandemic is in sight, all eyes are on Union Budget 2021 in the hope of some much-awaited reliefs and incentives. The corporates and individual taxpayers are all expecting the tax concessions in this year`s budget.

Let us look at some of the most crucial expectations that the taxpayers have from the upcoming Union Budget 2021:

Tax Reliefs for Corporates

Before the pandemic struck the world, the corporate taxes in India were reduced to 22% for companies and 15% for manufacturing firms. So, any further reduction in corporate tax seems unlikely. However, to support the companies to cope up with the losses suffered during the lockdown, investment-based reliefs and flexible adjustment of the previous year`s losses could be in the pipeline.

Insurance Awareness

The importance of insurance in India has been low for many decades. In 2020, people became more aware due to the pandemic and the high medical costs related to it. Perhaps, this is an excellent time for the insurance sector to increase its foothold in the country.

Worst Hit Industries & Sectors

Several industries like aviation, food & beverages, tourism, etc., have suffered major losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The recovery time for these sectors will also be longer as compared to the other industries that are already on their path to recovery.

To provide relief to worst-hit sectors, the government may extend their 8-year-loss-carrying forward window. These industries will have minimal income levels in this as well as in the upcoming financial year until they recover completely.

Vivad se Vishwas Scheme

The introduction of Vivad se Vishwas Scheme was one of the highlights of the 2020 Budget. The government aimed to increase their tax revenues by offering to settle cases upon 100% payment of disputed taxes. This would result in the saving of interest as well as the penalty.

However, there were fewer takers of the scheme due to the pandemic. Thus, the government might consider extending this scheme so that more taxpayers can avail the benefit of this scheme in the upcoming Union Budget 2021.

While there are numerous expectations from Budget 2021, the government has announced various relief policies to keep the economy afloat.

The Budget 2021 will be announced on February 1. Finance Minister Sitharaman will deliver the longest ever budget speech last year. This year the Union Budget 2021 will be paperless.

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Finance

Union Budget 2021 Should Focus More on Growth Recovery; Fiscal Deficit May Fall to 6.2 Percent in FY22, Says Report

budget 2021-2022

Mumbai, January 28: The annual Union Budget is round the corner. The Union Budget is slated to be presented on Monday, February 1, 2021 while the Economic Survey will be tabled on Friday, January 29, 2021. All eyes will be on the forthcoming Union Budget as it is expected to focus more on putting the economy back on track. According to a report by India Ratings, the focus of the budget will be to get back things to normalcy and not too much on arresting fiscal deficit, which is seen at 6.2 percent in 2021-22, down from 7 percent this year.

The Union Budget 2020-21 had estimated fiscal deficit at Rs 7.96 lakh crore or 3.5 percent of GDP but India Ratings sees it printing in at Rs 13.44 lakh crore or 7 percent if the government cleared its payables and roll over some portion of expenditure to 2021-22.

India Ratings Chief Economist Devendra Pant said that the 2021-22 budget is likely to project a fiscal deficit of 6.2 percent but that will be achievable if nominal growth comes in around 14 percent and real growth prints in at 9.5-10 percent. The study pegged growth at 9.6 per cent for 2021-22 and (-)7.8 per cent for the current financial year 2020-21.

The report said that the fiscal impact of the economic packages worked out to be about Rs 3.5 lakh, or 1.8 percent of GDP. Even without this package, Ind-Ra had estimated that FY21 will witness a revenue shortfall of Rs 60,000 crore due to aggressive estimation of revenue receipts, it added. The government adopted a lose fiscal policy due to the coronavirus pandemic and announced a number of policy measures under Atmanirbhar Bharat packages to support the economy. The report adds that as per the grant-wise expenditure trend, the report estimates revenue expenditure in 2020-21 to be Rs 26.65 lakh crore as against a Budget Estimate of Rs 26.30 lakh crore.

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Finance

Union Budget 2021: Healthcare, Infrastructure will remain in the limelight!

budget 2021

After the country`s economy has taken a deep blow due to the pandemic, all eyes are on Union Budget 2021. The Union Budget 2021 will be announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.

The country experts are expecting that the government will take corrective measures to support, revive and boost the economy. Amidst the ongoing pandemic and slowdown of the economy, various industry professionals are also expecting a reduction in GST rates.

The Union Budget is typically classified into Capital, Revenue, and Expenditure budget. The Budget also provides a blueprint of how much money the government is expecting to raise in the coming fiscal and where it is planning to spend it.

For 2021-22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the budget will be nothing-like-seen-before. The budget will also see massive investment and expenditure push for sectors like infrastructure and health sectors. Along with these two, other sectors like real estate, railways, and construction too, are expected to be in focus in the budget.

According to Rahul Singh, CIO-Equities, Tata Mutual Fund, “the government will focus on the economic recovery of the country as the upcoming budget will provide the acceleration”.

“The Government can plan its expenditure based on the strong recovery of the economy in nominal GDP growth in FY22, and tolerance for fiscal deficit, even though it will be materially lower than the FY21 levels”, he added.

“We are also expecting the focus to be on other sectors like healthcare, housing, and infrastructure. As the low-interest rates and stable real estate prices have improved affordability, the revival of the real estate sector is also on its way. Production linked incentive (PLI) scheme has been successful earlier, and a further momentum can be imparted by dedicated export zones with associated infra and easy approvals”, Singh further added.

“As there have been many significant changes to the tax structure in the last 2-3 years, hence the government will only make incremental changes. On the reform front, the Government might focus PSU reforms that will also include banks and privatization as one of the most important areas to raise capital over the medium term”, he said.

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Finance

8 Types of Working Capital & Everything you should know about them!

working capital

Wouldn`t it be easier to start and manage your business as an entrepreneur or a solopreneur had there been a problem-solving course on working capital management?

Wouldn`t it be wonderful to have a course that enables you to understand the concept of Working Capital Management in an easy-to-understand language? Fortunately, you can understand the basics of Working Capital Management and a lot more in this article.

What is Working Capital?

Considered as one of the most crucial components, working capital is vital for a smooth business operation. In simple words, it is the difference between the company`s current assets (cash, inventory, marketable securities, and receivables) and liabilities (rent, bills, and other expenses).

It represents a company`s operational activities and includes inventory, accounts receivable & payable, cash, and short-term debt.

How is it beneficial for a business?

Working capital is a vital factor for both business owners and financial professionals. An effective financial tool, the working capital gives an exact picture and a fair idea about a business` short-term financial standing. It also ensures the efficient use of all the components of current assets and liabilities to reduce the overall cost.

Types of Working Capital

Depending on the time, there are eight types of working capital in India:

  1. Permanent Working Capital

Also known as fixed working capital, the permanent working capital consists of minimum current assets that are required to run the business operations smoothly. However, the size of the WC depends on production scale and growth.

  1. Variable Working Capital

The amount that is invested in a business venture for a short period is considered as the variable working capital. In India, it is also used as temporary working capital and is used for changes in production and sales activities.

  1. Reserve Margin Working Capital

As the name suggests, this type of WC is reserved by the organizations for unforeseen expenses to sustain during a crisis.

  1. Seasonal Variable Working Capital

During the peak season of a business, a company requires more working capital to meet consumer demands. To fulfill the requirement the business owners opt for additional financial assistance which is known as seasonal working capital in India.

  1. Regular Working Capital

This type of WC is typically required by every organization under normal circumstances to ensure smooth business operations.

  1. Special Variable Working Capital

Special variable WC is the type of fund that is reserved by a business for its unique circumstances like the launch of new products, risk management, marketing campaigns, among others.

  1. Gross Working Capital

This type of fund is invested under a firm`s current assets. Its major components include cash, short-term investments, inventory,  marketable securities, and accounts receivables.

  1. Net Working Capital

NWC is an essential type of working capital that represents the amount by which a firm`s current assets surpass its liabilities.

The concept of Working Capital is vast and is extremely vital for a business. Thus, the understanding of this concept requires deeper knowledge from the industry experts who have faced and resolved the challenges with their experience and in-depth understanding of the concept.

Take our Working Capital course that will clear all your doubts and provide solutions to your burning problems. To know more about this course and how it will benefit you, click here: https://www.badabusiness.com/psc?ref_code=ArticlesLeads

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Finance

Kerala Becomes the 8th State in India To Complete Ease of Doing Business Reforms, Becomes Eligible for Additional Borrowing Limit of Rs 2,261 Cr

Business Tips | Representational Image Only (Photo Credits: Pexels)

Kerala has become the 8th State in India to successfully undertake ‘Ease of Doing Business’ reform stipulated by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. The ease of doing business is an important indicator of the investment friendly business climate in the country. Improvements in the ease of doing business will enable faster future growth of the state economy. Therefore, the government of India had in May 2020, decided to link grant of additional borrowing permissions to States who undertake the reforms to facilitate ease of doing business. Kerala has become eligible to mobilise additional financial resources of Rs 2,261 crore through Open Market Borrowings.

An official release by the government stated that the permission for the same was issued to Kerala by the Department of Expenditure on January 12, 2021. Kerala has now joined the seven other States namely, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, who have completed this reform. On completion of reforms facilitating ease of doing business, these eight States have been granted additional borrowing permission of Rs 23,149 crore.

State wise amount of the additional borrowing permitted is as under:

Sr. No. State Amount (Rs in crore)
1. Andhra Pradesh 2,525
2. Karnataka 4,509
3. Kerala 2,261
4. Madhya Pradesh 2,373
5. Odisha 1,429
6. Rajasthan 2,731
7. Tamil Nadu 4,813
8. Telangana 2,508

 

The reforms stipulated in this category are:

(i)      Completion of first assessment of ‘District Level Business Reform Action Plan’

(ii)     Elimination of the requirements of renewal of registration certificates/approvals/licences obtained by businesses under various Acts.

(iii)    Implementation of computerized central random inspection system under the Acts wherein allocation of inspectors is done centrally, the same inspector is not assigned to the same unit in subsequent years, prior inspection notice is provided to the business owner, and inspection report is uploaded within 48 hours of inspection.