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FM Sitharaman Holds First Pre-Union Budget Consultations With Leading Economists

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FM Sitharaman Holds First Pre-Union Budget Consultations With Leading Economists


New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday held first pre-budget consultations with leading economists ahead of the upcoming Union Budget 2026-27. 

The meeting was attended by Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) V. Anantha Nageswaran, besides other economists and senior officers from the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).

“Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs @nsitharaman chairs the first Pre-Budget Consultation with leading economists in connection with the upcoming Union Budget 2026-27, in New Delhi, today,” said an X post from Ministry of Finance.

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“The meeting was also attended by Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) @FinMinIndia; and Chief Economic Adviser, Government of India, besides senior officers from the DEA,” the ministry added.

As part of the ongoing pre-budget consultations, the government has been holding a series of meetings with industry representatives to gather inputs for the upcoming Union Budget.

The discussions are centred on enhancing the ease of doing business and extending tax benefits to the last mile.

Late last month, senior officials from the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) on Wednesday met Revenue Secretary Arvind Srivastava to present the industry’s recommendations on direct and indirect tax policies.

PHDCCI CEO and Secretary General, Dr Ranjit Mehta, said the discussions focused on both taxation and business facilitation. “We also discussed ease of doing business, which is the government’s focus,” he noted, adding that the Chamber had shared specific suggestions to ease liquidity challenges faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Meanwhile, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has called for comprehensive tax reforms in the Union Budget 2026-27, including expedition of dispute resolution, simplification of TDS regime and digitised customs systems.

The apex industry body emphasised the need to move towards a “compliance system rooted in trust, simplicity, and technology,” and accountable for administrative delays.

CII Director-General Chandrajit Banerjee said that India’s tax system needs to shift from being dispute-driven to dispute-preventive. “The tax system must ensure that taxation not only raises revenue efficiently but also acts as a catalyst for investment, innovation and competitiveness. The Budget can be a pivot for a truly modern, transparent and globally benchmarked tax regime,” Banerjee said.

The government is expected to continue engaging with various industry bodies in the coming weeks before finalising its proposals for the Union Budget.



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Without Rera data, real estate reform risks losing credibility: Homebuyers’ body – The Times of India

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Without Rera data, real estate reform risks losing credibility: Homebuyers’ body – The Times of India


New Delhi: More than 75% of state real estate regulators, Reras, have either never published annual reports, discontinued their publication or not updated them despite statutory obligation and directions from the housing and urban affairs ministry, claimed homebuyers’ body FPCE on Friday. It released status report of 21 Reras as of Feb 13.The availability of updated annual reports is crucial as these contain details of data on performance of Reras, including project completion status categorised by timely completion, completion with extensions, and incomplete projects. The ministry’s format for publishing these reports also specifies providing details such as actual execution status of refund, possession and compensation orders as well as recovery warrant execution details with values and list of defaulting builders.FPCE said annual report data is not only vital for homebuyers to assess system credibility, but is equally necessary for both state and central govts to frame effective policies, design incentivisation schemes, and develop tax policy frameworks.“Unless we have credible data proving that after Rera the real estate sector has improved in terms of delivery, fairness, and keeping its promises, we are merely firing in the air,” said FPCE president Abhay Upadhyay, who is also a member of the govt’s Central Advisory Council on Rera.As per details shared by the entity, seven states — Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Goa — have never published a single annual report since Rera’s implementation, and nine states, including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana, which initially published reports, have discontinued the practice.Upadhyay said when regulators themselves don’t follow the law, they lose the legal right to demand compliance from other stakeholders. “Their failure emboldens builders and weakens the very system they are meant to safeguard,” he said.



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Infosys Rolls Out 85% Average Performance Bonus In Q3FY26, Best In Over 3 Years

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Infosys Rolls Out 85% Average Performance Bonus In Q3FY26, Best In Over 3 Years


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Over recent quarters, payouts had gradually improved from roughly 65 percent to 80 percent and now to an average of about 85 percent in Q3FY26.

Infosys logo is seen.

Infosys logo is seen.

IT major Infosys rolled out performance bonus payouts averaging around 85 percent for the quarter ended December 31, 2025 (Q3FY26), marking the strongest variable pay outcome for eligible employees in at least the past three-and-a-half years, Moneycontrol reported citing people in the know.

The bonus payout for mid- to junior-level employees ranges between 75 percent and 100 percent, with most employees clustering around the organisation-wide average of 85 percent, the report said. The development signals a steady recovery in variable compensation at the Bengaluru-headquartered IT services firm. Over recent quarters, payouts had gradually improved from roughly 65 percent to 80 percent and now to an average of about 85 percent in Q3FY26.

Employees are expected to receive their bonus letters over the next few days, with the payout scheduled to be credited along with their February salary.

One employee told the outlet that it is the strongest bonus outcome seen in recent years. The payout is also among the rare instances since the Covid-19 period when variable pay has approached the upper end of the eligible range.

Infosys last paid out 100 percent variable compensation during the pandemic. In the quarters that followed, payouts were lower amid macroeconomic uncertainty and a broader slowdown in client spending across global markets.

The higher payout comes at a time when global IT stocks have faced renewed pressure, driven by concerns over rapid advances in artificial intelligence and their potential impact on traditional IT services models.

Shares of global IT firms have seen sharp sell-offs in recent weeks amid heightened investor focus on AI leaders such as Anthropic. Investors fear that generative AI tools could compress pricing, automate routine services work and reduce demand for legacy outsourcing models.

Against that backdrop, the improved bonus payout at Infosys is being viewed as a signal of operational resilience and near-term performance strength, even as sentiment around the broader IT sector remains cautious.

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Why you should consider switching bank accounts

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Why you should consider switching bank accounts



Martin Lewis explains why now might be a good time to think about changing your bank account.



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