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The 57th GST Council meeting, originally scheduled for September 12, has been postponed due to the BRICS Summit clash and is now likely to be held on October 7 in New Delhi. Preparatory meetings of GST officers are set for October 5–6. The Council, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will deliberate on pending issues like input tax credit, refunds, and compliance.
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman invited global companies to explore investment opportunities in India’s rapidly expanding digital infrastructure sector during meetings in New York. She highlighted growth in AI, cloud computing, digital services, financial markets and the country’s reform-oriented business environment
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in North Carolina and invited him to Delhi for the Economic and Financial Partnership later this year, with both sides discussing stronger India-US cooperation
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met UK Chancellor John Healey on the sidelines of the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Asheville, US, on Monday. The meeting comes during Sitharaman’s six-day US visit, with global growth and geopolitical conflicts topping the agenda
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged 3M Chairman William Brown to expand investments in India in research, advanced manufacturing, technology and local supply chains. Discussions focused on leveraging India’s talent and manufacturing capabilities to strengthen domestic and global supply-chain opportunities
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G20 finance ministers and central bank governors are meeting in Asheville to address global growth, trade disputes, debt vulnerabilities and supply-chain resilience. The talks are complicated by the Iran conflict, Strait of Hormuz disruptions, US sanctions proposals, tariffs and concerns over China
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for greater support in talent, ideas and capital to achieve the Viksit Bharat goal by 2047. She highlighted India’s fiscal discipline and economic management while addressing members of the Indian diaspora in Chicago
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India and Canada aim to conclude negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by the end of 2026 and begin Bilateral Investment Treaty talks, while also exploring wider UPI use and targeting expansion of bilateral trade to CAD 70 billion by 2030
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Tamil Nadu has allocated Rs 200 crore for developing Mahabalipuram as an international-standard spiritual and tourism hub. Tourism Minister S Rajesh Kumar also announced plans for pilgrimage circuits, river tourism projects and training local guides to cater to global visitors
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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged startups to expand beyond major cities and reach rural and remote areas. At the Rajasthan Youth Conclave, she highlighted government support, while Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma outlined Rajasthan’s growing startup, innovation and technology ecosystem
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The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has alleged irregularities and a multi-crore scam in the PM Ekta Mall tenders at Raidurg, Hyderabad. K. T. Rama Rao demanded cancellation of tenders and sought Union intervention, while Minister D. Sridhar Babu dismissed the charges as political drama, asserting transparency in the process.
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026, will create a technology-neutral framework for banking records by recognising electronic and digital documents, standardising certification and enabling their admissibility, validity and enforceability as evidence in courts
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called Indian communists “total cowards” during a Rajya Sabha debate, accusing CPI(M) MP John Brittas of spreading confusion over UPI charges. She defended the Taxation Amendment Bill and reiterated that consumers will not be charged for UPI payments
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Parliament passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarifying that UPI will remain free for consumers. The legislation also seeks to attract foreign capital, boost electronics manufacturing and ease operations for global cloud companies
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rejected Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's criticism of the UPI amendment Bill, saying Merchant Discount Rate applies only to merchants. She accused the Congress of avoiding parliamentary debate, while Ramesh maintained the changes could eventually lead to charges on digital payments.
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The Rajya Sabha passed the Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2026, authorising excess expenditure incurred during FY2022-23. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the excess grants related to a Railway Ministry court order and debt repayment with no fiscal impact
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West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the state will become financially stronger within two years, announcing a ₹4,000-crore steel plant in Purulia and promising land allocation to 25 industries as part of an industrial growth drive
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The Lok Sabha was adjourned after passing the Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2026 by voice vote amid Opposition protests. Members also disrupted proceedings over student protest action and other issues, while the government introduced the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026
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The increase in monetary limits for filing departmental tax appeals has reduced disputed tax demand by an estimated Rs 16,690 crore, Parliament was informed. The government also highlighted several reforms introduced over the past 12 years to simplify tax compliance and improve taxpayer services
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The government introduced the Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha to replace the 1891 law, recognising digital and virtual banking records as admissible evidence, expanding the definition of bankers' books, and modernising the legal framework for technology-driven banking
