BUSINESS
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Aug- 2025 -11 August
RBI draft rules to streamline claim settlement for deceased account holders
The RBI has proposed standardised forms and uniform procedures for settling claims related to deceased customers’ accounts and lockers within 15 days, including compensation for delays, to streamline processes and improve customer service across all banks Mumbai: The RBI plans to standardise forms to process claims on deceased customers’ bank accounts and lockers within a 15-day timeframe and provide compensation to nominees for any settlement delays. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposes to come out with standard procedures for the settlement of claims in respect of bank accounts, and articles kept in safe custody or safe deposit lockers of deceased bank customers. The aim is to make the settlement more convenient and simpler. Towards this, the central bank has issued…
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11 August
ICICI Bank hikes minimum average balance to Rs 50,000 — How will it affect you
Customers of metro and urban branches must maintain a minimum average balance of Rs 50,000 under the new structure — up from the earlier limit of Rs 10,000 Mumbai: ICICI Bank on Saturday raised the minimum average balance (MAB) requirement for its savings accounts, with significant hikes for new and urban customers in metro cities. Customers of metro and urban branches must maintain a minimum average balance of Rs 50,000 under the new structure — up from the earlier limit of Rs 10,000. The change applies only to the new customers who have been acquired since August 1, 2025. Semi-urban customers are required to maintain Rs 25,000, while rural customers need Rs 10,000 in their accounts to stay clear of penalties. Customers who…
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11 August
Income Tax Dept launches ITR-5 Excel utility for AY 2024-25 filing
The Income Tax Department has released the ITR-5 Excel utility for AY 2024-25, enabling partnership firms, LLPs, and other eligible entities to file returns. Updates include MSME, startup, and crypto reporting provisions, with a September 15 deadline for non-audit cases New Delhi: The Income Tax Department on Saturday released the ITR-5 Excel Utility for Assessment Year 2024–25. This utility can be used by partnership firms, Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), and cooperative societies to file their annual returns. Associations of Persons, Bodies of Individuals, artificial juridical persons, cooperative societies, societies registered under the Societies Registration Act, local authorities, and certain business trusts and investment funds are other eligible entities. Entities other than individuals, Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), companies, and those required to…
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10 August
Indian Railways launches discounted round trip scheme for festive travel
Indian Railways has launched a discounted ‘Round Trip Package’ for the 2025 festive season, offering a 20 per cent rebate on return fares. The scheme applies to confirmed tickets in both directions and aims to ease festival travel congestion New Delhi: To avoid rush by ensuring hassle-free ticket booking experience during the upcoming peak festive seasons, the Ministry of Railways on Saturday said that it has decided to formulate a ‘Round Trip Package’ on discounted fare and rebates benefit. The move will facilitate passengers and redistribute the peak traffic for a larger range during peak festival seasons and ensure both sides utilisation of trains, including special trains. “It has been decided to formulate an experimental scheme named as Round Trip Package…
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10 August
India eyes global trade expansion: FTAs underway with US, EU, and more
India is actively negotiating Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with multiple countries including the US, EU, Oman, Chile, Peru, and New Zealand, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said during the BT India @100 event. With India now the world’s fourth-largest economy, Goyal affirmed that the nation is on track to become the third-largest. New Delhi: India is negotiating trade pacts with several countries, including the US, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday, adding that today, the world recognises the strengths of the country. Speaking at an event here, Goyal said several countries are keen to engage with India on the trade front. “We are in dialogue with many countries — the US, Oman, the European Union, Chile, Peru and New Zealand. Many others want…
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10 August
Jio eyes global leadership in 6G technology
As of March 2025, Jio had around 191 million 5G users on its network contributing about 45 per cent to its wireless data traffic New Delhi: Digital services company Jio is actively engaged in development of 6G technology with an aim to be a global leader in the segment, according to annual report of parent firm Reliance Industries.It is now the world’s largest data operator carrying over 17 exabytes of data traffic monthly with about 60 per cent share of wireless data traffic in India. “Jio continues to work on future communication technologies and is actively researching and developing 6G technology, aiming to be a global leader in its development and deployment. “In less than a decade, Jio has driven India’s transition from…
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10 August
Mukesh Ambani draws no salary for 5th year
However, the promoter group firms that Reliance Industries chairman controls earn a dividend income of Rs 3,655 crore New Delhi: Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani drew nil salary from his oil-to-telecom-and-retail conglomerate Reliance Industries for the fifth year in a row and dividends remain his main source of earnings. Ambani, 68, had capped his annual remuneration at Rs 15 crore from financial year 2008-09 (April 2008 to March 2009) to 2019-20 (FY20); and since FY21, he opted to forego his salary, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, until the company and all its businesses were fully back to their earnings potential. In 2024-25 (FY25), he got ‘nil’ as salary, allowances, and perquisites as well as retiral benefits, according to the latest annual report of…
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8 August
Trump ups the ante with additional 25 pc tariff on India for buying Russian oil
In a move to further escalate trade tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday imposing an additional 25% tariff on goods imported from India. The new levy is in retaliation for India’s continued import of Russian oil, despite U.S. sanctions Washington: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday slapped an additional 25 per cent tariff on goods coming from India as penalty for New Delhi’s continued buying of Russian oil. Trump signed an executive order imposing the additional tariff less than 14 hours before his initial tariffs were to come into effect. After the order, the total tariff on Indian goods, barring a small exemption list, will be 50 per cent. While the initial duty becomes effective on August 7, the additional…
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8 August
Paytm becomes 100 per cent Indian-owned as Ant Group exits completely
Paytm is now fully Indian-owned after Ant Group exited by selling its residual 5.84 per cent stake. The move marks a major shift in the company’s ownership structure, aligning with its long-standing vision of building a homegrown tech champion New Delhi: Nearly nine years ago, Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma had remarked, “We are as Indian as Maruti,” in an interview with PTI, responding to queries about the company’s ownership structure at that time. That statement, once seen as symbolic, now reflects the reality, one where Paytm stands as a truly Indian company, both in spirit and shareholding. The mobile payments company is 100 per cent Indian-owned after Jack Ma’s Ant Financial exited One97 Communications, the parent company of…
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8 August
WhatsApp introduces new safety feature to combat scam groups
WhatsApp has rolled out a ‘Safety Overview’ feature to protect users from being added to unknown groups, as part of a broader anti-scam push. Over 6.8 million scam-linked accounts were banned, with operations disrupted across Southeast Asia New Delhi: WhatsApp has launched a new ‘safety overview’, which will alert a user when someone not in their contact adds them to a new WhatsApp group that they may not recognise, as the Meta’s messaging platform intensified its crackdown on scams and frauds. The safety overview will contain key information about the said group and tips to stay safe, it said. “From there, you can exit the group without ever having to look at the chat. And if you think you might recognise…
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