Control your lust for gold, says PC

March 2, 2013

gold

New Delhi, Mar 2: Finance Minister P Chidambaram has appealed to people not to buy so much gold, a day after his 2013-14 Budget surprised traders by keeping gold import duty unchanged at 6 per cent.

But Chidambaram, who is trying to rein in imports by the world’s biggest bullion buyer to curb a record current account deficit, told CNBC television on Friday that the duty was not yet high enough to increase smuggling.

“I’m hoping that the people of India will heed my appeal and not demand so much gold,”

Chidambaram said.

Traders had expected a rise in duty to 8 per cent in the Budget, after a 50 per cent hike on January 21 from 4 per cent was neutralised by the falling global prices.

Chidambaram said on Friday the higher import duty had “brought down gold imports to some extent.”

But, traders said buying actually picked up after a more than 2 per cent drop in prices triggered by a strong dollar.

“After the import duty, prices went down by Rs 3,000 and that spurred buying,” said Kumar Jain, vice-president of the 12,000-member Mumbai Jewellers Association.

Indians imported 860 tonnes of gold in 2012, down just 11 per cent from a year earlier, despite record high prices in the second half.

Raising the duty too much risks encouraging illegal import of gold. But Chidambaram said he did not think the taxes were high enough for that yet.

“There is a point at which more duties will only tempt people to indulge in more smuggling. I don’t think we have reached that point yet,” he added.

Gold is second only to essential crude oil in the import bill of Asia’s third-largest economy.

Chidambaram said ways to tackle the current account deficit, which hit 5.4 per cent of the gross domestic product in the July to September quarter, were by encouraging domestic production and boosting exports.

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News Network
January 27,2020

New Delhi, Jan 27: The government on Monday issued the preliminary information memorandum for 100 per cent stake sale in national carrier Air India. As part of the strategic disinvestment, Air India would also sell 100 per cent stake in low cost airline Air India Express and 50 per cent shareholding in joint venture AISATS, as per the bid document issued on Monday.

Management control of the airline would also be transferred to the successful bidder.

The government has set March 17 as the deadline for submitting the Expression of Interest (EoI).

EY is the transaction adviser for Air India disinvestment process.

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News Network
April 24,2020

Apr 24: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in bringing bodies of Keralites who died in the Gulf countries due to non-COVID-19 reasons to the state without any delay for performing last rites in their home towns.

In a letter, he wanted Modi to direct Indian embassies to issue necessary clearances without seeking individual approvals from the Ministry of Home Affairs and avoid any delay so that the remains reach Kerala early. It has been learnt that a 'clearance certificate' from the Indian embassies concerned was required to process the application for bringing home the bodies.

The embassies are insisting on production of no-objection certificate from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, he said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media here on Friday. The Centre had already agreed that in case the deaths are not COVID related, such certificates are not necessary.

The bodies are now being brought in the cargo planes as passenger flights are not being operated due to the lockdown. Chief Minister said he had received several grievances from the NRKs in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on the delay in bringing home the bodies of those who died there. "They are already under tremendous stress and anxiety due to the lockdown imposed in those countries and the consequent stoppage of international flights", Vijayan said.

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News Network
February 2,2020

Beijing, Feb 2: India on Sunday temporarily suspended e-visa facility for Chinese travellers and foreigners residing in China in view of the virulent coronavirus that has killed more than 300 people, infected 14,562 others and spread to 25 countries, including India, the US and the UK.

“Due to certain current developments, travel to India on e-visas stands temporarily suspended with immediate effect," the Indian Embassy announced.

“This applies to holders of Chinese passports and applicants of other nationalities residing in the People's Republic of China. Holders of already issued e-visas may note that these are no longer valid," the announcement said.

“All those who have a compelling reason to visit India may contact the Embassy of India in Beijing or the Indian consulates in Shanghai or Guangzhou, as well as the Indian Visa Application Centres in these cities," it said.

On Sunday, India airlifted a second batch of 323 stranded Indians and seven Maldivian citizens from coronavirus-hit Wuhan city, taking the total number of people evacuated to 654.

Air India's jumbo B747 made two flights to Wuhan city - the ground zero of the coronavirus epidemic. In the first flight on early Saturday, 324 Indians were evacuated and on Sunday another 323 Indians and seven Maldivian citizens were flown back.

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dinah
 - 
Friday, 14 Feb 2020

It's not surprising for countries to restrict. it just feels wrong to treat them that way specially those who are not really infected. It could really hurt their feelings.

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