Software Financial News

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the lower-than-expected GDP growth of 5.4 per cent in the second quarter was a «temporary blip» and the economy will see healthy growth in the coming quarters. Replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants, she said India has seen «steady and sustained» growth and its GDP growth rate has averaged 8.3 per cent in the last three years. India continues to be the fastest-growing major economy in the world, Sitharaman added. The second quarter growth is only a «temporary blip», and the economy will see healthy growth in the coming quarters, Sitharaman said.

wealth management firms, has raised $2 million in a funding round led by early-stage venture capital firms Chiratae Ventures and BoldCap. The round also saw participation from investors such as Sparrow Capital, SFMG Wealth Advisors and Better Capital. The funds will be used to enhance and accelerate the product by expanding customisation capabilities, enhancing integrations, scaling partnerships and hiring talent.

The banking system cash deficit, as measured by banks’ borrowings from the Reserve Bank of India, was at 1.5 trillion rupees ($17.7 billion) as of Monday, the highest since June 24, according to a Bloomberg Economics index. The RBI has been net selling dollars since October, which has resulted in a substantial drain on liquidity, according to IDFC First Bank Ltd.

Nitin Gadkari has asked the Indian Road Congress to develop international standards and codes for development of bridges and tunnels to ensure best quality construction. “Common policy will help all stakeholders. I have suggested Indian Road Congress to come up with common standards for construction of bridges and tunnels, though I understand construction of tunnels depends on the geology of the terrain or the place,” he said while virtually addressing the Assocham’s Annual Infrastructure Conference on Tuesday. Commenting on the need for a good quality as well as cost effective construction, Gadkari said, the quality of national highways in the country is not up to the mark and we need technological innovations to develop best quality infrastructure which is also economically viable.

Annual Information Statement (AIS) and those revealed in Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for the fiscal years 2023–2024 and 2021–2022 the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has started an electronic campaign. In a press release dated December 17, 2024, the Ministry of Finance said, «People who have taxable income or major high-value transactions recorded in their AIS but have not filed ITRs for the relevant years are likewise the target of this campaign. The e-Verification Scheme, 2021, is being implemented in part via this endeavour.»

Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said that the Constitution is the biggest gift for the citizens, adding that the people of the country deserve the credit for keeping up the ethos of the constitution even after rapid development of the country. «When the constitution was made, India's population was 40 crore, today it is 140 crore. We have still become one of the strongest democracies in the world,» said Yadav. The minister attacked the opposition saying that a few people keep a copy of the Constitution in their pockets, which is not even original. Showing the original Constitution, Yadav said that the book contains illustrations throughout its pages. He further pointed out to the illustrations that have been displayed in each of the chapters.

multilingual professionals as a career opportunity. This has been fuelled by the emergence of more digital platforms and remote jobs, rising foreign job opportunities and initiatives. If you are also planning to pursue a foreign language course, here are a few widely popular career options you can explore. 1. Translator – The most commonly preferred career path after specializing in a language is a translator. The role expects you to translate written content like legal documents, books, and website content from one language to another. While translating, you have to ensure that the actual meaning doesn’t get lost or lose its relevance. To ace this role, one has to be fluent in both the source and target languages, possess excellent writing and comprehension skills, attention to detail, and knowledge of specialized fields such as legal, travel, or medical. For instance, if you learned the French language and aim to operate in the travel industry, then you must have an in-depth idea of both the language and the travel industry of the country you plan to work in.

Mansukh Mandaviya flagged off the 'Fit India Cycling Drive' at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here on Tuesday. Close to 500 cycling enthusiasts joined the three kilometres ride from the stadium to Raisina Hills and back, the initiative aimed at promoting cycling as a sustainable and healthy mode of transportation. The event was flagged off by Mandaviya in the presence of Raksha Khadse, the minister of state (Sports), MP Tejasvi Surya, as well as elite athletes, including Paris Paralympics bronze medallist Simran Sharma, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Nitu Ghanghas and Asian Games bronze winner Preeti Pawar. Mandaviya said in a press release, «We have launched this event as 'Fit India Cycling Tuesdays' but for the convenience of cycling enthusiasts, this will now be conducted on Sundays and be called 'Sundays on Cycle'.

Goa emerging as the most searched domestic destination, according to Make My Trip’s latest report, named Travel Search & Booking Trends in India for Year-End 2024. The top 20 domestic cities account for 40% of all travel searches, with hill stations gaining significant traction. Notably, Manali, Varanasi, Mussoorie, and Udaipur reported double-digit growth in search interest, reflecting the growing preference for cooler, scenic retreats. Nearly 40% of the top destinations feature hill stations across North and South India, highlighting a widespread demand for nature escapes. This year, the travel rush peaks on December 21st—the Saturday before Christmas—similar to last year. However, a notable surge in searches for December 25th indicates that many travelers plan to extend their holidays through the New Year.

To determine the busiest international and domestic flight routes, OAG analyzed the volume of scheduled airline seats from January to December 2024. The routes listed reflect round trip flights rather than one-ways in a single direction. “With the Asia Pacific region very close to a full recovery, the busiest routes are concentrated in the familiar major hubs of Hong Kong, Seoul Incheon and Singapore,” said John Grant, chief analyst at OAG, in a release.

Transatlantic Tunnel, estimated to cost $20 trillion (£15.8 trillion), promises exactly that, leveraging hyperloop technology to achieve unprecedented travel speeds. However, the project, described as one of the most ambitious infrastructure ideas in history, faces monumental challenges, from technological uncertainties to colossal costs. While captivating, this vision seems far removed from practical realisation.

Smriti Mandhana has surged three places to second in the latest ICC Women's ODI rankings while climbing one spot to third among T20I batters, following her stellar displays against Australia and the West Indies. The left-hander struck 105 in the final match of the series against Australia in Perth and 54 in the first game of the ongoing T20I rubber against the West Indies in Mumbai to headline the latest rankings update released here on Tuesday. Mandhana is the lone Indian batter in the top 10 as her skipper Harmanpreet Kaur moved down two spots to 13th while Jemimah Rodrigues climbed six places to 15th and Harleen Deol moved up nine rungs to 64th Among bowlers, Deepti Sharma has slipped two spots to five.

Trudeau’s Cabinet on Monday, citing irreconcilable differences over the country’s response to US President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats. The move has deepened a leadership crisis within Trudeau’s Liberal Party, as nearly 60 of its 153 Members of Parliament have called for a change in leadership. Freeland’s resignation marks the first significant dissent from within Trudeau’s Cabinet, further jeopardizing the Prime Minister’s hold on power. Her departure follows Trudeau’s offer to shuffle her to another role, which she rejected, stating, “I have concluded that the only honest and viable path is for me to resign from the Cabinet.”

Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday presented the second supplementary budget for financial year 2024-25, amounting to Rs 17,865 crore. The budget was tabled on the second day of the winter session of the state assembly. After the Question Hour, Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna presented the second supplementary budget. In his address, Khanna stated that the budget size is Rs 17,865.72 crore, which is 2.42 per cent of the original budget of Rs 7,36,437.71 crore. Khanna explained that the need for this supplementary budget arose due to the government's development priorities and adherence to constitutional provisions.

In the past few months United Nations-sponsored negotiations to tackle climate change, plastic pollution, loss of global species and a growing number of deserts have either outright failed or come out with limited outcomes that didn't address the scale of the problems. It's been three years since activist Greta Thunberg dismissed global talks as «blah-blah-blah,» which became a rallying cry for young environmentalists. «If you are not feeling some kind of grief about what's going on, you're obviously not understanding what's going on,» said climate negotiations veteran analyst Alden Meyer of the European think-tank E3G. He said he's been watching humanity «collectively fail as a species.»

Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said the food delivery economy is very important for India as it generates large-scale employment. Addressing Zomato's 'Sustainability and Inclusivity: Role of the Platform Economy' conference, the Road Transport and Highways minister said that at present India has 77 lakh delivery workers and this number is likely to touch 2.5 crore by 2030. «Giving employment to 2.5 crore youths of this country is really a big thing for the country...The most important priority for all of us is to create jobs,» he said. The minister also appreciated online food delivery platform Zomato for providing employment to a lot of unemployed youth of the country.

Maruti Suzuki is reportedly testing a new 7-seater SUV, which said to be inspired by the upcoming electric e-Vitara. Spy photos of the new SUV has surfaced in which a camouflaged version of the vehicle can be seen undergoing testing. This new SUV expands Maruti Suzuki’s current SUV lineup which includes the Fronx, Brezza, Jimny, and Grand Vitara. The new SUV may share the Grand Vitara's platform and powertrains, including the 1.5-liter petrol and strong hybrid petrol engines, reports claimed. However, the 7-seater will have a longer wheelbase to accommodate the extra row. Maruti will likely modify the hybrid setup to maintain boot space.

Darshan Thoogudeepa and other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case. A proposal will be submitted to the state government in this regard, he said. The Karnataka High Court on Friday granted conditional bail to Darshan, who is accused number 2 in the case. The bench of Justice S Vishwajith Shetty had also granted bail to Darshan's friend Pavithra Gowda, who is accused number 1, and other accused — R Nagaraju, Anu Kumar alias Anu, Lakshman M, Jagadeesh alias Jagga and Pradoosh S Rao.

medical entrance exam NEET-UG in pen and paper mode or online mode and a decision in this regard is expected soon, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Tuesday. The Education Ministry has held two rounds of talks with the Health Ministry led by Union Minister JP Nadda. Currently, NEET-UG is conducted offline — in pen and paper mode — wherein students have to solve multiple choice questions on an OMR sheet. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is the largest entrance exam in the country in terms of number of candidates appearing for the test. In 2024, a record over 24 lakh candidates took the exam.