Press Information Bureau

07.04.2021

Commercial

Union Cabinet approves Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights)

MANU/PIBU/1491/2021

Taking another important step towards the vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights) with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 6,238 crore.

The prime objective of the PLI scheme is to make manufacturing in India globally competitive by removing sectoral disabilities, creating economies of scale and ensuring efficiencies. It is designed to create complete component ecosystem in India and make India an integral part of the global supply chains. The scheme is expected to attract global investments, generate large scale employment opportunities and enhance exports substantially.

The PLI Scheme for White Goods shall extend an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales of goods manufactured in India for a period of five years to companies engaged in manufacturing of Air Conditioners and LED Lights. Different segments have been earmarked for different types of components separately to specifically target global investments into desired areas. Selection of companies for the Scheme shall be done so as to incentivize manufacturing of components or sub-assemblies which are not manufactured in India presently with sufficient capacity. Mere assembly of finished goods shall not be incentivized.

Companies meeting the pre-qualification criteria for different target segments will be eligible to participate in the Scheme. Incentives shall be open to companies making brown field or green field Investments. Thresholds of cumulative incremental investment and incremental sales of manufactured goods over the base year would have to be met for claiming incentives.

An entity availing benefits under any other PLI Scheme of Govt. India will not be eligible under this scheme for the same products but the entity may take benefits under other applicable schemes of Govt. of India or schemes of State governments. The Scheme will be implemented as a pan India scheme and is not specific to any location, area or segment of population. A number of global and domestic companies, including a number of MSMEs are likely to benefit from the Scheme.

The Scheme is expected to be instrumental in achieving growth rates that are much higher than existing ones for AC and LED industries, develop complete component eco-systems in India and create global champions manufacturing in India. They will have to meet the compulsory BIS and BEE Quality standards for sales into domestic market and applicable standards for global markets. It will also lead to investments in innovation and research and development and upgradation of technology.

It is estimated that over the period of five years, the PLI Scheme will lead to incremental investment of Rs. 7,920 Crore, incremental Production worth Rs. 1,68,000 Crore, exports worth Rs. 64,400 Crore, earn direct and indirect revenues of Rs. 49,300 crore and create additional four lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities.

Tags : PLI Scheme White Goods Approval

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Reserve Bank of India

07.04.2021

Banking

Reporting and Accounting of Central Government transactions of March 2021 - Change of date of closure

MANU/RMIC/0049/2021

1.This is with reference to Circular DGBA.GBD.No.S-140/42.01.029/2020-21 dated March 18, 2021 where in the date of closure for reporting residual transactions of March 2021 was fixed as April 10, 2021.

2. On account of holidays on April 10 and 11, 2021 (second Saturday and Sunday respectively), Government of India has now decided that the date of closure of residual transactions for the month of March 2021 be fixed as April 12, 2021. All agency banks may take note of the change of date of closure and ensure that arrangements are put in place to report all the March 2021 residual transactions by 1400 hours of April 12, 2021.

3. All other instructions contained in Circular DGBA.GBD.No.S-140/42.01.029/2020-21 dated March 18, 2021 are operational and may be adhered to, taking into account closure date as April 12, 2021. To sum up, the nodal/Focal Point branches will be required to prepare separate set of scrolls, one pertaining to March 2021 residual transactions and another for April transactions during the first 12 days of April 2021. The Nodal/Focal Point branches should also ensure that the accounts for all transactions (revenues/tax collections/payments) up to March 31, 2021 are effected at the receiving branches in the accounts for financial year 2020-21 itself and are not mixed up with the transactions of April 2021. Also, while reporting transactions pertaining to March 2021 up to April 12, 2021, the transactions of April 2021 should not be mixed up with the residual transactions relating to March 2021.

Tags : Reporting Accounting Transactions

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Reserve Bank of India

07.04.2021

Banking

Asset classification and income recognition following the expiry of Covid-19 regulatory package

MANU/RMIC/0050/2021

The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India has pronounced its judgement in the matter of Small Scale Industrial Manufacturers Association vs UOI & Ors. and other connected matters on March 23, 2021. In this connection, it is advised hereunder:

I. Refund/adjustment of 'interest on interest'

2. All lending institutions1 shall immediately put in place a Board-approved policy to refund/adjust the 'interest on interest' charged to the borrowers during the moratorium period, i.e. March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020 in conformity with the above judgement. In order to ensure that the above judgement is implemented uniformly in letter and spirit by all lending institutions, methodology for calculation of the amount to be refunded/adjusted for different facilities shall be finalised by the Indian Banks Association (IBA) in consultation with other industry participants/bodies, which shall be adopted by all lending institutions.

3. The above reliefs shall be applicable to all borrowers, including those who had availed of working capital facilities during the moratorium period, irrespective of whether moratorium had been fully or partially availed, or not availed, in terms of the circulars DOR.No.BP.BC.47/21.04.048/2019-20 dated March 27, 2020 and

1 Commercial Banks (including Small Finance Banks, Local Area Banks and Regional Rural Banks), Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks/State Co-operative Banks/ District Central Co-operative Banks, All-India Financial Institutions, and Non-Banking Financial Companies (including Housing Finance Companies)

DOR.No.BP.BC.71/21.04.048/2019-20 dated May 23, 2020 ("Covid-19 Regulatory Package").

4. Lending institutions shall disclose the aggregate amount to be refunded/adjusted in respect of their borrowers based on the above reliefs in their financial statements for the year ending March 31, 2021.

II. Asset Classification

5. Asset classification of borrower accounts by all lending institutions following the above judgment shall continue to be governed by the extant instructions as clarified below.

i. In respect of accounts which were not granted any moratorium in terms of the Covid19 Regulatory Package, asset classification shall be as per the criteria laid out in the Master Circular - Prudential norms on Income Recognition, Asset Classification and Provisioning pertaining to Advances dated July 1, 2015 or other relevant instructions as applicable to the specific category of lending institutions (IRAC Norms).

ii. In respect of accounts which were granted moratorium in terms of the Covid19 Regulatory Package, the asset classification for the period from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020 shall be governed in terms of the circular DOR.No.BP.BC.63/21.04.048/2019-20 dated April 17, 2020, read with circular DOR.No.BP.BC.71/21.04.048/2019-20 dated May 23, 2020. For the period commencing September 1, 2020, asset classification for all such accounts shall be as per the applicable IRAC Norms.

Tags : Asset classification Income recognition

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Securities and Exchange Board of India

07.04.2021

Capital Market

Regulatory reporting by AIFs

MANU/SIPM/0004/2021

1. In terms of AIF Regulations and paragraph 3.2 of Circular No. CIR/IMD/DF/10/2013 dated July 29, 2013, AIFs are required to submit periodical reports to SEBI relating to their activity. To provide ease of compliance, it has been decided to review and rationalize the existing regulatory reporting requirements.

2. Accordingly, based on consultation with various stakeholders and recommendation of Alternative Investment Policy Advisory Committee, it has been decided that all AIFs shall submit report on their activity as an AIF to SEBI on quarterly basis within 10 calendar days from the end of each quarter in the revised formats as specified in Annexure I. Further, Category III AIFs shall also submit report on leverage undertaken, on quarterly basis in the revised formats as specified in Annexure II.

3. AIFs shall submit these reports online through SEBI intermediary Portal.

4. Further, in partial modification to paragraph 3 of Circular No. CIR/IMD/DF/16/2014 dated July 18, 2014, any changes in terms of private placement memorandum and in the documents of the fund/scheme shall be intimated to investors and SEBI on a consolidated basis, within 1 month of the end of each financial year. Such intimation shall specifically mention the changes carried-out in the private placement memorandum and the documents of the fund/scheme, along with the relevant pages of revised sections/clauses.

5. The modified reporting requirements, as mentioned at paragraph 2 of this Circular, shall be applicable for quarter ending December 31, 2021 onwards. However, the provisions of paragraph 4 of this Circular shall come into effect immediately.

6. This Circular is issued in exercise of powers conferred under Section 11(1) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992, to protect the interest of investors in securities and to promote the development of, and to regulate the securities market.

Tags : Submissions Regulatory reporting AIFs

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Press Information Bureau

07.04.2021

Civil

Cabinet approves Production Linked Incentive Scheme 'National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules'

MANU/PIBU/1483/2021

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy's proposal for implementation of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme 'National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV (Photo Voltic) Modules' for achieving manufacturing capacity of Giga Watt (GW) scale in high efficiency solar PV modules with an outlay of Rs. 4,500 crore.

Solar capacity addition presently depends largely upon imported solar PV cells and modules as the domestic manufacturing industry has limited operational capacities of solar PV cells and modules. The National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules will reduce import dependence in a strategic sector like electricity. It will also support the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Solar PV manufacturers will be selected through a transparent competitive bidding process. PLI will be disbursed for 5 years post commissioning of solar PV manufacturing plants, on sales of high efficiency solar PV modules. Manufacturers will be rewarded for higher efficiencies of solar PV modules and also for sourcing their material from the domestic market. Thus, the PLI amount will increase with increased module efficiency and increased local value addition.

The outcomes/ benefits expected from the scheme are as follows:

i. Additional 10,000 MW capacity of integrated solar PV manufacturing plants,

ii. Direct investment of around Rs. 17,200 crore in solar PV manufacturing projects

iii. Demand of Rs. 17,500 crore over 5 years for 'Balance of Materials',

iv. Direct employment of about 30,000 and Indirect employment of about 1,20,000 persons,

v. Import substitution of around Rs. 17,500 crore every year, and

vi. Impetus to Research & Development to achieve higher efficiency in solar PV modules.

Tags : Approval Incentive scheme Solar PV Modules

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Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority

05.04.2021

Insurance

Conditions for Investment in Alternative Investment Fund

MANU/IRDA/0040/2021

Point 1.5 of Investment-Master Circular, 2017 specifies the conditions applicable for Insurers Investment in Alternative Investment Fund (AIF). The following shall replace the provisions applicable for Fund of Funds (FoF) mentioned in 1.5.3:

1.5.3 (a) No investment is permitted into AIFs which undertake leverage or borrowing other than to meet day-to-day operational requirements and as permitted under SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012.

(b) Insurer shall invest only into Fund of Funds (FoF) which comply requirement of Section 27E of the Insurance Act, 1938.

(c) Insurer shall ensure compliance with Section 27E by a clause in the Fund Offer Documents executed by FoF to restrain such FoF investing into AIFs which invest in overseas companies/funds.

(d) No Insurer shall invest in an AIF, which in turn has exposure to a FoF, in which the Insurer has taken an exposure.

(e) The Insurer on a quarterly basis, obtain a certificate issued by the Concurrent Auditor on the compliance of the above conditions and file the same along with quarterly periodical returns.

Tags : Investment AIF Conditions

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Press Information Bureau

05.04.2021

Civil

Government measures increase FDI inflows in the country

MANU/PIBU/1460/2021

Japan leads the list of Investor countries with 29.09% of the total FDI Equity inflows during January, 2021.

The Measures taken by the Government on the fronts of FDI policy reforms, investment facilitation and ease of doing business have resulted in increased FDI inflows into the country as India has attracted total FDI inflow of US$ 72.12 billion during April to January, 2021. It is the highest ever for the first ten months of a financial year and 15% higher as compared to the first ten months of 2019-20 (US$ 62.72 billion).

The trends show that the FDI equity inflow grew by 28% in the first ten months of F.Y. 2020-21 (US$ 54.18 billion) compared to the year ago period (US$ 42.34 billion). In terms of top investor countries, 'Singapore' is at the apex with 30.28% of the total FDI Equity inflow followed by U.S.A (24.28%) and UAE (7.31%) for the first ten months of the current financial year 2020-21.

Japan has been leading the list of investor countries to invest in India with 29.09% of the total FDI Equity inflows during January, 2021, followed by Singapore (25.46%) and the U.S.A. (12.06%).

The Computer Software & Hardware has emerged as the top sector during the first ten months of F.Y. 2020-21 with 45.81% of the total FDI Equity inflow followed by Construction (Infrastructure) Activities (13.37%) and Services Sector (7.80%) respectively.

As per the trends shown during the month of January, 2021, the consultancy services emerged as the top sector with 21.80% of the total FDI Equity inflow followed by Computer Software & Hardware (15.96%) and Service Sector (13.64%).

These trends in India's Foreign Direct Investment are an endorsement of its status as a preferred investment destination amongst global investors.

Tags : Measures Increase FDI inflows

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