Prime minister's office wants OMCs to bear credit subsidy for remaining 8 subsidised units on reimbursement basis

Even as the Centre is accelerating the Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) scheme for subsidised LPG cylinders, oil marketing companies are unlikely to benefit much from it. This is because the Prime Minister's Office has proposed that the government credit subsidy for only one cylinder into a beneficiary's account. Subsidy on the remaining quota of eight liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders would be borne by oil marketing companies (OMCs), which the government would reimburse later.

The finance ministry is considering whether it can lower the excise duty

The government would take a hit of about Rs 6,000 crore this year if it rolls back the excise duty of Rs 1.5 per litre on diesel it levied last week.
Under pressure from the Trinamool Congress, the finance ministry is evaluating its options for a possible reduction in the excise duty, without taking a major hit on its overall revenue collection. Excise duty on diesel was levied to neutralise the loss the exchequer would have borne after an excise duty reduction of Rs 5.30 a litre on petrol, said a finance ministry official.

The five companies facing an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the coal allotment controversy might not face immediate de-allocation.

A high-level inter-ministerial group (IMG) is examining cases involving 28 blocks allotted to private companies and not the ones being probed by CBI, a senior government official said. After three months of preliminary enquiry, the CBI on September 4 registered cases against AMR Iron and Steel, JLD Yavatmal, Navbharat Power, Vini Iron and Steel and Jas Infrastructure under Sections 120B and 420 of the penal code, on criminal conspiracy and cheating.

With many highway projects finding it difficult to reach financial closure, the government is seeking a review of guidelines for lending to such projects.

Single-premium plan likely to be only for women initially; Centre, states to share premium for economically weaker sections.