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<keyword id="19922074" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reserve Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank">Reserve Bank</keyword> Deputy Governor <keyword id="19918795" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Swaminathan" source="keywords">Swaminathan</keyword> J on Wednesday said implementation of <keyword id="22784242" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="risk-based-premium" source="keywords">risk-based premium</keyword> for <keyword id="20132734" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="deposit-insurance" source="keywords">deposit insurance</keyword> merits consideration as it will ensure that institutions with higher risk profiles contribute more to the insurance fund. Speaking at a conference in Jaipur, he also said that as the financial sector becomes more digitised, deposit insurers must work closely with regulators and supervisors to strengthen oversight mechanisms. This includes regularly updating <keyword id="19946068" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="regulatory-frameworks" source="keywords">regulatory frameworks</keyword> to incorporate emerging risks associated with <keyword id="19989657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-payments" source="keywords">digital payments</keyword>, <keyword id="19906883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cybersecurity" source="keywords">cybersecurity</keyword>, and <keyword id="22180855" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fintech-innovations" source="keywords">fintech innovations</keyword>. By adopting a proactive stance, deposit insurers can help ensure that <keyword id="19912054" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-institutions" source="keywords">financial institutions</keyword> under their purview are adequately prepared to manage these risks, thereby safeguarding depositor confidence. Swaminathan was addressing the International Conference of the International Association of Deposit Insurers- Asia Pacific Regional Committee (IADI-APRC) hosted by the Deposit Insurance Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC). He further said the implementation of risk-based premium for deposit insurance "merits consideration". "By tying insurance premiums to the level of risk posed by individual financial institutions, deposit insurers can incentivize banks to adopt stronger risk management practices. "This approach not only enhances the overall stability of the financial system but also ensures that institutions with higher risk profiles contribute more to the insurance fund," the deputy governor said. He also emphasised that deposit insurers can further mitigate technology risks by relying on supervisory rating assessments that incorporate evaluation of a financial institution's technological and operational resilience. By using these assessments as a basis for setting insurance premiums or determining intervention strategies, deposit insurers can ensure that their actions are informed by a comprehensive understanding of each institution's risk profile, Swaminathan added. The senior <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> official also asked deposit insurers to prioritise crisis preparedness and develop comprehensive contingency plans that account for technology-induced disruptions. This includes conducting regular stress tests and simulations to assess the potential impact of cyber incidents or fintech failures on financial institutions and the broader financial system, he said. The evolving technological landscape presents both significant challenges and opportunities for deposit insurers. By adopting a proactive, risk-based approach, including enhanced oversight, risk-based premiums, reliance on supervisory ratings, faster claim settlements, and industry collaboration, deposit insurers can effectively manage these risks, the deputy governor said.

Risk-based premium for deposit insurance merits consideration: RBI Deputy Governor Swaminathan

Counted as it is among the world’s fastest growing economies, an unfathomable amount of money flows in and out of the Indian economic system. But there are cracks in said system, and ever so often, a fraudulent mastermind uses them to slip some cash out for their advantage. From <keyword id="19964851" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ponzi" source="keywords">Ponzi</keyword> schemes to bank frauds, the Indian government and investors have fallen victim to many financial scandals — some of which were so sordid that they can be recounted like they happened yesterday. Here’s a rundown of the most infamous scams in Indian financial history: <h2><keyword id="20713434" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="harshad-mehta" source="keywords">Harshad Mehta</keyword> Scam (1992) – ₹4,000 Crore </h2>Perhaps the most iconic of all Indian financial scams, Harshad Mehta was known as the "Big Bull" of the stock market. He manipulated stock prices using illegal loopholes in the banking system. By obtaining unsecured loans from banks and investing them in the stock market, Mehta artificially inflated stock prices. His bubble burst when banks demanded their money back, revealing the massive fraud. This scandal led to a major reform in India's financial markets. Mehta died in jail before full legal accountability was reached, but the scam caused a significant loss to investors and led to tighter regulation in the Indian stock market. <h2><keyword id="23122396" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="satyam-scam" source="keywords">Satyam Scam</keyword> (2009) – ₹14,000 Crore </h2>Dubbed as India’s Enron, the Satyam scandal involved its founder, <keyword id="23122397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ramalinga-raju" source="keywords">Ramalinga Raju</keyword>, admitting to falsifying the company's accounts to the tune of ₹14,000 crore. Satyam Computer Services, once considered a blue-chip company, was found guilty of inflating profits and revenues. Raju admitted to the scam after a failed attempt to buy two Maytas firms owned by his family. This case brought corporate governance issues in India to the forefront. Raju was convicted, but the legal processes have allowed him temporary freedom through bail. But this incident called for improved transparency and stricter corporate governance norms. <h2>Punjab National Bank Scam (2018) – ₹13,700 Crore </h2>Diamond merchant Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi orchestrated one of the largest frauds in Indian banking history by obtaining fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) from Punjab National Bank (PNB). These LoUs allowed them to obtain loans from foreign branches of Indian banks without providing any collateral. The scam involved over ₹13,700 crore, and Modi fled the country, causing significant reputational damage to India’s banking sector. Nirav Modi’s extradition is still pending, and Mehul Choksi remains out of India’s legal jurisdiction. The scam, however, resulted in strengthened banking regulations regarding LoUs and SWIFT transactions. <h2><keyword id="23122399" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-mallya-scam" source="keywords">Vijay Mallya Scam</keyword> (2016) – ₹9,000 Crore</h2>The "King of Good Times" was living large while his airline, Kingfisher, was drowning in debt. Vijay Mallya allegedly defaulted on loans amounting to ₹9,000 crore from various banks. He fled to the UK in 2016, leaving creditors, employees, and stakeholders in financial distress. His lavish lifestyle amidst the collapse of his airline made this scandal a high-profile case. Mallya’s extradition process is ongoing, but he remains out of reach of Indian authorities. The main impact was enhanced scrutiny of loan defaults and triggered legal reforms on extradition. <h2>Saradha Chit Fund Scam (2013) – ₹2,500 Crore </h2>The Saradha Group, operating a ponzi scheme disguised as a chit fund, promised unrealistically high returns to its investors, mostly in West Bengal and Odisha. The scam collapsed, leaving over 1.7 million people, many of whom were low-income investors, without their life savings. Politicians and celebrities were also implicated in the case. While Sudipta Sen is behind bars, not all the accomplices have been held accountable. But this Ponzi scheme resulted in reform of chit funds and greater regulatory oversight on such investment schemes. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112337071" title="Noida woman invests in stock market via an app, loses over Rs 69 lakh as it turns out to be a scam" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2><keyword id="6560832" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="2g-spectrum-scam" source="Orion">2G Spectrum Scam</keyword> (2008) – ₹1,76,000 Crore </h2>The 2G spectrum allocation scandal involved the underpricing of telecom licences to select companies in exchange for bribes. Telecom minister A. Raja was at the centre of this controversy, which allegedly caused a loss of ₹1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer. The case was seen as a massive blow to public trust in India’s telecom sector and led to significant political fallout. Sadly, all key figures involved were acquitted despite the Supreme Court’s intervention and cancellation of 122 telecom licences. <h2><keyword id="455134" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coal-allocation-scam" source="Orion">Coal Allocation Scam</keyword> (Coalgate) (2012) – ₹1,86,000 Crore </h2>The coal allocation scam, or "Coalgate," involved the illegal allocation of coal blocks to private companies between 2004 and 2009. The CAG of India estimated a loss of ₹1.86 lakh crore to the exchequer due to non-competitive bidding. Many high-profile politicians and industrialists were implicated, making this one of the largest political scandals in India. While some officials faced legal consequences, many key players were not prosecuted. But it did trigger policy reforms in the allocation of natural resources. <h2>DHFL Scam (2019) – ₹34,615 Crore </h2>Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL) was accused of syphoning off over ₹34,000 crore through a series of shell companies and fraudulent loans. Investigations revealed that the promoters used these funds for personal enrichment and illegal political donations. The case came to light after an investigation by investigative journalists and was later confirmed by a report from KPMG. The case is ongoing, and the main accused are in custody. For now, regulations governing non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) have been strengthened. <h2>Yes Bank Crisis (2020) – ₹3,788 Crore </h2>Yes Bank, under its founder <keyword id="19899935" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rana-kapoor" source="keywords">Rana Kapoor</keyword>, was involved in questionable lending practices. The bank made high-risk loans to companies already in financial trouble, which eventually turned into non-performing assets (NPAs). Kapoor was arrested, and the Reserve Bank of India had to step in to stabilise the bank. The case highlighted serious lapses in corporate governance and risk management. As of now, Rana Kapoor is facing trial, and legal proceedings are active. The RBI has also introduced new measures to monitor the health of banks more rigorously. <h2>Commonwealth Games Scam (2010) – ₹70,000 Crore </h2>The 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi were overshadowed by corruption allegations involving inflated contracts and kickbacks. <keyword id="23122398" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="suresh-kalmadi" source="keywords">Suresh Kalmadi</keyword>, the head of the organising committee, was arrested for awarding contracts at exorbitant rates. The estimated loss to the exchequer was around ₹70,000 crore. This scam tarnished India’s image on the global stage. Kalmadi was arrested but the case has not resulted in major convictions or recoveries, except for stricter oversight on large public projects and international event planning. These scams not only caused financial damage but also eroded public trust in India’s institutions. In response, India has tightened regulatory frameworks, improved corporate governance, and adopted stricter banking standards, although challenges persist in tackling large-scale fraud. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112896255" title="I was scammed out of $300K in a 3-month-long government impersonation scam" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

10 financial scams that shook India: A dive into deception

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russia is proposing alternative payment systems and commodity centers.</li><li>The proposal aims to strengthen BRICS economies' sovereignty and reduce dollar reliance.</li></ul>Russia has released new details on how it could move away from the dollar, part of a long-running effort to buoy trade amid Western sanctions.Earlier this month, Russia's Finance Ministry, its central bank, and Moscow-based consultancy Yakov &amp; Partners outlined the country's vision of what the country is aiming for in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.yakovpartners.com/publications/imfs/">report.</a>Other than championing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dedollarization-russia-actively-working-brics-local-currencies-platform-us-dollar-2024-6">alternative payment</a> systems based in non-dollar currencies, Russia is also pitching the set-up of centers for mutual trade in commodity resources.Russia is a commodity giant and a major producer of oil, natural gas, gold, and grains. However, the country has been heavily sanctioned by the US following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has impacted its oil and gas trade.The report proposed setting up foundations for commodity trading centers but did not provide details. However, it explained why it was a good idea."This measure will ensure independent pricing and strengthen the sovereignty of the BRICS economies," the report said, referring to Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — the anchor members of the BRICS emerging markets group.Such a measure would add to what Russia is already doing to keep trade humming amid sweeping sanctions, such as those that block banks from dealing with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-all-china-banks-refuse-yuan-ruble-transfers-sanctions-2024-8">payment transactions</a> involving Russian companies.Another offbeat way Russia is beating sanctions is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-barter-pakistan-mounting-sanctions-western-war-allies-international-trade-2024-10">barter trade. </a>One Russian company struck an agreement to trade chickpeas and lentils for tangerines, rice, and potatoes from Pakistan, according to Tass state news agency earlier this month.Such alternative payment systems and bartering "are based on a notion that any involved institutions, even if faced with extraterritorial restrictions, will retain unchallenged access to their domestic market that will allow them to effectively facilitate domestic and cross-border transactions," the report said.Moving BRICS trade to trading centers within the bloc would also involve the use of local currencies and facilitate a move away from using the dollar for trade, according to the document.Russia's report on alternative payments and trading systems came weeks before the annual BRICS summit, which will be held in the Russian city of Kazan from October 22 to October 24.The proposal also came months after Russia proposed a grain-trading exchange for BRICS members, as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/101594/">Interfax</a> news agency reported in April.BRICS member countries are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/wasde1024.pdf">major producers and exporters</a> of grains in the world market, with Russia accounting for about one-quarter of the world's wheat exports. Meanwhile, Brazil accounts for about 60% of the world's soybean exports, and India accounts for about 40% of the world's rice shipments.Most global grain prices are set on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and are dominated by the US dollar."The BRICS countries, being key participants in the global grain market, cannot fully participate in the formation of prices for economically fundamental and food security-essential products as wheat, barley and corn, world prices for which are formed, and often manipulated, in third countries," Russia's Union of Grain Exporters wrote in a letter to the country's Agriculture Ministry in December when it proposed a BRICS grain exchange.Russia faces an uphill battle in changing the basics of dollar-dependent financial trading systems. Right now, dollar-based trade participants can easily enter and exit their positions, whereas bartering or using other currencies could reduce liquidity and flexibility.Since there's already heavy trading in CME's grain markets, it would be challenging for new exchanges and their products to lure participants over en masse.Brent crude oil futures, for example, are still the world's benchmark and are actively traded. However, their namesake <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shell.co.uk/about-us/sustainability/decommissioning/brent-field-decommissioning/brent-field-decommissioning-programme.html">Brent oil fields</a> in Scotland are being decommissioned due to resource depletion.As the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.imf.org/External/Pubs/FT/GFSR/2015/02/pdf/c2_v2.pdf">International Monetary Fund</a> explained in a 2021 report, "because of the network nature of markets, effects tend to be self-reinforcing— high market liquidity tends to attract more traders and so forth."

Russia pitches trading centers in a widening plan to move away from the US-dominated global financial order 

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6354335" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="Orion">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> has announced that it is working on a dedicated cloud facility.</li><li>The cloud facility is being developed for the country’s financial sector.</li><li>The new facility is aimed at enhancing data security and privacy.</li></ul>India’s central bank, the <keyword id="50847" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="reserve-bank" source="Orion">Reserve Bank</keyword> of India (<keyword id="30067" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="rbi" source="Orion">RBI</keyword>) is working on a dedicated cloud facility for the booming financial sector in India. This was announced by RBI governor <keyword id="6359111" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="Orion">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> during the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) announcement. The cloud facility is aimed at enhancing data security and privacy. It will also offer better scalability and ensure business continuity for companies. "Banks and financial entities are maintaining an ever-increasing volume of data. Many of them are utilising the cloud facilities for this purpose. The Reserve Bank is working on establishing a cloud facility for the financial sector in India for this purpose,” said Das. Its purpose is to help smaller entities build efficiencies in terms of scale, explained Rabi Sankar, deputy governor of RBI at the post-monetary policy press conference. The cloud facility will be set up in a phased manner in the medium term. It will be initially operated by Indian Financial Technology &amp; Allied Services (IFTAS), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the RBI. The facility will later be transferred to a different entity, owned by companies from the country’s financial sector. There is a growing need for improved data security as there has been a steady increase in digital transactions in the country. The setting up of this cloud facility will help startups and small enterprises handle data efficiently, probably at a reduced cost compared to existing international options available. RBI MPC has decided to keep key rates unchanged at 6.5% in its December policy. Other announcements from the meet include enhancements to limits for specific categories of transactions for Unified Payments Interface (<keyword id="6358921" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="upi" source="Orion">UPI</keyword>). As per the new UPI transaction limits, individuals can now make payments up to ₹5 lakh per day to hospitals and educational institutions by UPI. This was earlier capped at ₹1 lakh. The central bank has also proposed to increase the e-mandate for recurring payments to ₹1 lakh from current ₹15,000. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/rbi-expects-indias-gdp-to-grow-at-7-in-fy24-keeps-repo-rate-unchanged/articleshow/105828012.cms">RBI expects India’s GDP to grow at 7% in FY24; keeps repo rate unchanged</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/doms-industries-ipo-check-out-open-date-and-price-band/slidelist/105831826.cms">DOMS to raise ₹1,200 cr via IPO: Journey, investors and everything you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/rbi-hikes-upi-transaction-limit-for-education-and-healthcare/articleshow/105832824.cms">UPI transaction limit for education and healthcare hiked to ₹5 lakh per day</a>

India’s central bank to establish cloud facility for financial institutions

The overall size of the budget has remained almost unchanged from the interim one presented in February, indicating the government's strong commitment to move along the <keyword id="20099794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fiscal-prudence" source="keywords">fiscal prudence</keyword> path, said experts on Tuesday. According to the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> 2024-25 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the total expenditure in Budget Estimates (BE) 2024-25 is estimated at Rs 48,20,512 crore of which total <keyword id="20018917" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="capital-expenditure" source="keywords">capital expenditure</keyword> is Rs 11,11,111 crore. The total expenditure in the Interim Budget presented in February was estimated at Rs 47,65,768 crore of which total capital expenditure was Rs 11.11 lakh crore. Debadatta Chand, Managing Director &amp; CEO, <keyword id="19920717" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bank-of-Baroda" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bank of Baroda" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bank of Baroda">Bank of Baroda</keyword>, said the Union Budget complements the main takeaways from the Economic Survey and focusses clearly on medium term development of the economy. "The overall size of the budget has remained almost unchanged from the interim one. The budget has shown strong intent on moving along the fiscal prudence path and targeted the <keyword id="19942084" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fiscal-deficit" source="keywords">fiscal deficit</keyword> at 4.9 per cent for the year," he said. The said action will keep the growth steady as well as robust not only for economy but also banking. Aditi Nayar, Chief Economist, ICRA Limited, said the budget has kept the capital expenditure unchanged and pared the fiscal deficit to 4.9 per cent of GDP. "The anticipated reiteration of the reduction in the fiscal deficit to below 4.5 per cent of GDP in FY2026 is welcome. Interestingly, the new medium term fiscal consolidation path has been linked to a reduction in the debt/GDP ratio instead of continued compression of the fiscal deficit/GDP ratio," she said. Buoyed by improvement in revenue collection, the government has lowered fiscal deficit target to 4.9 per cent for the current <keyword id="19910979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-year" source="keywords">financial year</keyword> as against 5.1 per cent estimated in February's interim budget. Ranen Banerjee, Partner and Leader Economic Advisory, PwC India, said that fiscal prudence is the highlight of the full Union Budget 2024-25. The government has gone with realistic projections on its revenue and expenditure estimates and refrained from announcing overly populist measures. "The majority of the allocations, including the capex allocation, are as outlined in the interim budget, thus providing continuity. The capex being kept at INR 11.11 trillion was expected, given that the ability to consume this allocation is limited due to disruption from the elections in the first quarter and the second quarter being typically slowed down by the monsoons," Banerjee said. Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) President Ranjeet Kumar Agarwal said the government has announced five schemes to facilitate employment and skilling for 4.1 crore youth over the next five years with a central outlay of Rs 2 lakh crore. "This is a welcome step that will create a skilled workforce to address the existing deficit and generate <keyword id="19972727" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employment-opportunities" source="keywords">employment opportunities</keyword>. Additionally, financial support for loans up to Rs 10 lakh for higher education will help students pursue higher education and acquire skills," he added. Indian Institute of Insolvency Professionals of ICAI (IIIPI) Chairman Ashok Haldia said the budget proposals for an integrated technology platform and sprucing up NCLT infrastructure will provide a fillip to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) regime. IIIPI is promoted by ICAI. Meanwhile, Kumarmangalam Vijay, Partner, JSA Advocates and Solicitors, opined that in its new avatar, it seems that the Modi government is keen to deliver on its promise of 'ease of doing business'. "Its focus on making it simpler is evident from the abolition of the angel tax, the increase in new income tax regime thresholds, new Vivad se Vishwas Scheme 2024 for the resolution of pending cases and the increase in the threshold for appeal by tax departments at various levels, decriminalising the non-reporting of shares received from non-resident employers and reducing the period for re-opening of the cases," Vijay said. The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) said there has been a focus on the manufacturing sector in the budget. Measures have been taken for simplifying the FDI/ODI rules and regulations, and the <keyword id="21847964" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tax-regimes" source="keywords">tax regimes</keyword>. The enhanced Mudra loan limit and the abolition of angel tax are all set to incentivize the startup and MSME ecosystem of the country. "The nine priorities identified in this progressive and inclusive budget 2024 are aimed at generating ample opportunities for all. Besides agricultural reforms, the budget focuses on skilling, educating and employing the youth, a priority that the ICSI has been concentrating on," said ICSI President B Narasimhan. Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, said the government's continued emphasis on infrastructure development is commendable. Enhanced road infrastructure will bolster the travel and tourism sector. "We also welcome the initiatives to develop iconic spiritual and cultural sites into world-class tourist hotspots," Magow said. Furthermore, he said the provision of credit for TCS against income tax under 'Income from Salaries' is logical and will provide much-desired relief to taxpayers who travel internationally.

Budget size almost unchanged from interim, shows govt's commitment to fiscal prudence: Experts

India is poised to remain the fastest-growing major economy in 2024-25, Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran said in a press conference after the tabling of the <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economic-survey" source="keywords">Economic Survey</keyword> in the Parliament on Monday. The Economic Survey tabled today projected India to grow at 6.5-7.0 per cent in 2024-25. Global institutions, including <keyword id="19896779" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IMF" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="IMF" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="IMF">IMF</keyword>, OECD, World Bank, S&amp;P, ADB, and Fitch, have projected India to grow in a range of 6.6-7.2 per cent. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its latest outlook, has raised India's growth projections for 2024 from 6.8 per cent earlier to 7 per cent, with the country maintaining the fastest-growing status in emerging markets and developing economies. According to official data of the Indian government, the country's GDP grew at an impressive 8.2 per cent during the financial year 2023-24. India's economy grew 7.2 per cent in 2022-23 and 8.7 per cent in 2021-22 respectively. Further, the CEA in his press conference projected that India's <keyword id="20089672" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="per-capita-income" source="keywords">per capita income</keyword> is expected to increase from around Rs 2 lakh in 2022-23 to Rs 14.9 lakh in 2046-47. Further, CEA said <keyword id="20751315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="household-savings" source="keywords">household savings</keyword> of Indians in physical assets have been increasing over the past three financial years through 2023-24. The CEA, addressing the press conference, said household savings in physical assets rose from 8 per cent in 2020-21 to 12.9 per cent in 2022-23. "Households are not in distress, they are investing in <keyword id="20792385" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-assets" source="keywords">financial assets</keyword> that have done very well. Financial assets of households are not marked to market so households are doing quite well in the aggregate," he said. India needs both banks and capital markets to provide the required finances sourced from a sustained high level of household savings, according to the Survey. <keyword id="20385790" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Union Finance Minister</keyword> Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday tabled the economic survey in Parliament, a day ahead of the full Budget presentation for 2024-25. The Economic Survey document, prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance and formulated under the supervision of the chief economic adviser, gives insights into the state of the economy and various indicators of 2023-24 (April-March) and some outlook for the current year. The Economy Survey document also gave some idea about the tone and texture of the actual Budget for 2024-25, to be presented on Tuesday. (ANI)

India to remain fastest growing major economy in 2024-25, says CEA Nageswaran

<keyword id="81864" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ongc-videsh" source="Orion">ONGC Videsh</keyword> Ltd, the overseas investment arm of state-owned <keyword id="6359072" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oil" source="Orion">Oil</keyword> and Natural Gas Corporation, has incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary OVL Overseas IFSC Ltd in <keyword id="6424024" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gift-city" source="Orion">GIFT City</keyword>, Gujarat. "This GIFT city entity will function as the <keyword id="23764" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global" source="Orion">global</keyword> treasury centre to cater to the treasury activities of OVL and its 25 subsidiaries (including step-down subsidiaries) spread across 15 countries. "Given the business-friendly regulatory environment in GIFT City, OOIL (OVL Overseas IFSC Ltd) expects to efficiently consolidate funds available with the group in various countries and raise additional funds needed to achieve the ambitious target of producing 40 million tonnes of oil and oil equivalent (MMToe) by 2040 from overseas assets," the company said in a statement. India's first <keyword id="6367752" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-financial-services-centre" source="Orion">International Financial Services Centre</keyword> at GIFT City gives options to Indian and overseas multinationals to shift their overseas investments onshore. "OOIL will, thus, act as ONGC Group's gateway to the world for its overseas ventures and investments," it added. OVL owns interests in 32 <keyword id="43177" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oil-and-gas" source="Orion">oil and gas</keyword> assets in 15 countries. In terms of reserves and production, it is the second largest petroleum company of India, next only to its parent Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). Gujarat International Finance Tec-City or GIFT City is India's newest financial hub and a flagship project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The smart city and special economic zone has been developed in the Ahmedabad metropolitan region. Dozens of companies, including India International Exchange, National Stock Exchange, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, GIC Re and other well recognised institutions are operating in the GIFT City.

ONGC Videsh incorporates subsidiary in GIFT City

Markets regulator <keyword id="19901201" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sebi" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Sebi" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Sebi">SEBI</keyword> has asked the <keyword id="20677983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-fund-industry" source="keywords">mutual fund industry</keyword> to proactively conduct stress tests, a key component of <keyword id="20383727" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="risk-management" source="keywords">risk management</keyword> for the financial sector, which will help strengthen the ecosystem, its whole-time member Ananth Narayan Gopalakrishnan said on Friday. The regulator's stress testing emphasizes the need to assess and manage liquidity risks, especially in small and midcap equity schemes. Speaking at a mutual fund event, Gopalakrishnan highlighted the importance of modelling stress scenarios not just for individual schemes or fund houses, but for the entire mutual fund ecosystem. "It is also important to model stress scenarios for the entire composite mutual fund ecosystem. I would strongly encourage the industry and <keyword id="20090036" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AMFI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AMFI" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="AMFI">AMFI</keyword> to take the lead and proactively conduct objective and credible industry wide stress tests. themselves," Gopalakrishnan said. He also emphasized the need to find better ways to communicate the risks associated with different mutual fund schemes. The SEBI official mentioned that while the current risk measurement system is straightforward and has had a significant impact, it doesn't fully capture the differences in risks among various investment schemes. According to him, many schemes are just labelled as high risk, even though they have different kinds of risks. The goal is to improve this system to better reflect those differences, while keeping it simple and easy to understand. One possible approach is to consider the portfolio's volatility and liquidity from stress tests to give a clearer picture. "While ensuring simplicity and ease of understanding remains a key objective, perhaps the underlying volatility of the portfolio along with the liquidity of the portfolio from stress tests could be used to provide better colour all around," he added. This comes at a time when the holdings of mutual funds by <keyword id="20234284" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="domestic-institutional-investors" source="keywords">Domestic Institutional Investors</keyword> (DIIs) and individuals have risen from about 54.3% of free float of all mid cap and small cap companies, as of March 2020 to 60.6% as of March 2024. Several fund houses have proactively stopped lump sum investments in some small-cap schemes and also capped the amount that can be invested through <keyword id="20675888" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="systematic-investment-plan" source="keywords">Systematic Investment Plan</keyword> (SIP) into small-cap schemes. He also highlighted the potential mismatch between the demand for paper and the supply of fresh paper coming into the ecosystem. Gopalakrishnan said the industry can make more progress in streamlining operations and improving efficiency for investors. "At a time when instantaneous fund transfers have become ubiquitous in our country, perhaps we should look to improve our internal processes and the security settlement ecosystem, to ensure that funds are passed on to investors on the day of the settlement itself, rather than a day after or two days after," he added. Over the last few years, the mutual fund industry has made impressive strides, and is now playing a crucial role in channeling financial savings towards risk capital formation. This was driven by stable macros, increased formalization, robust corporate earnings, digitisation and user friendly access. Moreover, the number of mutual fund investors has grown significantly from about 2 crore as of March 2019 to nearly 4.7 crore as of June 2024, an impressive compounded annual growth rate of 18% during that period. Gopalakrishnan mentioned that several exciting initiatives are in the works, developed with input from all stakeholders. These include a proposed low-ticket SIP, further breaking down regular SIPs into smaller, more accessible units (sachetisation and tokenization), and the introduction of "mutual funds lite" regulations. These new regulations will simplify rules for passively managed funds, reducing the compliance burden and encouraging competition and innovation. Additionally, a new class of higher-risk schemes is proposed for investors with a greater capacity to handle risk.

SEBI asks mutual fund industry to proactively conduct stress test

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Saudi Arabia's Neom megacity is facing some big challenges.</li><li>The kingdom has struggled to attract the foreign investment needed for the project, experts say.</li></ul>Saudi Arabia's vision for its futuristic desert city, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-saudi-arabia-desert-megacity-plans-look-pictures-2024-4?mrfhud=true">Neom</a>, has always been the stuff of fantasy.Touted as one of the most ambitious projects in the world, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-saudi-arabia-quirky-features-swim-lanes-ai-robot-clerks-2024-5">megacity includes plans</a> that could have been lifted from a sci-fi film. It features a high-tech linear city that will house more robots than people, a year-round ski resort featuring artificial snow, and theme parks that combine virtual and physical worlds.When Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman first revealed the high-tech project in 2017, it was met with some skepticism. Since then, details about the project have been relatively scarce, with planners reportedly bound by strict non-disclosure agreements.<div type="image" title="Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman" height="683" width="1024" msid="110820906" hostid="261" sizebytes="68974"></div>But recently, a picture has emerged of a country beginning to feel the strain of its mighty ambitions."Neom was like was an imaginary city when it was announced," Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a fellow for the Middle East at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, told Business Insider. "Now, they're finding it much more difficult to turn that imaginary vision into some sort of reality on the ground."The main issue is the enormous cost of Neom. Saudi Arabia has struggled to attract the foreign investment needed for the megaproject, and experts say it's not likely to secure it anytime soon.<h2 id="ef44ed52-571e-43fc-b076-5efc40164751">Lack of foreign investment</h2>The kingdom was counting on foreign investment to fund a large part of Neom, but things have not gone entirely to plan."When Vision 2030 was announced back in 2017, the assumption had been a lot of the funding would come in from foreign investment — that didn't happen," Ulrichsen said.The drive for foreign cash hit an early stumbling block in 2017.Just 10 days after the megacity was announced, 400 of the most prominent and influential Saudis were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-saudi-arabia-ritz-carlton-five-star-prison-2017-11">rounded up and detained in Riyadh's Ritz-Carlton hotel</a>, which had just hosted the Neom launch event.The mass arrests spiraled into a full-blown purge and became the most contentious in the kingdom's modern history."The hotel basically became a detention recap of the Saudi business elites who might have been expected to be the ones partnering with foreign investors," Ulrichsen said. "Saudi foreign investment levels — they had been declining anyway — collapsed after this, and it's been very difficult for them to build back up."In 2018, Saudi faced further global isolation after the brutal murder and dismemberment of dissident Jamal Khashoggi, a crime the CIA said was likely committed on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's direct orders.<div type="image" title="jamal khashoggi" height="800" width="1200" msid="110820909" hostid="261" sizebytes="67554"></div>"Generally, no one in the West wanted anything to do with the Saudis at this time, and investors pulled out in large numbers," Andreas Krieg, a Gulf specialist at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at King's College London, said.<h2 id="b1f6641d-9059-46a2-8dea-e934d3014e43">Spiraling costs</h2>The Saudi Public Investment Fund has propped up the lion's share of the financial burden — but officials at the sovereign wealth fund are reportedly getting nervous about the spiraling costs.The official estimate for Neom is $500 billion, but planners have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-neom-line-construction-99b3f54f">dismissed the figure</a> as unrealistically low. Other estimates have put the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-17/saudi-s-neom-hunts-for-more-cash-plans-bond-sale-for-1-5-trillion-desert-city">projected costs</a> at as much as $1.5 trillion.In April, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-05/saudis-scale-back-ambition-for-1-5-trillion-desert-project-neom">Bloomberg reported</a> that the financial realities of the country's Vision 2030 plan, which includes Neom as its centerpiece, had started to cause concern within the government.<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-borrowing-help-fund-megaprojects-oil-prices-report-2024-2">In February, Saudi also started borrowing</a> to help fund some of the ambitious megaprojects.In public, the Saudis have been keen to insist <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-neom-megaproject-not-struggling-vision-2030-minister-2024-4">the project and funding are on track. </a>In private, though, recent reports suggest that<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-vision2030-saudi-arabia-mbs-crown-prince-tough-conversations-2024-5"> the Crown Prince is open</a> to having "tough conversations" about the Vision 2030 ambitions.Krieg said Saudi Arabia's public spending bill was "extremely high," raising questions about wasteful spending on megaprojects. "Vision 2030 consumes a lot of money, and there's a lot of inefficiencies, especially when it comes to Western consultancy firms."<h2 id="e1bcd847-cd47-4f7a-b60d-2cd832da2739">Renewed scrutiny</h2>In April, the kingdom once again became the subject of international scrutiny over alleged human rights abuses.An explosive BBC News report claimed Saudi Arabia had authorized the use of "lethal force" to clear the way for Neom. The area was mostly populated by the Huwaitat tribe, which traditionally dwelled on areas earmarked for the megacity.One of the villagers, Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, was<a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-saudi-arabia-forces-authorized-kill-villagers-the-line-colonel-2024-5"> later killed by Saudi authorities,</a> according to Saudi activists.In the wake of the report, human rights organizations began pressuring governments and businesses to act on the report — prompting at least one politician, UK deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden, to raise the allegations with the Saudi government.Lina al-Hathloul, a human rights activist and head of monitoring and advocacy at human rights organization ALQST, told BI that Neom was being "built on Saudi blood.""This project symbolizes the current state of the country: it was decided without the people's consent, and when they oppose it, they are sanctioned in courts that lack independence," she said.The country has long tried to silence those who speak out against the project. Last summer, a Saudi woman was jailed for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-woman-gets-30-years-prison-criticizing-neom-megacity-twitter-2023-6">30 years for criticizing Neom on Twitter</a>."The reality behind such futuristic projects is the brutal repression of citizens and residents," said Dana Ahmed, Amnesty International's Middle East researcher."Businesses have a responsibility to conduct a thorough human rights risk assessment before operating in an environment that poses credible human rights risks, such as in Saudi Arabia."At least one company has withdrawn from Neom over human rights concerns. Malcolm Aw, CEO of Solar Water, previously told BI that he had pulled out of a <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/malcolm-aw-canceled-100m-neom-contract-human-rights-abuse-saudi-2024-5">$100 million Neom contract</a> because of alleged Saudi human rights abuses.<h2 id="b87b68bd-af94-4143-a19c-8d2a847c5a1e">Drawing The Line</h2>There's no doubt Saudi Arabia is barrelling ahead with The Line — the most prominent aspect of Neom.According to executives, the number of people working on the project doubled in the past year. Satellite images provided to BI also show the extent of construction underway at the site.<div type="image" title="Satellite image of construction on The Line." height="5675" width="8819" msid="110820912" hostid="261" sizebytes="1354834"></div><div type="image" title="Construction on the western end of The Line." height="5638" width="9763" msid="110820902" hostid="261" sizebytes="1468716"></div>But many questions remain about the project. Saudi Arabia has already reduced estimates for the number of people set to live in Neom by 2030, per Bloomberg.According to Ulrichsen, many of the project's lofty goals have always been "moving targets," with several deadlines already pushed back.As the Saudi government nervously eyes the ever-growing bill, Neom needs to generate enough excitement to attract foreign funds.Despite the fresh scrutiny over human rights abuses, Krieg says that Saudi is now more palatable than ever on the international stage, and the outlook for the kingdom is positive.Krieg said Neom's very premise was built on levels of foreign investment that now seem unlikely to ever materialize. Meanwhile, competition from Saudi's regional rivals such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi is heating up."There's been some Chinese investments, but they are nowhere near where they need to be," he said. "There's always going to be a shortfall of foreign investment in Saudi to pay for all of these projects."Representatives for Neom did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

Saudi Arabia's Neom dreams are starting to crack under financial pressure

Have you heard the phrase “a happy home makes for a happy life”? It's often believed that contentment at home positively influences overall well-being, including one's professional life. However, a new study and its surprising findings have now challenged this notion. This new research has found that positive life-changing events, including those within the family, can negatively impact the growth or survival of <keyword id="6355515" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="business" source="Orion">business</keyword> ventures — even more than negative events! Occasions like the birth of a child, purchasing a new home or winning the lottery can boost an entrepreneur's confidence. Yet, this emotional uplift often leads to overconfidence, resulting in poor <keyword id="723268" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="business-decisions" source="Orion">business decisions</keyword> due to an inflated sense of capability. Conversely, <keyword id="20041662" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="entrepreneurs" source="keywords">entrepreneurs</keyword> facing negative events like divorce, financial troubles or the death of a family member, tend to approach business decisions with more caution and deliberation. This increased prudence can lead to better decision-making and more sustainable business practices. Positive occurrences can make entrepreneurs more passionate, alert to opportunities and creative, but these traits do not necessarily predict future business success. Overconfident entrepreneurs may be good at identifying opportunities, but often make critical mistakes by overestimating their abilities and underestimating challenges, the study found. “In short, there is a negative association shown in research between entrepreneur overconfidence and new venture survival,” said Professor Pi-Shen Seet, the study’s lead author. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Blessings and business blunders: How positive events can derail new ventures" comment="subhead" text="Blessings and business blunders: How positive events can derail new ventures">Blessings and business blunders: How positive events can derail new ventures</cmsannotation> Even during the venture creation process, positive <keyword id="21836444" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="family-events" source="keywords">family events</keyword> can inadvertently boost entrepreneurs' confidence, affecting their assessment of risks and opportunities. This often leads to snap decisions that might not be well thought out, the findings indicated. Positive family events tend to induce a global thinking style among entrepreneurs, where they tend to focus on abstract, high-level features of problems and choose the first acceptable solution that comes to mind. This can help them make necessary decisions quickly and efficiently under tight time and resource pressures. However, if these positive events lead to overconfidence, as the research shows, entrepreneurs may believe their talents and skills alone can compensate for any lack of information and overcome real difficulties in the venture creation process. This reinforces errors in judgement and inferior decision-making, increasing the vulnerability to mistakes that can harm the new venture. The study also highlighted that changes in family dynamics can further affect a new venture's trajectory. Entrepreneurs do not embark on the venture creation process alone; their families share in the journey, experiencing the emotional highs and lows alongside them. Significant family changes, such as births, marriages, or deaths, disrupt the family system and affect the entrepreneur. These events alter the family structure, change roles, and modify interactions among family members, impacting the entrepreneur's ability to manage their business effectively. This research was conducted by ECU's Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Pi-Shen Seet, in collaboration with Associate Professor Wee-Liang Tan from the Singapore Management University. It utilised panel data from the HILDA survey, commissioned by the Australian government and administered by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research at the University of Melbourne. This dataset has previously been employed by researchers investigating the effects of negative family events, such as divorce, on <keyword id="1372640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-decisions" source="Orion">financial decisions</keyword>. Its findings are published in the International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal and can be accessed <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11365-024-00970-w#Sec8">here</a>.

Home sweet hindrance? Positive events in one’s personal and family life can be bad for business, study finds!

In the ever-evolving landscape of <keyword id="6354241" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-services" source="Orion">financial services</keyword>, technology has become the cornerstone of innovation, efficiency, and customer service. Indian financial services company, <keyword id="6377963" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="freecharge" source="Orion">Freecharge</keyword>, offers over 100 million users a whole range of services, from purchasing gold and investing in mutual funds to paying utility bills and recharging their phones - all from the comfort of their digital devices. And this fast-moving company leverages <keyword id="1815769" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="slack" source="Orion">Slack</keyword> as its AI-powered platform for work, ensuring its team stays aligned, engaged, and productive, as it seeks to continue its growth in a competitive market. Consumers now have more alternatives for managing and investing their money. Gone are the days of choosing one major bank and paying a slew of fees. It is now a buyer's market and the success of financial technology (or fintech) is determined by which institutions can best adapt their services to specific consumers. For most businesses, embracing the “tech” in fintech has become imperative, be it altering internal operations with new digital tools and processes or launching new products powered by machine learning to meet longer-term, bigger-picture goals. Fintech executives can now better serve their staff and customers by implementing company-wide digital changes and innovations. In a recent conversation with Sanjay Jain, Freecharge's Chief Technology and Product Officer- DBAT, we discovered how the company has transformed its operations by leveraging the many functionalities of Slack. The conversation covered a variety of topics, including faster product development, increased cooperation, better issue resolution, and a favourable impact on compliance and <keyword id="145060" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="data-security" source="Orion">data security</keyword>. <div type="image" title="13" msid="110069505" hostid="261" sizebytes="20066" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sanjay Jain&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Accelerated product development" comment="subhead" text="Accelerated product development">Accelerated product development</cmsannotation> According to Sanjay, you need best-in-class technologies if you want your DevSecOps teams to ship code swiftly and resolve issues promptly. However, development teams now deal with more tools, data, and geographically dispersed colleagues than ever before; this means that time is spent more on establishing context for each issue when it should rather be spent adding value. To achieve the objective of creating a lean, mean development machine, you need to create an environment in which the relevant team members have access to the data and resources they require at precisely the right time. Before integrating Slack into their workflows, Freecharge faced challenges with a prolonged product release lifecycle, taking 6 to 7 months. "With Slack, this timeline drastically reduced, allowing us to launch 3 to 5 products every quarter, marking a significant leap in our go-to-market strategy," says Sanjay. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Efficient collaboration and compliance" comment="subhead" text="Efficient collaboration and compliance">Efficient collaboration and compliance</cmsannotation> A star quality that made the case for Freecharge adopting Slack is its cross-functional collaboration, especially when managing multiple products across multiple teams. “It was just seamless,” quipped Sanjay. When Freecharge switched to using Slack in 2020, it became easier for the company to align with members across different teams, due to its ease of integration and user experience. Prior to Slack, Sanjay mentioned that getting all the team members along on daily standups was a nightmare but Slack’s workflow feature sends auto reminders and notifications on specific channels and that led to a simpler process and more effective time management. The other major challenge that Freecharge faced was documentation. When simultaneous discussions take place between product and business teams, a lack of proper documentation can create hurdles. But with Slack channels providing conversation histories, discussion points, and shared documents, it drastically improved the experience. Additionally, Slack’s canvas feature enhances collaboration, allowing teams to create, organise and share essential information. Instead of being buried deep in a sea of disparate email threads, all the information for each topic is centrally located and easily accessible. Additionally, app integrations such as calendars and emails, made it easier for teammates at Freecharge to access what they needed within Slack instead of having multiple tabs open. Sanjay says "Slack emerged as a catalyst for seamless collaboration within Freecharge, streamlining internal workflows and processes." When asked about data sharing and privacy, Sanjay explained that: "The platform not only facilitated communication, but also contributed significantly to maintaining regulatory compliance and data security, crucial aspects in the highly regulated industry of fintech." <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Issue resolution and customer satisfaction" comment="subhead" text="Issue resolution and customer satisfaction">Issue resolution and customer satisfaction</cmsannotation> Rapid response is essential for financial customer support at Freecharge. Customers want help right away, and money is an emotional commodity. Freecharge can elevate support tickets to the relevant channels using Slack; this technique is crucial for VIP support requests from significant clients. Through Slack, Freecharge’s customer support teams are also able to obtain information from the appropriate sources in no time. If a customer support person cannot find the answer in a knowledge base, they can quickly connect via Slack with the relevant professional. Previously, alerts from customer support were sent by email, and as a result notifications were easy to miss, and every problem was a complex maze of searching for the appropriate individuals and looping them into different email threads. Today, Freecharge has integrated everything together in Slack. “Slack's quick response capabilities played a crucial role during high traffic events like big billion days and festive seasons. By swiftly addressing customer complaints and resolving issues, Freecharge achieved a notable boost in customer satisfaction, positively impacting overall metrics,” adds Sanjay. One of the biggest differentiators for Slack is the platform it provides for developers to create a sound <keyword id="6354778" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="banking" source="Orion">banking</keyword> experience by digitally transforming critical operations through custom apps. Sanjay emphasises: “Slack's impact has extended beyond operational efficiency. It has catalysed a culture of innovation at Freecharge, allowing us to test and implement new concepts rapidly.” Freecharge uses Slack as its digital headquarters, enabling its workers to automate procedures and find quicker solutions to problems. Developers can boost SLA performance and speed up time to resolution by coordinating their tools and communication on Slack. An added bonus would be that new responders have instant access to the historical context of an issue without interrupting ongoing investigations. Increasingly in fintech, where customer demands drive innovation and collaboration among teams, the role of workplace tools becomes paramount. And at Freecharge, Sanjay is gung-ho on Slack’s integration, primarily due to the vast impact that it has brought about – in the pace of product development, issue resolution, and the scale of innovation. Since integrating Slack into their operations over the past few years, Freecharge can attest to the positive impact it has had on their business. It has helped them deliver and thrive in an increasingly competitive environment. Freecharge is now able to launch products every quarter and that has provided them a boost in go-to-market strategies. The improved speed in issue resolution has led to stronger metrics and, most importantly, the collaborative environment fostered by Slack has allowed teams across the board to stay aligned and work together to map a stronger blueprint. As Freecharge continues to pave an innovative way forward in modern banking, Slack provides a solid platform to build both a cutting-edge product and culture. Disclaimer: This article is generated and published by the Insider Studios team. You can get in touch with them on <a href="mailto:insiderstudios@businessinsider.in">insiderstudios@businessinsider.in</a>

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