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It is no secret that women often outlive men. The global average life expectancy in 2021 was about 68.4 years for men. In contrast, this stood at 73.8 years for women. As such, it is far more important for women to begin planning for their golden years as early as possible. Perhaps realizing this, more women are getting into investing than ever before! Even better, women save about 5% more each month than men. A recent Max Life's India Retirement Index Study (IRIS 4.0) also highlighted a similar sentiment: women are increasingly taking charge of their retirement and finances. Per the study, urban Indian working women are now keeping pace with men, with 66% being confident that their current investments will guarantee a financially secure retirement life. In terms of health, 48% of urban Indian working women feel confident that they will continue to stay fit and healthy in their retirement years. Encouragingly, a whopping 68% of urban Indian women have already started investing for their retirement. Amongst their preferred investment avenues are life insurance (65%), bank FDs/RDs (45%), medical insurance (36%), and mutual funds and SIPs (14%). The awareness is not limited to women; young urban Indians are awakening to the realization that retirement planning should be kicked off as soon as possible. Per IRIS 4,0, 44% of Indians consider the right age to start planning for retirement to be before 35 years, a jump from 38% in IRIS 3.0. An overwhelming 93% of respondents aged above 50 regret delaying their retirement planning. Says Priyanka Bhatia, Co-Founder of Women on Wealth, "Women, by and large, live longer than men and may confront professional interferences, which influence retirement reserve funds essentially. Beginning in your 20s permits women to create strategies that account for longevity risks and potential income gaps. Investments like annuities and dividend-paying assets guarantee a consistent income stream post-retirement, permitting ladies to explore monetary freedom even in later years.". Not to mention, beginning early also permits individuals to take advantage of tax-efficient investments over a more drawn-out period. In India, instruments like the National Pension Scheme (NPS) offer tax benefits that develop over the long haul. By expanding these exceptions from a young age, women can grow their retirement reserve funds while reducing taxable income in each financial year. Bhatia notes that even if one is planning to retire early, it does not only mean putting something aside for your 60s. It is also about adaptability to pick semi-retirement choices, work in sectors driven by passion, or even pursue entrepreneurial ventures without financial pressure. "Beginning in your 20s allows you to amass funds that can allow for early retirement, empowering a change to lifestyle-oriented work or community contributions later in life," Bhatia signs off.

Planning for your retirement in your 20s? Here's why it is a smart move!

Indian companies across multiple sectors have reported disappointing results in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, notes a new JM Financials report. Consequently, their poor performance has triggered stock price corrections for affected companies. The brunt of this weaker than expected earnings was largely borne by consumer centric sectors like FMCG (fast moving consumer goods), retail, and auto, which slacked largely due to dampened urban demand. For instance, India's largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki, reported a 5% YoY decline in its total domestic passenger vehicle wholesales, largely on the back of pent-up inventory. Similarly, Honda reported a staggering 23% YoY dip in its total sales during October 2024. A recent report by Bernstein noted that around 48% of the companies listed on the NSE100 index missed their earnings estimate for Q2FY25, the highest since March 2020. Most companies have mentioned deteriorated domestic demand, urban slowing, macroeconomic risk, and margin pressures as the main reasons behind the dip. "The quarter's earnings have made investors nervous," noted the JM Financials report. The challenging environment stems from multiple factors: softening consumer demand, rising input costs, and companies' limited ability to increase prices. Moreover, this is not limited to just one quarter. Companies have been reporting weak, single-digit earnings growth for the last six consecutive quarters. Data from India Data Hub also suggests that corporate profits of listed companies plunged by as much as 3.4% during the quarter ended September 30, 2024. This is in stark contrast to the year-ago period, where they had shot up by over 40% The oil and gas sector had a difficult quarter, with refiners hit by weak margins and city gas distributors struggling with higher input costs. Financial institutions showed mixed results. While government-owned banks reported strong numbers, microfinance institutions and some private lenders faced massive difficulties with their unsecured loans. Most notable amongst this was the case of IndusInd Bank, which saw its net profits dip by 40% amidst burgeoning provisions, which climbed 87% to Rs 1,820 crore in Q2, as against Rs 974 crore reported in the year-ago period. <h2>Markets head southwards</h2>The selling trend by FPIs has dragged down the major Indian indices, the Nifty 50 and Sensex, both of which have dropped by around 8% since the beginning of this selling spree in October. According to National Securities Depository Ltd. (NSDL) data, FPIs offloaded equities worth a significant Rs 19,994 crore in just the first five trading sessions of November last week. The impact is clearly visible on Indian stock markets. Data suggests that while every sector in October closed the month in red, auto, oil and gas, and consumer durables were the most badly hit, each declining by as much as 10% during the month. Another indicator underlining the inherent weakness of the market was that the month saw only 242 stocks hit their 52-week high, significantly below the usual monthly average of 310.

India Inc. stares at an earnings dearth in Q2, FMCG, auto, and consumer durables falter

The <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India" source="keywords">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> has imposed <keyword id="21834852" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monetary-penalties" source="keywords">monetary penalties</keyword> on three Non-Banking Financial Companies for <keyword id="20170050" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="non-compliance" source="keywords">non-compliance</keyword> with directions of <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> on <keyword id="20200326" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="housing-finance-companies" source="keywords">housing finance companies</keyword>. As per the official statement from RBI on Friday, it has imposed a monetary <keyword id="19899183" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="penalty" source="keywords">penalty</keyword> of Rs 5 lakh on <keyword id="23068625" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Godrej-Housing-Finance" source="keywords">Godrej Housing Finance</keyword> Limited, Rs 5 lakh on <keyword id="20389260" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aadhar-Housing-Finance" source="keywords">Aadhar Housing Finance</keyword> Limited, and Rs 3.5 lakh on Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited. These penalties by the regulator have been imposed in the exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 52A of the <keyword id="20200606" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Housing-Bank" source="keywords">National Housing Bank</keyword> Act, 1987. As per RBI, the statutory inspection of these companies was conducted by the National Housing Bank (NHB) with reference to their financial positions as of March 31, 2022. The RBI stated that based on the supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the companies advising them to show cause as to why a penalty should not be imposed on them for their failure to comply with the RBI directions. After considering the companies' replies to the notice, oral submissions during the personal hearing, and additional submissions made by them, the RBI found that Godrej Housing Finance Limited failed to obtain two independent valuation reports before sanctioning certain loans of Rs 75 lakh and above. For Aadhar Housing Finance Limited, the RBI stated that the company charged interest on loans for a period prior to the date of the actual disbursement of the loan/issuance of the check to certain borrowers, in contravention of RBI directions on the 'Fair Practices Code.' The penalty on Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited has been imposed because the company failed to undertake risk categorization of its customers during the financial year 2021-22, did not put in place a system for periodic review of risk categorization of accounts, and did not create a floating charge on the assets invested by it in terms of Section 29B of the NHB Act, in favor of its depositors, and register the same with the Registrar of Companies.

RBI imposes penalties on three housing finance companies for non-compliance with directions

The government on Tuesday proposed a <keyword id="20789519" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="transit-oriented-development" source="keywords">transit-oriented development</keyword> plan for 14 large cities with a population of over 30 lakh in its budget for 2024-25 and said it will formulate a framework for the creative redevelopment of cities. Presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> underscored that the Union government will work with states to facilitate the development of cities as "growth hubs". "This will be achieved through economic and transit planning, and orderly development of peri-urban areas utilising <keyword id="22517779" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="town-planning-schemes" source="keywords">town planning schemes</keyword>", the minister said. "Transit-oriented development plans for 14 large cities with a population above 30 lakh will be formulated, along with an implementation and financing strategy," Sitharaman said in her budget speech. The minister also announced Central assistance of Rs 2.2 lakh crore for <keyword id="20957520" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="urban-housing" source="keywords">urban housing</keyword> over the next five years as well as an <keyword id="22517780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="interest-subsidy-scheme" source="keywords">interest subsidy scheme</keyword> to facilitate loans at affordable rates for urban housing works. She said the Central government will put in place measures for an efficient and transparent <keyword id="20071228" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rental-housing" source="keywords">rental housing</keyword> market with enhanced availability. The minister proposed a scheme to support the development of 100 weekly haats or street food hubs in select cities. Sitharaman added that rental housing with dormitory type accommodation for industrial workers will be facilitated in PPP (public-private partnership) mode with VGF (viability gap funding) support and commitment from anchor industries." Enabling policies and regulations for efficient and transparent rental housing markets with enhanced availability will also be put in place, she said. About <keyword id="19939560" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-supply" source="keywords">water supply</keyword> and <keyword id="20082835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sanitation" source="keywords">sanitation</keyword>, the minister announced that the Centre in partnership with state governments and multilateral development banks will promote water supply, sewage treatment and <keyword id="19973309" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solid-waste-management" source="keywords">solid waste management</keyword> projects and services for 100 large cities through bankable projects. According to her, these projects will also envisage use of treated water for irrigation and filling up of tanks in nearby areas. The minister stressed that the Central government will encourage states, which continue to charge high stamp duty, to moderate the rates for all, and also consider further lowering duties for properties purchased by women. This reform will be made an essential component of urban development schemes, she added.

Budget 2024-25: Govt announces transit-oriented development plan for large cities

The <keyword id="50190" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="asian-development-bank" source="Orion">Asian Development Bank</keyword> (ADB) has approved a USD 400 million loan to support the Indian government's <keyword id="706405" type="General" weightage="40" keywordseo="urban-reform" source="Orion">urban reform</keyword> agenda for creating high-quality <keyword id="557969" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="urban-infrastructure" source="Orion">urban infrastructure</keyword> and efficient governance systems. The programme also envisages integrated urban planning reforms to control urban sprawls and foster systemic and planned urbanisation through enhancing the entire ecosystem of legal, regulatory, and institutional reforms along with capacity building of ULBs and community awareness, ADB said. "The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 400 million policy-based loan to India for Sub-programme 2 of the <keyword id="8174895" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sustainable-Urban-Development" source="Orion">Sustainable Urban Development</keyword> and Service Delivery Programme. "The programme aims to support the government's urban reform agenda for improving the quality of urban life through the creation of high-quality urban infrastructure, assured public services, and efficient governance systems," ADB said. While Subprogramme 1, approved in 2021, established national-level policies and guidelines to improve urban services, Subprogramme 2 is supporting investment planning and reform actions at the state and urban local body (ULB) levels. "India has recognised the potential for cities to be centres of economic growth and has emphasised the need to make cities livable through inclusive, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure, which is also in line with ADB Strategy 2030," ADB Principal Urban Development Specialist <keyword id="86074" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Joshi" source="Orion">Sanjay Joshi</keyword> said.

ADB approves $400 mn loan to support govt's urban reform agenda

Mumbai, <keyword id="7340328" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reserve-bank-governor-shaktikanta-das" source="Orion">Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das</keyword> on Monday said the central bank has noticed "excessive dominance" by one or two board members even in "big commercial banks" and asked the lenders to desist from such practices. Board discussions have to be free, fair and democratic, Das said, addressing directors of <keyword id="117575" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="urban-cooperative-banks" source="Orion">Urban Cooperative Banks</keyword> (UCBs) at a meeting organised by the <keyword id="6354335" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="Orion">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI) here. "There should not be an over-dominance or excessive dominance by one or two members of the board, or the chairman or the vice-chairman. We have seen this even in big commercial banks... wherever we have seen this, we have told the bank that this is not the way," he said. He said all directors need to be given a chance to speak and a particular director's say should not be the final one on a matter. The governor, who made the point while illustrating the importance of a well-functioning board, however, did not elaborate further. In the past, the Indian banking system has witnessed problems at the promoter-led YES Bank, which had to be bailed out in an SBI-led initiative, which was supported by the RBI and the government. YES Bank Co-Founder Rana Kapoor, who was also its Chief Executive and Managing Director, was arrested in connection with the irregularities at the bank. Earlier this month, Uday Kotak, the Chief Executive and Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, resigned from his post and will continue as a non-executive board member. Das said directors in UCBs -- who are elected to the post -- need to have expertise in various aspects of banking, such as risk management, information technology, etc. He urged directors to go through agenda notes, which are prepared in advance, and ask relevant questions. While a managing director should have the freedom to act as per what she or he feels right, it is also important for directors to get their doubts clarified, Das added.

RBI found excessive dominance by 1-2 board members even in big commercial banks: Das

Mumbai, The <keyword id="6354335" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="Orion">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> on Friday announced doubling the lending limits for <keyword id="185013" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-loans" source="Orion">gold loans</keyword> under the bullet repayment scheme for <keyword id="117575" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="urban-cooperative-banks" source="Orion">urban cooperative banks</keyword> to Rs 4 lakh. "It has been decided to increase the existing limit for gold loans under the bullet repayment scheme from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4 lakh in respect of Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) who have met the overall target and sub-targets under the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) as on March 31, 2023," <keyword id="30067" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="rbi" source="Orion">RBI</keyword> Governor <keyword id="6359111" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="Orion">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> said. A bullet repayment scheme is one where a borrower repays interest and the principal amount at the end of a loan tenure without worrying about repayment during the loan tenure. Das, who had a meeting with top brass of UCBs recently, said the measure is in line with the RBI's earlier announcement of providing "suitable incentives" to UCBs that have met the prescribed PSL targets, wherein a lender is mandated to devote a certain part of its overall lending for the marginalised sector. Speaking after announcing the bi-monthly policy review, Das also announced that the RBI will be issuing a comprehensive regulatory framework on project finance. "With a view to strengthen the extant regulatory framework governing project finance and to harmonise the instructions across all regulated entities, the extant prudential norms for projects under implementation have been reviewed," he said, adding that detailed draft guidelines will be released for public comments. He also announced that non-bank lenders in the 'middle and base layers' will be permitted to use Credit Risk Mitigation instruments for reducing their counter party exposure under the credit concentration norms, just like their peers classified in the 'upper layer' are allowed to right now. The RBI is also mulling introducing Card-on-File Tokenisation (CoFT) creation facilities directly at the issuer bank level, given the growing acceptance and benefits of tokenisation of card data, Das said, adding that this will help make e-commerce transactions more convenient.

RBI doubles bullet repayment gold loan limits for urban co-op banks to Rs 4 lakh

New Delhi: India's Consumer Price Index (<keyword id="20468215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CPI" source="keywords">CPI</keyword>) <keyword id="19895000" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="inflation" source="keywords">inflation</keyword> dropped to 3.54 per cent in July 2024, its lowest in nearly five years, largely driven by a decline in <keyword id="20028256" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vegetable" source="keywords">vegetable</keyword> <keyword id="19900607" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prices" source="keywords">prices</keyword>. However, despite this positive development, the <keyword id="19934368" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="State-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="State Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="State Bank of India">State Bank of India</keyword> (<keyword id="19898108" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI" source="keywords">SBI</keyword>) has cautioned that the path forward may be challenging, according to the SBI research report. The dramatic reduction in vegetable inflation, which plummeted from 29.3 per cent in June to a mere 6.8 per cent in July, played a crucial role in achieving this multi-year low. The weighted contribution of vegetables to the overall CPI also shrank from 1.77 per cent in June to 0.55 per cent in July, underscoring their impact on the headline inflation figure. Additionally, the prices of fruits and fuel showed signs of moderation, contributing further to easing inflationary pressures. However, this broad-based relief was tempered by a slight uptick in core CPI inflation, which excludes food and fuel prices. The SBI's latest report highlights that the once-dominant "Follow the Fed" mantra appears to be waning, with an increasing number of central banks prioritizing domestic economic conditions over synchronizing with U.S. rate decisions, signaling a shift in global <keyword id="20104157" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monetary-policy" source="keywords">monetary policy</keyword> dynamics. This decline in CPI marks the first time in half a decade that CPI inflation has dipped below the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) target of 4 per cent, a feat largely attributed to a steep fall in vegetable prices. Core CPI rose from 3.12 per cent in June to 3.30 per cent in July, driven primarily by an increase in mobile tariffs. Notably, the transport and communication segment saw inflation rise sharply from 0.97 per cent in June to 2.48 per cent in July, indicating sector-specific pressures. The moderation in food inflation, which stood at 5.06 per cent year-on-year in July, was significantly influenced by a higher base effect. Despite this, concerns persist over the uneven distribution of monsoon rainfall, particularly in key foodgrain-producing states experiencing deficient precipitation. With La Nina conditions gaining strength, the possibility of excessive rainfall in August and September looms large, raising fears of crop damage that could reignite food price inflation. Looking ahead, inflationary pressures may persist, potentially exceeding the RBI's forecast of 4.5 per cent for FY25. The domestic growth momentum remains robust, with GDP expected to surpass 7 per cent in Q1 FY25. However, geopolitical uncertainties continue to pose risks to the growth outlook. The RBI, maintaining a tight liquidity stance to control inflation, has deferred potential rate cuts to December 2024 or February 2025. State-wise analysis reveals that the majority of states recorded CPI inflation rates below the national average, with only six out of 22 states experiencing higher-than-average inflation. Despite this, significant rural-urban inflation differentials were observed, with most states seeing higher inflation in rural areas compared to urban counterparts. Only four states reported higher urban inflation. Historically, when the U.S. Federal Reserve adjusts its interest rates, global capital flows are impacted, prompting central banks in emerging markets to follow suit. However, while the Fed's recent rate hike cycle (2022-2023) saw a synchronized global response, the current rate-cutting phase is proving to be less coordinated. Central banks in countries like China, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, the UK, Canada, and the European Central Bank have already begun reducing rates, while the Fed is expected to initiate cuts in September 2024. India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew by 4.2 per cent in June 2024, down from a revised 6.2 per cent in May. The mining sector led the growth with a 10.3 per cent increase, followed by electricity at 8.6 per cent and manufacturing at 2.6 per cent. For the April-June 2024 period, industrial growth stood at 5.2 per cent, compared to 4.7 per cent in the same period the previous year. As India navigates the delicate balance between growth and inflation, the coming months will be critical in shaping the country's economic trajectory, especially with potential global shifts in monetary policy and the evolving monsoon season.

CPI inflation drops to lowest in five years but road ahead could be bumpy: SBI Report

<keyword id="19951168" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI-governor-Shaktikanta-Das" source="keywords">RBI governor Shaktikanta Das</keyword> announced no change in prevailing interest rates and maintained the withdrawal of accommodation stance in the ongoing <keyword id="20456086" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Monetary-Policy-Review" source="keywords">Monetary Policy Review</keyword> (MPC) meeting, which was held between August 6th and August 8th, 2024. This was the 50th MPC meeting since its inception. <h2>What is MPC meet? </h2>The <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reserve Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank of India">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI) held its third <keyword id="22709762" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bi-monthly-MPC-meet" source="keywords">bi-monthly MPC meet</keyword>, which began on August 6th, 2024 and concluded today. Experts were widely of the view that there would be no significant changes in the <keyword id="22709761" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="benchmark-repo-rate" source="keywords">benchmark repo rate</keyword> during this MPC meet, and that the MPC would keep it unchanged at 6.5%. This is the ninth time the <keyword id="20094323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="repo-rate" source="keywords">repo rate</keyword> has been left unchanged, since it was last increased from 6.25% to 6.5% on 8th February 2023. MPC includes 6 members, three from RBI, and three external experts. Together, they are responsible for setting the benchmark interest rate, or repo rate. This is the rate at which the central bank of the country i.e. RBI lends to other banks of the country. If it is increased, the same translates into higher borrowing costs for consumers as well. <h2>What was the decision? </h2>MPC decided, by a majority of 4:2 members, that the repo rate will be left unchanged at 6.5%. This was done to align both market expectations and monetary policies. The MPC has decided to focus on maintaining price stability to ensure growth, and that inflation progressively aligns with the target. Notably, the RBIs inflation target is around 4%, with a tolerance band of about 2%. This target was last met in January 2021, when inflation stood at 4.06%. Per the governor, "PMI services stood strong at 60.3 in July, and have been above 60 for seven constitutive months, indicating robust expansion of services. On the demand side, household consumption is supporting a turnaround in rural demand and steady discretionary spending in urban areas is also being observed". As Das noted, sustained buoyancy in services activity is expected to support urban consumption. Moreover, government's thrust on capex, and signs of pickup in private investment would drive investment activity in the current year. Taking all these factors into consideration, the real GDP growth for 2024-25 has been projected at 7.2% . This is distributed as 7% in Q1, 7.1% in Q2, 7.2% in Q3 and 7.3% in Q4. Explaining the moderation of growth projections for the first quarter of the current FY, as compared to information given during previous MPC in June, Das explained that this was primarily due to updated information on certain high frequency indicators which show lower than anticipated results. These include corporate profitability, central government expenditure and core industries output, among others. As for CPI inflation for current FY, it has been pegged at 4.5%. Accordingly, Q2 projections stand at 4.4%, Q3 at 4.7% and Q4 at 4.3%. CPI inflation for the first quarter of next financial year i.e. Q1FY26 is projected at 4.4%. <h2>Is high food inflation a key concern? </h2>In June 2024, food inflation surged, pushing overall CPI (consumer price index) inflation to 5.1% during the month, from 4.8% in May. It may be noted that food inflation forms a significant part of CPI. That is why, even with a supportive base effect from the previous year, food inflation jumped to 9.4%, driven mostly by high vegetable prices, which have remained in double digits for eight months. "The inflation trajectory has been moderating, and we do expect it to moderate, but the pace of modulation has been uneven and slow. So, we need to be watchful to ensure that we move closer to target, and CPI inflation gets aligned to the target on a durable basis", continued Das. <h2>Some segments of personal loans are excessively leveraged, notes Das </h2> Going ahead, there will be a public repository of digital lending apps deployed by the regulator. This comes amidst a spike in number of unauthorised lending apps, and certain segments of personal loans witnessing excess leverage through retail loans, most of which are for consumption purposes, the governor noted. Additionally, the current UPI transaction limit for tax payments is being enhanced from Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 5,00,000 per transaction. Also, the clearance cycle is also being shortened and made almost continuous, with cheques being cleared on the same day, within just a few hours of being presented, benefiting all stakeholders. <h2>What are the experts saying? </h2>Says Anuj Puri, Chairman - ANAROCK Group, "The RBI's decision to keep repo rates unchanged at 6.5% for ninth consecutive time aligns well with yesterday's announcement on indexation benefits. It sets a positive tone for the housing industry. Maintaining interest rates offers consistency in borrowing costs, which will prompt more aspiring homebuyers to consider taking the plunge - and thus drive demand in the housing market. With interest rates staying steady, EMIs will remain manageable for current and potential homeowners, potentially leading to increased home sales - particularly in the price-sensitive affordable segment". <h2>When is the next MPC scheduled?</h2>The upcoming RBI MPC meets are scheduled to take place between October 7th and 9th, December 4th an 6th, 2024, and February 5th and 7th, 2025.

RBI MPC Meet: Repo rates unchanged at 6.5%, inflation moderating, albeit slowly

On Monday, July 22, Finance Minister <keyword id="22504403" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmal-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmal Sitharaman</keyword> tabled the <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="economic-survey" source="keywords">Economic Survey</keyword> 2023-24 in the parliament ahead of the much-awaited budget 2024 tomorrow. In addition to a socio-economic stock take, the comprehensive report also outlines the strides India has made on the environment and climate fronts last year. India is in a weird grey area when the climate blame-game is concerned. We continue to average some of the lowest per capita CO2 emissions in the world. But, being the most-populous country in the world, these small bits add up to make India the third-largest emitter of CO2 in the world, after China and the United States. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111923746" title="Economic Survey 2023-2024 highlights emerging job trends in AI, Cybersecurity, 3D Printing and Web Development" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>However, this is not to say that the country has been sitting the green transition out either. As highlighted in the Economic Survey, India has been making notable strides in tackling climate change and promoting <keyword id="19895783" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="keywords">sustainability</keyword> — efforts that will be crucial to protect billions in the coming years and decades. Let's take a look at these efforts and compare them with findings from other recent environmental reports to see the full picture. <h2><keyword id="21818512" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="emission-intensity" source="keywords">Emission intensity</keyword> reduction</h2>The economic survey proudly states that India has reduced the emission intensity of its GDP by 33% from 2005 levels by 2019. This means the country is producing less greenhouse gas for every unit of economic activity. This is a commendable achievement because India’s original climate change target — or Nationally Determined Contribution — was set to precisely 33% reduction of emission intensity by 2030, before being revised to 45% in 2022. While the jump from 33% to 45% is still a significant one with barely half a decade to go, this progress is a clear sign that India’s climate policies are having a real impact. <h2><keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">Renewable energy</keyword> capacity</h2>According to the economic survey, 45.4% of India’s installed electricity generation capacity — which includes solar, wind, and hydropower — now comes from non-fossil sources, as of May 31, 2024. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111774972" title="Economic Survey shows India&amp;#39;s energy needs to grow 2.5x, healthy growth in formal employment" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>As per reports by the Ministry of New &amp; Renewable Energy, India added a record renewable energy capacity of 18.48 GW in 2023-2024, with solar installations amounting to 12.78 GW, followed by 2.27 GW of wind energy. However, industry experts have also noted that India Inc. cannot afford to run out of steam now, and must continue to add at least 50 GW for the next six years to meet the target of 500 GW of renewables by 2030. <h2>Indian energy needs</h2>India's energy needs are expected to grow 2 to 2.5 times by 2047, as per the latest economic survey. This necessitates a balanced approach to <keyword id="19951336" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="energy-transition" source="keywords">energy transition</keyword> that considers resource limitations and the need for resilience to climate change. India has suffered from an overdependence on coal and fossil fuels in the past, accounting for around 75% of total energy generation in 2021, as per the Energy Information Administration. However, this number has been quickly falling, even dropping below a historic 50% in Q1 2024. <h2>Sovereign <keyword id="20177085" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-bonds" source="keywords">green bonds</keyword></h2>To fund green projects, India issued Rs 16,000 Crore in sovereign green bonds — financial instruments that support green projects at lower capital costs — in early 2023 and another Rs 20,000 Crore later in the year, the economic survey reports. As per the government, these proceeds were utilised in many eco-friendly projects, such as New and Renewable Energy, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Housing and Urban Affairs, Railways. To widen the investor base, the <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="keywords">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI) also recently permitted eligible foreign investors to invest in such bonds. <h2>Mission LiFE and Green Credit Programme</h2>The survey also talks extensively about Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), which promotes sustainable living, and the Green Credit Programme (GCP), which incentivises eco-friendly actions by offering “green credits”. In the past few months, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and a few other states have reportedly approved thousands of hectares of degraded forest land for greening exercises as part of the GCP. <h2>International initiatives</h2>India has spearheaded several international initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA), One World, One Sun, One Grid (OSOWOG), the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States’ (IRIS) and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT). Hundreds of nations are signed up for these climate coalitions and our participation will help reflect India's commitment to advancing global <keyword id="20000756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-action" source="keywords">climate action</keyword> and fostering international cooperation in sustainable development. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111923191" title="Economic Survey 2024 – industries grow by 9.5%, fueling economic growth to 8.2%" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>The report even notes that India is currently the only G20 nation who is set not to cross the 2°C warming threshold. All in all, India’s economic survey and environmental reports together show a nation making impressive progress in combating climate change and advancing sustainability. These achievements will hopefully set a strong example for other countries to follow.

On the right track — Economic Survey 2023-24 outlines India’s commendable climate action

Mumbai, RBI Governor <keyword id="6359111" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="Orion">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> on Monday said the central bank is "not comfortable" with the gross non-performing assets ratio of 8.7 per cent in urban cooperative banks (UCBs) and asked them to work towards improving the same. Addressing directors of UCBs in the financial capital at an RBI-organised conference, Das urged that such lenders should improve the governance standards, avoid related-party transactions and focus on credit risks, among others. It can be noted that the UCB sector has been fraught with multiple challenges and also witnessed difficult times in the recent past, like the implosion of the city-headquartered Punjab and Maharashtra Bank. Das reminded the directors of the UCBs that banks run on depositors and added that protection of the hard-earned money pooled in from the middle class, poor and retirees is far more sacred than going to a temple or a gurdwara. While the overall picture at an aggregate level looks nice, the situation on GNPAs and capital adequacy is "not at all satisfactory", Das said. He said the overall GNPAs have improved to 8.7 per cent, which is "not a good number. It is not a comfortable number even at an aggregate level". Scheduled commercial banks' GNPAs stood at a decadal best level of 3.9 per cent in March 2023 and are widely estimated to improve further. To manage the scourge of <keyword id="127693" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="npas" source="Orion">NPAs</keyword> better, Das suggested that there should be a focus on credit risk management with better underwriting. He said the RBI has come across instances of conflicts of interest or related party transactions, which need to be avoided. Similarly, there have been instances of many of the top defaulters being individuals or businesses having the ability to pay, Das said. The top 20 defaulters account for over 60 per cent of the loan overdue, and focusing on this segment can help improve the overall NPAs, he added. On the capital adequacy front, he noted that there has been an improvement in the ratios to 16.6 per cent at the end of FY23 from 15.5 per cent a year ago. Making it clear that he wants to share the RBI's concerns with the lenders, Das exhorted the UCBs to focus on the quality of governance by paying attention to compliance, risk management and internal audit. He said the RBI has come across instances where there is only "paper compliance" and no compliance is observed when an on-field inspection takes place, Das said, adding that the internal audit function also requires focus. The governor asked bank management to present a risk analysis report to the board on a quarterly basis, rather than making it into an annual effort. It is also necessary for the directors - who are elected and not appointed based on their skill sets, unlike the SCBs - to understand the financial sector, credit risk, banking, information technology and risk management, Das said. The <keyword id="6354335" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="Orion">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> has prescribed a board of management to help the elected board members with professional help in running a bank, and the same should not be seen as an impediment, he added. Stressing that the board discussions should be free and fair, Das said it is important to have any dominance of one or two persons in the decision-making. "There should be free, frank and democratic discussions. Board members should be encouraged to ask whatever questions they have on their mind," he said. Das also expressed the RBI's discomfort with board committees like those handling important functions, such as audit and risk not meeting regularly, stating that it has come across instances where such meetings are not held for months or even multiple years. He also asked UCBs to monitor asset-liability mismatches, follow transparent accounting practices and recruit people based on requirements and ability to spend. On the technology front, he said the RBI has found that the quality of the core banking solution is not at all satisfactory in some banks, and the treasury operations are not getting reflected in the CBS. Going ahead, the UCB segment will be facing competition from tech-savvy entities like digital lenders, fintechs, non-bank lenders and micro-lenders, and hence, need to focus more on technology, Das said. The governor said the UCB sector - built to serve as the neighbourhood bank - is "doing well" from an overall perspective, and also made it clear that the RBI is fine with some of the entities in the sector growing big.

Not comfortable with NPAs in urban co-op banks says RBI, asks lenders to focus on governance

At 24, David Nuñez still <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-living-with-parents-save-money-housing-crisis-cost-2024-2">lives at home with his parents</a> in Tampa, Florida. He chips in his share of the phone bill, the Netflix subscription, and the groceries, but thanks to his parents' generosity, he doesn't pay any rent. Contrary to what some might think, Nuñez isn't an unemployed freeloader — he has a full-time job in marketing. But his $33,000 annual salary barely makes a dent in local rent prices; downtown, a one-bedroom costs more than $2,000 a month. He simply can't afford it."I'm fortunate enough to have a family that understands that it's kind of a rough time right now," he told me.Despite a strong job market, many <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adult-moved-back-home-with-parents-who-pay-bills-rent-2024-7">Gen Zers are still relying on the bank of Mom and Dad</a> to make ends meet. In a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center last fall, only 16% of 18- to 24-year-olds said they were completely financially independent, whereas in 1980, 32% of 22-year-olds could say the same. In the past decade, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-parents-give-gen-z-millennial-kids-financial-assistance-pew-2024-1">the share of parents who say they have supported an adult child</a> has doubled, to about 60% in 2023 from about 30% in 2013, according to Pew. Some parents have reported spending <a target="_blank" href="https://www.savings.com/insights/financial-support-for-adult-children-study">an average of $1,400 a month</a> helping their adult kids with groceries, tuition, and more."You're told throughout your life that you move out at 18 or 19 years old and you're kind of expected to have your own life already," Nuñez said. "But I only know one person in my friendship group who is not living with their parents anymore."This new norm is leaving parents frazzled. Paying for college tuition is one thing, but many aren't sure how to handle their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adult-kids-live-at-home-hard-expensive-but-worth-it-2024-5">children remaining comfortably in the nest</a> and relying on them for food, rent, and other expenses well beyond college. Nuñez's mother lived with her aunt before moving to America, so she's happy to let her son live with her. "I would rather you be here and know that you are OK," she told him. But for others, the aid comes with a question: At what point should parents cut the financial umbilical cord?Despite being better educated than older generations and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/22/gen-z-boomers-work-census-data">increasingly likely to be employed full time</a>, Gen Zers have faced significant financial hurdles.For one, modest wage increases have been overshadowed by substantial student-loan debt. Over the past 20 years, the average student debt has more than doubled, to just over $37,000 per borrower. "More and more young people are seeking higher education," Monica Kirkpatrick Johnson, a professor of sociology at Washington State University, said. "They're staying in school longer, and while they're doing that, they are delaying their earning capacity."The rising cost of housing is another barrier. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-market-affordability-homebuyer-earnings-income-price-trends-covid-comparison-2024-2">Zillow estimated this year that people needed 80% more income </a>to comfortably afford to buy a home than they did four years ago. And rent is taking up more and more of the budget: Zillow found that the average rent in America had gone up by 60% since 2015.Wages, meanwhile, haven't kept up with inflation, meaning people are more strapped for cash. All told, Kirkpatrick Johnson said, many young adults are "entering jobs that do not allow them to be self-sufficient." In this perfect storm, many are opting to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adult-daughter-lives-at-home-pros-cons-2024-7">take shelter in their childhood homes</a>. The share of 25- to 34-year-olds <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-living-with-parents-save-money-housing-crisis-cost-2024-2">living with their parents</a> in the US has climbed by 87% over the past two decades. Other milestones, like getting married and starting a family, are happening later and later.In his book "The Oxford Handbook of Emerging Adulthood," Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, a psychology professor at Clark University, defined adulthood as taking responsibility, making independent decisions, and becoming financially independent. But increasingly, people aren't meeting that definition until they're closer to 30. He decided that, in the modern economy and culture, the time between 18 and 29 when young adults are still getting their footing needed its own name, calling it "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pandemic-gen-z-effects-emerging-adulthood-psychology-2020-5">emerging adulthood</a>."Not everyone is on board with that. In a 2019 Pew Research survey, 64% of Americans said they believed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adults-financially-independent-boomers-gen-z-parents-support-adult-kids-2023-4">young adults should be financially independent by 22</a>. "Our institutions haven't totally caught up yet," Kirkpatrick Johnson said, adding that, without the kinds of social safety nets that other countries have, like subsidized student loans and publicly funded healthcare, American parents are often left to provide cover.Some <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-high-rent-gen-z-living-at-home-permanently-2022-7">parents are happy to provide a backstop</a>. Jo Clark, 50, always knew she'd keep providing for her two daughters after college. "My mindset was always to support my daughters wherever possible," she told me. Clark's older daughter, 26, lived at home briefly, and now her youngest daughter, who's 24, lives in the extension Clark built on her Surrey, England, home for this very purpose. She didn't expect her daughter to contribute anything to the household costs, but her daughter insisted and now contributes £150 a month. "I wanted them to have the opportunity to be able to save for their future," Clark said. "My aim is that they could save for a deposit for their own house."Clark says that even if her daughter moves out in the future, the door will always be open for her to come back. "I'm not terribly financially affluent myself," she said, "so this is my way that I can give my children the stepping stone to be able to buy their own place."Teresa Bailey, a senior wealth strategist at Waddell &amp; Associates, argued that Gen X parents were among the earliest to demonstrate an openness to providing so much financial support. "This generation of parents went through 2008, 2009, 2010 as relatively young adults, and they really experienced financial hardship," she told me. "They are in many ways the product of that mindset and want things to be different for their children." Ali Lupo, a millennial with a 10-month-old daughter in upstate New York, agreed that part of the trend toward extra support comes down to a shift in parenting styles. "Every generation tries to improve and do better than the last," she said. "My grandparents' generation, you threw the kids out of the house in the summer and passed them a sandwich through the door. My parents' generation were more protective and wanted to do more to help. I think now we are even more like that, sometimes to a fault."She and her husband plan to contribute to the costs of their daughter's education, health insurance, and wedding — and they don't foresee ever charging her rent. "When you sign up as a parent," Lupo said, "you're a parent for life."Some parents might be more willing to provide financial support because they want to feel like a good parent. In the Pew survey last fall, 71% of parents of young adults said their children's successes and failures reflected on the job they'd done as parents — a sentiment that was particularly strong among upper-income parents. But the support doesn't always come easy; some parents are sacrificing their own financial security by dipping into their retirement or emergency savings to help their adult children. In a Bankrate survey last year, 31% of parents with adult children said they had made what they considered significant financial sacrifices to help their kids."Parents have the least amount of time to financially recover. The young adult has their entire life ahead of them," Bailey said. "There's not always consideration given to that."Some are concerned that parents are enabling their children to delay milestones by providing so much support. A 2019 report from the Urban Institute found that in a sample of young adults who were 25 to 34 between 1999 and 2005, only about 68% of those who lived with their parents at those ages had achieved independent living a decade later, compared with nearly all those who rented or owned a home.On the flip side, JP Krahel, the chair of the accounting department at Loyola University Maryland, told me it's better for young people to save up and limit their expenses if possible: "Technically, if you're living out of your car on the side of the street, are you financially independent? Maybe, but you don't have a great trajectory."It can be a tough act to balance. The Lupos plan to leave some expenses, such as college tuition, to their daughter when she reaches an appropriate age. "For us," Lupo said, "it's about setting her up for success, giving her love and support, and empowering her to make the best choices possible — but not enabling her."Cody and Erika Archie took a different approach. The Texas couple began charging their daughter $200 a month in rent the month after she graduated from high school in 2022. "It's not so much rent that she couldn't afford it, but it also was enough that it kind of stung when she had to pay it," Cody Archie said. "If you're going to live under our roof as an adult, you can pay for the long showers you take, the food you eat, and help contribute to the household." Archie said that if their daughter had attended college while living at home, they wouldn't have charged rent and would have helped with her tuition. But she decided to skip college and now works as an insurance sales representative. "When you're working a 40-hour-a-week job, you're an adult," Archie said. "That's when you need to be off your mom and dad's bank account."He said he and Erika, both of whom are in their mid-40s, believe that coddling adult children does them a disservice and fails to teach them important lessons in financial responsibility. "If you don't kick them out of the nest and force them to get into the world and start fending for themselves, there's really no need for them to," Archie said. "They've got to go on their own, or you have to force them out to help them."When India Anderson turned 20 and decided to move in with her boyfriend, her mother cut off most financial support. As a full-time student in Orlando, Anderson needed to find a way to pay her bills, so she <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-business-startups-entrepreneurship-digital-era-branding-social-media-2024-3">started a hair-braiding business</a> on campus. Now, at 22, she has graduated and grown her business. She still lives with her boyfriend in Orlando, splitting rent and bills. The only bill her mother still covers is her phone."I wasn't raised with the proper financial literacy to be thrust into the real world," she said. "That transition, at least for me, wasn't that smooth." Anderson struggled to save money and dealt with some unexpected expenses she had to put on her credit card. She's also worried about getting kicked off her family's health-insurance plan when she turns 26. At the same time, she valued <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-retired-early-financial-independence-fire-strategies-six-figure-income-2024-5">financial independence</a>. "It's an expensive sacrifice," she said.Anderson's 20-year-old brother still lives at home with their mother and 9-year-old sister, something Anderson sees as putting a strain on their mother. "He has a job, but he spends his money on computer games and Uber Eats every day," she said. Still, she doesn't wish him the abrupt exit she experienced. "Some independence would do him good," she said, "but at what cost?"Most parents seem to want what's best for their kids, but navigating what that actually looks like in a shifting economy isn't easy. When Nuñez told his parents he wanted to move in with his girlfriend later this year, they were nervous. "They're less like, 'Get out of my house,'" he said, "and more like, 'We don't want you leaving if you're just going to have to come back.'"<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/eve-upton-clark">Eve Upton-Clark</a> is a features writer covering culture and society.

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