Latest news with #TejasviSurya
Indian Express
42 minutes ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Central GST authorities have not issued any notices based on UPI transactions, FinMin says after furore in Karnataka
With transactions of small businesses under the tax scanner, the Ministry of Finance on Monday stated that the Central GST authorities have 'not issued any notices based on UPI transactions'. In response to a question asked by BJP MPs K Sudhakar and Tejasvi Surya in Lok Sabha on whether the Government has issued GST notices to small traders and street vendors in the country without assessment of their business activities including Karnataka, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, 'No. Central GST authorities have not issued any notices based on UPI transactions.' On the query of whether such evasions are due to systemic flaws within the GST Department, the Finance Minister replied in the negative. Data by central tax formations for Karnataka shared by the Finance Minister in Lok Sabha showed that 1,254 GST evasion cases involving detected amount of Rs 39,577 crore were registered in 2024-25. This was higher than 925 cases with detected amount of Rs 7,202 crore in 2023-24 and 959 cases with detected amount of Rs 25,839 crore in 2022-23. The issue of Goods and Services Tax (GST) notices to small businesses came to the forefront last month after Karnataka sent a spate of notices to unregistered vendors and small businesses, asking them to register under GST for having breached the GST registration threshold. Several such notices in Karnataka had pointed out that such unregistered businesses had received payments by way of cash, UPI or POS machines exceeding Rs 40 lakh (for goods) or over Rs 20 lakh (for services) annually. The heightened scrutiny and the spate of notices to small businesses had a fallout — many small vendors were refusing to take UPI payments for fear of being tracked by the tax authorities. The Indian Express had reported last month that Central and state GST authorities had reached out to payment aggregators, seeking data of those who received payments exceeding Rs 20 lakh per year to undertake data analysis on cash-based and unregistered trade. A missive sent by central GST authorities to its field officers on June 24 had asked officers to identify sectors that are prone to cash transactions, conduct geographical mapping to identify specific markets for informal economic activity, and undertake targeted outreach programmes to engage with local business associations and nudge them to register under GST. It had pointed out that a part of the economic activity still continues to operate outside the formal tax framework, particularly in sectors and markets where cash transactions dominate. However, officials maintained that no notices were sent by central GST authorities. GST registration is mandatorily required if small businesses have all-India aggregate turnover above Rs 40 lakh in case of supply of goods (Rs 20 lakh if business is in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura and Uttarakhand) and Rs 20 lakh in case of supply of services or in case of mixed supplies (Rs 10 lakh if business is in states of Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura). Aanchal Magazine is Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express and reports on the macro economy and fiscal policy, with a special focus on economic science, labour trends, taxation and revenue metrics. With over 13 years of newsroom experience, she has also reported in detail on macroeconomic data such as trends and policy actions related to inflation, GDP growth and fiscal arithmetic. Interested in the history of her homeland, Kashmir, she likes to read about its culture and tradition in her spare time, along with trying to map the journeys of displacement from there. ... Read More
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Priyank Kharge accuses BJP of ‘hijacking' credit for Yellow Line
Karnataka Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge on Sunday (August 10, 2025) criticised the BJP for 'hijacking' the credit for Yellow Line Phase 2, stating that the Karnataka Government shouldered the bulk of the expenses, contributing over ₹12,000 crore. Also read: Yellow Line metro inauguration highlights Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Bengaluru on Sunday (August 10, 2025) inaugurated the much-awaited Yellow Line of Bangalore Metro and the Vande Bharat Express train between Bengaluru and Belagavi. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Mr. Kharge said, 'The Metro project was launched under the UPA Government led by Manmohan Singh. In the first phase, the UPA Government bore a significant portion of the cost, outpacing the State Government's contribution.' According to him, after BJP came to power, their commitment to the project dwindled, with the Central Government's share decreasing drastically in subsequent phases. 'The Karnataka Government has shouldered the bulk of the expenses, contributing over ₹12,000 crore, covering land acquisition costs and additional expenses,' he added. The Central Government only provided ₹8,000 crore for the project, he pointed out. 'This lack of support forced BMRCL to take loans to cover the remaining project costs. While Karnataka's contributions to the Centre continue to grow year after year, the returns to the state diminish, and the Yellow Line project is a glaring example of this,' said Mr. Kharge. Meanwhile, speaking to PTI Videos, Tejasvi Surya, MP of Bengaluru South, insisted that the PM 'pushed for public infrastructure in Bengaluru', stating that between the Yellow Line and the proposed Orange Line that the PM is laying the foundation stone for on Sunday, 18 lakh commuters will benefit. VIDEO | As PM Modi is going to inaugurate Yellow Line of Bengaluru Metro today, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) says, "The people of Bengaluru have been waiting for this Yellow Line metro to be inaugurated for a very long time. The Hon'ble Prime Minister has just landed in… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 10, 2025 'But Congress tries to take credit for all the things in which they don't have any role. You may have seen recently, Congress tried to take credit for even the IPL victory,' said Mr. Surya. The credit for the success of it goes to the people of Bengaluru, nobody else, he added.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Bengaluru metro's Yellow Line to be inaugurated on Sunday: Why the project was delayed for years
After eight years of delays, Bengaluru metro network's much-anticipated 19.15-km Yellow Line will finally be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (August 10). The corridor connects RV Road and Bommasandra, linking south Bengaluru to key manufacturing and tech firms at Electronic City, including Infosys, Biocon, and TCS. With 16 stations, the new line will expand Bengaluru's metro network to 96 km and is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion, especially near the Silk Board junction. The project was delayed due to a host of issues ranging from land acquisition delays to rolling stock production problems compounded by the Indo-China conflict. Here is a look at how the project went off track and eventually reached completion. Missed deadlines & bottlenecks The Yellow Line was originally outlined in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in 2011, with an estimated cost of Rs 4,255 crore and a targeted completion date of March 2016. Construction began in 2017 with a revised deadline of December 2021 and an updated budget of Rs 5,744 crore. What followed was a series of bureaucratic delays, supply chain setbacks, and leadership lapses that repeatedly derailed the project timeline. Civil work gained momentum in 2018-19, but land acquisition delays began affecting project schedules. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic further stalled progress, causing widespread disruption in supply chains and manpower. Geopolitical tensions between India and China following the 2020 Galwan clash delayed the supply of rolling stock from CRRC Nanjing, the Chinese train manufacturer. To tackle this issue, the government revised its strategy and directed CRRC to partner with Kolkata-based Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd to manufacture the trains domestically. However, this localisation brought its own challenges: production line delays, visa issues for CRRC engineers, and hold-ups in delivering the Train Control and Management System (TCMS) software by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO) further pushed the project timeline into uncertainty. Attempt to fast-track the project At this point, Bangalore South Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya pressed both state and central authorities to fast-track the remaining work. In 2023, he launched a campaign advocating for the appointment of a full-time managing director (MD) for BMRCL. After three months of sustained lobbying and meetings with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the state government, a dedicated MD was finally appointed — freeing up much-needed executive bandwidth to resolve bottlenecks. Meanwhile, the Yellow Line's cost escalated to Rs 7,610 crore — about Rs 400 crore per km, representing a 32% increase from BMRCL's original estimate. Finally, CRRC delivered its first six-coach prototype (driverless with CBTC) train set in February 2024. Through collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Union Finance Ministry, issues related to visas and customs clearance for CRRC engineers and imported components were resolved to speed up coach production at the Titagarh factory. On January 6, 2025, the first train set was rolled out and dispatched from Titagarh Rail Systems, followed by a second train set that arrived at Bengaluru's Hebbagodi depot on February 9. Between April and May, six additional coaches reached Bengaluru, bringing the total to three train sets and prompting BMRCL to accelerate preparations for commercial operations. Despite these advancements, BMRCL had not committed to an official launch date by mid-2025 due to delays in receiving the Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) report, which would allow BMRCL to request a Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) inspection. The ISA report was delayed due to technical glitches discovered during the review of key datasets, requiring software updates. Without this report, BMRCL could not proceed with the mandatory CMRS inspection. However, ISA clearance was granted on July 19, after which CMRS inspection was requested. Green light for commercial operations On August 1, the CMRS cleared the Yellow Line for revenue operations but flagged several issues, including unauthorised welding work, incomplete structural tests, non-functional lifts, and incorrect signage at some stations. On August 2, Union Minister for Home and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar announced that Prime Minister Modi would inaugurate the Yellow Line connecting RV Road to Bommasandra and lay the foundation stone for the 44.65-km Phase-3 expansion of Bengaluru Metro on August 10. Currently, BMRCL plans to operate the Yellow Line from Monday (August 11) with three trains running at a frequency of 25 minutes from RV Road to Bommasandra. Sanath Prasad is a senior sub-editor and reporter with the Bengaluru bureau of Indian Express. He covers education, transport, infrastructure and trends and issues integral to Bengaluru. He holds more than two years of reporting experience in Karnataka. His major works include the impact of Hijab ban on Muslim girls in Karnataka, tracing the lives of the victims of Kerala cannibalism, exploring the trends in dairy market of Karnataka in the aftermath of Amul-Nandini controversy, and Karnataka State Elections among others. If he is not writing, he keeps himself engaged with badminton, swimming, and loves exploring. ... Read More
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Boy In A Hurry" Vs "Politics of Delay": DK Shivakumar And Tejasvi Surya Clash
Bengaluru: The opening of the new Yellow Line section of the Bengaluru metro has sparked a row between Karnataka's Congress government and the BJP and senior BJP leader Tejasvi Surya invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has called him a "boy in a hurry", accusing him of announcing the details and sending the invitation without consulting the state government. Tejasvi Surya has hit back, calling the Deputy Chief Minister "ageist' and "insensitive" and said theirs is a "politics of delay". "I am part of a young generation in India that wants reforms today -- not in some distant future," Mr Surya told NDTV in an exclusive interview. "He (Shivakumar) may have no urgency because he comes from a party that represents the politics of delay," he said. The metro, he added, is a requirement for thousands who have to spend two hours in public transport just to reach their office. "This is the situation and the Deputy Chief Minister says what is the urgency... A two-km flyover in my constituency took 8.5 years to complete. I am not okay with that," he added. The Congress, he has alleged, delayed the inauguration six times. "Recently, the seven MLAs of the Yellow Line area, two MPs, our district president, and hundreds of public members... all worked hard, protested, and demanded the inauguration be done by August 15," he said. Earlier, giving reporters a ride in the new metro line, Mr Shivakumar had said Rs 7,610 crore has been spent on the line that covers 19.5 km. "The clearances to operate this have come only on July 31. Our poor young MP who is inexperienced has been in a hurry but we can't do that. The technical clearances came only on July 31. Today is August 5 and the Prime Minister has been given time to inaugurate this on August 10," he told reporters. Mr Surya accused the Congress of trying to take credit for a project for which they had little contribution. "As soon as it was announced that the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Metro line on Aug 10, yesterday they (the Congress) started publicity tours. The work on this Metro line began in 2018 and was supposed to be completed by 2021. Some problems occurred due to Covid-19, and some due to land acquisition. Even then, neither Congress nor anyone else came forward to help," he told reporters earlier. "During the Covid-19 period, BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government was in power. Even during Covid-19, civil works happened under our (BJP) government. There were problems in calling workers, so we met former CM Yediyurappa and he released additional funds. Much work was done. Later, during former CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai's tenure, we (the BJP) completed 95 per cent of the civil works. Their (Congress) government didn't even appoint a full-time Managing Director for BMRCL," Mr Surya alleged.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
How Bengaluru Metro's Yellow Line finally made it to the finish line after 8-year delay
After a delay of eight years, Bengaluru Metro's much-anticipated 19.15-km Yellow Line will finally be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 10. The corridor connects RV Road and Bommasandra and links Bengaluru South to key manufacturing and tech firms located at Electronic City, including Infosys, Biocon, and TCS. Consisting of 16 stations, the new line will increase the metro rail network to 96 km and is expected to significantly decongest traffic especially near the infamous Silk Board Junction. However, the project was dogged by several issues ranging from land acquisition delays to rolling stock production amplified by the India-China conflict. Here's a breakdown of how the project went off track and fell back in line to completion. Onboarding domestic partner However, due to rising geopolitical tensions following the Galwan clash between India and China, the Government revised its strategy and directed CRRC to partner with Kolkata-based Titagarh Rail Systems Limited to manufacture the rakes domestically. But this localisation came with its own set of challenges. Delays in the production line, visa issues for CRRC engineers, and hold-ups in the delivery of the Train Control and Management System (TCMS) software by Mitsubishi Electric Company (Melco) further pushed the project timeline into uncertainty. Pressure to appoint full-time managing director At this juncture, Bangalore South Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya also pressed both state and central authorities to fast-track the remaining work. In 2023, he launched a campaign advocating the appointment of a full-time managing director for Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). After three months of sustained lobbying and meetings with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the state government, a dedicated MD was finally appointed—freeing up much-needed executive bandwidth to resolve bottlenecks. Meanwhile, the Yellow Line's cost escalated to Rs 7,610 crore—about Rs 400 crore per km, a 32 per cent jump from BMRCL's original estimate. First prototype train arrived in February 2024 Finally, CRRC delivered its first six-coach prototype (driverless with communication-based train control) train set in February 2024. With the involvement of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, issues linked to visas and customs clearance for CRRC engineers and imported components were resolved to speed up production of coaches at the Titagarh factory. On January 6, 2025, the first train set was rolled out and dispatched from Titagarh Rail Systems. This was followed by a second train set that arrived at Benglauru's Hebbagodi depot on February 9. Later between April and May, six other coaches reached Bengaluru, making it a total of three train sets, prompting BMRCL to speed up the process for commercial operations. A long wait for ISA clearance Despite these advancements, BMRCL had not yet committed to an official launch date by mid-2025. This is due to the delay in receiving the independent safety assessment (ISA) report, which allows BMRCL to call for an inspection by the commissioner of metro railway safety (CMRS). The ISA report was delayed due to technical glitches discovered during the review of key datasets, which required software updates. Without this report, the BMRCL could not proceed with the mandatory CMRS inspection. However, the ISA clearance was accorded on July 19, following which CMRS inspection was sought. CMRS inspection and green light for commercial operations On August 1, the CMRS cleared the Yellow Line for revenue operations but flagged several issues including unauthorised welding work, incomplete structural tests, non-functional lifts, and incorrect signage in some stations. Meanwhile, on August 2, Union Minister for Home and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Namma Metro's Yellow Line and also lay the foundation stone for the 44.65-km Phase-3 expansion of the metro rail network on August 10. BMRCL plans to operate the Yellow Line from August 11 (Monday) with three trains running at a frequency of 25 minutes from RV Road to Bommasandra.
