Treasury bill issuance schedule set for the quarter, with flexibility to modify auctions based on financing needs and markets.
A Treasury Bill auction calendar for the quarter ending December 2020 establishes weekly issuance of 91-, 182- and 364-day bills with notified amounts for each auction; the Government, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, may modify amounts and timing based on financing needs and market conditions, and all auctions are governed by the terms of General Notification No. F.4(2)-W&M/2018 as amended.

Public finance receipts and expenditure: August 2020 review shows structure of central receipts, devolutions, and spending composition.
The consolidated monthly accounts up to August 2020 present total receipts broken into tax revenue, non tax revenue and non debt capital receipts, and record transfers to states as devolution of share of taxes. Expenditure is reported by revenue and capital accounts, with revenue outgo further itemised to show interest payments and major subsidies, and totals expressed as proportions of the 2020-21 budget estimates.

International retail financial services gateway: IFSC interim report recommends developing IFSC as global hub with light-touch regulation.
The IFSCA Expert Committee interim report proposes a strategic framework to develop international retail business in the IFSC, initially concentrating on banking and later addressing insurance, asset management and capital markets. It recommends positioning the IFSC as a gateway for global financial flows through progressive, light-touch regulation, competitive taxation and operational ease to attract international investors, the Indian diaspora and clients from Asia and Africa, while serving domestic remittance users and supporting national infrastructure funding goals.

Auction of Government Securities announces re-issue auctions with competitive and non-competitive bidding, scheduled settlement dates.
Re-issue auctions for four Government securities will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India via price-based, multiple price auction with notified nominal amounts and optional additional retention by the Government. Up to five percent of each notified amount is reserved for the Non-Competitive Bidding facility for eligible individuals and institutions. Competitive and non-competitive electronic bids must be submitted on the RBI E-Kuber system within prescribed time windows on the auction day. Results and payment will follow on specified dates, and the stocks will be eligible for When Issued trading under RBI guidelines.

Branch authorisation policy mandates rural allocation of new banking outlets, supported by GIS mapping for village coverage.
A GIS-based Jan Dhan Darshak app maps bank branches, Business Correspondents and ATMs to evaluate village coverage. The Branch Authorisation Policy permits domestic scheduled commercial banks to open outlets nationwide without prior approval, conditioned on allocating a portion of new outlets to unbanked rural centres. State Level Bankers' Committees coordinate rollout with state governments and banks, which assess RBI instructions, commercial viability and conduct surveys before opening outlets. PMJDY organised villages into Sub-Service Areas, covered by branches and interoperable BCs to extend rural banking.

Foreign investment policy in defence permits greater automatic entry while imposing enhanced government scrutiny and security declarations.
The policy raises the level of permitted automatic foreign investment in defence manufacturing while retaining the government route for higher stakes where access to modern technology or other reasons are recorded. Licence applications are to be considered by DPIIT in consultation with the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs. Foreign investments remain subject to security clearance and defence guidelines; the government may review any investment affecting national security. Companies must be self-sufficient in design and development and provide maintenance and life cycle support for products manufactured in India, and ownership changes may require declarations or government approval depending on the change.

Foreign Direct Investment inflows rose steadily through 2018-19, signalling increased investor interest and provisional gains.
Foreign Direct Investment inflows exhibited a steady upward trend from financial year 2015-16 through 2018-19 (provisional), with annual totals rising year-on-year and the 2018-19 figure reported as provisional. The data underpinning this trend was disclosed in a parliamentary written reply and is based on official statistical reporting, noting the provisional nature of the most recent year's total.

E commerce regulation: investigations under FDI/FEMA alongside consumer rules clarifying platform liability and origin labelling obligations.
Multi agency scrutiny of e commerce firms includes DPIIT examination and a previously issued Press Note to clarify FDI policy; investigations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act by the Directorate of Enforcement for alleged FDI contraventions; and Competition Commission probes into alleged anti competitive conduct. Separately, the Consumer Protection (e commerce) Rules, 2020 define platform liability, and a Legal Metrology office memorandum requires country of origin declarations for packaged commodities.

Rupee interest rate derivatives rules proposed; public consultation invited and stakeholders may submit written comments.
The Reserve Bank has published the Draft Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2020 under Section 45W of the RBI Act, 1934, proposing a regulatory framework for rupee interest rate derivatives and clarifying the Reserve Bank's supervisory scope. The publication institutes a public consultation: banks, market participants and other interested parties are invited to submit written comments to the Financial Markets Regulation Department by the stated deadline, using the prescribed contact channels and email subject line.

Government securities auction: re-issue conducted by central bank via price-based multiple-price method; non-competitive allocation and trading rules.
The Government announces re-issue auctions of three Government Stocks by price-based auction conducted by the Reserve Bank using the multiple-price method; the Government may accept additional subscriptions. Up to five percent of each notified amount is reserved for the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding. Competitive and non-competitive bids must be submitted electronically on the Reserve Bank's E-Kuber in prescribed time windows on the auction date, with results and payment settlement following. The stocks are eligible for When Issued trading per Reserve Bank guidelines.

Waiver of interest: expert committee to assess economic and financial impact and recommend mitigation measures.
Constitution of an Expert Committee to advise the Government on waiving of interest and waiver of interest on interest related to the COVID 19 moratorium: to measure national economic and financial stability impact, suggest measures to mitigate financial constraints for affected segments, and provide other necessary observations. The committee of three experts will report within one week, may consult banks and stakeholders, and will receive secretarial support from State Bank of India.

Doorstep Banking Services expand PSB home delivery of non financial services now, with financial services to follow under the EASE reforms.
Doorstep Banking Services enable PSBs to deliver specified non financial services at customers' homes via Call Centre, Web Portal and Mobile App through deployed Doorstep Banking Agents, with nominal charges and request-tracking; financial services rollout is scheduled from October 2020. The EASE 2.0 Index evaluates PSB reform progress across 120+ metrics in six themes, embeds performance into leadership appraisals, and drives tech enabled banking, risk based underwriting, EWS monitoring, governance reforms and outcome oriented HR to improve service access, credit processes and asset quality.

Resolution framework financial ratios guide lenders by specifying key ratios and sector thresholds for borrower resolution plans.
The Reserve Bank accepted the Expert Committee's recommendations on leverage, liquidity and debt serviceability and issued a follow-up circular specifying five key financial ratios and sector-specific thresholds for 26 sectors to be applied in finalising resolution plans; lenders must assess other sectors on a case-by-case basis consistent with the August 6 Resolution Framework and the follow-up circular.

Government securities re-issue auction open with price-based multiple-price method and non-competitive allocation for retail bidders.
The Government announced re-issue auctions of several fixed-rate and floating-rate securities through price-based, multiple-price method auctions administered by the Reserve Bank of India, with notified nominal amounts for each security and a government option to retain additional subscription up to a stated cap; up to a reserved proportion of each issue will be allotted under the Non-Competitive Bidding Facility for eligible individuals and institutions.

Variation margin requirement for non-centrally cleared derivatives proposed to enhance OTC settlement safety and solicit stakeholder comments.
Release of draft Variation Margin (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2020 proposes requiring the exchange of variation margin for non-centrally cleared derivatives (NCCDs) to implement G-20 recommendations and improve the safety of settlement for OTC derivatives. The Reserve Bank seeks feedback from banks, market participants and other interested parties by the specified deadline and provides channels for submission of comments as part of a consultative process prior to finalisation.

GDP contraction for the first quarter attributed to pandemic restrictions, data substitutions, and provisional estimates subject to revision.
Estimates show a pronounced contraction in GDP and GVA for the first quarter at Constant and Current Prices, with substantial negative growth across major sectors. Compilation relied on agricultural, livestock, fishery, industrial, government accounts, transport, financial sector and corporate data, acknowledging substituted data sources due to pandemic-related disruptions. The release emphasises that data limitations affecting indicators used in national accounts may lead to revisions and that the published figures are provisional pending the scheduled future releases.

Government securities auction using multiple price method: electronic competitive and non-competitive bidding with reserved non-competitive allotment.
Sale by price-based auction of three re-issued central government securities using the multiple price method, with electronic submission of competitive and non-competitive bids on the designated platform within prescribed windows, up to five percent reserved for eligible non-competitive bidders, issuer option to retain additional subscription for each security, auction results announced on the auction date, payment on the stated settlement date, and eligibility for When Issued trading under applicable guidelines.