State Bank of India chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya on Monday said non-performing assets (NPAs) in banks will reduce as demand returns in the economy and capital utilisation by industrial units increases.

NEW DELHI: The Tax Department has slapped a service tax demand of over Rs 6,100 crore on the overseas arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), a move that may potentially render its investments in oil and gas fields abroad infructuous.

ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) has stakes in 37 oil and gas projects in 17 countries around the world. These stakes are held through subsidiaries, branches and joint ventures. For operations of these projects, those units and joint ventures would raise a demand for money on the parent, OVL, which would transmit the investments.

NEW DELHI: Amid global economic uncertainty, state-owned NTPC remains sanguine about domestic electricity demand and has planned a total capacity addition of 24 GW entailing an investment of Rs 1.6 lakh crore.

"Various projects of the company having an aggregate capacity of around 24 GW are under implementation at 23 locations across the country," NTPC CMD Gurdeep Singh said while addressing the company AGM today.

Infrastructure major Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has bagged orders worth Rs 1,726 crore across various business segments.

"The construction arm of L&T has won orders worth Rs 1,726 crore across various business segments," L&T said in a BSE filing today.

NEW DELHI: In a move to make rail travel comfortable for elderly, differently-abled and ailing travelers, Railways has launched 'Yatri Mitra Sewa' to facilitate access to wheelchairs, battery operated cars and porter services.

'Yatri Mitra' or 'Passenger Friend' can be a "Sahayak (assistant)" or any other person nominated for the purpose.

State-run NTPC has entered into a pact with Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) to implement energy efficient LED lighting solutions for all its projects, stations and offices across the country.

“NTPC and EESL have joined hands for implementation of energy efficient LED lighting solutions for all NTPC’s projects, stations and offices across the country with an MoU signed by S K Roy, ED (OS), NTPC and A K Gupta, Director (Finance), EESL,” the company said in a statement.

NEW DELHI: State-owned Indian Oil Corporation's (IOC) Rs 1.8 lakh-crore capital investment plan over the next six years will not affect the company's credit profile, Fitch Ratings said today.

"The large investment plans announced by IOC are in line with the agency's expectations that are incorporated in the assessment of its standalone credit profile of 'BB+'. Fitch equalises IOC's rating with that of its largest shareholder, the state of India, due to their strong operational and strategic linkages," it said in a statement here.

State-owned term lender IFCI will sell its entire stake in Assets Care and Reconstruction Enterprise Limited (IFCI) to Axis Bank for Rs 22.72 crore.

"IFCI has signed a share purchase agreement with Axis Bank for divesting its entire stake in ACRE (13.67 per cent)...Resulting in total cash consideration of Rs 22.72 crore," the company said in a BSE filing.

Infosys executive vice-president (EVP) and the former global head of consulting Sanjay Purohit has resigned from the company , making it the seventh EVP exit since Vishal Sikka took over as CEO two years ago.Purohit, who was previously the head of the products & platforms subsidiary EdgeVerve, moved to the US last year as the head of consulting, but was replaced within 18 months and was asked to relocate to India to work on strategic initiatives alongside COO U B Pravin Rao.

In spite of consumer inflation falling to a five month low of 5.05% (y-o-y) in August, with State Bank of India dropping deposit rates further, real interest rates are now well and truly in negative territory, reports Shakti Patra in Mumbai. SBI has lowered deposit rates from September 1 and offers just 7.15% for one year money which, after a 30% tax rate, yields just 5%.

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