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[ad_1] Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to introduce the Delhi Municipal Corporation Amendment Bill in the Parliament today which seeks to unify the three municipal bodies in the national capital.  According to the key provisions of the Bill, the reunification of the three MCDs — which were trifurcated in 2012 by the then chief minister Sheila Dikshit — will give complete control of the civic body to the Centre.  Apart from replacing the word “Government” with “Central Government”, the provisions raise the prospect of a delimitation exercise, which could lead to a considerable delay in the conduct of civic body polls. And to run the corporation till then, they give the Centre the option of appointing an officer of its choice. [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] N.Korea says tested new ICBM, prepared for long confrontation with U.S. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] By Diya Dasgupta & Somit Dasgupta The government came out with the first phase of the policy on promotion of domestic production of green hydrogen and green ammonia in Feburary, seven months after the National Hydrogen Mission (NHM) was announced. Less than 1% of the hydrogen produced in the world today is green (i.e., from renewable sources), the rest being primarily grey (produced from coal or gas) and blue (produced using fossil fuels and carbon capture technologies). The policy includes incentives such as waiver of inter-state transmission (ISTS) tariff for 25 years for projects commissioned before June 2025 and permitting open access for sourcing renewable energy within 15 days of receiving applications. In addition, banking of renewable energy used for producing green hydrogen and green ammonia for 30 days has been allowed. Further, special manufacturing zones are to be set up by the government for stimulating production of green hydrogen and green ammonia. These steps are in the right direction since production of green hydrogen is energy-intensive, requiring 50 kWh for every kg produced through electrolysis. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has estimated that if we are to meet the Paris target of 1.5ºC, 30% of the world’s electricity will need to be dedicated to green hydrogen and its derivatives by 2050. Waiving ISTS charges will make power cheaper for such producers, though this cost will be loaded on to others, mainly coal generators—in effect, it is a zero-sum game for the economy. ISTS charge waivers are already being provided for renewable generators till June 2025, thus creating a few murmurs within the power sector. Critics opine that renewable power has become so economical today that such measures are not required and are discriminatory towards coal-based generators. It would be pertinent to point out intra-state transmission charges would still be levied and would be determined by the state commissions. The provisioning of banking facilities is a welcome move and will result in better utilisation of electrolysers which will, in turn, help in lowering the per unit cost of green hydrogen. Bunker facilities to be provided near ports will facilitate ease of exporting hydrogen. This will obviate the need to build pipelines which is a capital-intensive process, along with adopting safety measures since hydrogen is highly inflammable. The moot point is whether we are doing enough through all these measures and will these guarantee India becoming a hub for green hydrogen production and export. The answer is no. The IEA report (2019) highlights that capex as a proportion of the levelied cost of hydrogen is considered to be as high as 50% in the case of hydrogen produced through coal. As for hydrogen produced through renewable sources, a recent study by the Rocky Mountain Institute (2021) states that the capex is responsible for 20-35% of the levelised cost of hydrogen production. It comprises of primarily the electrolyser cost, which the latest policy does not touch upon. Two things need to be done to bring down the cost of electrolysers—first, incentivising installation of electrolysers so that manufacturers can avail the benefits of economies of scale, for which large subsidies will have to be extended to the private sector to break the logjam of the ‘chicken and egg’ story. Second, investing in R&D, the policy is completely silent. One can draw a parallel by observing what Australia and the EU are doing, both of whom aim to become export hubs for hydrogen too. In fact, Australia has already started exporting green hydrogen to Japan. Between 2015-2019, the Australian government invested $146 million in hydrogen projects, spanning across R&D, feasibility studies, and demonstration and pilot projects. According to the Australian State of Hydrogen Report (2021), as of June 2021, the total government investment exceeded $1 billion. In addition, sub national governments have also earmarked an additional $325 million specifically for hydrogen. Similarly, the hydrogen strategy submission (2020) by the European Commission envisages a cumulative investment requirement in the range of €180-470 billion till 2050, specifically for green hydrogen. Estimates by the India Hydrogen Alliance (2021) reveal that the country needs to mobilize $25 billion for building a domestic hydrogen supply chain with a 25 GW electrolyser capacity by 2030, which is expected to generate 5 million tons of green hydrogen annually. While Budget FY22 allocated `15 billion (about $0.2 billion) to renewable energy development and the NHM put together, this year’s budget has no such targeted funding. To conclude, a two-pronged strategy is required for making India an export hub for green hydrogen. The first step is to ensure cheap renewable power (at 2/kWh or less) and the second is to bring down the cost of electrolysers through large scale subsidies and investments in R&D. Unless we do this, we will lose the race, as we have in the production of solar cells and modules. Let us not forget that there are several countries that are richly endowed with renewable sources and have the capacity of producing cheap electricity. The key lies in the reducing the cost of electrolysers. Respectively, research associate, and senior visiting fellow, ICRIER [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The lack of appraisal data from the government sponsored enterprises took center stage at a Senate Banking Committee hearing Thursday on appraisal bias. Pennsylvania Sen. Patrick Toomey, the ranking Republican on the committee, said the recently released appraisal bias task force report did not settle the question of whether or not the problem is systemic. Two of the studies the report based its conclusions on used proprietary data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Toomey pointed out. But members of the public, including researchers, do not have access to that data. “The report recommends an action plan to address this alleged systemic racism before the government has sufficiently established that a systemic problem exists in the first place,” Toomey said. If the government has not fully measured and studied the scope of the problem, Toomey said, it should not be suggesting remedies that have the potential to make appraisals more expensive. “The data that the GSEs relied on for their studies,” Toomey asked, “Is that publicly available data? Who could release that data?” Other senators, including Montana’s Sen. Jon Tester and Minnesota’s Sen. Tina Smith, both Democrats, also piled on to support making appraisal data public. “The information that determines whether or not there is systemic racism or not, I think having access to that information would very much help us to be able to make some determinations,” said Tester. “I too, would like to come down on the side of data transparency,” Smith said. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac referred requests to comment to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. An FHFA spokesperson said that the agency has received numerous requests from the public to release the GSE appraisal data, but it is still weighing whether and how to release it. FHFA would continue working to “closely examine the considerations that need to be addressed to work toward” public sharing of some of the data, an FHFA spokesperson said. “Federal researchers, appraisers, academics, tax assessors, and private sector actors could all use these data in ways that inform better-understood valuations and mitigate racial and ethnic bias in valuations,” an FHFA spokesperson said. “At the same time, if this data were to be publicly available lacking appropriate privacy protections, its availability could risk aggravating discriminatory practices.” Melody Taylor, the Department of Housing and Urban Development official who directed the appraisal bias task force and testified before the committee, agreed with Toomey’s call for more data. “We recognize and acknowledge that data needs to be available and accessible. We agree. In the PAVE plan we note we want to get data to researchers, the industry and others, akin to the HMDA data, which has been extremely impactful.” Taylor sharply disagreed, however, with the idea that due to the lack of publicly available data, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that appraisal bias is systemic. One challenge of assessing whether or not discrimination occurs is that consumers may not be aware if they are discriminated against. Those who believe they are discriminated against may not know where to seek remedy. Others may be reluctant to risk delaying or spoiling a time-sensitive real estate transaction with a fair housing complaint. Most complaints of undervaluation currently occur through the reconsideration of value process with lenders. There is no centralized national repository for complaints of appraisal bias, although the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has received a handful in recent years. Taylor said that expanding public awareness is one goal of the task force’s action plan. To that end, on Wednesday, HUD launched a website where borrowers can learn about the appraisal process and file a discrimination complaint. “Although the numbers may suggest that discrimination is not on the rise, what we see with our partners with the National Fair Housing Alliance and in our fair housing Initiatives program is that they receive over 28,000 calls a year, or more, where people believe that they’ve been discriminated against,” said Taylor. “Awareness is critical to helping individuals understand their rights, and ensuring that the appraisal industry understands its obligations under the Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, I believe, will bring about transformative change.” The post Senators grill HUD official over absent GSE appraisal data appeared first on HousingWire. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The post 9 Best Banks For Freelancers in 2022 appeared first on Millennial Money. Freelancers go by many different names: self-employed, gig workers, independent contractors, you name it.  But no matter what term you use, the life of a freelancer isn’t easy. While the flexibility of working for yourself from home is a nice perk, managing your finances gets much more complicated.  Whether you’re freelancing on the side or going full-time, a good business bank account is a must-have. Along with keeping your personal and business finances separate, an account for your freelance business also helps you stay organized and prepared come tax season.  In this post, I’ll help you find the right bank for your freelance business. To get started, let’s quickly run through the most popular types of accounts. What Kind of Bank Accounts Do Freelancers Need? Let me be clear: As a freelance worker, there’s no specific type of bank account that you’re required to have. You can work, earn money, and pay your bills with a personal checking account, if that’s what you prefer. However, there are several advantages to opening up a business account. Depending on the type of freelance work you’re doing, business accounts usually come with added features to help small business owners and self-employed folks keep things in check.  For example, you’ll often see tools like business expense reporting, tax assistance, and integrations with invoice or accounting software. These things aren’t typically available in traditional bank accounts and specifically address the needs of the self-employed.  Now that you know what to expect, let’s take a look at the best banks for freelancers and see what they have to offer. 9 Best Banks for Freelancers To give you the full scope of what’s out there, I’ve compiled this list in a way that covers several different types of banks.  So whether you’re looking for a modern online-only account or a big, traditional bank, you should see an option that fits your particular taste.  🏆 Axos Bank: Best Online Bank BlueVine: Best APY Chase Bank: Best Traditional Bank NorthOne: Best for Budgeting Lili: Best for Tax Planning LendingClub Bank: Best for Cash Back Novo: Best Software Integrations Bank of America: Best Customer Support QuickBooks: Best for Bookkeeping 1. Axos Bank: Best Online Bank Axos is one of the biggest names in online banking, and it offers a full suite of business bank accounts to serve freelancers.  On top of two business checking accounts, Axos also offers two savings account options, plus a money market account and a business CD. Best Axos Account for Freelancers Axos’ Business Interest Checking account is a great choice for freelancers looking for an everyday account with a high annual percentage yield (APY). With Business Interest Checking, you can earn up to 0.81% on your balance, and you can open an account with as little as $100. The account comes with a $10 monthly maintenance fee that you can avoid by keeping a balance of $5,000 or more. Axos also reimburses all domestic ATM fees.  Plus, if you recently incorporated your business, you can get a $100 bonus when you sign up for a new account.  Learn More: Read our full Axos Bank Review. Axos Rewards Checking Axos Bank offers user-friendly online banking tools and customized online banking solutions. Open a Rewards Checking account today and earn up to 1.00% interest from your checking account! Learn More 2. BlueVine: Best APY BlueVine is an online-only business bank founded in 2013. The platform offers a bank account, lines of credit and business loans, and a payment processor.  Best BlueVine Account for Freelancers This isn’t a tough call because BlueVine only offers one option: its Business Checking account. The account has no minimum balance requirements or monthly service fees, and you can earn with a 1% APY on balances up to $100,000.  BlueVine Business Checking also offers easy ACH transfers between your external accounts, unlimited transactions, and the ability to schedule one-off or recurring payments. The account comes with a Mastercard business debit card, two free checkbooks, and fee-free withdrawals from MoneyPass ATMs.  BlueVine is partnered with Coastal Community Bank, so all of its accounts are FDIC-insured.  3. Chase Bank: Best Traditional Bank Chase is one of the largest banks in the United States, with more than 4,000 locations and 16,000 ATMs. In addition to business accounts, it offers some of the best business credit cards available, plus a stellar mobile app and online banking platform.  Best Chase Account for Freelancers Chase Business Complete is Chase’s entry-level business banking option, and it should do the job for most freelancers. The account comes with Chase QuickAccept, which allows for fee-free, same-day deposits to help free up your cash flow.  The downside of Chase, as with most big banks, is the fees. In this case, Chase charges a $15 monthly fee. That said, there are a few ways to get around it — including maintaining a balance of at least $2,000 or spending $2,000 or more with your Chase Ink business credit card each month.  You’ll also pay a transaction fee every time you accept a payment. If you tend to process a lot of payments, you might want to check out Chase Performance Business, which comes with up to 250 free transactions per month.  As an added incentive, Chase is offering the best sign-up bonus that you’re likely to find for any business account. At the moment, you can get an extra $300 when you sign up for a new Business Complete account.  Learn More: See the full details of the Chase Business Complete Banking account bonus Read our full Chase Bank review Chase Business Complete Banking℠ The Chase Business Complete Banking℠ account is perfect for small businesses. New customers may earn a $300 bonus after creating an account and completing the qualifying activities. Get Started 4. NorthOne: Best for Budgeting NorthOne is another online-only banking option, and it provides one of the best business bank accounts around. It serves small

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[ad_1] NATO leaders promise Zelenskyy more troops, aid; Ukraine says it sank Russian warship Orsk  CNBC Ukraine-Russia War Latest News: Live Updates  The New York Times Live updates: Russia invades Ukraine, Mariupol besieged  CNN Russian forces pushed back east of Kyiv  NBC News Live updates: Bulgarians protest Russia’s war in Ukraine  The Seattle Times [ad_2]

[ad_1] West stands by Ukraine and assails Russian 'barbarism' [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] India’s merchandise trade deficit is set to breach the earlier record of $190 billion by a whisker in the current fiscal. But a close look at the data suggests the deficit, as a percentage of overall merchandise commerce, is still way below the earlier peak. Trade deficit already hit $188.2 billion as of March 21 this fiscal. At this rate, it’s expected to touch 19% of overall goods trade in FY22, compared with a record 24% in FY13, 23% in FY12 and 20.5% in the pre-pandemic year of FY20 (See chart). In the last fiscal, however, given a Covid-induced demand compression in the economy, imports shrank at a much faster pace than exports, leading to a drop in deficit to just 15% of overall merchandise trade. However, deficit in the second half of this fiscal grew dramatically, especially in the third quarter, as domestic demand had rebounded before the Omicron onslaught in January. This keeps up pressure on the current account deficit (CAD) at a time when foreign portfolio investors have turned net sellers in recent months. Pronab Sen, noted economist and former chairman of the National Statistical Commission, said while the export sector has performed well in FY22 the more important question is whether this growth in outbound shipments (37% year-on-year) will sustain. Moreover, imports went up sharply this fiscal, partly because an income distribution in favour of the richer segment of population in the wake of the Covid outbreak led to higher purchases of (imported) luxury goods, Sen added. Analysts also said if exports lose pace in the next fiscal and imports continue to rise, the pressure on the current account will only rise. Aditi Nayar, chief economist at Icra, expected the CAD to have crossed 3% in the October-December 2021 period for the first time since the June quarter of 2013. However, it may recede somewhat in the ongoing quarter. In absolute terms, she estimated the CAD at $25-28 billion in the third quarter, and a moderately lower $20-23 billion in Q4 FY2022. Bank of Baroda chief economist Madan Sabnavis estimated the CAD to be around 3% in the third quarter, which may ease to 2.5% in the March quarter. Merchandise exports exceeded an ambitious target of $400 billion for FY22 nine days before the fiscal is set to end, staging a smart rebound after a 7% drop last fiscal due to the pandemic. Exports jumped 37%, albeit on a contracted base, to $400.8 billion as of March 21, driven by a stellar performance by sectors like engineering, electronics, gems and jewellery, chemicals and petroleum products. Imports during this period, too, rose sharply to $589 billion, driven by a spike in oil prices and massive purchases of coal and gold. However, the Ukraine crisis has now posed fresh risks for exporters, as global supply chains remain tangled and shipping costs have skyrocketed across countries. Of course, it has also created some opportunities for Indian suppliers of wheat (Russia and Ukraine are large exporters of the grain) and some other farm commodities in the export market. [ad_2] Source link