India has 53,725 DigiLocker users and 43,121 documents stored in the digital form. The top three states in number of users are Gujarat (9,178), Uttar Pradesh (7,667), and Maharashtra (6,186). DigiLocker is the national Digital Locker System launched by the government and can be accessed through the website www.digilocker.gov.in.It was launched by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, under the ministry of communications & IT in February.Individuals can register using their Aadhaar number. Each digital locker gives 10MB of free space to store documents and links of government department or agency-issued e-documents. The plan is to subsequently increase the storage space to 1 GB.DigiLocker will minimise the use of physical documents and provide authenticity to e-documents. It will provide secure access to government-issued documents and reduce administrative overhead of government departments and agencies, making it easier for the residents to receive services. Th

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BS Reporter

Business Standard analyses one family's finances and suggests a way forward

Case study

Business Standard

Hotels, airlines offer discounts to attract customers during lean season; attractions include treks, nature trails, spa and wellness packagesIf you are the kind who likes to avoid travelling during monsoons, it's time to re-think your holiday plans. A monsoon holiday can be cheaper due to discounts on air tickets and hotel packages. And with fewer tourists around, you can be sure of enjoying a leisurely holiday. It is a good option especially for single people or couples who don't have children.Where to go"International destinations that require lesser travel time and weekend getaways that are a driving distance away in India are popular among monsoon travellers. Goa is the most travelled to destination during monsoon. People also visit Ladakh and Kerala for longer holidays," says Neelu Singh, director and chief executive officer, Ezeego1.com.Karan Anand, head, relationships, Cox & Kings, says destinations like Ladakh are preferred by trekkers because of the warn and sunny weather

Monsoon getaways are cheaper on your pocket

I have problems repaying a home loan. Can I withdraw from my provident fund to repay it? What is the procedure?You have not mentioned if you are talking about personal provident fund (PPF) or employees' provident fund (EPF). In case of PPF, a loan can be availed for a maximum period of 36 months after completion of three years and a withdrawal can be made after six years. I would suggest you go to www.ppfaccount.in and www.epfindia.com to understand the entire process of taking a loan or withdrawal applicable to your PF account.I have run up an outstanding of Rs 1.2 lakh on my credit card. Should I take a personal loan to repay it? Revolving credit on the credit card is the most expensive loan since you not only pay highest interest rate on this, which is generally in the range of 40 per cent per annum, but also forfeit the right on interest-free period available on fresh purchases till the due date. Instead, you pay interest on all purchases from the date of purchase itself. To avoid

Debt counseling: Sanjay Agarwal

Bengaluru's eastern region has emerged as a self-sustaining area with excellent spread of commercial, residential, manufacturing and retail development. The IT/ITeS sector has triggered real estate activity, and new areas are constantly receiving the benefits of rapid development. The government in Bengaluru is constantly working on improving connectivity with various infrastructure initiatives, which in fact has acted as a major driver in fuelling demand for residential real estate in the suburbs around the business districts.Whitefield has emerged as a major nerve centre with the establishment of IT and the subsequent mushrooming of residential options and commercial establishments along with required social infrastructure. Whitefield has a Grade A office stock of about more than 25 million sq ft. The new supply in Whitefield is slowly thinning down and is likely to see about another 3.5 million sq ft of supply in next five years based on the projects already planned.Consequently the

Thriving mid-end residential location

"My relationship manager has shared with me the details of a financial product denominated in dollars. This will assure me a lump sum in dollars after 20 years. I am very attracted by this offer, as I intend to send my son for higher education after 20 years and this investment can protect me from the depreciation in the Indian rupee over the next 20 years. Should I buy this instrument? "This question was posed to me by Mritunjay, an upwardly mobile professional. I was intrigued and asked him to tell me his rationale for being attracted to this product. Here is how he explained it to me:"I can remit (and invest) up to $1 million (he had four family members) every year but have consciously decided to stay away from any foreign investment, as I am not comfortable and do not understand the foreign markets. But my son will definitely do his post graduation in the US. The course currently costs around $75,000 (approx Rs 48 lakh). If I invest in this dollar-denominated instrument it assures

Should you invest directly outside India?

Individuals can now contribute till the age of 70, enabling them to take additional tax benefit

New norms make exit flexible for NPS investors

If the government delivers its election promises, then activity in the industry should increase

Construction may produce big winners

Five things to look at when companies go for mergers and acquisitionsWhen Cairn India and Vedanta announced their merger, not many pointed out the risks involved for the latter's shareholders. Experts only talked about the benefit Vedanta will get out of the deal after its standalone debt (excluding subsidiaries' liabilities) of Rs 37,636 crore is transferred on Cairn India's books, which is a cash-rich company. However, billionaire Anil Agarwal-led mining firm will ultimately be held accountable for Cairn India's Rs 20,495-crore tax liability after it absorbs the oil firm. The matter, which is now in the court, can impact the new entity if the judgment goes against Cairn.Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions are complex and even the best brains cannot predict the outcome. Chances of such deals succeeding are only 50 per cent. "It has the same probability of getting head when someone tosses a coin," says Samir Sheth, partner (transaction advisory services) at BDO India. But f

When corporate marriages affect stock price

Branded residencies, designer-stamped homes have a snob value and are sold at a high premium, to willing buyersFor a flat at Trump Tower located in Worli, Mumbai, you will get a five-year fractional share membership of Lodha private jets with 10 hours of free flying time, equivalent to a trip to Singapore. The price tag: Only Rs 10 crore-plus. Four Seasons Private Residences is offering flats ranging from Rs 30 crore to Rs 100 crore with amenities such as an art gallery, outdoor cinema theatre, butler service and even personal trainers and dog walkers.Branded homes are in vogue. A number of top builders like Lodha, Sunteck, Oberoi Realty and Provenance Land have tied up with international names such as Philippe Starck and Kelly Hoppen, Armani, Donald Trump and others to build such expansive properties in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and other cities.Who are the buyers? A spokesperson at Sunteck Realty says they appeal to the "well-educated, well

Making a style statement with your home

Business Standard brings you a snapshot of average current rates and unit sizes in localities that offer property in a price range of Rs 1-1.5 crore. If you are looking at buying real estate and your budget falls within this range, an idea about prevailing rates would come in handy

Realty check

While the cost of education can run into lakhs of rupees, depending on the duration and institute, loans are available

Executive courses can help in career enhancement

I have the option of including my parents in my employer's group health insurance but I have to pay 10 per cent of the claim amount. Should I opt for that, since they are already covered under my family floater policy?Group health insurance plans generally provide added advantages - such as inclusion of many pre-existing diseases, cost benefit, added covers - that might not be available immediately under individual cover. However, one should compare the premium rate and product features being offered by the group health cover vis-à-vis the individual policy you have. Additionally, you should also decide after evaluating whether the sum insured under your individual policy is adequate to cover all exigencies.I am going abroad for a two-year project and am planning to give my house on rent. Asthe family does not require furniture, I am keeping my furniture in a warehouse for two years. Can I take insurance for it? What will be the insurance cover?You can cover your home structure agains

General Insurance:Rakesh Jain

It is very common these days for companies to send unsigned letters, invoices, etc, claiming the document is 'computer generated' and, hence, does not require any signature. This is totally fallacious. Unlike electronically transmitted messages, which can be traced and established, other documents which are printed out cannot be proved unless they are signed. The consequences of relying on such an unsigned document would be disastrous in the event of a dispute, according to a recently ruling of the National Commission.In 2008, Chet Ram Rotha of Shimla sent five consignments of apples to Mukhtar Aalam in Kolkata for sale on commission basis. Rotha claimed an amount of Rs 6,13,081 was due to him from the sale proceeds, after deducting expenses and commission, which was evident from the bills sent by Aalam. Since Aalam failed to pay this amount, Rotha filed a complaint before the District Forum alleging deficiency in service.Aalam contested the complaint, saying he had paid an advance of

Computer-generated document has no evidentiary value

Be braced for banks to declare a bad quarter due to MTM losses on their bond portfolio

Increased pressure on banking sector

Those with a horizon of less than 18-24 months could consider shifting to short-term bond funds

RBI's stance might limit gains in duration funds

Doing so increases the cost but a number of these add-on features make sense

Improve your insurance coverage at nominal cost

Whether it is mobile portability or credit card closure, things can be tough. For help, contact the nodal officer or use social media

Not easy to opt out

Budget: Rs 50 lakh-1 croreBusiness Standard brings you a snapshot of average current rates and unit sizes in localities that offer property in a price range of Rs 50 lakh-1 crore. If you are looking at buying real estate and your budget falls within this range, an idea about prevailing rates would come in handy

Page 37 - Investment

Use DigiLocker to store your digital documents by linking to Aadhaar

Case study

Monsoon getaways are cheaper on your pocket

Debt counseling: Sanjay Agarwal

Thriving mid-end residential location

Should you invest directly outside India?

New norms make exit flexible for NPS investors

Construction may produce big winners

When corporate marriages affect stock price

Making a style statement with your home

Case study

Realty check

Executive courses can help in career enhancement

General Insurance:Rakesh Jain

Computer-generated document has no evidentiary value

Increased pressure on banking sector

RBI's stance might limit gains in duration funds

Improve your insurance coverage at nominal cost

Not easy to opt out

Case study