Parliamentary panel on Finance selects 46 subjects; AI, virtual digital assets, currency management on the list

New Delhi, October 24 (IANS): Parliament's Standing Committee on Finance has selected 46 subjects for detailed examination and reporting during 2026-27, such as artificial intelligence (AI) in the financial sector, virtual digital assets, currency management and price stability.According to a Lok Sabha bulletin, the panel will take up subjects pertaining to the Finance Ministry -- Departments of Economic Affairs, Expenditure, Public Enterprises and Investment and Public Asset Management, Revenue and Financial Services -- as well as the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).The selection comes after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reconstituted parliamentary committees earlier this month.Notably, BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab has been reappointed as Chairperson of the Committee, which comprises 21 members from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.Among key subjects listed are strategy for price and currency stability, currency management, regulatory mechanism in the financial sector, monetisation of public sector assets and the evolving macroeconomic landscape.The panel will also examine the banking, pension and health insurance sectors, social security for the informal sector, small savings schemes, RBI's role in the evolving economy and a performance review of SEBI.On the taxation and regulatory front, it will review customs, GST and direct tax reforms, regulatory gaps in the NBFC sector, and conduct a study on virtual digital assets and the way forward.It will also analyse emerging issues and prospects of artificial intelligence in the financial sector.With regard to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, the Committee will study challenges and the way forward for the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), review corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate e-governance, and accountability of auditors.For NITI Aayog, the panel will look at its role in formulation of sectoral roadmaps and functioning of the aspirational districts programme. For MoSPI, it will study national accounts statistics and ways to strengthen the economic data mechanism.