State finance ministers' view

Allocation for CST compensation a dampner

Bihar

This Budget is very disappointing for the states. Despite our letter to the finance minister to provide full Central Sales Tax (CST) compensation to states, there is a provision of only Rs 300 crore. There is no increase in CST rate. The Centre has also ignored 90% of our suggestions on the negative list for services

Central govt encroaching on states’ tax domain
Raghawji
Madhya Pradesh

Union Budget 2012-13 will not boost investors’ confidence and will deepen inflation. As expected, the UPA government has raised excise duty and service tax. The Union government is encroaching on states’ territory with proposals such as the one to tax rent services which are purely in the states’ tax domain

Direct subsidy in LPG, fertilisers will aid transparency
Ajit Pawar
Maharashtra

The negative list for service tax will bring clarity in the Goods and Services Tax. Direct subsidy in LPG and fertilisers will improve transparency. Infrastructure will benefit by Rs 60,000 crore. The Rs 300 crore for irrigation in Vidarbha will help agriculture. The powerloom cluster in Ichalkaranji will help artisans and weavers

Separate Bill to monitor micro finance companies is welcome
Anam Ramanarayana Reddy
Andhra Pradesh

The Rs 100 crore to N G Ranga Agricultural University and two textile clusters to the cotton growing districts of Prakasham and Guntur are welcome. Extending interest subvention to loans taken by self-help groups is positive and so is the decision to enact a separate Bill to regulate micro finance companies

No special package, nothing to cheer about
Prafulla Chandra Ghadai
Orissa

The Budget is inflationary. It is silent on rolling out the proposed Goods & Services Tax. It raises excise duty and service tax adding to the woes of the people. For Orissa, there is nothing to cheer about, as there is no special package for the state