Page 6 - Union Budgets

Make it more transparent

The Budget shouldn't ignore provisional figures for 2023-24 and use the extra RBI surplus to better effect

Net direct tax collection surpasses RE in FY24; corp tax receipts a miss

Exceeds estimates by 0.7% to hit Rs 19.58 trn

Secretaries in a huddle to prepare five-year roadmap of next govt

Full-year Union Budget to lay out Viksit Bharat vision

An anatomy of financial sector reform

The Budget speech of 1991 changed the tone of reforms, but in the decades since, the pace has been more driven by scams and crises than by necessity, argues Rajrishi Singhal in his book

The NDA approach to PSUs

The Modi govt's equity contribution to public sector units has risen even as their capacity to generate resources has taken a hit

TN Budget: Hut-free mission aims at 800,000 concrete houses by 2030

The scheme called Kalaignarin Kanavu Illam will be implemented at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore, giving an opportunity to the poor to build their dream homes

How about a White Paper on Vision 2047?

Since this White Paper ends with the statement 'Amrit Kaal has just begun and our destination is India a developed nation by 2047', it is only fair to map how this would roll out

Qualitative improvement

Higher capex will improve growth prospects

Defence preparedness

Govt will have to find more resources

White Paper on Indian economy tabled: Tracks 'Fragile 5' to 'Top 5' journey

Within hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi praising his predecessor Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha, the White Paper criticised almost all aspects of the UPA rule under Singh

Cabinet approves six multi-tracking projects worth Rs 12,000 crore

Projects likely to add 87 million tonnes of cargo for rail

Best of BS Opinion: Not by cosmetic changes alone, valuation surge & more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

Not by cosmetic changes alone

Disinvestment can get a shot in the arm by ministerial revamp, not by just a nomenclature change

Borrowing cost of states falls to 18-month low at 7.48% at latest auction

The borrowing cost of states declined to an 18-month low at 7.48 percent at the latest auction held on Tuesday. Since the first auction of the fourth quarter held on January 2, the average cut off of state government bond auctions was sniffing at a shade less than 7.8 per cent, which was a two-year high. At the latest auction held on Tuesday, 14 states raised Rs 26,700 crore which was 22 per cent lower than the indicated Rs 34,400 crore for this week in the fourth quarter auction calendar, according to data shared by rating agency Icra. The lower supply was partly on account of the upward revision in tax devolution in the revised estimates for FY24 by the Centre in the interim Budget. This may reduce the borrowing requirements of some of the states in the remainder of the fourth quarter of this fiscal. Reflecting the lower-than-indicated borrowing on Tuesday, the spread between the cut-off of the 10-year state debt and the 10-year G-Sec yield eased to 41 basis points from 49 basis

India's Interim Budget represents responsible fiscal management: USISPF

Commending Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her consistency and focus on growth in her interim Budget, a US-based India-centric business advocacy group has said that it represents a welcome statement of responsible fiscal management in an election year. The US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) also commend the government's continued focus on the trinity of infrastructure, inclusive growth, and fiscal prudence in line with growing US-India commercial ties. The interim Budget was presented on February 1 by Sitharaman. As an interim, pre-election budget with no major policy pronouncements, it represents a welcome statement of responsible fiscal management in an election year, the USISPF said in a statement. General elections are expected to be held in India between April and May. According to budget projections, the fiscal deficit for the upcoming financial year (2025) will narrow to 5.1 per cent and GDP growth will remain between 6-7 per cent GDP. On the expendi

Budget session highlights: PM predicts at least 370 seats for BJP in LS

Parliament Budget Session 2024 Live Updates: Catch all the latest developments here

Interim Budget: Govt allocates Rs 1.18 trillion for Jammu and Kashmir

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday proposed an interim Budget of Rs 1.18 lakh crore for fiscal 2024-25 for the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. The interim Budget envisages a fiscal deficit of Rs 20,760 crore and a 7.5 per cent growth in gross state domestic product (GSDP). The capital expenditure for the fiscal has been proposed at Rs 38,566 crore, which is 14.64 per cent of the GSDP, as per the interim Budget tabled by Sitharaman in Parliament. The revenue receipts for the next fiscal stood at Rs 97,861 crore. According to Sitharaman, the crucial reforms undertaken in 2019 enabled "path-breaking" measures by the Union Territory Government to decentralise governance structure, promote inclusive development, upscale revenue generation and step up infrastructure development. "The Government is maintaining law and order to ensure security while simultaneously implementing initiatives for economic and social development. The Government has adopted a policy of zero ...

FY25 Budget will help state become $1 trn economy: UP finance min Khanna

Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna on Monday said his budget for the next fiscal year will be all-inclusive and help the state become a USD 1-trillion economy. Talking to reporters ahead of presenting the annual budget for the financial year 2024-25 in the state assembly, Khanna said the budget will be 'Sarv Samaveshi' (all-inclusive) and 'Sarv Sparshi' (taking care of all) to ensure all-round development. "The Yogiji's (Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) budget will take UP forward to achieve its target of becoming a 1 trillion dollar economy," he said. He further said that the upcoming budget is expected to give emphasis on infrastructure, youth employment, and women empowerment. Asked about whether the budget will give a push to BJP's religious agenda by allocating more funds to places of religious importance, he said, "all this comes under the head of infrastructure".

Kerala Budget: Support price of rubber hiked, agri sector gets Rs 1,698 cr

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Monday presented the state's budget for the financial year 2024-25 in the assembly by allocating Rs 1,698.30 crore for the struggling agriculture sector and increasing the minimum support price for rubber to Rs 180 from Rs 170. He also set aside Rs 50 crore for extreme poverty eradication and announced Rs 134.42 crore for the cooperative sector. Tabling the fourth budget of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government, Balagopal said that though the state is facing an economic crunch and the Centre allegedly imposing financial restrictions, the LDF government would not show any compromise in the development front. Indicating that the state government would go ahead with its development plans, the finance minister said investments worth Rs three lakh crore would be brought to the southern state in the next three years. He said Rs 1,698 crore would be set aside for the traditional agricultural sector and investments worth Rs 5,000 crore would be ...

Tewari gives adjournment notice in LS to discuss Indo-China border issue

Earlier last week, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi gave an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha and sought a discussion on the border situation with China