Highlights of Union Budget 2010-11

Last updated on: February 26, 2010 12:30 IST

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F inance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presented the Union Budget 2010-11 in parliament on Friday. Has he lived up

to the expectations of the taxpayers? Is it a populist Budget? Will it also help India to grow? To find out read on..

Highlights...

• FM prunes tax rates:

Income up to Rs 1.6 lakh - nil Income above Rs 1.6 lakh and up to Rs 5 lakh - 10 per cent
Income above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 8 lakh - 20 per cent
Income above Rs 8 lakh - 30 per cent.
• Income Tax department ready with two-page Saral-2 return forms for individual salaried assesses.
• New tax rates would offer relief to 60 per cent of tax-payers.
• Government's net borrowing to be Rs 3,45,010 crore for 2010-11.
• Additional deduction of Rs 20,000 allowed on long term infrastructure bonds for income tax payers; this is
above Rs one lakh on saving instruments allowed already.
• A unique identity symbol would be provided to the Indian Rupee in line with US Dollar, British Pound
Sterling, Euro and Japanese Yen.
• Fiscal deficit seen at 4.8 per cent and 4.1 per cent in 2011-12 and 2012-13 respectively.
• Total expenditure pegged at Rs 11.8 lakh crore, an increase of 8.6 per cent.
• Gross tax receipts pegged at Rs 7,46,656 crore for 2010-11, non-tax revenues at Rs 1,48,118 crore.
• FM appeals to "misguided elements" (left wing extremists) to eschew violence and join the mainstream.
• Planning Commission to prepare integrated action plan for Naxal-affected areas.
• Defence allocation pegged at Rs 1,47,344 crore in 2010-11 against Rs 1,41,703 crore in the previous year.
Of this, capital expenditure would account for Rs 60,000 crore.
• Fiscal deficit pegged at 6.9 per cent in 2009-10 as against 7.8 per cent in the previous fiscal.
• Finance Minister to continue giving cash subsidy for fuel and fertiliser instead of previous practice of bonds.
• Non-plan expenditure pegged at Rs 37,392 crore and Plan expenditure at Rs 7,35,657 crore in budget
estimates. 15 per cent increase in plan expenditure and six per cent in non-plan expenditure.
• Rs 1,900 crore allocated for Unique Identification Authority of India.
• Rs 1,73,552 crore provided for infrastructure.
• Need to take firm view on opening up of the retail.
• Government committed to ensure continued growth of Special Economic Zones development.
• Repayment of loan by farmers extended by six months to June 30, 2010 in view of drought and floods in
some part of the country.
• One-time grant of Rs 200 crore provided to Tirupur textile cluster in Tamil Nadu.
• Allocation for new and renewable energy ministry.
• Clean Energy Fund to be created for research in new energy sources.
• Rs 500 crore allocated for solar and hydro projects for Ladakh region.
• Alternative port to be developed at Sagar Island in West Bengal.
• Allocation for National Ganga River Basin Authority doubled to Rs 500 crore.
• Government for competitive bidding for coal blocks for captive power plants.
• Mega power plant policy modified to lower cost of generation; allocation to power sector more than doubled
to Rs 5,130 crore in 2010-11.
• Government proposes to set Coal Development Regulatory Authority.
• Propose to maintain thrust of upgrading infrastructure in rural and urban areas. IIFCL authorised to refinance
infrastructure projects.
• Interest subvention for timely repayment of crop loans raised from one per cent to two per cent, bringing the
effective rate of interest to five per cent.
• Bottleneck of public delivery mechanism can hold us back.
• Rs 200 crore provided for climate resilient agriculture initiative.
• Government to provide Rs 16,500 crore to public sector banks to maintain tier-I capital.
• Allocation for women and child development hiked by 80 per cent.
• Government decides to set up National Social Security
• Fund with initial allocation of Rs 1000 crore to provide social security to workers in unorganised sector.
• Rs 1,270 crore provided for slum development programme, marking an increase of 700 per cent.
• Allocation for development of micro and small scale sector raised from Rs 1,794 crore to Rs 2,400 crore.
• One per cent interest subvention loan for houses costing up to Rs 20 lakh extended to March 31, 2011; Rs
700 crore provided.
• 25 per cent of plan outlay earmarked for rural infrastructure development
• Road transport allocation raised by 13 per cent to Rs 19,894 crore, says FM.
• Allocation for urban development increased by 75 per cent to Rs 5,400 crore in 2010-11.
• Indira Awas Yojana scheme's unit cost raised to Rs 45,000 in plain area and Rs 48,500 in hilly areas.
• Allocation for NREGA stepped up to Rs 40,100 crore in 2010-11.
• For rural development, Rs 66,100 crore have been allocated.
• Plan allocation for health and family welfare increased to Rs 22,300 crore from Rs 19,534 crore.
• Plan allocation for school education raised from Rs 26,800 crore to Rs 31,036 crore in 2010-11.
• Deficit in foodgrains storage capacity to be met by private sector participation.
• Exclusive skill development programme to be launched for textile and garment sector employees.
• Plan allocation for Ministry of Minority Affairs raised from Rs 1,740 crore to Rs 2,600 crore.
• Plan outlay for Ministry of Social Justice raised by 80 per cent to Rs 4,500 crore.
• Government to contribute Rs 1,000 per year to each account holder
• Finance Minister says Government hopes to implement direct tax code from April 2011.
• Kirit Parekh report on fuel price deregulation will be taken up by Oil Minister Murli Deora in due
course.
• Government has decided to set up apex-level Financial Stability and Development Council.
• FDI inflows steady during the year. Government has taken series of steps to simplify FDI regime
• Market capitalisation of five PSUs listed since October increased by 3.5 times.
• Nutrient based fertiliser subsidy scheme to come into force from April 1, 2010.
• Nutrient based fertiliser subsidy scheme to come into force from April 1, 2010.
• Earnest endeavour to implement General Sales Tax in April 2011.
• Status paper on public debt within six months.
• Government will raise Rs 25,000 crore from disinvestment of its stake in state-owned firms.
• Government to provide Rs 300 crore to organise 60,000 pulse and oilseed villages and provide integrated
intervention of watershed and related programme.
 • Government to continue interest subvention of 2 per cent for one more year for exports covering handicrafts,
carpets, handlooms and small and medium enterprises.
• Government intends to make FDI policy user friendly by compling all guidelines into one document.
• RBI considering some additional banking licenses to private companies, NBFC will also be
considered if they meet criteria.
• Export in January encouraging.
• Need to review the public spending and mobilize resources.
• FM stresses on the need to make growth more broad-based.
• Need to ensure that the demand-supply imbalance is managed.
• Need to review stimulus imparted to economy.
• Government conscious of the situation of price rise and taking steps to tackle it.
• Erratic monsoon and drought-like conditions forced supply side bottleneck that fuelled inflation.
• Double digit food inflation last year due to bad monsoon and drought-like conditions.
• Figures for merchandise exports for January encouraging after turnaround in November and December last.
Govt to raise Rs 25,000 cr this year to meet cap expenditure requirements
• GST and DTC can be introduced in April 2011
• Direct tax code will be implemented April 1, 2011
• Final figure may be higher if earnings in last quarters are strong
• 18.9% growth rate in manufacturing sector in 2009
• Concerned over emergence of double digit food inflation
• Export figures encouraging; pvt investments can be expected
• Double digit food inflation in 2009
• Need to review stimulus, move to fiscal consolidation
• Signs of food inflation going to non-food items
• Steps to reduce public debt, paper to be presented in 6 months
• 1st challenge: quickly revert to higher GDP growth path of 9%, cross double digit growth
• 2nd challnge: harden economic growth to make dev more inclusive
• 3rd challenge: relates to problems in government system
• Focus shifts to non-governmental actors
• Uncertainity was there on account of delay in monsoon, concerns about production and food prices.
•

Markets have slightly gained momentum and are trading near day’s high ahead of the Mega Event – The Union
Budget 2010-11. The Oil & Gas, PSU, Metals and Auto stocks are attracting buying interest. The broader indices, the
Mid-Cap and the Small-Cap stocks are recording smart gains. On the other hand, the IT and select telecom stocks
are under pressure.
Infrastructure, agriculture and social sector have been the key focus areas of budget 2010-11. The
budget has sought to promote growth within an inclusive agenda. Consequently substantial plan outlay has been
devoted to social and rural development flagship schemes. In order to sustain progress on the human development
front, continued focus on the various development schemes will be crucial. The key highlights of this approach are:

Infrastructure: A strong emphasis on infrastructure is clearly discernible in the budget. Allocation for
infrastructure stands at about 46% of total plan allocation in the budget. The focus has been two pronged especially
increasing refinancing through Indian Infrastructure Financial Corporation (IIFCL) while focussing on current
national level infrastructure projects. The increment in allocation to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has
been at 13% to Rs 19,894 crore in FY11. The Power sector has seen a near doubling in its allocation to Rs 5,130
crore in FY11.

Social Sector: With the key focus on inclusive growth GoI extended its commitments towards the social sector by
allocating a sum of Rs. 1,37,674 crore which forms around 37% of the total plan outlay in 2010-11. Focus areas
continue to remain financial inclusion, the national employment guarantee scheme and rural development schemes
under the flagship Bharat Nirman package. Urban development allocation has increased by more than 75% to Rs.
5,400 crore as against Rs. 3,060 crore in the previous year.

Low cost rural and urban housing have also been in focus. Unit cost has been raised for the Indira Awas Yojana for
rural areas. For urban low-cost housing, policy direction has been through interest subvention on loans and a nearly
700% jump in allocation to Rajiv Awas Yojana to Rs 1,270 crore. Compliance to the right to education act has meant
higher allocation for elementary education from Rs. 26,800 crore to Rs. 31,036 crore. Plan allocation for the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare has increased from Rs.19,534 crore to Rs.22,300 crore for 2010-11.

Agriculture: The agriculture sector has been affected by the less than normal monsoon in the Kharif season.
Consequently agricultural growth is estimated to have fallen by 0.2 per cent in FY10. The budget focus on agriculture
is hence a key positive. The launch of integrated missions in expanding the green revolution and in oilseeds and
pulses would give a much needed impetus to these segments. The formulation of a four pronged strategy focussing
on production, wastage reduction, credit support and focus on the food processing sector should improve the
linkages between agriculture and industry.

Policy intent: Three clear strands of policy intent are evident. Firstly, the budget proposes a target in excess of Rs
25,000 crore for stake divestment in Public sector enterprises, hence making the divestment process irreversible.
Secondly, budget strongly commits to rationalization of key subsidies including the transition to a nutrient based
fertilizer subsidy system and movement on the Parekh committee recommendations on petroleum subsidies. Thirdly,
the deadline for the implementation of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) has been further pushed to April, 2011,
indicating that differences between the states and the Centre are yet to be ironed out. The Direct Tax Code has been
proposed to be implemented from April 2011. The implementation of these two path breaking schemes should result
in a more rational and simplified taxation system. No major announcement on the foreign investment front has been
made and the government appears to be following a gradualist and cautious approach to the same.

e) Fiscal stance: On the issue of the roll back of the fiscal stimulus, the budget takes a gradualist approach. The
revision of the excise standard rate upwards to 10% and the retention of the service tax rate at 10% would bring
about an alignment in the taxes on goods and services, a much needed pre-condition for the implementation of GST.
The budget has extended the interest subvention on pre-shipment credit for key export-oriented sectors till March
2011, thus indicating that the fiscal stimulus would continue to sensitive sectors affected by the global slowdown. The
expansion of direct personal tax slabs in line with the implementation of DTC would stabilize the nascent demand
recovery that has been witnessed.

Concluding Observations:

Overall the Union budget presents a growth oriented face with an effort to establish a timeline to return to the path of
fiscal prudence. However, especially given the various expenditure pressures facing the government, maintaining the
fiscal timeline of reverting to a 3 % fiscal deficit by FY14 would be a challenging task and the actual implementation of
subsidy rationalization, disinvestment/divestment and better targeting of development expenditure would remain
crucial elements in the policy outlook.

Budget 2010-11 — Little for the common man

The Budget, despite its aam aadmi rhetoric, is expected to stoke the fires of inflation, while
actually doing little to relieve the debt burden of farmers, says SHARAD JOSHI.

The Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, had everything going for him. His party won the
general elections less than a year ago. It was under his stewardship as Finance Minister that the
country came out of the global recession far better than most countries.

When he got up to present the Budget 2010-11, he had an opportunity to present one that would
lay the foundations for the Indian economy to become an economic superpower. It is indeed sad
that this veteran with unmatched experience in the Ministries of Commerce, External Affairs and
Finance should have botched up this chance.

LITTLE FOR FARMERS

Mr Mukherjee opened his Budget speech by referring to skyrocketing commodity prices and
food insecurity. By the time he sat down, the entire Opposition had staged a walkout against the
inevitable increase in petrol and diesel prices.

The general perception is that prices of all major commodities such as steel, cement and gold,
silver will go up, and that the Budget has added fuel to the already scorching fire of commodity
prices.

His partymen, however, lost no time in saying that the Budget belonged to the ‘aam aadmi', the
farmer, the entrepreneur and the investor. The stock market received the Budget proposals fairly
amicably. Most TV channels started claiming that this was a farmers' budget.

But what have farmers got? Those who return the crop loans in good time can get a rebate of 2
per cent. The question is: How many farmers are in a position to return crop loans in good time?
Does the Finance Minister know that all over India, crop loans are hardly ever returned? They
are all reconverted into new loans with the grace of the cooperative society secretary, which
comes at a price. The Finance Minister's gimmick is likely to result in the benefit going to the
society secretary rather than to the loanee farmer.

A farmer holding more than two hectares of land, in districts listed in the schedule to the Debt
Relief and Loan Waiver scheme, is entitled to a waiver of 25 per cent of the amount due, on the
condition that he repays the remaining 75 per cent. The Finance Minister has recognised that
many such farmers are not in a position to make 75 per cent repayment in the current year, and
has given an extension till the end of June 2010.

The Finance Minister could not have been unaware of the fact that few farmers have any income
between end-February and end-June. He also promised to raise the credit flow to agriculture to
Rs 3,75,000 crore, some Rs 50,000 crore higher than in the current year. Even the most naïve
would not think that this meets the requirements of credit of the entire agricultural sector.

Both private and public sector investments in agriculture have been dwindling for decades. Even
the minimum requirements of the investment-starved sector can be met only if the commodity
markets develop the necessary liquidity as also the depth.

The Economic Survey 2009-10 does bring out that futures markets have no causal relationship
with the inflationary trends in prices. The Finance Minister, nevertheless, was unwilling to give
up on choking the futures commodity markets.

LONG-TERM POLICIES

The Finance Minister does mention a programme for the development and growth of agriculture.
This plan of action consists of replication of the Green Revolution in the eastern and the north-
eastern region, and infusion of technology to augment agricultural production and research and
development for new varieties of seeds that can withstand the vicissitudes of climate.
The plan does not appear to gel with the position already taken on this subject by the Minister of
State for Environment and Forests.

The Finance Minister does mention the necessity of supporting activities like cold storage, cold
rooms and pre-cooling plants. Surely, he is aware of the fact that the entire refrigeration
technology is under attack from the environmentalists, as a producer of greenhouse gases.

The new food processing industry will need to use more sophisticated technologies like high-
pressure techniques for the elimination of bacteria and viruses.

The list of projects falling under production, control of wastage, credit and food processing has
not been allotted any specific sum in the Budget speech. This appears to be more like the long
list of railway projects that the Railways Minister had presented to the nation.

Since Mr Mukherjee talked of India emerging as a select band of achievers, he should have
followed one of the prominent countries of the BRIC group and launched a programme for
encouraging production of biofuels.

That would have delinked domestic petroleum prices from international crude prices. It would
have also made agriculture a remunerative vocation and solved effectively the problem of food
insecurity.

Merely passing a food security legislation would only mean one more addition to a set of the
rights that are not actionable.

UNCERTAINTIES AHEAD

All this notwithstanding, Mr Mukherjee would get pass marks for his Budget. Unfortunately, the
ship that he has launched is not insured against any of the three storms he is likely to meet before
the end of the year.

The monsoons might show an entirely unexpected face, international crude prices might flare up
and a terrorist attack might turn topsy-turvy any plans regarding provision of security in the
country.

(The author is Founder, Shetkari Sanghatana and Rajya Sabha MP. blfeedback@thehindu.co.in)

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Budget 2010 Highlights
• Accredited news agencies exempt from service tax 2010-02-26 12:44:51

• Service sector tax retained at 10 percent to aid the introduction of GST; more
services to be taxed 2010-02-26 12:44:47

• Toys fully exempt from central excise duty 2010-02-26 12:44:43

• Concessional customs duty of 5 percent for cable TV operators for importing

equipment 2010-02-26 12:44:39

• Concessional duty of 4 percent for solar power rickshaw developed by Council of

Scientific and Industrial Research 2010-02-26 12:44:35

• Clean energy cess of Rs.50 per tonne on coal produced in India 2010-02-26
12:38:29

• New corporate tax rate at 33.21% 2010-02-26 12:37:58

• More services come under tax net 2010-02-26 12:36:15

• Service tax rates to be retained 2010-02-26 12:35:45

• Silver, gold import duty raised 2010-02-26 12:34:19

• Concession for medical equipments for hospitals retained 2010-02-26 12:34:10

• Excise duty cut on CFL 2010-02-26 12:34:05

• Customs duty on crude oil back to 5% 2010-02-26 12:30:44

• Excise duty on tobacco products hiked 2010-02-26 12:30:05

• Partial rollback of excise duty on cement and cement products 2010-02-26

12:29:30

• Excise duty on petrol, Diesel up by Re 1 2010-02-26 12:27:17

• Some opposition members walk out after hike in excise duty on petrol, diesel
2010-02-26 12:26:54

• Excise duty on SUVs, MUVs hiked 2010-02-26 12:26:47

• Excise duty on oil products hiked 2010-02-26 12:26:35

• Sensex surges 280 points 2010-02-26 12:26:31

• Sops for real estate housing projects to be extended 2010-02-26 12:22:14

• To enhance tax audit limit for small businesses to Rs 60 lakh 2010-02-26

12:22:11

• To partially rollback central excise duty 2010-02-26 12:21:52

• Relief for 60% of taxpayers 2010-02-26 12:20:48

• Surcharge on domestic companies cut to 7.5% 2010-02-26 12:19:12

• Tax on income above Rs 8 lakh at 30% 2010-02-26 12:18:39

• No tax on income up to Rs 1.6 lakh 2010-02-26 12:16:42

• Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh slab taxed at 20% 2010-02-26 12:15:24

• Rs 1.6 lakh - Rs 5 lakh slab taxed at 10% 2010-02-26 12:12:24

• No tax on income up to Rs 1.6 lakh 2010-02-26 12:10:00

• Saral - II for individual taxpayers in two pages 2010-02-26 12:00:43

• Pranab announces new tax structure 2010-02-26 12:00:04

• Advanced tax receipts expected at Rs 7.46 lakh cr 2010-02-26 11:59:36

• Total expenditure is within target 2010-02-26 11:59:27

• To include subsidies into physical accounting 2010-02-26 11:59:19

• Fiscal deficit target for FY 12 is 4.2% 2010-02-26 11:59:14

• To recruit 2000 youths to central constabulary 2010-02-26 11:59:07

• Fiscal deficit for 2010-11 is 5.5% 2010-02-26 11:58:12

• 15% increase in planned expenditure 2010-02-26 11:58:03

• Defence allocation at Rs 1.47 lakh cr 2010-02-26 11:58:00

• Health insurance for NREGA beneficiaries 2010-02-26 11:57:47

• Rs 2600 cr for Minorities Commission 2010-02-26 11:54:26

• Rs 1900 cr for UAID project 2010-02-26 11:54:02

• To rewrite and revamp financial sector laws 2010-02-26 11:54:00

• Govt to boost all rural literacy mission 2010-02-26 11:53:57

• Govt to set up financial sector commission 2010-02-26 11:53:52

• Govt to launch five more food parks 2010-02-26 11:53:23

• Social sector spending increased to Rs 1.37 lakh cr 2010-02-26 11:28:59

• Indira Awas Yojna allocation up to Rs 1000 cr 2010-02-26 11:28:51

• Rs 1,200 cr for drought mitigation in Bundelkand area 2010-02-26 11:28:44

• Rs 66,100 cr for rural development 2010-02-26 11:28:38

• To extend housing interest subsidy scheme for one more year 2010-02-26
11:28:35

• Rs 5,400 cr for urban development 2010-02-26 11:28:31

• Rs 100 cr for financial inclusion fund 2010-02-26 11:28:26

• Rs 31,000 cr for primary education 2010-02-26 11:28:23

• Allocation for Bharat Nirman at Rs 48,000 cr 2010-02-26 11:28:20

• NREG scheme allocation stepped up 2010-02-26 11:28:15

• All villages with 2000+ population to get banking facilities by 2012 2010-02-26
11:27:50

• Allocation of Rs 22,300 cr to Health Ministry 2010-02-26 11:26:55

• Govt ready with Food Security bill 2010-02-26 11:22:56

• Propose to double allocation to Ganga clean-up mission 2010-02-26 11:22:35

• Rs 200 cr to Goa govt to meet green cover 2010-02-26 11:22:21

• Coal Regulatory Authority to be set up 2010-02-26 11:21:36

• Rs 300 cr for Rashtriya Krishi Yojna 2010-02-26 11:21:31

• Plan allocation for power more than doubled in 2011 2010-02-26 11:20:40

• Provided more than Rs 16,500 cr for railways 2010-02-26 11:16:50

• 46% of total plan dedicated to infrastructure 2010-02-26 11:16:41

• Additional funds for upgrading infrastructure in rural and urban areas 2010-02-26
11:16:31

• Will extend Green revolution in Eastern states 2010-02-26 11:13:39

• To extend 2% interest subvention for one more year 2010-02-26 11:13:22

• Stimulus package to continue 2010-02-26 11:13:06

• Food inflation should come down in 2010-11 2010-02-26 11:13:01

• RBI to give additional licenses to NBFCs 2010-02-26 11:12:20

• With the economy recovering, need to review public spending 2010-02-26

11:11:37

• No to more private banks 2010-02-26 11:10:18

• Real GDP growth was down to 6.7% in 2008-09 2010-02-26 11:08:58

• Consistent policy on downstreaming investment 2010-02-26 11:08:53

• FDI regime has been simplified 2010-02-26 11:08:47

• Listing of PSUs will ensure corporate governance 2010-02-26 11:08:43

• Nutrient based subsidy policy will be effective by April 01, 2010 2010-02-26
11:08:39

• Govt to raise Rs 35,000 cr through disinvestment 2010-02-26 11:08:35

• Implementation of GST by April 2011 2010-02-26 11:08:27

• Process for building a simple taxation system 2010-02-26 11:08:06

• Bad monsoon affected food prices adversely 2010-02-26 11:07:59

• Valuation of listed PSUs has increased greatly 2010-02-26 11:07:42

• Govt will implement Direct Tax Code from April 2011 2010-02-26 11:07:15

• Gradual phasing out of fiscal stimulus 2010-02-26 11:05:51

• GDP growth in 2009-10 may be higher 2010-02-26 11:05:48

• Fiscal stimulus in 2009-10 is a success 2010-02-26 11:05:45

• Govt has taken steps to ensure food security and bring inflation down 2010-02-26
11:05:42

• Challenge is to improve governance 2010-02-26 11:05:39

• India was first to implement counter-cyclical policies 2010-02-26 11:05:24

• Focus will be on social sector reforms 2010-02-26 11:05:21

• Growth registered a strong rebound in the second quarter 2010-02-26 11:05:17

• Govt must deliver to lesser privileged sector 2010-02-26 11:01:03

• Increasing food prices a matter of concern 2010-02-26 11:00:57

• Many new initiatives in various sectors of economy 2010-02-26 11:00:43

• Challenges to make growth inclusive 2010-02-26 11:00:37

• Focus of economic activity has shifted to non-govt sectors 2010-02-26 10:59:32

• Modernisation of PDS a priority for the govt 2010-02-26 10:59:21

• We have to sustain food security in rural areas 2010-02-26 10:59:16

• We have to make recovery more broad-based in coming months 2010-02-26

10:59:08

• Our task is to quickly revert to high GDP 2010-02-26 10:52:55

• We were unsure about turnaround in the economy 2010-02-26 10:51:51

• We have weathered the crisis well 2010-02-26 10:51:49

• We began with uncertainty but we are moving ahead 2010-02-26 10:51:46

• Pranab Mukherjee begins Budget speech 2010-02-26 10:51:41

• Pranab to present Budget amid debate on stimulus rollback 2010-02-26 10:51:33

• Sensex trims gains ahead of Budget speech 2010-02-26 10:51:30

• Pranab briefs cabinet ahead of Budget speech 2010-02-26 10:51:27

• Sensex trading in positive territory 2010-02-26 10:26:05

• Sensex gains, await cues from Budget 2010-02-26 09:53:13

• Pranab rated as one of the best 5 FMs of the world for the year 1984 2010-02-26
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• Pranab began his career as a college-teacher and later as a journalist 2010-02-26

09:50:32

• Sensex opens flat 2010-02-26 09:04:31

• Govt to accept major recommendations of 13th Finance Commission 2010-02-25

18:02:54

• Medium term prospects of Indian economy really strong 2010-02-25 14:51:26

• FY 10 trade outlook has brightened 2010-02-25 14:37:37

• Recovery creates scope for gradual pullback of stimulus 2010-02-25 14:35:11

• High double-digit food inflation in 2009–10 a great concern 2010-02-25 14:34:03

• Current fuel prices not fiscally sustainable 2010-02-25 14:33:00

• More than 500,000 jobs added in second quarter 2010-02-25 14:31:50

• Double-digit food inflation a great concern 2010-02-25 13:36:37

• VAT introduction to boost states' tax revenues 2010-02-25 13:33:35

• Survey: Steel outlook for 2010 remains positive 2010-02-25 13:32:22

• Economic Survey: Service sector growth seen at 8.7% 2010-02-25 12:23:38

• Economic Survey: India's GDP expected to return to 9% growth in 2011-

2012 2010-02-25 12:20:47

• Economic Survey: Hike in fuel prices will impact inflation 2010-02-25 12:19:24

• Economic Survey: High double-digit food inflation in 2009-10 a great

concern 2010-02-25 12:16:02

• Pranab ready to present budget tomorrow 2010-02-24 18:59:10

• Funding for metro rail projects to be increased by 5% 2010-02-24 16:14:47

• No increase in rail passenger fares 2010-02-24 16:14:08

• IT exemption limit raised-Budget2009 2010-02-24 15:38:28