Finance Minister P Chidambaram presented the Union Budget 2004-05 in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Govt keen on reservation in private sector jobs
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said the government is working towards creating an atmosphere where trade and industry come forward to reserve jobs for the socially underprivileged -- a practice in vogue in the public sector.
"I am happy to say that in the last four years we have accomplished much in keeping with our commitments," the prime minister said, after giving away national awards to micro, small and medium entrepreneurs in New Delhi. He said small enterprises play an important role in ensuring inclusive growth which is also regionally balanced.
Left parties and BJP launched an attack on the government on Tuesday over its move to open up retail trading to foreign direct investment saying this would shrink employment opportunities.
As per the scheme, rural electricity infrastructure will be set up and household electrification will be completed in the next five years.
Divestment also was not covered. One would have expected divestment to be a major instrument for raising fund for various projects, as was the case in the last 3-4 budgets but we did not see it at all.
The government said the\ndecisions taken by it last year were the 'highest' in the last ten years.
The Left parties will oppose opening of the retail sector to Foreign Direct Investment when they meet United Progrssive Alliance leaders at a meeting of the coordination committee to be held after a gap of four months on October 27
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the historic bill providing 100 days employment guarantee to every rural household in the country.
The government on Tuesday announced that it has formally called-off plans to sell stakes in 13 profit-making central public sector undertakings.
The sale of controlling stake in 13 public sector companies, which had been cleared by the previous government, has been called off, Rajya Sabha was told on Tuesday.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the budget has attempted to clean up the tax regime and aims at spurring investment and implementing the goals outlined in government's National Common Minimum Programme.
A summary of the budget speech of Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Resource constraints have forced the planning commission to scale down investments by 12.5 per cent in crucial areas including agriculture, power and manufacturing.
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