He's the first finance minister to present Budgets on either side of an election and the first to do so after a quarter-century gap.
An intense debate is taking place within the finance ministry over a proposal to reintroduce investment allowance for companies implementing new projects or creating productive assets to expand their businesses.
Giving extensions to secretaries after fixing their tenure is unfair to the rest.
May dilute stakes in PSUs to 90% instead of big-bang approach
The divestment plan can be prepared now, but its execution should wait for a politically opportune time.
The government has not taken any decision on the communications ministry's proposal for appointing the next chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
Unlike other government projects, most funds under MPLADS get spent - now to see if they're well-spent.
The company was sold in 100 days, but will Ramalinga Raju be brought to justice as quickly asks A K Bhattacharya.
Even West Bengal units no longer have collective bargaining to fix salaries -- so why do central PSUs, asks A K Bhattacharya.
India's regulators still remain the preserve of the IAS. The time has now come to check out if the government has indeed used the better pay package for its regulators to widen the choice and attract private sector people.
The state of the economy did not deteriorate so sharply in the last eight days that the principles behind not announcing changes in tax rates in an Interim Budget had to be set aside. Nor can it be argued that the demand from industry and members of Parliament for some stimulus measures became so irresistible that the finance minister had to announce the tax rate changes in his reply to the Interim Budget debate.
Economic reforms have remained an article of faith for all the governments at the Centre in the last 18 years, irrespective of the political parties that formed them.
The party whose government presents the Interim Budget does not return to power.
Two contradictory remarks by ministers caused wild fluctuations in Satyam's stock. Why did they make them?
India Inc. may also have fallen prey to the so-called eleventh commandment of modern-day India: Thou shalt not be caught.
After all, general elections are round the corner and it is not reforms but hand-outs that will fetch greater returns.
The government has a clear set of rules that govern even the expression of personal views by IAS officers.
A slew of economic indicators in the current fiscal threatens to sully P Chidambaram's record as FM.
Indians spend Rs 11,800 crore a year on a US education as there simply aren't enough good universities here, says A K Bhattacharya.
As prime minister, Dr Singh is obviously more worried about growth, inflation and rural jobs
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