In his recent Budget speech, the finance minister reiterated the government's plans to make India "slum-free" within five years.
Cement is set to be dearer across the country by Rs 8-9 per 50 kg bag from March 1, with the rise in excise duty, industry sources said.
Just 6.4% of branches owned by new private sector banks are in the rural areas
A quick calculation by Congress managers soon after the unprecedented walkout by Congress's friends and foes alike has thrown up the figure of 275 in the ruling alliance's kitty. This is just 3 more than the majority mark of 272, "and a matter of grave concern", said a senior Congress leader.
The government on Friday proposed a nearly 16-fold increase at Rs 1,900 crore (Rs 19 billion) for Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) headed by Infosys founder Nandan Nilekani.
The government hopes to implement direct tax code from April 2011.
If one compares returns, the two public-sector ETFs have done better over the past year, but the ELSS category has done better over the trailing three and five years.
Mukherjee could not implement nine of the promises he made in his Budget for 2009-10 and most of these pertained to significant areas of the economy.
Divestment in India has been a painfully slow process. Will the government finally press the gas?
The details of the BWA auction winners are still awaited from the Department of Telecom.
The new Goods and Services Tax (GST) is broadly as announced by Pranab Mukherjee in his Budget speech in July, and will comprise two parallel systems.
'Rather than abolishing stamp duty as STT is already levied on all transactions, the government has de-facto imposed a state STT in the guise of stamp duty'
The change in labelling, which is seen as a part of government's effort to push generic drugs, will come into effect from September 13.
The Duronto train, which will run thrice a week, will leave Mumbai every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 2015 hours and will reach Nagpur every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 0745 hours, a railway statement said on Friday. Similarly the Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto will depart from Nagpur every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2025 hours and arrive at Mumbai on every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7-55 am, it said.
As expected, there have been no major announcements in the Interim Budget.
Despite the reforms of the 1990s, the country's corporate structure hasn't transformed in any major manner.
23% increase for Highways: The allocation during the current year to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the National Highways Development Programme (NHDP) has been stepped up by 23 per cent over the 2008-09 (BE).
In his Budget speech, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said the stimulus package given in February this year has been extended from June 30 to December 31 this year.
The Railways have slashed service charges levied on purchase of e-tickets by half from April 1.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee presented the Railway Budget on Friday. In her third Railway Budget speech, Banerjee said atleast one doctor will be available on long distance trains.
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation is set to face a decline of Rs 300 million ( Rs 30 crore) in revenues from sale of online rail tickets in the coming financial year as a result of the reduction in service charge announced in the Rail Budget last month.
Experts agree with the assessment that the Budget next month would respond to the predictions of deficient monsoon rains with a policy package. According to them, rain-fed areas, which are likely to be affected by a 'below normal' monsoon, could see increase in allocation in terms of higher spending through the public distribution system and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
This is Jaitley's first overseas visit since his kidney ailment was confirmed in April last year.
Finance Minster Pranab Mukherjee in his Budget Speech in Parliament on Friday proposed to increase the Plan outlay for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy by 61% from Rs 620 crore in 2009-10 to Rs 1000 crore in 2010-11.
"Preparations for the regular budget are on... priorities are listed in the manifesto. (These) Will get reflected in the finance minister's budget speech," said the new minister of state for finance Namo Narain Meena. 'The focus of the new measures will be to stimulate demand in the domestic economy and to ensure there is more purchasing power in the hands of the people and more liquidity in the hands of the companies,' the Congress manifesto says.
In a bonanza to farmers, the government on Friday announced a subsidised five per cent interest rate on crop loans on timely repayment, while proposing a 15 per cent hike in credit made available for farm sector.
The government on Friday announced loans at a subsidised interest rate of five per cent -- two per cent less than market rate -- for farmers who pay their dues in time.
However, the finance minister did not oblige members in the Rajya Sabha with clarifications on his intervention in the debate on the issue of price rise, even when Communist Party of India-Marxist member Sitaram Yechury sought some more information.
The brutal incident came to light after a video of the assault went viral. In the video, a group of men is seen thrashing two persons with rubber belts. They later torture one of the victims by pouring petrol on his private parts with a piece of cloth wrapped on a screwdriver.
The biggest impact of the new tax system is the significant widening of income slabs. According to this, people with annual income not exceeding 1.6 lakh (Rs 160,000) will not have to pay any tax.
According to railway ministry sources, Banerjee is in a hurry to start the train services she had announced in her Budget in July last year.
A good tax system should minimise the cost of collection, compliance cost and the cost to the economy in terms of the distortions it creates while generating revenues.
Experts believe the move will have little impact given limited production of generic drugs and authority of doctors in prescribing medicines.
'Let us hope that this Budget delivers.' 'It needs 10 per cent plus real GDP growth in 2021-22, the rebound year,' notes Omkar Goswami.
'Parsis are brought up with a great sense of the importance of truth and speaking your mind.'
The high deficit was bad enough, Parliament's standing committees won't be scrutinising budget proposals either.
Under the 2009-10 Budget, FBT has been abolished. While this is going to be received very favourably by the finance departments at companies, the impact on your personal finances might not be the most optimal for you.
Employment generation in the midst of a global meltdown will be the central idea of the Interim Budget that the United Progressive Alliance will present on February 16, just ahead of the general elections.
FM's decision to make PAN card a neccessity for financial transactions has worried life insurers, who will find it difficult to tap rural India with this requirement.
Railway Minister Lalu Prasad has drawn up an integrated security plan for the railways.
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