Outlining the Budget estimates for the coming year, the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu put the plan size at Rs 1.21 lakh crore.
Lakhs of students appear for it every year. How are you preparing for it?
India's fiscal deficit trends are a bit like an alcoholic trying, unsuccessfully, to reform. Virtue does not last for too long, says Shankar Acharya.
The country saw two straight years of deficient monsoons.
The next general election is more than three years away. Yet, the Centre appears to be reluctant to take any bold move that might annoy influential sections of the electorate.
Excise exemptions may be whittled in Budget to offset higher govt salaries, pensions
There will very little direct impact from the US Fed's rate hike this time, as we are well prepared both to handle liquidity, outflow of FII funds and managing our currency. But that doesn't mean India will be out of the woods anytime soon, says M V Subramanian.
The manifesto, on the lines of the party's promise in Delhi in 2015, also says the AAP government will set up Aam Aadmi canteens at sub-division and district levels where one time meal will be available for Rs 5, and reduce the power tariff to half for usages up to 400 unit.
'No one needs to lose sleep if a person with better operational credentials supersedes lesser endowed peers,' says Group Captain Murli Menon (retd).
RJD president Lalu Prasad on Thursday said Railway Budget has cheated people as it has nothing to offer.
'We hope there shall be more focus on existing projects and their completion rather than new projects.' 'Any new project announcements should be largely for decongesting the existing lines rather than new lines.'
Incentives for industries have been rolled back and teachers have gone without salary for months as the state grapples with the after-effects of the ban
The BJP's manifesto for UP elections promised many things. But, given the state's precarious financial position, fulfilling these promises is likely to prove tricky, says Ishan Bakshi.
The military continues to battle difficult circumstances in Kashmir. Let's not add to their woes by spreading half-baked stories, factually incorrect posts and inaccurate articles.
Fiscal situation better but spending cuts likely in FY16 too.
A divided house until recently, Congress is putting up a spirited campaign to checkmate BJP in its erstwhile stronghold of Naxal-dominated Bastar region of Chhattisgarh where the ruling party hopes to cash on its developmental agenda coupled with Chief Minister Raman Singh's clean image in the Assembly elections.
Jaitley can make his innings -- notwithstanding its likely length -- to be a watershed tenure, or just add to the image of the MoD drifting rudderless, says Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd).
The government on Friday lowered its economic growth forecast.
Indian officialdom enjoys well over a week of Sundays every month
'A fresh look is being given to ways of processing, transmission, and delivery.'
The demand for OROP has been projected as an unambiguous issue but a good policy argument must have a sound economic element.
Protesting ex-servicemen allege they were manhandled by the Delhi police
The sops sanctioned by J Jayalalithaa on her first day in office could cost the exchequer up to Rs 8,000 crore annually.
'One of the biggest issues the Indian economy faces right now is of job creation...' 'The nexus between growth and employment has to be closed...' 'In the absence of a manufacturing expansion, the alternative is to have the service sector as the driver of both GDP as well as employment growth.'
The Modi government has not lived up to the muscularity the prime minister promised while campaigning, says Ajai Shukla
Flexibly targeting inflation is consistent with a demand stimulus, says Ashima Goyal.
'She has to get the funds, cut through bureaucratic flab, speed up modernisation, ensure planned acquisitions stick to timelines, make organisational changes and ensure the military is capable of performing the task that it is given,' says Brigadier S K Chatterjee (retd).
Instead of a consumption stimulus the government must address the NPA issue with a war footing and invest in infrastructure, affordable housing and exports, says Sanjeev Nayyar.
High fiscal deficits raise inflation which hits the lowest income and salaried classes.
'I hope the anger that Gujarat farmers have demonstrated is also reflected in other parts of the country in ensuing elections.' 'Only then will the ruling parties accept that something is terribly going wrong in the hinterland.'
'People are trying to save money because of uncertainty and insecurity.'
As for structural reform, there are signs if one looks hard enough.
Jaitley has managed the difficult feat of sticking to the fiscal correction.
The Survey projected growth rate of 7-7.75 per cent for 2016-17 with downside risks due to weak global economic scenario.
Stepping up the agitation on 'One Rank One Pension', a fast-unto-death was launched by two of the protesting ex-servicemen at Jantar Mantar
Structural changes to government finances could be focus of the Union Budget, says Mihir S Sharma.
'If Modi is talking to every Tom, Dick and Harry, why is he afraid of talking to ex-servicemen?'
Following the Budget being announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, leaders across the political spectrum provided their views.
Formidable challenges including funds for the farm loan-waiver, and law and order stare him at his face, with the opposition claiming the misses have outnumbered the hits.
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