'The target for next year is unlikely to be more than that of this year. The more you divest in any cycle, the less your potential pipeline for the next,' said an official. 'The first two issues we want to tackle and complete in FY20 are Air India and Hotel Ashok.'
The amount allocated for 2019-20 is 11 per cent higher compared to Rs 55,000 crore allocated for the year 2018-19.
While the five years of the Modi government have indeed seen a healthy increase in PSUs' outlay and the Budgetary support for them, the next year's numbers reveal the squeeze in the government's own resources even though it is expecting a much higher dividend income from the PSUs. These do not augur well for the PSUs in 2019-20 and the years ahead, unless these numbers are revisited and, hopefully, revised in the full Budget that will be presented later in July this year, says A K Bhattacharya.
The RBI needs to maintain a healthy contingency reserve so that it can lend its support in case of a bank failure.
The comments came after Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley warned of tough measures in his first budget on July 10, saying 'mindless populism' needs to be checked as India aims to boost growth.
Modi government's story of five years with regard to equity allocation for PSUs shows that it may have allowed a large part of its resources to be wasted. This is also a worrying reflection of the government's inability to take hard decisions - whether they pertain to privatisation or forcing weak public-sector banks to wind down their operations, says A K Bhattacharya.
RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has said falling oil prices act as a cushion for CAD, adding it is time India does away with restrictions on gold imports
For the first eight months of the current financial year, the figure stood at Rs 7.17 trillion.
Politically, it will not be easy for Modi to take hard decisions such as raising fuel prices in the first budget, given the risk of higher inflation.
Highlighting the the government's focus on providing power to all, Finance Minister Goyal said 2.5 crore families were without electricity in 2014 and "we have provided power to almost all families".
Higher input cost is likely to weigh on Auto sector's Q4 numbers.
Tharoor argued that the proposed bill represents a "grave chapter in the history of the Indian republic, seeking to ratify an ordinance that in many ways is an assault on our democratic heritage and the spirit of federalism."
Here are some frequently asked questions about the one rank, one pension scheme
Air India stares at an operational loss of Rs 2,171 crore in 2014-15.
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The rupee and equity turmoil seem over, with interest shifting to key personnel changes and 2014 polls.
The 'slow pace' of acquisition of weapon systems is a matter of concern and the new government will work towards 'expediting' the procurement process to meet the requirements of the armed forces, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday.
While the five years of the Modi government have indeed seen a healthy increase in PSUs' outlay and the Budgetary support for them, the next year's numbers reveal the squeeze in the government's own resources even though it is expecting a much higher dividend income from the PSUs. These do not augur well for the PSUs in 2019-20 and the years ahead, unless these numbers are revisited and, hopefully, revised in the full Budget that will be presented later in July this year, says A K Bhattacharya.
The allocation in the defence budget is inadequate to meet India's long-term threats, especially from China and Pakistan, says Gurmeet Kanwal.
India is on the brink of overhauling its tax system, implementing the BEPS project and seeing a further evolution of the GST at the same time as a general election. This makes 2019 an exciting and challenging year, note Maulik Doshi and Jigar Doshi.
Post office savings deposit, recurring deposit accounts and the senior citizen savings scheme account have shown the highest growth in the current financial year.
GST rates on under-construction houses maybe reduced from 12 pc with input tax credit to 5 pc without ITC. Similarly, the rate for under-construction affordable houses could come down to 3 per cent without input tax credit, from the current 8 per cent.
The formula for success of farm economy is very simple -- farmers should be able to produce more from the same piece of land at reduced cost while minimising risk and be connected to market to get higher realisation for their produce, points out Siraj Chaudhry.
The challenge before the government now is to use the factors that are favourable to its benefit.
The government's largesse was widely expected after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party lost power in the recent assembly polls in three Hindi heartland states, where rural distress was cited to be one of the reasons for the defeat of the saffron party.
The 15th Lok Sabha will go down in the history as the most disrupted in Independent India so far including the pepper spray incident which marked a new low in parliamentary conduct.
The Congress will hold a chintan shivir immediately after the Budget session of Parliament and the CWC will meet again before that, he told reporters
Train running information system will be installed at rail premises to facilitate dissemination of information about trains on real time basis.
The revision will do little to help the Congress party-led ruling alliance, which faces an uphill battle in elections due by May amid allegations of economic mismanagement, corruption scams and high inflation.
Struggling to meet budget targets, the government had in the just concluded fiscal asked cash-rich PSUs to pay second interim dividend as well as undertake share buyback.
Rajiv Kapoor did not do many films in his career but he is still remembered for his solid hit, Ram Teri Ganga Maili.
However, independent economists are not as gung-ho as the finance ministry over the likelihood of deficit target being met this time around, says Indivjal Dhasmana.
Dismissing the contention that the decline in inflation was on account of the steps taken by the NDA government, Chidambaram said he wanted to know, 'what measures were taken by the government that contributed to decline in inflation rates.'
Anticipating healthier economic growth, the Railways has targeted a record Rs 1.6 lakh crore in revenue for the next financial year, while no increase has been proposed in passenger fares and freight rates.
The scheme, which would give Rs 6,000 to small farmers in a year or Rs 500 a month, will add more money to the account of these cultivators than the money he/she saves every month on an average.
Attacking the previous government, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said the hike in rail fares was "thrusted upon" by the United Progressive Alliance, but it was a "bitter medicine" that had to be swallowed in the interest of sound health of the economy.
The incoming government will have to encourage private investments, bring down cost of capital
'This solid verdict would further strengthen his resolve to drive forward the economic agenda to ensure that the fruits of the economic momentum continue to reach the poor, so visible during the last five years.'
Ajai Shukla presents an action plan for Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to fix the systemic weaknesses in defence.
'Why should Khargeji work against the Gandhis for the sake of proving his independence?'
Hitting GDP growth of more than six per cent will require substantial foreign direct investment, especially if household savings largely continue to remain locked.
