The allocations for military have been made while outlays on the development and non-development budgets have been slashed by 50 per cent and 20 per cent respectively to create fiscal space for rehabilitating the flood-affected population.
The budget, presented by Finance Minister Thomas Issac, focused on infrastructure development, strengthening of social welfare measures, steps to enhance safety of women, giving impetus to public education and health. It is the second budget by the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF after it came to power last year.
Biden said over a year later Russian President Vladimir Putin has "failed and he continues to fail".
.jpg)
The Hinduja brothers, who top Britain's rich list, said in a statement that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's Budget had set the direction for a 'very positive long-term agenda'.
Finance minister attempts a clean-up job, keeps projected expenditure growth low.
Modi said not a single leader of the opposition grouping INDIA has uttered a word against the "disrespect" for women.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday released its manifesto for the November 17 Madhya Pradesh elections promising MSP for wheat at Rs 2,700 per quintal and paddy at Rs 3,100 and houses for beneficiaries of the state's flagship scheme 'Ladli Bahna'.
India's per capita expenditure on defence is less than $10, while the average expenditure of the top ten spenders in Asia is $800 approximately.
'An expanding army, rising salaries due to the 7th pay commission, and raised pensions due to OROP are consuming money at the cost of badly needed bulletproof jackets, rifles, artillery, submarines, warships and fighter aircraft,' notes Ajai Shukla.
The Budget has evoked mixed reactions from Silicon Valley investors.
Minister of state for defence, Rao Inderjit Singh, on Thursday asked the armed forces to "prioritise" their requirements in the view of the limited budget and also spend the allocated money efficiently.
What some of our leaders were up to on Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
After cost inflation, this year's allocation will buy significantly less than last year's, says Ajai Shukla
The end goal of defence procurement should be not import or indeginisation but securing the country through able and ready armed forces, says Air Marshal P V Athawale (retd)
'This prime minister thinks he knows everything.' 'He has to consult, he has to talk and he has to mobilise the best people, but having seen him function, I have no expectations from him.'
If this Budget was not packaged and sold as a Budget for the poor and for farmers, Narendra Modi would have lost the next election.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the fiscal deficit slippage this financial year (2017-18) was largely statistical.
The corridor is expected to attract around Rs 1,250 billion investment and create 4,00,000 jobs. It will start from Mysore, pass through Bengaluru in Karnataka, to connect with Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem and Tiruchy in Tamil Nadu.
'The Raksha Mantri's day at sea'/
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented his maiden budget last week in which he vowed to contain fiscal deficit at 4.1 per cent this year and lower it to 3 per cent by 2016-17.
'Not only in Kashmir, but in the rest of the country.'
"I am personally averse to sealed covers. There has to be transparency in court... This is about implementing orders. What can be secret here," the CJI said.
Jaitley praised the DRDO saying it was "doing quite a lot to meet the requirements of the armed forces but the Services need much more and that will come through domestic industry."
US President Barack Obama signed a US $ 680-billion defence budget bill that provides US $ 2.3 billion military assistance to Pakistan with tough conditions to make sure that the funds are not squandered or diverted to affect the "balance of power in the region".
'Is the appointment of a CDS likely to achieve the creation of battle-ready, tri-service military commands, from the current 17 single-service commands?', asks Ajai Shukla.
'Since each chief single-mindedly pursues his service's interests in the competition for turf and in core matters such as budget share. The CDS, therefore, must act as an "honest broker" whose decisions serve the broader national purpose, rather than narrow service interests,' says Ajai Shukla.
The "bumper" 40 per cent increase followed a number of sweeping reforms intended to transform the "bloated People's Liberation Army, into a more modern, nimble fighting force".
'On the tax front, most of the Budget proposals are sensible'.
After bumbling for years since 2014, the Modi government seems to believe that massive government expenditure will lead us to prosperity supported by 'seat-of-the-pants' decision-making, observes Debashis Basu.
Banning the import of platforms that are already being built in India serves little purpose.
On March 13, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary had tabled the second batch of supplementary demands for grants in the House amounting to a total of Rs 2,70,508.89 crore.
Sheela Bhatt recounts the tension, suspense and disruptions during P Chidambaram's interim budget in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
A key United States Congressional Committee on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a bill that imposes conditions on Pakistan for receiving American economic and military aid which will depend on the action Islamabad takes against terrorists and the menace of improvised explosive devices.
'Make in India'presents a huge opportunity for jobs.
The revenue budget of the defence services is likely to go up 3.2 times in the next Budget if the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission are accepted. On an average, the services had recommended a salary hike of up to 4.5 times. They had also sought a five-and-a-half times increase in counter-insurgency allowances. They had expected an increase of 3.8 times. The increase in salaries that has been granted is 3.2 times. Allowances, by and large, have been doubled.
According to an Assocham survey, India Inc is not expecting much for itself in the upcoming Budget. The Budget is most likely to benefit the common man.
'The fiscal situation is stressed (when is it not?!), economic growth has slowed, tax revenue has fallen short and the deficit is high if it is properly accounted,' points out T N Ninan.
With access to foreign investment becoming easier, a host of Indian companies vie for a share of the $100-billion budget for equipment.
Chinese military build up is a cause of concern for the countries in the region, a top American commander said on Tuesday after China announced a 10 per cent increase in its defence budget.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances