He did not announce any rollback on diesel price hike.
I am very pleased with the first Budget of Jaswant Singh. Positive moves have far exceeded the negative ones. The impetus to the industry has been very high particularly in the infrastructure sector.
I would place this Budget on very high pedestal. Finance Minister Jaswant Singh has done a commendable job
Top finance ministry officials and members of Planning Commission on Friday gave a thumbs up to the Union Budget 2003-2004 saying Finance Minister Jaswant Singh had laid out a roadmap for greater flow of investment and industrial growth.
Budget to be presented on Friday is expected to carry out a "clean up" operation of tax administration besides measures to spur growth.
Petroleum Minister Ram Naik is likely to meet Finance Minister Jaswant Singh on January 30 to seek excise duty cut on petroleum products in view of excessive volatility in international crude oil prices.\n\n\n\n
Goverment on Wednesday hinted at a feel good factor for the average households in the forthcoming budget saying there should be food for the hungry and money in the purse of housewives.
Indian firms can invest in listed cos abroad: RBI
Finance Minister Jaswant Singh said on Friday interest rates on pension funds needed to be brought in line with declining interest rates in the market.
The government said on Thursday that it will try to compensate states for the first three years for any loss of revenue they might suffer due to introduction of Value Added Tax regime next fiscal.
'Both have a very nationalistic view of foreign policy.' 'They think they are shrewd and clever diplomats.'
Finance Minister Jaswant Singh on Friday said that it would not be sensible to reverse the policy for the housing sector which has shown 25 per cent growth in the past three years.
Echoing Finance Minister Jaswant Singh's projection of a "significant" economic growth this year, economists on Friday pegged the GDP growth at 6-6.5 per cent but cautioned the Centre on increasing debt and fiscal deficit.
