Setting at rest speculation about the possibility of tax cuts to boost growth, the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Tuesday said the government will not change the tax structure during the current fiscal, ending March 31.
The Planning Commission on Saturday approved the draft integrated energy policy, which seeks to implement market-based pricing and bring about better coordination among ministries.
The DoP has moved a Cabinet note for the government to provide Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) as initial capital to India Post towards starting a bank.
India is expected to record a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6 per cent this fiscal, which will improve further in the next fiscal with likely recovery in the global economy, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said.
Dr Ashwani Mahajan, all India co-convenor of the Swadesh Jaagran Manch and an associate professor at the Delhi University, discusses the state of the Indian economy in an interview with Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier.
There are wide spread speculations in corridors of power in the Capital that Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia may take over as the next finance minister of India.
After failing to get bids for over half of its highway projects last year, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to put up 19 highway projects worth Rs 23,805 crore for rebidding next month through a new short-listing process.
With the inflation rate almost halving from the peak levels in August and economic growth slackening, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia today said there is further scope for the Reserve Bank of India to cut lending rates.
Calling for 'fundamental restructuring' to put India back on its growth trajectory, McKinsey said on Wednesday that the country will run out of capital to support economic expansion.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, on Wednesday allayed fears over significant hardening of interest rates in view of the high government borrowings, pegged at around Rs 4.5 lakh crore (Rs 4.5 trillion) this fiscal.
Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said on Thursday that inflation would go up and hover between 4 and 5 per cent by the end of this year.
The Prime Minister's EAC is expected to give its outlook on economy for the current fiscal in a week's time.
The luncheon at his residence was attended by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Ahluwalia, Chairman of PM's Economic Advisory Council C Rangarajan, former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shanker Menon and officials of the Prime Minister's Office.
The issues concerning growth and Mid-Term Review of the 11th Plan came up for discussion at the first meeting of the newly constituted Planning Commission. The 11th Plan had set an average economic growth target of 9 per cent for 2007-12. Although the economy during 2007-08 expanded by 9 per cent, growth plummeted to 6.7 per cent during 2008-09 on account of the impact of the global crisis.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia Thursday said there is no reason why India, despite the current global financial turmoil, could not get back to earlier high growth path if it can step up domestic investment demands.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia Thursday said there is no reason why India, despite the current global financial turmoil, could not get back to earlier high growth path if it can step up domestic investment demands.
Planning Commission to ask Prime Minister's Office to intervene.
India can now, if required, borrow up to $30 billion a year, up from $6 billion, from the International Monetary Fund for a three-month period which can be renewed twice more in 3-month cycles.
The principal Opposition party said an immediate cut in petrol and diesel prices was required in the larger interest of the nation. The BJP also demanded that interest rate on housing loans be brought down to 6 per cent and a real push be given for infrastructure development to 'avoid a catastrophe'.
The minister further said another industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry too had contradicted the Assocham study, which had said that in the next 10 days or so about 25 to 30 per cent employees are likely to lose jobs in seven sectors including aviation, information technology, steel, financial services, real estate, cement and construction.
'Modi had promised to deposit money in the accounts of people, but he has done it only in the case of some rich businessmen like the Ambanis'
Giving the much needed impetus to the development of science and technology in the country, Centre has allocated Rs 75,000 crore (Rs 750 billion) in the 11th plan, three times more than the preceding plan period, Planning Commission for Science and Technology member V L Chopra said on Tuesday.
Labour and Employment Minister Oscar Fernandes said about 400 government ITIs are also being upgraded under World Bank assistance and about 100 through domestic funding. Besides, about 1,396 government ITIs are being upgraded through PPP mode.
The panel will also recommend a fiscal consolidation road map for the central and state governments, study the impact of GST on the divisible pool, and propose performance-based incentives for states.
In a note, titled 'IIFCL financing for PPP projects,' sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Ahluwalia wrote, 'It was pointed out in the meeting that the term of the current CMD (chairman and managing director) of IIFCL ends on March 10. The FS (finance secretary) had indicated that the term can be extended. Action on this front should be expedited to avoid loss of momentum.'
A core group of ministers on Wednesday held inconclusive deliberations on a proposal to raise fuel prices, necessitated by a spike in global crude prices that threatens to spawn an oil import crisis.
The campaign aims to raise 1.25 billion pounds, and begins at a high profile international event in London on Wednesday. The launch event at the British Academy features the university's chancellor Lord Chris Patten, and vice-chancellor John Hood. Oxonians from various fields and countries have been roped in to raise funds that will be used to meet rising costs and steep competition from American universities.
Talking to reporters accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his US visit, the deputy chairperson of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said the trend of constant rising inflation in India was disappearing. Maintaining that the financial meltdown in the US has not had a direct impact on India, Ahluwalia said the country had an ample stock of foreign exchange reserves to deal with the temporary meltdown in financial markets.
Ahluwalia argues that India can attract more capital even in today's world, provided the country retains an open system
With industrial production contracting by 0.4 per cent in October, for the first time in 15 years, and the exports declining by over 12 per cent during the month, the government came out with a stimulus package on December 7 to spur growth and help the industry combat the impact of global financial meltdown. As part of the stimulus package, the government cut excise duty by 4 per cent across the board, except on petroleum products.
Laying the foundation of the 500-bed Jorhat Medical College Hospital in Upper Assam on Monday, Dr Singh informed that the Planning Commission had estimated that there would be shortage of about 1 million nurses in the country in the next 10 years. In this regard he said given the scope, the 'educated and progressive women' of the north-east would be able to make good doctors and nurses to cater to the countrywide need of medical professionals.
The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was attended by Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Industry leaders, including Ratan Tata, Rahul Bajaj, Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Bharti Mittal, who are members of the council, also participated in the discussions.
An expert committee, whose report is being awaited by the government to decide whether futures trading on essential commodities should be banned, has found no firm evidence that such trading was leading to rise in prices. An expert committee under the chairmanship of Planning Commission member Abhijit Sen to study the impact of futures trading on prices of agricultural commodities. Delisting of tur, urad rice and wheat from the futures market has not affected price movement.
The economy, otherwise, is likely to expand by 6.3 per cent in the current fiscal, aided by stimulus packages and United Progressive Alliance's flagship programme National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the report said. The report, prepared by Commission member Kirit Parikh views the measures announced in the interim budget as increase in public consumption and public investment.
The report, which was submitted to the prime minister last week, said that in the best-case scenario exports would register a growth rate of 6 per cent next fiscal. As regards 2008-09, the commerce ministry data said exports grew by 13.2 per cent during April-January. However, as the negative trend that started in October is believed to have continued in February and March as well, the annualised export expansion may not exceed 3-4 per cent.
A group of young Muslim women and a man here has decided to break fresh ground by moving for social reform and gender equality from within the community rather than defying its traditions and confines. Five women -- a qazi and four witnesses -- will solemnise the union of Naesh Hasan and her fiance. Hasan is founder member of the Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, a social organisation.
Inflation rate fell to 0.27 per cent for the second week of March from 0.44 per cent for the week ended March 7. However, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said on Thursday the Indian economy is not heading towards deflation despite inflation nearing the zero-level in the past few weeks.
The right policy response to global price increases is not straightforward. The draft report is wide-ranging in its scope, and it attempts to provide a coherent, integrated view of financial sector reforms that would equip India's financial sector to support growth, widen financial access and maintain stability over the next decades. The report is being released for public discussion at a critical juncture in both the domestic and global economy.
The Planning Commission has recommended that the private company in 50:50 joint sector infrastructure projects should be selected through competitive bidding.
They are of the view that calling the new institutes "IITs" would dilute the brand image of the existing premier institutes, which figure among the world's 100 best technology universities and are compared with the likes of MIT, California University and Berkeley. The seven IITs are located in Kharagpur, Mumbai, Chennai, Kanpur, Delhi, Guwahati and Roorkee.
