This time, ‘Dream’ Budget writer says: Wake up

Human face Agriculture • 30 % extra rural credit, Customs duty cuts and excise exemption for tractors and agri/ dairy machinery,...

Human face
Agriculture
• 30 % extra rural credit, Customs duty cuts and excise exemption for tractors and agri/ dairy machinery, tax holiday for agri processing
• Vision on planning for water shortages
Education
• More funds both for primary and secondary education and mid-day meals
• Up to Rs 15 lakh loans without collateral for professional course
Health
• Cut in health insurance premiums for BPL families, subsidies up
and…
• 9% interest rate (up to Rs 10 lakh) for senior citizens, Armed Force widows
• No customs duty on aids for disabled

Tight fist
• Revenue deficit 2.5%, instead of budgeted 3.6 %
• Total expenditure Rs 4,77,829 cr, against Rs 4,74,255 cr last year
• Total debt servicing burden down to Rs 3,27,880 cr from Rs 3,91,614 crore
• Subsidy bill pruned to Rs 43,516 cr from 44,709 cr
• Ministers’ perks cut

Foot down
• No hike in PPF, GPF rates
• Disinvestment target of Rs 4,000 cr
• No big outlays for irrigation — emphasis on pending projects and micro irrigation
• No free schemes or loan waivers for farmers
• 85 items removed from reserved category for small scale sector

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Leg up
• FDI caps up in telecom (74%), civil aviation (49) and insurance (49)
• Food stamps instead of grain for PDS
• Pension Reform Bill to be introduced in Parliament
• Commitment to introduce VAT by April, 2005
• Major fillip to biotechnology

Thumbs down
What he could have done but didn’t
• Rather than say tax this tax that, bring all services into tax net with a negative list for services exempt
• Promote public-private partnership for infrastructure funding
• Adopt Kelkar’s ideas on tax reform: scrap rebates such as savings schemes
• Raise income tax slabs
• Begin institutional changes for better delivery of education and health services

Men who opened fire outside actor Disha Patani’s home killed in encounter in Ghaziabad

Cities57 min ago

Two men belonging to the Rohit Godara-Goldy Brar Gang were killed in an encounter in Ghaziabad, suspected to be involved in the firing outside Disha Patani's residence. The duo, identified as Ravindra and Arun, were wanted in multiple cases and were spotted by the police through CCTV footage. UP CM Yogi Adityanath had directed for a speedy investigation and strict action against the perpetrators.

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