OPINION
EDITORIAL
No surprises
AS GOOD AS it can be. That about sums up the mood of Mumbai's industrialists who were huddled in front of TV sets at Hotel Oberoi dissecting the Finance Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh's Interim Budget 2004-05. Mr R. Ravimohan, Crisil chief, was quick ...
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AGRICULTURE
Nature's caprices and state's tyranny
Politicians talk loosely of compensation and glibly of comprehensive crop insurance. What kind of an insurance can protect farmers against the caprices of nature in a country where the agriculture is capital-starved and there are no physical protecti on like poly-houses and culturing of whole soils to provide perfect drainage?
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BUDGET
Unveiling an interesting future
The peek into how the government would earn its revenues is interesting and reassuring. It plans to earn more by making it possible for agriculture and the small and medium enterprises to grow and, thereby, make it possible for the services sector an d the aggregate economy to grow. The efforts aimed at enabling the growth of the farm and SME sectors are not predicated on giveaways, but by creating the infrastructure, environment and accessories that aid growth. This `revenue vision' deserves the loudest round of applause.
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A misnomer of a Budget
If what Mr Jaswant Singh unveiled in Parliament fell flat, he is not to be blamed. It could not have been anything more than this, and all the hype and hoopla about his coming out with spectacular sops was nothing more than frenzied thinking.
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Interim Budget 2004-05: Understated, yet promising
While the Finance Minister could hardly be expected to deliver a package of initiatives in an Interim Budget, Mr Jaswant Singh has indicated many new directions and initiatives, promising what he can do if he comes back to power. It is a Budget that promotes growth and strikes the right notes in regard to reforms, says S. Venkitaramanan.
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Prosperity in sight, but miles to go
THE Finance Minister ended his Interim Budget speech with a self-congratulatory pat. He recited all the positives that have taken place under the watch of this Government. Much of his satisfaction is well earned. In ...
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A public relations exercise
The Interim Budget has over-played the initiatives of the NDA Government with scant regard for scarce capital resources.
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Sailing strong on shifting tax wind
THE Interim Budget presented by the Finance Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, did not have major implications for Indian Industry or the investor. Some segments of the industry were, however, handed out some concessions. ...
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Sugar: Juicy plan
The proposals in the Interim Budget, requiring banks to work out debt restructuring packages for sugar companies, may directly benefit Dhampur Sugars Mills and Dharani Sugars. The profitability of both these companies has been under stress due ...
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Tourisms and hotels: Thrust on infrastructure
To boost the tourism industry, the Government seems to be going the extra mile to give a fillip to the hospitality industry. To enhance India's standing as an international tourist destination, the Jaipur airport is to be upgraded to ...
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Capital goods: Countering import competition
The Government has announced that the deemed export benefits would be extended to indigenous manufacturers who make products that are, at present, exempted from countervailing duty (CVD) on imports. Some of the products that are exempt from CVD ...
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Tea: Sweetened cup
Providing the tea industry some relief from its burden of the past five years, the Government has announced fresh working capital to tea growers and a special term loan repayable in five years with a moratorium of one year. Banks would ...
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Personal investment, taxation: Hopes belied
The Finance Minister has belied expectations that the income-tax exemption limits and the standard deduction will be revised upwards. He has only conceded that these issues will need to be revisited. In addition, income distributed by equity ...
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POLITICS
Bowing to the inevitable
AT long last, their comeuppance has caught up with the Bush-Blair duo. The case they had brazenly built up for invading and annexing Iraq solely based on the lurid visions of Iraq's President, Saddam Hussein, sitting ...
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LETTERS
Unnecessary loans
Capital account convertibility
Food adulteration
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