Union Budget 2018 | The Asian Age

Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 | Last Update : 08:08 PM IST

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Budget has pegged fiscal deficit at 3.5 per cent of GDP in current year ending March, higher than 3.2 per cent targeted earlier.

High govt debt burden constrains India's rating: Fitch

Government has kicked out its steady 3 per cent fiscal deficit target further to 2020-21, well beyond its term.

02 Feb 2018 10:41 AM

On the health protection scheme announced in the budget, the former Union minister said the government did not spell out how it would be funded and implemented. (Photo: File)

Yashwant Sinha terms Union Budget ‘jugglery of numbers’

Sinha, who was in Narsingpur to participate in a farmers' agitation, told reporters the budget had no schemes for the welfare of farmers.

02 Feb 2018 9:33 AM

Manmohan Singh said the 'fiscal arithmetic is at fault,' adding that 'reform budget was a much misused word'. (Photo: PTI)

Fiscal arithmetic ‘faulty’, ‘reform budget’ much misused word: Manmohan

The main focus of the budget was agriculture and rural sector with little for the middle class.

02 Feb 2018 8:31 AM

Budget has nothing for middle-class, traders: Arvind Kejriwal

Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, hit out at the Central government, saying it does not care for Delhi.

02 Feb 2018 1:33 AM

Thankfully, NDA has just one more year, says Rahul Gandhi

He alleged the government came out only with fancy schemes during this period and did not provide employment to the country’s youths.

02 Feb 2018 1:27 AM

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley (Photo: AP/File)

Budget 2018: Salary hikes bring cheer

Emoluments of President, Vice-president and state governors to increase.

02 Feb 2018 1:26 AM

Forex market sentiment turned highly volatile and reacted vehemently to some key Budget announcements, triggering panic dollar buying by corporates and importers.

Rupee crumbles 44 paise on LTCG tax, fiscal deficit woes

Rupee is trading at 64.02 against US dollar after govt announced long-term capital gains tax on equities.

01 Feb 2018 7:37 PM

Home Minister Rajnath Singh praised the Budget, saying, 'Its a grand budget, lot of announcements for the poor, farmers and tribals which budget will also cement India as a global economic power.' (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

'Sabka saath sabka vikaas', BJP, allies laud Union Budget 2018-19

Nitish Kumar appreciated the national health protection scheme and policies regarding education and agriculture.

01 Feb 2018 6:57 PM

Finance Minister Jaitley also stated that the contribution of the salaried class has been recognised for the first time. (Photo: ANI)

Putting surplus money in hands of middle-class taxpayer every Budget: Jaitley

'We looked at the areas that require the maximum support, and agriculture and rural sectors came foremost in our mind', Jaitley said.

01 Feb 2018 6:35 PM

Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister of Narendra Modi-led NDA government presented the Union budget 2018-19 on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)

Budget 2018: Jaitley failed, consequences will follow, warns Chidambaram

Former prime minister HD Dewe Gowda appreciated Jaitley's efforts but said the reforms will fall short of requirements.

01 Feb 2018 5:37 PM

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, on Thursday, tabled the Union Budget 2018 in the Parliament. (Photo: ANI)

Union Budget 2018: Laptops, mobile sets cigarette get costlier; full list here

Union Budget 2018 proposed changes in excise and custom duties on certain items which are set to get costlier.

01 Feb 2018 5:29 PM

The Budget also puts spotlight on cyber technologies, and focuses on creating centres of excellence for emerging technologies. (Photo: Pixabay)

Digital focus can help create jobs, better rural lives: Industry

Budget proposal to double allocation to Digital India initiative to Rs 3,073 cr is a fine booster to transform digital economy.

01 Feb 2018 5:18 PM

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday announced a slew of incentives for senior citizens in the Union Budget 2018. (Photo: Representational | File)

Union Budget: Govt exempts Rs 50k interest income for senior citizens

Deduction limit for health insurance and medical expenditure has been raised from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 under Section 80D.

01 Feb 2018 5:00 PM

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. (Photo: PTI)

Jaitley raises MUDRA lending target to Rs 4 lakh crore for FY'19

Of the total loan accounts, 76 per cent are of women and more than 50 per cent belong to SCs, STs and OBCs.

01 Feb 2018 4:46 PM

Observing that Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) will be encouraged to take up organic agriculture in clusters under National Rural Livelihood Programme, Jaitley exuded confidence that loans to women SHGs will augment to Rs 75,000 crore by March 2019. (Photo: PTI)

Budget 2018: Free LPG to 8 cr poor women under Ujjwala scheme

The percentage of working women has declined from 36 per cent being employed in 2005-06 to 24 per cent of women employed in 2015-16.

01 Feb 2018 4:42 PM

Markets reeled under heavy selling pressure, but large- scale buying by domestic institutional investors towards the later part of the session blunted the impact.

Budget belies market hopes, Sensex ends in red

The NSE Nifty saw volatility and ended at 11,016.90, down 10.80 points, or 0.10 per cent.

01 Feb 2018 4:33 PM

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presents the Union Budget 2018-19 in the Lok Sabha, in New Delhi on Thursday. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Twitter reacts to Union Budget 2018

Jaitley said the focus of Budget is agriculture and rural economy, health, infrastructure and senior citizens.

01 Feb 2018 4:29 PM

The amount for defence pension is an increase of 26.60 per cent over the allocation of Rs 85,740 crore last year. (Photo: Twitter/ANI)

Rs 2.95 lakh crore allocated for defence budget for 2018-19

Outlay for defence budget amounted to 12.10 per cent of the total budget of Rs 24,42,213 crore for 2018-19.

01 Feb 2018 4:18 PM

Government had made a provision of Rs 44,342.2 crore revenue from telecom services in 2017-18.

Govt expects Rs 48,661.42 crore from telecom sector in FY19

Govt earns revenue in the form of mainly licence fees and spectrum usage charges from telecom operators.

01 Feb 2018 3:36 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the Union Budget ‘development-friendly’ and said it would strengthen the vision of a ‘new India’. (Photo: PTI)

Budget has free healthcare for 10 cr poor, sops for farmers; Modi calls it 'development-friendly'

Salaried get back standard deduction of 40k; govt taxes long-term capital gains in equity.

01 Feb 2018 3:32 PM

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Dilip Cherian