Decoding Budget 2014

Updated : Feb 25, 2015

Agriculture gets priority in Narendra Modi govt's first Budget

The government has set a target of Rs 800,000 crore for agriculture credit during 2014/15. It has decided to continue the Interest Subvention Scheme and raise corpus of Rural Infrastructure Development Fund to Rs 25,000 crore.

Home buyers and realtors to benefit from REITs

Updated : Aug 21, 2014

Home buyers and realty industry to benefit from REITs

The finance minister has cleared the ambiguity surrounding taxation of REITs, removing a big hurdle to their launch.

Updated : Aug 7, 2014

What got cheaper or expensive in Budget 2014

Like all preceding years, cigarettes and gutkhas are set to get more expensive. However, the Budget also delivered pleasant surprises by making some products cheaper.

Updated : Jul 22, 2014

Budget 2014 aims at ambitious outcomes without saying how it will achieve them

Being the first budget in 10 years by a non-UPA government and that, too, coming from a coalition with a crushing majority in the lower house, expectations were high of a massively reformist Budget that would give the somnolent economy the jolt it badly needed.

Updated : Jul 12, 2014

Arun Jaitley's Budget 2014-15 promises big push to real estate

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, while presenting the Budget for 2014/15, said that Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) would soon be allowed.

Updated : Jul 11, 2014

Bypassing RBI tools to raise funds for infrastructure not prudent

The exemption from SLR and CRR will reduce the cost of funds of the banks. Today the banks end up deploying a major part of CASA deposits as SLR and CRR, which gives very low returns.

The Economic Survey 2013-14 has pointed out that people in the working-age are set to increase from 58 per cent in 2001 to over 64 per cent by 2021.

Updated : Jul 11, 2014

Except new IITs, IIMs, the Budget does not offer much

The opposition cannot be faulted for saying that the BJP has merely built on the roadmap already laid out. There are already the Sarva Shikhsha Abhiyan and mid-day meal schemes.

Updated : Jul 11, 2014

Budget 2014 aims at low prices via domestic manufacturing

The Budget clearly made a case for more domestic manufacturing by doing away with the inverted duty structure for many products that made domestic manufacturing uncompetitive.

Updated : Jul 11, 2014

Budget looks to boost spend on cheaper, Indian products

At a time when consumers are holding on to cash, the Union Budget presented by Arun Jaitley has said it will put more money in their pockets. Jaitley recommended that the personal income tax exemption limit be raised by Rs 50,000, from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh.

Updated : Jul 11, 2014

Budget gives boost to India's defence capabilities

The Budget outlay for defence too is up 12.4 per cent over 2013/14 to Rs 229,000 crore.

Updated : Jul 10, 2014

Forward looking but not a dream budget for SMEs

The government  has proposed to set up a committee to examine the flow of funds to SMEs.

Updated : Jul 10, 2014

Budget 2014 displays intent towards financial inclusion

"After making suitable changes to current framework, a structure will be put in place for continuous authorisation of universal banks in the private sector in the current financial year," says the Budgte speech."

Rajat Wahi, Partner and Head of Consumer Markets, KPMG India

Updated : Jul 10, 2014

Budget 2014 sows the seeds of growth in agriculture

The measures announced were broadly centered around three key growth drivers - boosting agriculture production, improving agri infrastructure and enhancing credit support to farmers with an ultimate of aim of ushering in a second Green Revolution accompanied by a 'protein revolution'.