Reactions

Updated : Feb 2, 2017

Realtors' body Naredco welcomes provision for 'Budget Housing'

The industry expects interest rates to witness sharp falls in capital needs similar to the home loan segment which will incentivise real estate developers to focus on affordable housing. An industry status will help developers in accessing capital (equity and debt) at lower costs.

Updated : Feb 2, 2017

Union Budget 2017 to make travel easier and cheaper: Travel portals

The industry, which was endorsed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as a sector of economic importance, has welcomed the proposed decisions, saying that the steps will make travel more "accessible and reduce friction between the user and service provider".

Updated : Feb 2, 2017

Budget fails to meet laid objective of better India: RSS-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh

RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh today said the Union Budget fails to meet its own stated objectives to transform, energise and clean India.

Updated : Feb 1, 2017

'Shift in focus from quantity to quality of higher education welcome step'

The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's announcements in higher education are being seen as an important signal from the government, on the need to up the quality of higher education in India.

Updated : Feb 1, 2017

Payments industry hails Budget sops, cap on cash transactions

The payments industry has hailed Budget proposals to cap cash transactions at Rs 3 lakh and reduce the levies on digital payment equipment, saying the moves will fasten the less-cash drive.

Updated : Feb 1, 2017

Budget 'safe and balanced' but could have been bolder: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Calling the budget presented by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today as "safe" and "balanced", Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw today said it could have been "bolder".

Updated : Feb 1, 2017

Analysts hail tax certainty in Budget, rue high corporate tax rates

Analysts and market experts have welcomed the tax proposals in the Budget saying the slew of pro-business measures along with more inclusive taxation for individuals and small firms, will go a long way in boosting consumption which in turn will help the economy grow faster.

Updated : Feb 1, 2017

Budget clueless, has no roadmap for country or future: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today criticised the Union Budget as "clueless and missionless" and said it had no roadmap for the country or the future, from a government "that has lost all the credibility".

Updated : Feb 1, 2017

Union Budget 2017: Moody's analyst says budget 'fiscally prudent', reforms key

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented a budget for the fiscal year beginning April 1 that increased spending on rural areas, infrastructure and fighting poverty, but keeping fiscal deficits in check.

Updated : Jan 31, 2017

Expect no sops and no basic income scheme from Budget'17: Former CEA Shankar Acharya

In an interview to India Today, Acharya said that raising the exemption for personal tax would be worst thing to do. ''You are reducing the base and you are giving money to everybody above. So, don't change the base," he said. 

Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Health Minister

Updated : Jan 31, 2017

Health budget may rise after minister warns of funding crunch

India's health ministry is likely to see a substantial increase in funding, after it warned that its programmes were short of cash and sought more than $1.2 billion in additional money, according to government officials and documents.

Updated : Jan 31, 2017

PM Narendra Modi hopes for comprehensive discussions during Budget session

PM Modi noted that in the last few days, the government has held discussions with all political parties to ensure that House proceedings are not disrupted.

Updated : Jan 31, 2017

Reduce indirect taxes to strike at the menace of black money: P Chidambaram

While speaking to India Today before the annual budget, former finance minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said that government should not cut personal and corporate tax rates but reduce indirect taxes in the budget.

Updated : Jan 31, 2017

Mamata's Trinamool Congress not to attend Parliament on Budget day

The TMC, in a statement, said that it would remain absent on the first two days of the Budget Session in protest against demonetisation, which was implemented without taking Parliament into confidence, and restrictions on withdrawal limits from bank accounts which are still in force.