Prominent highlights of the Budget for 2012-13 presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha on Friday:

The survey projects economy to rebound to 7.6 percent growth from a three-year low of sub 7 percent growth in 2012-2013.

After conclusion of the polls in five states, the focus will now shift to the economic activities with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Budget and Reserve Bank unveiling the credit policy review this week, with a view to arresting slowdown and promoting growth.

Politicians who move away from exploiting social faultlines like caste to addressing aspirations will be successful.

Aviation is still hitting the headlines, for all the wrong reasons. The International Air Transport Association, an umbrella body of all travel agents, suspended Kingfisher Airlines from its clearing house following mounting unpaid dues.

The UPA-II government is expected to lean further on populist policies and hold back reforms to appease its restive allies. The approach is expected to be reflected in the upcoming Budget.

While agriculture industry bodies see the decision as anti-farmer, a closer look at the numbers suggests the government has kept the overall interests of the textile sector in mind.

Indian economy grew at 6.1 per cent in the quarter ending December 2011, down from 6.9 per cent in the previous quarter. What perhaps should be the most worrying statistic for the government is the constant decline in fixed investment.

Manufacturing was hit hard, logging a meagre 0.4 per cent growth in the quarter under review, compared to 7.8 per cent in the previous year.

In January, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had formed an expert committee, under the chairmanship of C Rangarajan, to examine issues related to decontrolling of the sugar sector.

While global trends may be reflected in some commodities, experts feel domestic prices of some commodities may move in a different direction.

He said the government was pursuing comprehensive reform and revitalisation of agrarian economy and has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to improve returns to farming.

The Prime Minister said foodgrain production will exceed the target by five million tonnes and cotton output at 34 million bales is a new record according to latest estimates.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India decides to share the names of over 500 companies that have garnered money from investors in violation of its collective investment scheme rules with the ministry of corporate affairs.

The economic growth is likely to fall to a three-year low of 6.9 per cent, mainly due to sharp slowdown in manufacturing, agriculture and mining sectors, against 8.4 per cent expansion in the last fiscal.

Amid grim global situation and high domestic interest rates, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said the country's economic growth is likely to slow down to 7-7.5 per cent this fiscal from 8.4 per cent last year.

On account of changes made recently to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), the statistics ministry lowered India's growth rate for 2010-11 to 8.4 per cent.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh constituted an expert committee, headed by his Economic Advisory Council Chairman C Rangarajan, to examine issues related to decontrol of the sugar sector.

The Finance ministry has sent the draft Bill to the Law Ministry for approval and will subsequently seek Cabinet's nod.

In order to discourage consumption of subsidised diesel by personal vehicle owners, the Petroleum Ministry had suggested the imposition of higher duty on purchase of diesel cars.