It is widely expected that the Budget 2011-12 will raise the income tax exemption limit to Rs 1.80 lakh from the current Rs 1.60 lakh per annum.

The Business Today Editor says Pranab Mukherjee certainly does not win any prizes for dramatically pushing India's reforms into a new geostationary orbit. Budget highlights | Text of Budget speech  | Watch video

Yashwant Sinha, initiator of some far-reaching reforms in the past, has some advice for the UPA's Pranab Mukherjee. Sinha has presented six budgets, including an interim one, in two stints as finance minister. These budgets had a fair share of bold proposals.

Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha and four experts with a wealth of expertise got together at our office on a Sunday for a pow-wow moderated by Business Today's Chaitanya Kalbag and Puja Mehra.

The state domestic product, or SDP, has expanded at a modest 5.5 per cent over the last ten years, making it an underperformer compared to other big states such as Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. But with elections around the corner, hope reignites in West Bengal, an economy most had written off.

Nitish Kumar's victory in last month's Bihar election celebrates the triumph of economics over feudalism, but the climb out of poverty will be steep and hard.

The second round of quantitative easing by the US could send more money rushing to emerging markets like India.

Pranab Mukherjee's stewardship is missed at the North Block, 18 months into his tenure. He's been busy but not as the country's finance minister.

If you have been waiting for an opportune time to take that home loan, or a car or education loan, you’d best not defer your decision much longer.

With a stable regime at the helm, the momentum is back in the markets. But this might not be the start of a bull phase.

Budget speech on 28th February, Friday, 2014.

The only way to make India's fiscal deficit look less threatening, than it really is, would be to compare it with the budget deficit of the United States.

The Thirteenth Finance Commission makes some radical—but highly desirable and doable—prescriptions.

Stimulus measures that are in the nature of reforms should continue, other measures may be gradually withdrawn as domestic demand grows, industry recovers, tax collection becomes buoyant and exports growth recovers.

Though there is finally a deadline for the 3G auction, the timing, quality and speed of 3G service roll-out are still open to questions. Can New Delhi meet the deadline? Kushan Mitra tells more.

Poor rains have damaged the summer crop in quantity and quality. As the monsoon whimsy continues, some intelligent government intervention could help save the winter crop.

The government could also consider the recommendations of the Fifth and Sixth Pay Commissions aimed at improving the efficiency of public services, writes Yashwant Sinha.Special: Budget 2009-'10 Video: UPA to unveil Budget on July 6 Photos: Can Pranab's Budget boost the economy?

Resolve, right men and revenue are the three Rs that can set the economy on fast track. Here's how fixing the three Rs can help the UPA redeem itself as an economic administrator of excellence. Puja Mehra writes.

Dalal Street is in celebratory mode, but it may be a bit early to pop the champagne.

Political parties have made tall promises in their manifestos, unmindful of the high cost of fulfilling them later borne by the voters who were once lured by the promises.