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India’s space missions plan drawn up
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Union Budget 2008-09 : Highlights

The Union Finance Minister, Shri P. Chidambaram leaving North Block for Parliament House to present the General Budget 2008-09, in New Delhi on February 29, 2008.
The Minister of State (Revenue) Shri. S.S. Palanimanickam and the Minister of State (E, B&I) Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal are also seen.

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram unveiled the General Budget for the fiscal 2008-08 in the Parliament, against a backdrop of slowing expansion and creeping inflation. The budget pledges a 20 per cent rise in education spending and a 15 per cent increase in health spending to spread the benefits of an economic boom beyond the cities to rural areas. India has a population of 1.1 billion and 60 per cent or more live and work in rural areas.

  • India has registered a growth of over 8 per cent for 12 successive quarters till Dec 2007
  • Focus next year to be management of supply side of food, market, capital inflows
  • Keeping inflation under check to be the focus
  • Agriculture disappointing at average annual growth of 2.6 per cent
  • Soyabean output to be 9.45 million tonnes

» continued on page 02

Economic Survey highlights 2007-08

A report on the state of India's economy with suggested policy prescriptions in areas ranging from government finances to external trade was tabled in the Parliament, by Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

The Economic Survey for 2007-08, authored by the Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Virmani, comes against the backdrop of India's growth slowing down this fiscal after posting a 9.6 per cent expansion in 2006-07 and fears of US recession.

The Economic Survey has:

  • Set a target of 9 per cent GDP growth during the 11th Plan
    (2007-2012)
  • Projected that inflation would stand at 4.4 per cent during
    the current fiscal

Other highlights of the Economic Survey:

  • Current inflation level is positive
  • Inflation projected at 4.4 per cent in 2007-08; Inflation led
    by food items
  • Rupee up 9.8 per cent vs. Dollar, since April '07
  • Economy slows down to 8.7 per cent in 2007-08, compared to 9.6 per cent in previous fiscal
  • Government projects lower agriculture growth at 2.6 per cent in 2007-08 from 3.8 per cent in 2006-07
  • Manufacturing sector to grow at 9.4 per cent in current financial year, lower from 12 per cent in 2006-07
  • Government sets target of 9 per cent GDP growth during 11th Five Year Plan (2007-2012)
  • Outlook for exports in 2008-09 may not be as bright due to global slowdown and exchange rate development

» continued on page 02

 

I'm confident of 9 pc growth: Chidambaram

Finance Minister P Chidambaram exuded confidence of achieving a 9 per cent economic growth and containing inflation in 2008-09 and said this would help ensure overall welfare of common man. After tabling Economic Survey 2007-08 in the Parliament, Chidambaram said that he was confident of achieving 11th Plan target of 9 per cent growth.

With the better targeting of government reserves and increase in quality, we can ensure the overall welfare of the common man in terms of both private consumption and supply of public goods, he said. "Given the solid foundation of domestic investment and savings, we are confident of meeting the 11th Plan target of 9 per cent average growth," the Finance Minister said.

"We will be able to mobilise the resources for meeting the growth target of 9 per cent," he added. Chidambaram said that Economy has precisely moved to higher growth trajectory during the 5 years to 2007-08 in terms of GDP with an average growth rate of 8.7 per cent per annum during these 5 years. "This indicates stability and sustainability," he said.

Source: Financial Express



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