Saturday, May 23, 2009

Less Room Used For Strain Cuts Into Financial Statement: Official - May 23, 2009

The Finance Ministry has told industry to not to expect any major fiscal sops in the Budget to be presented by the new UPA government. In pre-Budget consultations, senior Finance Ministry officials conveyed the government''s disappointment to industry for not passing to consumers the benefit of excise and service tax cuts announced in December and January, a chamber official said.

Revenue Secretary P V Bhide had convened separate meetings with industry bodies - CII, FICCI and Assocham - earlier this month.

While, the three chambers presented wish lists to the Finance Ministry, they were told that new Finance Minister would not have much headroom for any more fiscal incentives which the industry wants for boosting the economic activity.

The fiscal deficit for 2009-10 is pegged at Rs 3,32,835 crore, 5.5 per cent of the GDP. The revenue was impacted in the last fiscal as industrial production fell.

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