-The Indian Express The forthcoming budget is expected by some to be make-or-break or path-breaking, by others, to provide a legislative or economic roadmap for the rest of this government's term. Most likely, it will focus on issues within the purview of the finance ministry, namely, macro management, taxation, expenditure, the financial sector and balance of payments. The abolition of the Planning Commission and the 14th Finance Commission recommendations on tax devolution...

-The Hindu Lauds Finance Commission recommendations for revenue share Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian said on Friday that calculations showed that the total Transfers from the Centre to the States as a percentage of the divisible pool of its net tax revenue would remain nearly the same even after the acceptance of the 14th Finance Commission's recommendations. However, Transfers from the Central government would no longer be scheme-and-grant-based, and it would rather be...

-Press Information Bureau/ Ministry of Finance Economic Outlook, Prospects and Policy Challenges Macroeconomic fundamentals in 2014-15 have dramatically improved. Highlights are: * Inflation has declined by over 6 percentage points since late 2013. * The current account deficit has declined from a peak of 6.7 percent of GDP (in Q3, 2012-13) to an estimated 1.0 percent in the coming fiscal year. * Foreign portfolio flows have stabilized the rupee, exerting downward pressure on long-term interest...

-Livemint.com Odisha, MP among those saying the move may compromise food security in some of the nation's poorest parts New Delhi: Plans by the centre to initiate cash Transfers to poor households under the public distribution system (PDS) may run into trouble, with some states-notably Odisha and Madhya Pradesh-raising objections on the grounds that such a move may compromise food security in some of the poorest parts of the country. The states'...

-Hindustan Times The government's fiscal management plan in the budget could see a roadmap on extending the controversial cash Transfer schemes from just entitlements to subsidies, a move that could add fuel to the already surcharged atmosphere over the land acquisition bill. The finance ministry has issued instructions to bring all Central schemes having a financial component under the direct benefit Transfer (DBT) from April, apparently to plug leakages and to keep...