-The Hindu In case you missed the Budget, here's a round-up. Affirming that the economy is right on track, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budget for 2016-17. Citing that the CPI inflation has come down to 5.4% from 9 plus, he said it is huge relief for the public. Tax Infrastructure and agriculture CESs to be levied. Excise duty raised from 10 to 15 per cent on tobacco products other than beedis 1 per...

-PTI Budget 2016: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley faCES a tough task of balancing the needs of farm sector as well as the industry when he presents his third and challenging Budget tomorrow as he seeks to garner resourCES to boost public spending for higher growth amid global headwinds. On the income tax front, the Budget may continue with the status quo on the tax slabs while it may tinker with the exemptions. Rising...

-Business Standard We should work in unison to boost growth: FM Even as the Centre harped on devolving higher share of funds to states following the recommendations of the 14th finance commission, the latter demanded that they be given more money and the Union government should retain its share of funding for centrally-sponsored schemes in the upcoming Budget. At the pre-Budget meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday, states also sought more...

-The Hindu The public health care system, if adequately funded, is still the better alternative in a developing and complex country like India The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), by consensus, has adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of objectives meant to improve the lives of millions of poor in the world. Among these, acCESs to quality health care and freedom from disease is of paramount importance in helping societies...

Representatives of around 20 civil society organizations and NGOs met the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley as part of pre-budget consultation on social sector on 12 January, 2016. Immediately after the pre-budget consultation, a press conference was held by some of these organizations to convey the media persons what demands/ suggestions were made.   Subrat Das, Executive Director of Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA, http://www.cbgaindia.org/) informed us that during...