Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Budget team on Thursday met representatives of India Inc and trade unions for pre-budget consultations.
While industrialists asked the Centre to take more steps to augment ease of doing business, trade bodies stressed minimum wages, an income-tax ceiling, and pension.
Industry representatives, who included Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, Confederation of Indian Industry President Vikram Kirloskar, and Assocham President Balkrishna Goenka asked officials to "create more freedom for industry to perform".
The corporate leaders highlighted several issues, including income tax roadblocks coming in the way of mergers and acquisitions or slowing businesses.
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