Y C DEVESHWAR,
CHAIRMAN, ITC LTD
The finance minister needs to be commended for using the budgetary process to impart strong support for key national priorities, namely infrastructure, health, education, agriculture & industry, fiscal consolidation and poverty alleviation.
His emphasis on public-private partnership to improve social service delivery based on demonstrated milestones is indeed pathbreaking.
Extension of tax benefits to restructuring activities in the service sector, namely banking and tourism, will significantly improve resource allocation and consequently enhance capital productivity.
This measure is complemented by the withdrawal of expenditure tax on hotels. As observed by the finance minister, states should match the Centre
