Congress highlighted internship programme, employment-linked incentive scheme and abolition of angel tax as examples of ideas Modi govt ‘copied’ from its Lok Sabha polls manifesto.
Sitharaman also announced an initiative for increased connectivity to rural habitations, and introduced an interest subsidy to facilitate affordable housing loans.
The allocation, at 3.4% of GDP, remains unchanged from the figure announced in interim budget in February, and is 11% higher than last year’s outlay of Rs 10 lakh crore.
It was NDA that introduced Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in 2016. IBC replaced earlier framework which was governed by various laws that made the process cumbersome.
Besides development of Vishnupad and Mahabodhi temple corridors, Union Budget also proposed industrial node for Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor at Gaya in Bihar.
Urban development among nine priority areas in this year’s budget. Since 2014, Centre has been implementing land reforms in rural areas. Now, it aims to do so in urban areas.
In terms of pure numbers, the total defence budget for 2024-25 stands at Rs 6,21,940 crore as against Rs 6.23 lakh crore in the revised estimates for the last fiscal.
Full budget sees sizeable increase in development aid to Sri Lanka, while assistance to Maldives sees drastic cuts from both 2023-24 revised estimates and 2024-25 interim budget.
The US military operation in Venezuela raises global concern. Experts say that Trump’s action could weaken global legal standards and fuel geopolitical instability.
The latest comment comes as New Delhi and Washington have yet to sign a trade agreement. India’s purchase of Russian oil has reduced, but Moscow remains top source for crude.
If deal goes through, Greece will be 2nd foreign country to procure vehicle. Morocco was first; TATA Group has set up manufacturing unit there with minimum 30 percent indigenous content.
Many of you might think I got something so wrong in National Interest pieces written this year. I might disagree! But some deserve a Mea Culpa. I’d deal with the most recent this week.
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