Dharmakirti Joshi, chief economist, Crisil, believes, you have to start with cutting oil subsidies – with diesel deregulation taking the prime spot in reforms.
Rather than allocating more money for govt-run schools, there should be a bigger thrust towards involving the private sector by subsidising loans and providing tax-breaks to set up schools.
The government needs to increase its focus on the agricultural supply chain, if it wants to lower inflation.
Economist Surjit Bhalla of Oxus Investment says that the budget must target subsidies and also reduce the NREGA allocations next year.
The industry is asking for tax exemption on interest on housing loan to be raised to Rs 3 lakh from the current Rs 1 lakh.
Deficit numbers for 2011-12, while higher in absolute terms may not be alarming. This is called "inflating away the fiscal deficit".
Ajit Ranade, chief economist of the Aditya Birla Group, he would prefer to avoid being seen as a fiscal hawk - where the first priority of the finance minister would be to balance his books.
Rana Kapoor, CEO of YES Bank says he would prefer to push for second generation reforms, increase investment in infrastructure, introduce Goods and service tax and rationalise revenue collection methods this budget.
Fitch Ratings analyst Art Woo gives Firstpost an 8 percent growth rating for India, despite its economy having hit a rough spot.
Making ends meet is the biggest challenge facing the finance minister, come 16 March.
No matter what the finance minister does in his budget, he will end up stoking some kind of inflation.
If Pranab Mukherjee must tax, where must he go looking for additional revenue?
Manika Premsingh talked to Surjit Bhalla of Oxus Investments on behalf of Firstpost, and he made it plain that "the top priority must be move away from populist measures".
Dr Ashima Goyal of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research in Mumbai told Firstpost's R Jagannathan that it is not the raw numbers that matter to fiscal consolidation, but the quality of the adjustment.
If Pranab Mukherjee must tax, where must he go looking for additional revenue?
No matter what the finance minister does in his budget, he will end up stoking some kind of inflation.
Making ends meet is the biggest challenge facing the finance minister today.
Whether it is food, or fuel or fertilisers - the 3Fs for the FM - the subsidy bill has, through benign political neglect, burgeoned into something frightening over the last eight years.
Ajit Ranade, chief economist of the Aditya Birla Group, he would prefer to avoid being seen as a fiscal hawk - where the first priority of the finance minister would be to balance his books.
Two expectations seem to be common among experts: an increase in excise duties by about 200 bps and expansion of service tax net.
Dharmakirti Joshi, chief economist, Crisil, believes, you have to start with cutting oil subsidies - with diesel deregulation taking the prime spot in reforms.
If fiscal consolidation is not No. 1 priority in this budget, the RBI will be unable to deliver the growth stimulus that is required.
Rupa Rege-Nisture, chief economist and general manager of the Bank of Baroda, speaks to Firstpost's Rajanya Bose in an exclusive video interview.
Manika Premsingh spoke to Ajay Shah of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy for Firstpost.
Economists are keeping their fingers crossed on what lies ahead. But their prescriptions are clear: fiscal consolidation, energy pricing reforms, and rationalisation of subsidies.
Just a few hours left before Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presents his Union Budget proposals for the new financial year starting 1 April.
Real benefit is for those earning in the Rs 8-10 lakh bracket as it will give a straight and flat tax relief to the extent of Rs 20,000 .
Of the 10 points on which the budget can be evaluated, six are mildly positive. But the numbers could still go wrong.
Reacting to the Budget, Caparo Group Chairman Swraj Paul said: "The budget has taken the reality of India's situation. There are too many problems that exist which need to be dealt with to make the economy .
Naina Lal Kidwai, country head of HSBC India, said the main worrying factor in this Budget is government expenditure as the money never reaches the right hands.