Union Budget 2012 13

It's 2012: Isn't it time to get budget-making out of purdah?

Work on the 2012 budget has begun, and the finance ministry and the Planning Commission buildings are being declared out of bounds.

Pranab's budget math has already gone for a toss

Less than a month-and-a-half after the budget was presented, it seems the subsidy bill on food and fuel will be missed by miles

The end of budget as defining document

The budget this year has been reduced to an accounting statement with no roadmaps on how it is going to achieve its various goals, says Raghav Bahl.

Look Subbu, I shrunk the fiscal deficit. Now, about the repo cut...

While the budget does not spell out concrete steps to rein in the fisc, his statements may be intended to mollify the RBI<br /><br /> <br /><br />

Is Budget 2012 about to legalise petty bribe income?

A small provision in the budget says people with unexplained incomes or credits will be taxed at the top rate, and not their bracket.

Tinkerer Pranab has missed the bus - so what's new?

Pranab Mukherjee's seventh budget has missed an opportunity to fix things. He is getting more revenue, but his expenditure side holes remain

Budget 2012: What Pranab could borrow from Manmohan's 1991 speech

The Union budget has to do the same rescue act for the economy as Manmohan Singh's 1991 budget. So why not borrow words from the original?

Survey calls for fixed diesel subsidy; car makers unimpressed

The Economic Survey says diesel subsidies could be fixed at a specific level and the pricing freed. But car makers still fear a tax.

Chances of good budget = zero; but don't fret about markets

It is best not to expect a reformist budget from a party that believes in patronising the poor. However, the markets will get over their shock, thanks to liquidity.

Budget may levy service tax on everything - coaching classes to gyms

The coming budget is expected to extend services taxes to every service barring a small negative list. Your costs are sure to rise this year.