Pranab’s Powerless Budget to Remain in Power !….Budget Speech is yet going on….over 1 hr 45 min….he remains standing while Sensex sinks from positive (up 100 points) to negative territory from yesterday to current 17600 levels

Pranab’s Powerless Budget to Remain in Power !….Budget Speech is yet going on….over 1 hr 45 min….he remains standing while Sensex sinks from positive (up 100 points) to negative territory from yesterday to current 17600 levels

Fill in the Blank by Choosing the correct Option

Pranab delivers a ________ less Union Budget 2012

1. Purpose
2. Power
3. Rudder
4. Spine
5. Reform
6. Meaning
7. All of the above

Answer is 7….this was his 7th Budget and it came without any 7 year itch !

Update just five minutes later…..

I hour 50 minutes and Pranab ends his Budget Speech at 12.50 pm….as I had blogged yesterday I did not expect him to announce any path breaking or reformist anoouncements….I’m so sure of this mindset of a 75 + year old….Old School….Protectionist…Intend on Politicians,Parliamentarians and Bureaucrats retaining Control of Our Indian Economy which is really trying to break free to tap the great potential that India has….just look at him !….Gandhi Family Loyalty !…one more Rajiv Gandhi Scheme…this one offer Tax Breaks in Equity  to tap Retail Investors…this segment has lost serious principal in equity ! you think they would be bothered with new tax breaks !…..also retaining 51% Government Stake in PSUs while announcing a disinvestment target of Rs 30000 crs for FY 12/13…in other words Government will continue to majority own PSUs and also retain managing them and their continuing Inefficiencies !

51 % FDI in Multi Brand Retail…”Held in Abeyance”

49% FDI in Aviation….”under active consideration”

Tax Exemptions and Bands marginally enhanced

Service Tax Rate up from 10% to 12% on a more widened base

Excise Duty up from 10% to 12%

DTC should be implemented soon…no date given

GST could come in by August 2012….heard this one before !

Fiscal Deficit is 5.9% in FY 11/12 up from 4.6% from revised estimates….For FY 12/13 he has targeted 5.1%…this is high too….What if Oil Basket exceeds US $ 125 per barrel…In FY 11/12 they budgeted for US $ 90 and are facing US $ 115 !

Food Security Bill to be fully provided for ….This is Sonia Gandhi’s pet…wonder if the  announced 2% of GDP Subsidy Target can be adhered too !…also the huge incremental of Rs One Lakh Crores in Agricultural Credit outlay to a record Rs 575000 crs may sound good…but given the scammed history of government machinery in context of leakage and corruption ,I fear and I daresay,the Government has provided more Funds for misappropriation !    

Pranab Mukherjee,you played true to form and my expectations….no surprise from you !….no thrust in this Budget…no clear roadmap….shows political and economic bankruptcy and helplessness in thinking and implementation given coalition compulsions….Congress and Chatting Up Corporate Chieftains may just pronounce it as a balanced budget given fiscal realities ! 

Like Last Year’s Union Budget Address ,this too shall pass ! 

Wonder why the Sensex is back into Positive Territory past 1 pm at 17800 levels…up 100+ points

Not Impressed !….Never Expected to be really !

All were looking forward  to two centuries today…one by Pranab when delivering his 7th Union Budget and the other the 100th Ton by Sachin Tendulkar when India face Bangla Desh in the Asia Cup ODI this afternoon !….Pranab is out in his 20’s…so now switch channels and hope to see that Sachin finally gets his 100th Ton….India is batting first and Sachin has opened with Gambhir and are 14 for no loss after the fourth over !

Cheers !

Inspiring Sachin Update at 4.36 pm IST

Phew ! Finally ! after months of effort and eagerness and anxiety too….Sachin gets his 100th 100 against Bangla Desh in the Four Nations Asia Cup ODI  just now….his 49th in ODIs…100 in 138 balls