>BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

Key Features of Budget 2009-2010

CHALLENGES

• to lead economy to high GDP growth rate of 9 per cent per annum at the earliest
• to deepen and broaden the agenda for inclusive development
• to improve delivery mechanisms of the government.

OVERVIEW OF THE ECONOMY
■ Growth rate of Gross Domestic Product dipped from an average of over 9 per cent in the previous three fiscal years to 6.7 per cent during 2008-09.

■ Whole sale price index rose to nearly 13 per cent in August, 2008 and had an equally sharp fall to zero per cent in March, 2009.

■ The structure of India’s economy changed over the last ten years with contribution of the services sector to GDP at well over 50 per cent and share of merchandise trade doubling to 38.9 per cent of GDP in 2008-09.

■ Recognising economic recovery and growth as co-operative effort of the Central and State Governments, meeting with Finance Ministers of States held as part of preparation of the Budget. This is intended to become an annual feature.

TOWARDS ECONOMIC REVIVAL

Short-term Measures
■ To counter the negative fallout of the global slowdown on the Indian economy, Government responded by providing three focused fiscal stimulus packages in the form of tax relief and increased expenditure on public projects along with RBI taking a number of monetary easing and liquidity enhancing measures.

■ Fiscal accommodation led to an increase in fiscal deficit from 2.7 per cent in 2007-08 to 6.2 per cent of GDP in 2008-09.

■ The fiscal stimulus at 3.5 per cent of GDP at current market prices for 2008-09 amounts to Rs.1,86,000 crore.

■ Measures taken by the Government were effective in arresting the fall in GDP growth rate in 2008-09. 6.7 per cent growth rate recorded in 2008-09.

Infrastructure Development
■ IIFCL to evolve a Takeout financing scheme in consultation with banks to facilitate incremental lending to infrastructure sector.

■ IIFCL to refinance 60 per cent of commercial bank loans for PPP projects in critical sectors over the next fifteen to eighteen months. IIFCL and Banks are now in a position to support projects involving total investment of Rs.1,00,000 crore.

Highway and Railways
■ Allocation to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP) increased by 23 per cent over B.E. 2008-09 in B.E. 2009-10 and allocation for Railways increased from Rs.10,800 crore in Interim B.E. 2009-10 to Rs.15,800 crore in B.E. 2009-10.

Urban Infrastructure
■ Allocation under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) stepped up by 87 per cent to Rs.12,887 crore in B.E. 2009-10 over B.E. 2008-09. Allocation for housing and provision of basic amenities to urban poor enhanced to Rs.3,973 crore in B.E. 2009-10. This includes provision for Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY), a new scheme announced.

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