C M Y K ) * RNI Regn. No. MPENG/2004/13703, Regd. No. L-2/BPLON/41/2006-2008 %&!'% ()*+ !"+&+!& $!', (+(-. /## / 3 #-G - -/ H -03 -# -# N3/ -O-/ <-/.# - E/ 24@%%4 B4 I & % ,% , -,-.(/0 (-1+(23. ! "# $%&"% '(% ! "$% !& !" #!$%!&"!''%(% Government has also tried to Narendra Modi said the Family members may bring scheme will result in the dation roadmap of bringing it prepare a narrative that could Interim Budget was merely a down the landholding to avail Government breaching its 3.3 down to 3.1 per cent in 2019- ith an eye on the forth- be used to silence the “trailer” of what will guide of the benefits, affecting the per cent fiscal deficit target 20 and 3 per cent in 2020-21. Wcoming Lok Sabha Opposition and help the BJP in India towards prosperity after farm earning. from the current year. “We would have main- elections, Finance Minister convincing the voters that the the Lok Sabha polls, Congress The stock market gave the The populist measure will tained fiscal deficit at 3.3 per Piyush Goyal on Friday promise of “achchhe din” may president Rahul Gandhi said Budget the thumbs up with have far reaching impact on the cent for the year 2018-19 and offered a bouquet of relief to become a reality if Prime that the Government was giv- consumption, agriculture, and Government fiscal consolida- taken further steps to consoli- farmers, taxpayers, unor- Minister Narendra Modi gets a ing 17 a day to farmers after auto stocks stealing the show, tion target. For the next fiscal date fiscal deficit in the year ganised sector work- second term in office. “destroying” their lives in last but banking stocks remained also, Goyal pegged the fiscal 2019-20. However, considering ers, and real estate As expected the five years. depressed with the announce- deficit at 3.4 per cent of the the need for income support to developers. In the Government has kept its focus The sops offered by the ment that farm income support GDP, up from fiscal consoli- farmers, we have provided process, he slipped on large chunk of voting com- Government will undoubtedly 20,000 crore in 2018-19 RE on the fiscal munity — farmers, taxpayers, help it in the elections, but their (Revised Estimate) and 75,000 deficit target, and housing sectors that pro- implementation will be an crore in 2019-20. If we exclude raising concerns vides employment to millions arduous exercise. In a country this, the fiscal deficit would from various of laborers. The promise of with no reliable job data in the have been less than 3.3 per cent rating and bro- pension to workers of unor- unorganised sector, how the for 2018-19 and less than 3.1 kerage agen- ganised sectors is also seen as beneficiates will be identified is per cent for the year 2019-20,” cies. major decision that could be a million dollar question. #.# way for revenue spending,” he said. The thrust turned into a “catch line” to For example, whether a Crisil said in a note on Friday. With farming community of the Budget is woo the poor. rickshaw-puller earns 15,000 ating agencies led by Crisil Meanwhile, it’s peer Icra up in arms against the on wooing The Budget exempted peo- or 20,000 a month is not eas- Rhave raised concerns over termed the “sharp rise” in rev- Government, Goyal both urban and ple with an earning of up to 5 ily verifiable. In most cases, the the curtailed capital spending enue deficit a “concern”. announced an direct income rural voters who lakh from payment of income Government may not have any to cap fiscal deficit at 3.5 per Terming the inability to support scheme for 12 crore rejected the BJP in tax and offered an annual cash option but to either go by self cent for FY18, and have warned meet fiscal deficit target for small and marginal farmers by the recent Assembly dole-out of 6,000 to small claim or determine an earnings the higher target for next fiscal four consecutive years as a big providing 6,000 in their bank elections of Madhya farmers while unveiling a estimate in various sectors. will delay the fiscal consolida- “credit negative” for the sover- accounts in three equal install- Pradesh, Chhattisgarh scheme to provide a monthly Similarly, the identifica- tion process by three years. eign, global rating agency ments in a year. This is esti- and Rajasthan. By pension of 3,000 to workers in tion of farmers with up to two “It is the productive spend- Moody’s doubted if the coun- mated to cost 75,000 crore making a big pop- the unorganised sector. hectare holding is also not ing in the economy that has try will meet even the 3.4 per- annually to the Government. ulist push, the While Prime Minister going to be an easy exercise. seen a compromise, making cent fiscal gap target for FY20. Continued on Page 4 % %& 7 ,% %%, , " "@(2 %,%% " " & " %, % 1O "& , ( " % " 1" % #& E: ' &%% "% # , % 2 %"" 1&," "E&# ' A %' % ,% %"" 1' "% # " crore extra has been provided "&D8 $ "& B'888"' for the scheme in the revised B"%$ 3- '%%, %% , ,488 n a move to provide an estimate for the current fiscal. % %%& A % " & "'1 Iassured income to the small The Finance Minister said, " ", %" & @8 and marginal farmers, the “This initiative will benefit 12 " 7, & % 43- %% Modi Government on Friday crore small and marginal farm- &## &, -%%,48 announced a slew of measures, ers, at an estimated cost of including direct income sup- 75,000 crore.” % 2C'4@@ 1& "98'88828'888 3# "& 74 ( # " port of 6,000 per year. The Finance Minister said, " E&# " ," Presenting the Interim “This programme will be fund- Budget for 2019-20, acting ed by the Government of India. 3 %" " , , %F,&& 48% 1B8% 1 3-&" %% "& Finance Minister Piyush Goyal The programme would be -% % / 31%# said under the Pradhan Mantri made effective from December %" ' 528 ( Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM- 1, 2018 and the first installment ! " "4(C% 1 %" %% " 7(9% 1 % ,&& KISAN), 6,000 annual sup- for the period up to March 31, -%% - B(9 port will be provided to farm- 2019 would be paid during this ers with land holding of two year itself.” "# hectare or five acre. Union Agriculture The new scheme will be Minister Radha Mohan Singh implemented from December hailed the Budget and termed 1, 2018 and the amount will be its historic one for farmers. paid in three installments of The assured income sup- 2000 (every four months) port is seen as an attempt to through direct benefit transfer. assuage the farming commu- As many as 12 crore small and nity’s discontent ahead of the marginal farmers are expected general elections. The direct to benefit from the scheme. cash transfer was one of the Farmers who are sowing rabi highly anticipated and talked / 0 Company Limited, Jabalpur, 748.02 crore crops during the ongoing rabi about schemes in the interim for the strengthening of transmission sys- season will be benefitted from Budget 2019. he State Cabinet here on Friday took 3 0- - . tem of Madhya Pradesh Power the scheme. About 20,000 Continued on Page 4 Ta decision for continuation of Free Transmission Company Limited, Boarding Education Scheme under the - #- Jabalpur and 1294.88 crore for strength- Eklavya Polytechnic Yojana in three poly- ening of sub-transmission and distribution ! technic colleges of Mandla, Jhabua and 784D$78 system of Madhya Pradesh Eastern/ Harsud to give benefit of the scheme to the Central / Western Region Power students of scheduled tribe. Under the The Cabinet has approved 2552.90 Distribution Company Ltd Jabalpur / scheme, free drawing, stationery, books, crore funding for three under construc- Bhopal / Indore. scholarship and meals will be provided to tion/ prevailing projects of Madhya The Cabinet decided to give the State he Chief Minister Kamal the students of scheduled tribe. Pradesh Power Generating/ Transmission Government’s guarantee for a medium TNath has described the Approval has been given to continue Company Limited and Madhya Pradesh term loan of 1200 crore by Madhya Interim Union Budget pre- this scheme till 2019-20. The Cabinet has Eastern / Central / Western Region Power Pradesh Western Region Power Distribution sented at Parliament on Friday given approval for continuation of Vistaar Distribution Companies for the financial Company Limited, Indore from RIC New as full of Jumlas or exaggerat- Vaniki Yojana of the financial limit of year 2018-19 and financial year 2019-20. Delhi. The Madhya Pradesh Western Zone ed promises saying that it pre- 58.54 crore till 2019-20 being imple- These include approval of 510 crore for Power Distribution Company Limited, sented keeping an eye on forth- mented by the Forest Department under Singaji Thermal Power House Project of Indore will pay guarantee fee at the rate of coming Lok Sabha election. the 12th Five Year Plan. Madhya Pradesh Power Generating 0.5 per cent per annum for the guarantee. Giving his reaction, Kamal bering two crore would be gen- Nath said that the promise of erated. Both the promises giving direct income support at turned out to be false promis- the rate of 6000 annually to es. The Chief Minister said that the farmers owning upto two in the last four and a half years hectare is extremely meager. India is having maximum This means they will get five number of unemployed per- street vendors, rickshaw provide the informal sector pension of 3,000 from the age tribution of a small affordable hundred rupees every month sons in its history. pullers, construction workers... workers an assured monthly of 60 years on a monthly con- amount during their working that will come about 16.50 Referring to the Prime n what could provide social And in numerous other simi- age, he said.