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No pre-budget meetings, but FM invites written comments
New Delhi, Jan 03: Dispensing with the practice started by his Congress predecesor Manmohan Singh of holding pre-budget meetings with various groups, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh today decided to invite written comments, which he said, was `far more relevant and useful`.
New Delhi, Jan 03: Dispensing with the practice started by his Congress predecesor Manmohan Singh of holding pre-budget meetings with various groups, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh today decided to invite written comments, which he said, was "far more relevant and useful".
In a letter to over 150 experts, Singh said, "Written comments and views will be far more relevant and useful than holding meetings, which do not provide adequate time and opportunity to individuals to express their views in a focused and satisfactory manner."
The letter was written to experts in agriculture, industry, economists, SSI, trade unions, consumer activists, science and technology and financial institutions. The pre-budget meeting with these groups were started after liberalisation of the economy in 1991 by Manmohan Singh and the practice was continued usually in the first week of January by successive finance ministers including Yashwant Sinha till last year.
Inviting suggestions on budgets, Singh said the government was also moving towards opening up the budget making process and making it more transparent. "The release of consultation papers on direct and indirect taxes as well as the media review, are steps to encourage an informed public debate on issues confronting the economy," Singh said in a statement.
Bureau Report
The letter was written to experts in agriculture, industry, economists, SSI, trade unions, consumer activists, science and technology and financial institutions. The pre-budget meeting with these groups were started after liberalisation of the economy in 1991 by Manmohan Singh and the practice was continued usually in the first week of January by successive finance ministers including Yashwant Sinha till last year.
Inviting suggestions on budgets, Singh said the government was also moving towards opening up the budget making process and making it more transparent. "The release of consultation papers on direct and indirect taxes as well as the media review, are steps to encourage an informed public debate on issues confronting the economy," Singh said in a statement.
Bureau Report