Punjab budget focuses on energy, social sector

September 17th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided $150 million loan to Pakistan to carry out developmental works in the country's Punjab province, the Online news agency reported Thursday. Punjab is the most populous province in the country.

September 15th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Chandigarh, is emerging as one of India's most developed metropolis. Designed by French architect, Le Corbusier in 1950s, the city provides comfort and stability to its, while the rapid development in IT, tourism and service sector reveals another aspect of the city.

July 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Health Organisation (WHO) Tuesday lauded the union budget, saying it would help achieve millennium development goals. We got to recognize that government of India has taken a strong step.

July 6th, 2009 BHUBANESWAR - The budget has evoked a mixed response in Orissa with some praising Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for taking care of the common man and others alleging that he has not given due attention to this impoverished state. It is a good budget for 'aam admi' but not so good for the corporate sector, Kishor C.

June 26th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - The 2009-10 annual plan outlay for Punjab has been pegged at Rs.8,625 crore, an increase of 39 percent over last year. The details of the state's annual plan were finalised Friday in New Delhi at a meeting between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and senior officials.

June 13th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistani government Saturday presented a Rs.2.482 trillion ($30.7 billion) defecit budget for fiscal 2009-10 that focuses on sustainable development, revival of industry and providing relief to the vulnerable and the millions of refugees who have been uprooted by the military's anti-Taliban offensive in the country's restive northwest. Presenting the budget in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar said it aimed at stabilization with a human face and growth with equity.

June 13th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has allocated Rs.646 billion ($8 billion) for the public sector in its budget for fiscal 2009-10 beginning July 1 that envisages GDP growth of 3.3 percent for the year. Of this, Rs.421 billion will be spent on federal government projects and Rs.200 billion by the provinces through their annual development programmes, while an allocation of Rs.25 billion has been made for earthquake victims' rehabilitation.

May 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Rajasthan attracted investments worth Rs.69,052 crore, the highest among northern states, during 2008-09, a business chamber report released here Wednesday said. The report, 'Investment Prospects in Indian Economy 2008-09' by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham), said Haryana, which attracted investments worth Rs.52,852 crore, came second, followed by Uttarakhand with Rs.36,059 crore.

May 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Punjab has incurred property losses of up to Rs.7,000 crore on account of the violence by followers of the Dera Sachh Khand sect, according to conservative estimates arrived at by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham). "Social tension in Punjab has caused a loss of Rs.6,000-Rs.7,000 crore of public property and pushed behind its investment prospects to a significant extent," Assocham said in a statement Tuesday.

March 18th, 2009 MUMBAI - The Maharashtra government's interim budget for the current year, presented Tuesday, shows a yawning deficit of over Rs.84.6 billion (Rs.8,462 crore), but no new taxes have been imposed and there has been no cut on developmental expenditure. State Finance Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, unveiling the interim budget in the legislative assembly, emphasised that the Ashok Chavan-led Democratic Front government has earmarked funds to step up power generation, minimise load shedding, augmenting irrigation facilities and focussing on the social sector.

February 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Indian realty sector, which is reeling under a severe fund crunch, Monday expressed disappointment over the interim budget for 2009-10, saying the government has done nothing to provide relief to the crisis-hit industry. 'The budget has failed to meet the expectations at this time of global downturn,' said Navin M.

February 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Hours after External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee presented the interim budget for 2009-10, India Inc. said Monday that the budget failed to live up to expectations, but welcomed the higher spending in social and infrastructure sectors, saying it will become the 'main source of demand generation'.

February 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Leading industry lobbies in the country said the interim budget, presented in the Lok Sabha Monday, failed to live up to expectations, but welcomed the higher spending in social and infrastructure sectors, saying it will 'help the economy get out of the current stagnation'. The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) said in its response that it had expected a third and last stimulus package in the interim-budget.

February 12th, 2009 LUCKNOW - Infrastructure and minority welfare grabbed the lion's share of allocation in the second budget of the 20-month-old Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh, presented by Finance Minister Lalji Verma in the state assembly here Friday. Top priority was been accorded to the development of infrastructure in the Rs.1,335.96 billion (Rs.133,596-crore) budget, with the allocation for the sector taking a 19 percent jump over that allocated in the previous year.

February 6th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - The Punjab government Saturday announced the setting up of a commission of eminent personalities, including academics and retired bureaucrats, to help reform the state. Setting up the Social Development and Governance Reforms Commission, the Punjab government hopes to bring in reforms in its existing system to put the state back on the path to progress, officials said here.