Indian press endorses anti-poverty budget

Indian papers praise the budget presented by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, saying he has managed to walk a tightrope between the government's commitment to sound economics and meeting the needs of the people.

However, one editorial, by a former finance minister, dismisses the budget saying it failed to take risks.

Some papers warn that the reforms proposed by the budget must be implemented properly, and that only time will tell if the budget targets are met.

---

This is a budget constructed on a wing and a prayer... While the budget is optimistic in its assumptions, it largely does what it should do and what the government had promised to do. It is neither tax-and-spend nor restrictive.

Business Standard

---

The multi-pronged strategy of the New Deal for agriculture... should be appreciated for the priority that is being accorded to a sector that is still the source of livelihood for 58% of India's working population.

There is not much in Mr Chidambaram's package that addresses longstanding concerns in the social sector... The shortcomings of the union budget for 2004-05 should not take away much from its larger positive content and approach. It seeks to sustain the overall momentum in growth, correct sectoral imbalances, and take the first hesitant steps in dealing with livelihood issues.

The Hindu

---

This budget will be remembered as the first to actually spell out "reforms with a human face"... This budget blends fiscal prudence as the cornerstone of economic reforms with a bold agriculture thrust.

Times of India

---

The budget document meets the political needs of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and takes care to stay within the bounds of fiscal prudence. It also sends a clear signal that the government is committed to reform.

The steps detailed in the budget, if implemented efficaciously, could lead to a transformation of rural India and set the conditions for rapid and unceasing growth of industry and investment.

Hindustan Times

---

We left the economy in the pink of health and there was tremendous elbow room available to the finance minister to be bold and courageous in his ideas. Unfortunately, that has not happened. The finance minister has not hit the road running...

In fact, I would say there is very little new in this budget... It is a huge betrayal of the people of India who had thought that under the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) they will get a completely new deal.

Economic Times editorial by former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha

---

The proposal to exempt taxes on income is praiseworthy... Until proper use of the budget allocation is assured, the ambition to put education within easy reach of everyone will never be fulfilled. This also goes for improving things for villages, the poor and farmers.

The budget emphasises agricultural development and that is certainly laudable. But the question here again is to ensure proper use of the money allotted for rural development plans. In fact, this is the fundamental issue besetting all old, new and revised plans.

Dainik Jagran in Hindi

---

Every year, the budget provides for poverty alleviation measures, but the poor are ignored at the time of implementation. The reason is that the poor themselves do not know what schemes the government has drawn up for them. The exploiters and the rich take full advantage of the ignorance of the poor. A system is required where schemes can be implemented without political interference.

Qaumi Awaz in Urdu

---

All in all, there are several positive sides to this budget... It is a difficult challenge for any finance minister to please all sections of society. This challenge faced P Chidambaram too. To a large extent, he has tried to please all sections. He has also promised that outstanding issues would be completed in the next budget. From this point, this budget is like a trailer of the next one to be presented seven months from now. It seems that we'll be able to see the real P Chidambaram in his next budget.

Rashtriya Sahara in Hindi

---

Viewed in overall terms, P Chidambaram's budget, at first glance, seems to be in conformity with the announced policies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), and can claim to be development oriented... Time alone will tell how far the targeted rate of growth is achieved, if at all.

Punjabi Tribune in Punjabi

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.