Cover Story
- Budget numbers show a sharp rise in FY20 fiscal deficit
- The Budget reveals the government is willing to stretch its finances by going off the fiscal glide path
- The Budget aims at boosting consumption and private investment to pull the economy forward
- A dozen experts interpret Budget 2020 and its impact
- The decision to switch to the new income tax rates will depend on the level of deductions that you are able to use in the present regime
FMCG, Durables Consumption Takes a Tumble
FMCG and consumer durables sectors have been on a slow growth trajectory over the past four quarters, beginning Q4-FY19. Initial signs of slowdown came when the large players saw demand softening In the December 2019/20 quarter, new investments announced by the public and the private sector touched Rs 4.27 lakh crore, the highest in seven quarters According to the first advance estimates released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, GDP growth for FY20 is expected to be 5 per cent, the lowest in 11 yearsCentral Spending Falls Short of Mark
The Centre is set to keep its expenditure at 92 per cent of the budgeted amount (lower than the budgeted amount by nearly Rs 2.2 lakh crore)Bank Credit to Industry Contracts
Incremental bank credit grew just 1.8% during April-December 2019 compared to 7.7% during the same period a year ago
Rahul Bajaj's Kurta Passion
Bajaj's passion for kurtas is well known in business circles. He can be spotted in his favourite attire at professional events too
Unlocking the Innovation Key
To survive and grow, all businesses need a culture that is conducive to innovation. Enabling management attributes and a top-down involvement can make this possible
"There Will Be Good Response to Direct Tax Amnesty Scheme"
A day after she presented her second Budget, Business Today caught up with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her North Block office to find out the reasoning behind the key initiatives in Budget 2020We Have to Get to 4-5% of GDP in Research
While the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, in 2019, recommended that India more than double its expenditure on research and development (R&D) to 2 per cent of GDP by 2022, N.R. Narayana Murthy, the legendary founder of Infosys, thinks this wouldn't be enough to solve the pressing problems facing the nation.
Out of the Box
A clutch of start-ups is making inroads into the niche market for learning-based activity boxes. The response is strong but as of now limited to urban areas In India and elsewhere, the electric vehicle story has not quite lived up to the overzealous projections of a few years ago. A course correction is under way
New-age NBFCs
A new breed of tech-savvy players is targeting niche lending segments not covered by banks and traditional NBFCs. Their journey is not without challenges
Good Things in Small Packages
Budget 2020 may be remembered for the new personal tax regime, thanks to a host of small initiatives, history may remember it as the Budget that restarted - however slowly - India's consumption and investment engines following the "deep slowdown"
Things Will Turn Around Soon: India Inc
Indian business leaders at Davos say they expect the economy to recover in two to three quarters
