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Jaswant to table 'full' Budget in Feb
December 05, 2003 17:57 IST
Setting at rest speculations of an vote-on-account next year, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh on Friday said the government will present a 'full budget,' as Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made it clear that there would be no early Lok Sabha elections.
"There will no vote-on-account (interim Budget). As the prime minister has said that general elections will be held as per schedule (in October 2004), so there will be a full Budget," Singh said after inaugurating a new portal 'Indiashining.com'.
"Ever since I took over charge, we have been trying to demystify the budget process by releasing quarterly reviews," he said, adding that the reforms would be given a renewed thrust with emphasis on farm sector to bring about a second green revolution.
"We need second green revolution. It must have diversification of agriculture, development of wasteland, capital expenditure, growth and expansion of irrigation and value-addition in agriculture produce," he said.
The government has already done a lot for sugar, cotton and plantation, Singh said adding "we need to move in that direction in areas like horticulture and floriculture."
The finance minister said there would be no dearth of funds for public investment in agriculture.
"There is enough funds available with us or how could we provide Rs 60,000 crore (Rs 600 billion) for infrastructure this year. Money would not come in the way of development," Singh said.