FM seeks suggestions on Budget from all

NEW DELHI: Ahead of Budget preparation, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said that she was eager to get suggestions from all quarters on the new government’s first full financial statement early next month and her first as the country’s head of the exchequer.
“Grateful for every thought/idea that's being shared by scholars, economists and enthusiasts through print, electronic, and on social media. I read many of them; also, my team carefully collates them for me. Value every bit. Thanks. Please keep them coming,” the minister tweeted.
The comment comes days before she gets into consultations with industry groups and experts before meeting state finance ministers on June 19. Already, her team of officers have been holding deliberations with various ministries and lobby groups to prepare the budget amid pressure to loosen the purse strings to stimulate demand in the economy which slowed down during the January-March quarter led largely by a cash crunch in the system.
With the RBI cutting rates for the third time in six months, the focus is on the government to offer tax sops to boost consumption. Government officials are, however, wary of fiscal concessions given the tight budget situation, especially with the government keen to implement some of the projects it had promised in the election manifesto.