To spice things up, netas mix ’n’ match

By M H Ahssan

He has done it on three occasions in the past. But for many young Indians it was an unfamiliar sight to watch stand-in finance minister Pranab Mukherjee arrive in a steel grey bandhgala with the most important document of the day in a leather briefcase.

Unlike his predecessor P Chidambaram who generally smiled profusely for the shutterbugs on Budget day, Mukherjee seemed to have rationed his cheer as he posed for the cameras. It was, perhaps, an indication of things to come. An interim budget is usually a staid affair. This year, it was almost grim as the finance minister reeled out tomes of facts and figures. There were no wisecracks, no hint of humour. Senior BJP leader L K Advani was among the handful of politicians diligently noting down points from the speech.

The House only stirred when Veerendra Kumar, the 71-yearold JD(S) MP from Kozhikode, took ill after about 45 minutes of the 65-minute-plus speech. When Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the House for 10 minutes, railway minister Lalu Yadav was one of the first to head out for a break.

On the brighter side, Rahul Gandhi looked dapper in a black jacket over a white kurta-pyjama. Actress Jaya Prada, the Samajwadi Party MP from Rampur, made a pretty picture in a rust churidar-kurta and chiffon dupatta. But then she swished in at 12.15pm, barely three minutes before Mukherjee ended his speech.

Jyotiraditya Scindia made a just-in-time appearance before the speech began, in his trademark blue kurta-white churidar, and a black woven jacket. He turned around for the swarming camerapersons, flashing a smile with his shades on. Navjot Singh Sidhu dutifully obliged the shutterbugs, bright and chirpy in an orange turban and matching tie with little animal prints. Jairam Ramesh walked in well after the Budget started, his longish hair blown back by a strong breeze.

The young Scindia was also the first to move out, and be swarmed by the media. As he spoke, Sharad Yadav emerged but obligingly hovered around for media attention, although his car waited in the portico. Sharad Pawar tried to avoid the media completely, gesturing with his driver for the smoothest exit point where he could quickly get into his car. But amusing was SP MP from Firozabad, Ramjilal Suman. As a cameraman called out to him, the poor guy desperately looked around for a spittoon, but didn’t find one.

Security was tight but not overbearing. Sniffer dogs and personnel went around the sprawling estate, the dogs nosing their way through the tangerines, the flowers, the food stuff, the budget papers in dark green rucksacks, anything worth an investigative sniff.

Many women MPs were dressed in splendid saris from every corner of India — tussars, kanjivarams, gadwals, kanthas. They showed no matter how lacklustre the interim budget may have been, Parliamentarians were putting their brightest foot forward.

To spice things up, netas mix ’n’ match

By M H Ahssan

He has done it on three occasions in the past. But for many young Indians it was an unfamiliar sight to watch stand-in finance minister Pranab Mukherjee arrive in a steel grey bandhgala with the most important document of the day in a leather briefcase.

Unlike his predecessor P Chidambaram who generally smiled profusely for the shutterbugs on Budget day, Mukherjee seemed to have rationed his cheer as he posed for the cameras. It was, perhaps, an indication of things to come. An interim budget is usually a staid affair. This year, it was almost grim as the finance minister reeled out tomes of facts and figures. There were no wisecracks, no hint of humour. Senior BJP leader L K Advani was among the handful of politicians diligently noting down points from the speech.

The House only stirred when Veerendra Kumar, the 71-yearold JD(S) MP from Kozhikode, took ill after about 45 minutes of the 65-minute-plus speech. When Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the House for 10 minutes, railway minister Lalu Yadav was one of the first to head out for a break.

On the brighter side, Rahul Gandhi looked dapper in a black jacket over a white kurta-pyjama. Actress Jaya Prada, the Samajwadi Party MP from Rampur, made a pretty picture in a rust churidar-kurta and chiffon dupatta. But then she swished in at 12.15pm, barely three minutes before Mukherjee ended his speech.

Jyotiraditya Scindia made a just-in-time appearance before the speech began, in his trademark blue kurta-white churidar, and a black woven jacket. He turned around for the swarming camerapersons, flashing a smile with his shades on. Navjot Singh Sidhu dutifully obliged the shutterbugs, bright and chirpy in an orange turban and matching tie with little animal prints. Jairam Ramesh walked in well after the Budget started, his longish hair blown back by a strong breeze.

The young Scindia was also the first to move out, and be swarmed by the media. As he spoke, Sharad Yadav emerged but obligingly hovered around for media attention, although his car waited in the portico. Sharad Pawar tried to avoid the media completely, gesturing with his driver for the smoothest exit point where he could quickly get into his car. But amusing was SP MP from Firozabad, Ramjilal Suman. As a cameraman called out to him, the poor guy desperately looked around for a spittoon, but didn’t find one.

Security was tight but not overbearing. Sniffer dogs and personnel went around the sprawling estate, the dogs nosing their way through the tangerines, the flowers, the food stuff, the budget papers in dark green rucksacks, anything worth an investigative sniff.

Many women MPs were dressed in splendid saris from every corner of India — tussars, kanjivarams, gadwals, kanthas. They showed no matter how lacklustre the interim budget may have been, Parliamentarians were putting their brightest foot forward.

To spice things up, netas mix ’n’ match

By M H Ahssan

He has done it on three occasions in the past. But for many young Indians it was an unfamiliar sight to watch stand-in finance minister Pranab Mukherjee arrive in a steel grey bandhgala with the most important document of the day in a leather briefcase.

Unlike his predecessor P Chidambaram who generally smiled profusely for the shutterbugs on Budget day, Mukherjee seemed to have rationed his cheer as he posed for the cameras. It was, perhaps, an indication of things to come. An interim budget is usually a staid affair. This year, it was almost grim as the finance minister reeled out tomes of facts and figures. There were no wisecracks, no hint of humour. Senior BJP leader L K Advani was among the handful of politicians diligently noting down points from the speech.

The House only stirred when Veerendra Kumar, the 71-yearold JD(S) MP from Kozhikode, took ill after about 45 minutes of the 65-minute-plus speech. When Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the House for 10 minutes, railway minister Lalu Yadav was one of the first to head out for a break.

On the brighter side, Rahul Gandhi looked dapper in a black jacket over a white kurta-pyjama. Actress Jaya Prada, the Samajwadi Party MP from Rampur, made a pretty picture in a rust churidar-kurta and chiffon dupatta. But then she swished in at 12.15pm, barely three minutes before Mukherjee ended his speech.

Jyotiraditya Scindia made a just-in-time appearance before the speech began, in his trademark blue kurta-white churidar, and a black woven jacket. He turned around for the swarming camerapersons, flashing a smile with his shades on. Navjot Singh Sidhu dutifully obliged the shutterbugs, bright and chirpy in an orange turban and matching tie with little animal prints. Jairam Ramesh walked in well after the Budget started, his longish hair blown back by a strong breeze.

The young Scindia was also the first to move out, and be swarmed by the media. As he spoke, Sharad Yadav emerged but obligingly hovered around for media attention, although his car waited in the portico. Sharad Pawar tried to avoid the media completely, gesturing with his driver for the smoothest exit point where he could quickly get into his car. But amusing was SP MP from Firozabad, Ramjilal Suman. As a cameraman called out to him, the poor guy desperately looked around for a spittoon, but didn’t find one.

Security was tight but not overbearing. Sniffer dogs and personnel went around the sprawling estate, the dogs nosing their way through the tangerines, the flowers, the food stuff, the budget papers in dark green rucksacks, anything worth an investigative sniff.

Many women MPs were dressed in splendid saris from every corner of India — tussars, kanjivarams, gadwals, kanthas. They showed no matter how lacklustre the interim budget may have been, Parliamentarians were putting their brightest foot forward.

Poll tone: Bharat in, India out

By M H Ahssan

Fear Of Backlash Makes Pranab Stick To The Road Well Travelled

Pranab Mukherjee’s Interim Budget made headlines for what he did not say or do. Many feel he could have converted the economic crisis into an opportunity to hand out sops at no political cost.

It is learnt that the decision to stay on the right side of the customary propriety not to turn the vote-on-account into a blandishment for the voter was a unanimous one, and largely because the leadership was not sure that a deviation from the convention would have been rewarded at the hustings.

Expectedly, Congress’s calculations for the looming elections are writ large over the budget. Mukherjee, who has has been accused of number dressing to scale down the estimated fiscal deficit, has been very transparent in stating that the “aam aadmi” theme, with which the party undercut NDA’s ‘Shining India’ pitch in 2004, stays as its zeitgeist for the coming encounter as well. “Aam aadmi has become the focus of development process,” he said.

The “common man” strand ran through the tom-tomming of achievements to the declaration of intent. But as Mukherjee reeled off figures to claim how UPA had delivered on its promises, it was clear that the focus of the campaign would be on Bharat rather than India. This despite the the delimitation exercise that was said to have offset the overwhelming advantage rural India has had in shaping poll outcomes.

Congress strategists, clearly, are convinced that villages continue to have a higher weightage in the electoral college (Mukherjee pegged their share of the population at 60%). The attention may also have to do with the belief that migrants in cities take their voting cues from folks back home.

The rural voter has been wowed with claims of jobs already done as also promises of continued commitment — doubling of agricultural credit with continuing interest subsidy, the mega loan waiver, generous Minimum Support Prices, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and, of course, the highly popular Indira Gandhi Awas Yojana. A high-wattage campaign to flaunt the schemes is already on. No prizes for guessing that Congress will substitute DAVP’s ads with its own once the announcement of polls puts an end to the surrogate advertising.

There are announcements for specific constituencies. No figure has been put to back up the promise to provision adequate funds for minority welfare schemes. But to put it on the top of the section dealing with social sector in disregard of BJP’s continued campaign is a statement by itself.

Poll tone: Bharat in, India out

By M H Ahssan

Fear Of Backlash Makes Pranab Stick To The Road Well Travelled

Pranab Mukherjee’s Interim Budget made headlines for what he did not say or do. Many feel he could have converted the economic crisis into an opportunity to hand out sops at no political cost.

It is learnt that the decision to stay on the right side of the customary propriety not to turn the vote-on-account into a blandishment for the voter was a unanimous one, and largely because the leadership was not sure that a deviation from the convention would have been rewarded at the hustings.

Expectedly, Congress’s calculations for the looming elections are writ large over the budget. Mukherjee, who has has been accused of number dressing to scale down the estimated fiscal deficit, has been very transparent in stating that the “aam aadmi” theme, with which the party undercut NDA’s ‘Shining India’ pitch in 2004, stays as its zeitgeist for the coming encounter as well. “Aam aadmi has become the focus of development process,” he said.

The “common man” strand ran through the tom-tomming of achievements to the declaration of intent. But as Mukherjee reeled off figures to claim how UPA had delivered on its promises, it was clear that the focus of the campaign would be on Bharat rather than India. This despite the the delimitation exercise that was said to have offset the overwhelming advantage rural India has had in shaping poll outcomes.

Congress strategists, clearly, are convinced that villages continue to have a higher weightage in the electoral college (Mukherjee pegged their share of the population at 60%). The attention may also have to do with the belief that migrants in cities take their voting cues from folks back home.

The rural voter has been wowed with claims of jobs already done as also promises of continued commitment — doubling of agricultural credit with continuing interest subsidy, the mega loan waiver, generous Minimum Support Prices, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and, of course, the highly popular Indira Gandhi Awas Yojana. A high-wattage campaign to flaunt the schemes is already on. No prizes for guessing that Congress will substitute DAVP’s ads with its own once the announcement of polls puts an end to the surrogate advertising.

There are announcements for specific constituencies. No figure has been put to back up the promise to provision adequate funds for minority welfare schemes. But to put it on the top of the section dealing with social sector in disregard of BJP’s continued campaign is a statement by itself.

Poll tone: Bharat in, India out

By M H Ahssan

Fear Of Backlash Makes Pranab Stick To The Road Well Travelled

Pranab Mukherjee’s Interim Budget made headlines for what he did not say or do. Many feel he could have converted the economic crisis into an opportunity to hand out sops at no political cost.

It is learnt that the decision to stay on the right side of the customary propriety not to turn the vote-on-account into a blandishment for the voter was a unanimous one, and largely because the leadership was not sure that a deviation from the convention would have been rewarded at the hustings.

Expectedly, Congress’s calculations for the looming elections are writ large over the budget. Mukherjee, who has has been accused of number dressing to scale down the estimated fiscal deficit, has been very transparent in stating that the “aam aadmi” theme, with which the party undercut NDA’s ‘Shining India’ pitch in 2004, stays as its zeitgeist for the coming encounter as well. “Aam aadmi has become the focus of development process,” he said.

The “common man” strand ran through the tom-tomming of achievements to the declaration of intent. But as Mukherjee reeled off figures to claim how UPA had delivered on its promises, it was clear that the focus of the campaign would be on Bharat rather than India. This despite the the delimitation exercise that was said to have offset the overwhelming advantage rural India has had in shaping poll outcomes.

Congress strategists, clearly, are convinced that villages continue to have a higher weightage in the electoral college (Mukherjee pegged their share of the population at 60%). The attention may also have to do with the belief that migrants in cities take their voting cues from folks back home.

The rural voter has been wowed with claims of jobs already done as also promises of continued commitment — doubling of agricultural credit with continuing interest subsidy, the mega loan waiver, generous Minimum Support Prices, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and, of course, the highly popular Indira Gandhi Awas Yojana. A high-wattage campaign to flaunt the schemes is already on. No prizes for guessing that Congress will substitute DAVP’s ads with its own once the announcement of polls puts an end to the surrogate advertising.

There are announcements for specific constituencies. No figure has been put to back up the promise to provision adequate funds for minority welfare schemes. But to put it on the top of the section dealing with social sector in disregard of BJP’s continued campaign is a statement by itself.

INTERIM BUDGET - WHO’S SMILING AND WHO’S NOT

By M H Ahssan

The Interim Budget does not have any major announcements that affect the industry, except for some measures such as extension of interest subsidy (on pre- and postshipment credit) to boost exports in sectors such as textiles, leather and gems & jewellery. However, a slew of measures were announced as part of the stimulus packages in early December 2008 and January 2009. While some of these measures are positive for the respective sectors, the excise duty reduction (by 4%) across sectors has been mostly passed on to consumers. In the following sections, we assess the impact of all these measures, including announcements in the Interim Budget, if any

Automobiles
The net impact of various policy changes is marginally positive across auto segments. However, lower economic growth prospects, weak consumer sentiment, high interest rates and stringent disbursement norms will continue to impact automobile demand. Due to the 4% reduction in excise duty announced in December 2008, and lower fuel prices and car finance rates, (partly offset by the increase in prices by some car manufacturers in January 2009), the cost of ownership for a typical compact car has declined by 3%.

Banking
Banks: Several liquidity enhancing measures have been announced since October 2008. However, the relaxation in nonperforming loan norms in real estate and corporate sectors may lead to weakening of asset quality and exert greater stress on the sector. The monetary easing measures combined with fiscal stimulus would be effective provided there is revival in both business and consumer confidence. With economic recovery expected to be protracted, these measures would have limited impact on the banking sector.

HFCs & NBFCs: The fiscal measures announced focus on facilitating credit availability, but implementation and revival in business and consumer confidence remains the key for these measures to be effective. Like banks, the fiscal stimulus would have a limited impact on HFCs and NBFCs.

Cement
The government had lowered the excise duty on packaged and bulk cement by 4% in the fiscal stimulus package announced on December 7, 2008. Cement producers passed on the cutback in duties by reducing prices. Consequently, the impact of lowering of excise duty is neutral for the sector. The imposition of customs duty on imported cement, which was announced in the fiscal stimulus package announced on January 2, 2009, will not have a major impact as India's cement imports are negligible.

Construction
The allocation of Rs11,840 crore under JNNURM will ensure greater focus on urban infrastructure development. The amount sanctioned is higher than Rs 6870 crore sanctioned in the previous budget. However, the crucial factor is the actual outlay. With IIFCL being authorised to raise Rs 10,000 crore via tax-free bonds, delays in order execution of construction companies on account of developers not achieving financial closure will reduce.

Consumer durables/Household appliances
Impact of the reduction in the excise duties on consumer durables from 16% to 12% announced in the government's fiscal stimulus package in December 2008 is neutral, as a significant portion of the production of major consumer durable manufacturers come from excise free zones. Other producers have partly passed on the excise duty cuts.

Housing
The fiscal stimulus package in early December 2008, classified loans under Rs 20 lakh as priority sector lending. The new classification of loans is aimed at encouraging banks to lend. However, due to the deterioration in the job market scenario owing to the prevailing slowdown, especially in the IT/ITeS and financial services sectors, banks may continue to hesitate to increase their advances. However, the Rs 4000 crore re-finance facility for NHB will ensure availability of loans for the sector. The reduction in home loans rates by PSU banks to 8.5% for loans up to Rs 5 lakh (10% margin) and 9.25% for loans in the range of Rs 5-20 lakh (15% margin) has prompted large private players such as HDFC and ICICI Bank to cut rates by 50-75bps.

Paper
The government reduced excise duty on paper from 8% to 4% for most varieties of paper. The overall impact is neutral as producers have passed on the duty cuts. The government also exempted newsprint, uncoated paper and light weight coated paper used for printing newspapers / magazines from customs duty on February 11, 2009. The impact of this is also neutral as domestic newsprint prices are lower than the landed costs even post the duty cuts.

Roads and Highways
IIFCL will refinance 60% of commercial bank loans for PPP projects with an investment of Rs 1,00000 crore over the next 18 months. This will improve the availability of credit for infrastructure projects such as BOT road projects undertaken by private players. Despite a budgetary allocation of Rs 9900 crore for national highways and Rs 4000 crore towards the development of rural roads, the implementation of projects may be slow due to policy ambiguities and land acquisition delays.

Steel
Steel players will benefit marginally from government measures such as bringing HR coils under the restricted category and levy of import duty on flat products. The reduction in excise duty will not have any impact, except in cases where the output is sold directly to the consumer, as most steel sales are MODVAT'able. The withdrawal of export duty on iron ore fines and export duty reduction on iron ore lumps and pellets will encourage iron ore exports.

Textiles
The extension of the interest subvention on pre-shipment and post-shipment credit till September 30, 2009, will benefit exporters through lower interest costs on working capital loans. The impact of the acrossthe-board excise duty cut of 4% is negligible on the cotton textiles chain, as CENVAT is optional; the reduction in excise duty on polyester and other man-made fibres to 4% has been passed on. The increase in the duty drawback rates on fabrics and the extension of the DEPB scheme till December 31, 2009 will benefit exporters.

INTERIM BUDGET - WHO’S SMILING AND WHO’S NOT

By M H Ahssan

The Interim Budget does not have any major announcements that affect the industry, except for some measures such as extension of interest subsidy (on pre- and postshipment credit) to boost exports in sectors such as textiles, leather and gems & jewellery. However, a slew of measures were announced as part of the stimulus packages in early December 2008 and January 2009. While some of these measures are positive for the respective sectors, the excise duty reduction (by 4%) across sectors has been mostly passed on to consumers. In the following sections, we assess the impact of all these measures, including announcements in the Interim Budget, if any

Automobiles
The net impact of various policy changes is marginally positive across auto segments. However, lower economic growth prospects, weak consumer sentiment, high interest rates and stringent disbursement norms will continue to impact automobile demand. Due to the 4% reduction in excise duty announced in December 2008, and lower fuel prices and car finance rates, (partly offset by the increase in prices by some car manufacturers in January 2009), the cost of ownership for a typical compact car has declined by 3%.

Banking
Banks: Several liquidity enhancing measures have been announced since October 2008. However, the relaxation in nonperforming loan norms in real estate and corporate sectors may lead to weakening of asset quality and exert greater stress on the sector. The monetary easing measures combined with fiscal stimulus would be effective provided there is revival in both business and consumer confidence. With economic recovery expected to be protracted, these measures would have limited impact on the banking sector.

HFCs & NBFCs: The fiscal measures announced focus on facilitating credit availability, but implementation and revival in business and consumer confidence remains the key for these measures to be effective. Like banks, the fiscal stimulus would have a limited impact on HFCs and NBFCs.

Cement
The government had lowered the excise duty on packaged and bulk cement by 4% in the fiscal stimulus package announced on December 7, 2008. Cement producers passed on the cutback in duties by reducing prices. Consequently, the impact of lowering of excise duty is neutral for the sector. The imposition of customs duty on imported cement, which was announced in the fiscal stimulus package announced on January 2, 2009, will not have a major impact as India's cement imports are negligible.

Construction
The allocation of Rs11,840 crore under JNNURM will ensure greater focus on urban infrastructure development. The amount sanctioned is higher than Rs 6870 crore sanctioned in the previous budget. However, the crucial factor is the actual outlay. With IIFCL being authorised to raise Rs 10,000 crore via tax-free bonds, delays in order execution of construction companies on account of developers not achieving financial closure will reduce.

Consumer durables/Household appliances
Impact of the reduction in the excise duties on consumer durables from 16% to 12% announced in the government's fiscal stimulus package in December 2008 is neutral, as a significant portion of the production of major consumer durable manufacturers come from excise free zones. Other producers have partly passed on the excise duty cuts.

Housing
The fiscal stimulus package in early December 2008, classified loans under Rs 20 lakh as priority sector lending. The new classification of loans is aimed at encouraging banks to lend. However, due to the deterioration in the job market scenario owing to the prevailing slowdown, especially in the IT/ITeS and financial services sectors, banks may continue to hesitate to increase their advances. However, the Rs 4000 crore re-finance facility for NHB will ensure availability of loans for the sector. The reduction in home loans rates by PSU banks to 8.5% for loans up to Rs 5 lakh (10% margin) and 9.25% for loans in the range of Rs 5-20 lakh (15% margin) has prompted large private players such as HDFC and ICICI Bank to cut rates by 50-75bps.

Paper
The government reduced excise duty on paper from 8% to 4% for most varieties of paper. The overall impact is neutral as producers have passed on the duty cuts. The government also exempted newsprint, uncoated paper and light weight coated paper used for printing newspapers / magazines from customs duty on February 11, 2009. The impact of this is also neutral as domestic newsprint prices are lower than the landed costs even post the duty cuts.

Roads and Highways
IIFCL will refinance 60% of commercial bank loans for PPP projects with an investment of Rs 1,00000 crore over the next 18 months. This will improve the availability of credit for infrastructure projects such as BOT road projects undertaken by private players. Despite a budgetary allocation of Rs 9900 crore for national highways and Rs 4000 crore towards the development of rural roads, the implementation of projects may be slow due to policy ambiguities and land acquisition delays.

Steel
Steel players will benefit marginally from government measures such as bringing HR coils under the restricted category and levy of import duty on flat products. The reduction in excise duty will not have any impact, except in cases where the output is sold directly to the consumer, as most steel sales are MODVAT'able. The withdrawal of export duty on iron ore fines and export duty reduction on iron ore lumps and pellets will encourage iron ore exports.

Textiles
The extension of the interest subvention on pre-shipment and post-shipment credit till September 30, 2009, will benefit exporters through lower interest costs on working capital loans. The impact of the acrossthe-board excise duty cut of 4% is negligible on the cotton textiles chain, as CENVAT is optional; the reduction in excise duty on polyester and other man-made fibres to 4% has been passed on. The increase in the duty drawback rates on fabrics and the extension of the DEPB scheme till December 31, 2009 will benefit exporters.