As part of pre-budget consultations with the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, economists have suggested a range of measures, including increasing social security pension. The other major suggestion were, giving more remunerative prices to farmers keeping the inflation target in mind, announcing a road map for tax reforms in the Union Budget 2018-19 and providing more incentives for infrastructure investment as well as to small and medium enterprises and construction sector.
Noted economist Jean Dreze said “The amount (for social security pension) has been Rs 200 per month. This is totally unacceptable. There is no reason to keep it so low. So, make it at least Rs 500, I would say even Rs 1,000, if possible and increase the coverage”.
Besides, some economist also recommended imposition of long term capital gains tax on equity, adding interest rate also figured during the meeting along with rural distress and job creation. Economists also urged lowering the corporate tax rate to 20 per cent with removal of exemptions, they also proposed that the government should announce a fresh roadmap for GST including the convergence of rates.
The meeting, besides Jaitley was also attended by top finance ministry officials, including Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, Expenditure Secretary A N Jha and Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar, while the economists included Surjit S Bhalla MD, OXUS Investment, Ajit Ranade, Chief Economist, Aditya Birla Group, Majoj Pant, Director, IIFT, Arvind Virmani, President, Forum for Strategic Initiative, Shekhar Shah, Director General, NCAER.
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