Wide ranging issues discussed at pre-budget meeting

Union Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, held a Pre-Budget Meeting with States and Union Territories with Legislature here today. During the day-long Conference with the Chief Ministers and Finance Ministers, the suggestions which were put forward 'inter alia', included:

- General macro-economic issues

- FRBM and Devolution issues

- Allocation of funds for various schemes and programmes of Government of India

- Implementation related problems

- Sectoral issues relating to Agriculture, Irrigation, Credit, MSME, Road infrastructure, etc.

- Tax related matters.

In his concluding remarks, the Finance Minister informed that he would consider the valuable suggestions and ideas generated during the deliberations while formulating the Budget proposals for 2009-10.

The conference was attended by Chief Ministers of Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Rajasthan and Goa and Finance Ministers of States/UTs. The Ministers of State for Finance, Shri S.S. Palanimanickam and Shri Namo Narain Meena participated in the meeting. The opening remarks were made by Finance Secretary Shri Ashok Chawla. Senior officials from Ministry of Finance and State/UT Governments also attended the meeting.