Minimum Support Price policy raised to secure farm incomes; procurement mechanism and credit and infrastructure support follow.
Fixation of Minimum Support Price at not less than one and a half times cost of production for Kharif crops, maintenance of raised MSPs for rabi crops, and steps to ensure procurement at MSP through an institutional mechanism with states. Complementary measures include an increased agricultural credit target, creation of fisheries, aquaculture and animal husbandry infrastructure funds, expanded electronic linking of wholesale markets under the National Agriculture Market initiative, and higher allocation to food processing.

Export incentives driving projected export growth after government announced targeted stimulus to boost labour intensive sectors.
The statement projects significant export expansion for the fiscal year and situates that projection alongside recent merchandise shipment increases, while identifying the government's use of export incentives - including the merchandise and services export from India scheme and a targeted stimulus for labour intensive sectors - as the operative fiscal measures intended to promote goods and services exports.

Triple Talaq reform to secure Muslim women's legal protection and dignity, and to strengthen equality under law.
The Address highlights legislative and regulatory action to advance social and economic rights, including a Bill to regulate triple talaq, the National Medical Commission Bill, a Constitution Amendment to vest constitutional status in the National Commission for Backward Classes, and enactment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016. It stresses major fiscal and institutional reforms such as implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, establishment of the National Anti profiteering Authority, bank recapitalisation, procurement reform via the Government E Marketplace, and a Strategic Partnership policy for defence manufacturing.

Triple talaq reform urged to protect Muslim women's rights; call to pass the law during the budget session.
Passage of legislation to prohibit triple talaq and protect Muslim women's rights is urged as the primary legislative objective for the forthcoming budget session, with an appeal to all political parties to enact the measure during this sitting. The budget session is also described as a vital forum to channel economic growth into benefits for ordinary citizens, with committee scrutiny expected to focus on delivering outcomes for marginalized groups.

Union Budget glossary explains fiscal metrics, taxation types, budget structure, parliamentary controls, and public funds.
The glossary defines the Union Budget as the Government's consolidated statement of receipts and outlays with Budget Estimates, differentiates direct and indirect taxes and the constitutional scope of GST, and explains capital and revenue budgets. It sets out fiscal metrics-fiscal, revenue and primary deficits-contrasts fiscal and monetary policy, and describes institutional mechanisms including the Finance Bill, Vote on Account, Revised Estimates, Re appropriations, Excess Grants, Outcome Budget, Guillotine and the roles of the Consolidated Fund, Contingency Fund and Public Account.

Customs duty restoration on paper imports urged to protect domestic industry and prevent trade-driven job exports.
Re-imposition of a 10% customs duty on paper and paperboard imports from ASEAN and placing these products on a negative list in FTAs is urged to protect domestic investments and industry viability; the submission links rising imports, excess overseas capacity, and preferential tariff phases to nil with revenue loss, job export, and undermined incentives for investment in clean technology and quality upgrades.

Pre-budget proposals seek broad direct tax reforms: corporate rates, indirect transfer rules, royalties, R&D incentives, and procedural simplification.
The memorandum recommends wide-ranging direct tax and international tax reforms: reduce or remove additional surcharge and rationalise corporate tax/MAT; clarify PE/POEM and indirect transfer rules (including fund exemptions); exclude packaged software and standard telecom facilities from royalty/withholding; restore pass-through treatment for securitisation trusts; expand and extend R&D weighted deductions; simplify and clarify presumptive taxation (44AD/44ADA) including LLP inclusion; strengthen transfer pricing, CbC reporting and GAAR safeguards; and implement procedural reforms to assessment, TDS/TCS, returns, and dispute resolution to reduce litigation and compliance burden.

Pre-budget memorandum calls for corporate tax cuts, GST simplification, input tax credit restoration, and insolvency tax carve outs.
The memorandum urges repeal or relaxation of anti abuse provisions including sections 56(2)(x) and 50CA, relief from MAT in insolvency resolution, retroactive amendment of section 14A for dividend income, a roadmap to reduce corporate tax rates, simplification of ICDS and deduction rules to reduce litigation, and expanded tax carve outs for insurance and re insurers. On GST it seeks reduced compliance, convergence to fewer rates, seamless input tax credit (including removal of section 17 restrictions and reversal rules for healthcare/pharma free or expired samples), clarification of HSN classifications, and sectoral zero rating or exemptions to protect domestic industry and affordability.

Pre-Budget memorandum proposes GST amendments: remove transitional time limits, clarify place-of-supply, simplify returns and delink payment obligations.
The memorandum urges removal of the six-month cap on deemed transitional credit for pre-GST stock and the three-month limit for reclaiming CENVAT credit on input services; it seeks clarified place-of-supply rules (treat B2B as recipient's location and define "third person") and explicit treatment for goods outside the non-taxable territory; and it recommends replacing frequent invoice-wise returns with a self-assessed return with annexures, permitting return filing without payment, establishing a forum to challenge customs classification, and exempting advances for works contracts from immediate GST.

Fiscal deficit containment urged, paired with stronger project implementation and caution against linking job losses to GST or demonetisation.
Advocacy that the Finance Minister should prioritise containing the fiscal deficit and take steps to improve timely and efficient implementation of public projects; and a conclusion that there is no established economic theory directly linking job losses to demonetisation and the implementation of GST.

Pre Budget memorandum: proposed indirect tax reforms to ease GST transition, protect CENVAT credits and speed refunds.
Recommends a uniform amnesty for central and state laws merged into GST with limited interest, penalty waivers and protection for input tax credits; transitional clarification and return for service tax payable on receipt post GST; written reasons for searches and mens rea for prosecutions; CENVAT fixes including carry forward of Krishi Kalyan Cess, rule 3(7) amendment for EOUs, prospective application of credit timing changes and provisional transfer of credit; customs reforms for refund timelines, interest, assessable value rules, elimination of double taxation on services/intangibles and restoration of bonded warehouse treatment for EOUs.

Pre-Budget memorandum proposes broad tax law amendments, GST reforms, and expanded roles for cost accountants.
The Institute proposes amendments to direct tax provisions (definitions, capital gains holding periods, expanded exemptions and increased deduction limits), enhanced investment and R&D deductions, inclusion of electricity charges within section 43B on cash basis, and procedural reforms recognising cost accountants for mandatory valuation and certification roles; concurrently it seeks GST reforms including re framed place of supply rules, broader input tax credit availability, national single registration and certification of open market value and transitional credits by practicing cost accountants.

Cooperative federalism: pre-budget state consultations inform federal budget formulation, with state suggestions to be examined and considered.
Pre-budget consultations convened at Vigyan Bhawan enabled state and UT finance ministers and senior officials to present fiscal policy suggestions; the Union Finance Minister stated that those suggestions and memoranda would be examined and suitably considered in formulating the 2018-19 Budget, guided by the principle of cooperative federalism.

Public health investment urged to expand hospitals and infrastructure, improving access and addressing non-communicable disease burden.
The report urges prioritising increased public sector healthcare investment in the budget to expand and maintain public health infrastructure-including new hospitals, upgraded district and town centres, additional bed capacity, and medical colleges and nursing academies-guided by National Health Policy (NHP) 2017, with dedicated allocations for non-communicable disease management and expanded provision of free drugs, diagnostics and emergency services, and potential dual use of incentivised infrastructure for medical tourism.

Financial sector pre-Budget consultation urges detailed examination of regulators' proposals for inclusion in the Union Budget.
Pre-Budget consultations by the Financial Stability and Development Council convened under the Union Finance Minister to solicit sectoral regulatory development proposals. Key financial regulators and senior government officers presented proposals; the Council deliberated and advised concerned Ministries and Departments to examine the proposals in detail for appropriate further decision-making.

Government borrowing adjustment: reduce short term T bills and offset with targeted dated security auctions to keep net borrowings neutral.
The Government will run down T bill stocks to a lower level by fiscal year end and undertake limited additional dated government security issuance so that there is no net increase in overall borrowings; the revised calendar specifies equal weekly dated security auctions across five weeks with allocations by maturity buckets and a multi week T bill auction schedule allocating across 91 , 182 and 364 day instruments, with tables showing aggregate raises, repayments and net issuance for the quarter.

Bank recapitalization to restore capital adequacy and spur credit growth, alongside tax and regulatory reform proposals.
The Central Government announced a front-loaded Bank Recapitalization programme for Public Sector Banks using budgetary provision, recapitalisation bonds and market capital raising to restore capital adequacy and support credit growth and employment. Stakeholders proposed raising the TDS threshold on bank interest, a Credit Guarantee Fund for agriculture, tax reliefs for insurance and housing, parity for Farmer Producer Organizations, DBT for crop insurance and interest subvention, alignment of bad-debt recognition timelines, annual rather than monthly bank reporting to tax authorities, promotion of digital transactions, and extension of Masala bond TDS timing.

Electronics manufacturing promotion urged: tariff rationalization, tax incentives and protection against foreign protectionist measures to boost domestic industry.
Stakeholders urged fiscal and trade measures to strengthen domestic electronics and telecom manufacturing: extend differential excise duty dispensation to mobile handsets, tablets and specified equipment; rationalize tariff structure; continue and enhance incentive schemes; impose customs duty measures on non-ITA-1 products; provide depreciation and tax incentives to support Make in India and component-hub development; lower GST on telecom services; facilitate telecom funding; and keep the electronics sector out of RCEP.

Increase social security pension to expand coverage and strengthen social protection while maintaining fiscal targets.
Experts urged raising the social security pension and expanding coverage, arguing the current benefit is inadequate and fiscal impact would be minimal; they also called for full implementation of pending maternity entitlements and stressed maintaining fiscal deficit and revenue deficit targets while pursuing customs and exim duty reform, consideration of a long term capital gains tax on equity, and measures to address rural distress and interest rate transmission.

Fiscal consolidation paired with tax reform and targeted incentives to boost infrastructure, SMEs, and social protection.
The consultations emphasised continuation of fiscal consolidation and clear treatment of any fiscal shortfalls, coupled with revenue and expenditure reforms such as expenditure rationalisation, wider Direct Benefit Transfer use, PSUs disinvestment, issuance of long term bonds for infrastructure and pensions, and administrative measures to maximise revenue. A tax reform agenda was urged - including a roadmap for tax reform and GST convergence, lowering statutory corporate tax by removing exemptions, taxing long term capital gains, reducing MAT, and making tax administration more taxpayer friendly - alongside targeted incentives for infrastructure, SMEs, labour intensive sectors, and rural non farm activities.