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Pc balances populism with prudence
* Bets on growth to curb deficit
* Taxes the super-rich
* Hikes outlays for health, education, social sector, defence & agriculture
New Delhi, February 28
Presenting the last budget of the UPA government ahead of the 2014 General Elections, Finance Minister P Chidambaram unveiled a balancing act between economics and politics by going in for fiscal consolidation and also hiking outlays for welfare schemes, especially for the electorally important target segment of women, youth and poor.

CHEER FOR WOMEN
Editorial: Spend and grow
BUDGET SPECIAL: No fresh burden on ‘aam aadmi’
Rs 500 crore for crop diversification brings cheer to Punjab
FII tax issues, surcharge spook markets
Telecom sector feels left out
More stories on BUDGET page

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Opposition: Budget lacks direction, won’t spur economic growth
New Delhi, February 28
The Bharatiya Janata Party today said the Budget proposals were “cosmetic changes” in policy and taxation structure that neither effect any change in the direction of the economy nor spur growth. “This Budget is not a policy statement. It brings no directional change. It is merely an accounting exercise wherein expenditure has been cut with no prospect of increase. This may not spur growth.

No change of guard in North-East
Guwahati, February 28
 Manik Sarkar-led Left Front once again registered a landslide win in the Tripura Assembly poll, annihilating the Congress. The ruling Nagaland People's Front (NPF) and the Congress were set to retain power in Nagaland and Meghalaya, respectively. All these states have a 60-member House each. The Left Front-led by CPM has stormed back to power in Tripura for the fifth time on the trot since 1993 and Manik Sarkar is also set to become the Chief Minister for the fifth consecutive term.
(Details on Nation page)

Akalis deliver crushing blow to Cong
Moga, February 28
The SAD-BJP candidate, Joginder Pal Jain, has defeated Congress candidate Vijay Sathi in the Moga byelection by 18,849 votes. Jain got 69,269 votes while Sathi polled 50,420 votes. The security deposit of all other candidates, including PPP's Dr Ravinder Singh Dhaliwal, was forfeited. The latter secured 7,401 votes.The SAD (Mann) candidate, Birinder P Singh, got just 822 votes.
(Details on Punjab page)

No fresh burden on ‘aam aadmi’ New Delhi, February 28 With a little over a year to go for the next Lok Sabha election, it was expected that Finance Minister P Chidambaram would be tempted to go in for an overtly populist Budget that would enhance the Congress’ electoral prospects, but he resisted the temptation given the grave economic crisis. And, the Congress is not complaining. Chidambaram has not placed any additional burden on the ‘aam aadmi’ already reeling under the burden of runaway inflation. (Details on Budget page)