India: Central Government Budgets : 1947-48 to 2003-04

Government budgeting is a subject of increasing importance and interest in India.

The high level of administrative, welfare and developmental activities of the Central Government make for colossal amounts of both receipts and disbursements.

This book explains the concepts and processes involved in the budgetary exercise of the Government of India.

It describes the Parliamentary procedures and controls applicable to budgetary activities of the Government, the structure of the Central budget, and the interface between the Central and State finances.

It also explains the relatively technical aspects of the Central budget, viz. its functional, economic and cross-classification. More importantly, it also brings at one place, carefully selected extracts from the budget speeches of the Union Finance Ministers since Independence.

Furthermore, it provides a ready source of comprehensive statistical information on Central Government finances in India.