SPEECH OF SHRI C D DESHMUKH
MINISTER OF FINANCE
INTRODUCING THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 1956-57
Dated : February 29, 1956
I rise to
present the statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government
of India for the year 1956-57.
2. I have had the privilege of presenting so far five annual Budgets of the
Central Government, which reflected to a very large extent the financial implementation
of the First Five Year Plan. There has been considerable transfer of revenue
resources from the Central Government to the States, both on the recommendation
of the Finance Commission and as statutory or discretionary grants. Moreover,
loan assistance given by the Central Government to the States towards their
capital expenditure has been progressively increasing. The Central Government
has been enabled to do this by the discriminating approval of Parliament to
the Taxation measures put forward by Government from year to year, as also by
the judicious augmentation of our financial resources by the creation of credit
supplemented, and indeed facilitated, by the assistance so generously and understandingly
extended to us by friendly foreign countries or bodies and international institutions.
In the context of our Plans the Central Government's budgets have thus come
to possess a significance far exceeding that suggested by the respective constitutional
spheres of the Central Government and the States.
3. Thanks to the encouraging response of the people of this country themselves,
in addition to external assistance, the First Five Year Plan will, by the end
of the current financial year, have been fulfilled generally to a satisfactory
extent. I shall not take up the time of the House to recount the main features
of the results achieved, the more important of which have already been referred
to in the President's address. It is enough to state broadly my view that by
means of the First Five Year Plan we have laid sound foundations for a more
massive superstructure in building up the country’s economy.
4. The present Budget relates to the first year of the Second Five Year Plan
which will during this Session be submitted to the Parliament for approval.
A draft outline of it has already been published, and in due course the House
will have an opportunity of discussing it fully, At this stage only a few general
observations by me are called for so that the background to the Budget that
I am presenting may be understood.
5. The Plan envisages a total outlay of Rs. 4,800 crores on development and
investment in the Public sector. It has not been possible to satisfy all the
pressing demands from the Central Ministries and from the States. I can only
say that, considering all the circumstances, a Plan of Rs. 4,800 crores, with
possibilities of unavoidable marginal increases, and corresponding financial
resources not fully within sight, is in my opinion (which is shared by most
of the leading economists of the country) about the utmost that the country
can, with realism, adopt. It is indeed a bold and ambitious Plan that we shall
be undertaking, requiring great and sustained efforts, and it will be, therefore,
a matter of pride and gratification if we can successfully implement such a
Plan within the Five Year period. If some Central Ministries and States are
disappointed, I can only assure them that the Planning Commission has tried
to equalise dissatisfactions at the margin.
6. A plan for a five year period has necessarily to be flexible. It has to be
adapted from time to time to changing circumstances. There are uncertainties
inherent in any forecast or preview of the future and it is unrealistic to claim
any immutability about allocations, targets and the implicit assumptions in
the Plan. The plan has to be regarded as a framework or a map which indicates
in which directions development is to proceed, in what measure and through what
techniques of resource mobilisation.
Such a map may not be complete in all respects. For some purposes, even a five
year framework or map is not sufficient and it may be necessary to think in
terms of a longer perspective of, say, 15 or 20 years. Each step forward in
the development of the economy brings into view new horizons or at least throws
up new problems, and we have constantly to redraw the map in the light of developments
within the economy and to adjust the perspective in which we are projecting
our programmes.
7. A plan is not merely a programme of expenditure to be incurred by Government.
It is a co-ordinated effort by all sections of the community to attain certain
results through the use of defined resources and by defined stages. At each
stage in the process there must be a balance between demands and supplies not
only in the aggregate but also by sectors. Real resources must move in conformity
with the plan, for, as is well known, even a small bottleneck in the availability.
of a vital raw material, or of power, or of transport, or of foreign exchange,
can have adverse repercussions upsetting the whole programme. A great deal of
work of a technical character will be continuously necessary in order to ensure
the co-ordinated development and use of resources as the plan proceeds. From
this point of view, no less than from the point of view of the uncertainties
I mentioned earlier, it is essential to view the plan as a broad framework within
which more concrete and detailed plans for each year may be worked out and implemented.
8. The Second Five Year Plan is a bolder step forward in the direction of developing
the economy. It involves an increase in the rate of investment from the present
level of about 7 per cent of the national income to something like 12 per cent.
This order of effort is feasible only if the necessary restraint in the matter
of consumption is forthcoming on the part of all sections of the community,
each according to its capacity.
With a rising national income keeping ahead of the growth in population there
need be no question of a reduction in the existing average living standard.
This has to rise. That is the very object of planning. Neverthless, there is
in the short term a choice between an increase in consumption and an increase
in investment which would bring in larger returns in the future. To the extent
that a plan succeeds in drawing upon unutilised resources, it makes possible
a simultaneous increase in the production of investment goods as well as consumption
goods. It is not necessary, therefore, in an underdeveloped economy to regard
an all round reduction in consumption as a condition precedent to an increase
in investment, although it is possible that the current consumption standards
of the more fortunate sections of the community will be unfavourably affected.
There is, all the same, need for relative restraint, difficult as this is in
a country which starts with exceedingly low levels of consumption. And fiscal
policy has to be, geared to this objective. Whatever the rise in money incomes,
the community's expenditure on consumption must be limited to the level which
buys off currently available supplies of consumer goods at more or less constant
prices.
9. I shall not at this stage review the entire financial prospect in relation
to the Plan. I must, however, stress the fact that a plan of the dimensions
proposed will require the utmost effort by way of mobilising the resources needed.
The financial resources obtained from abroad can only help within limits and
at the margins. This help is undoubtedly, of great significance and value, and
it is most welcome. However, the bulk of the effort has to come from within
the country. In this context a progressive tax system, that is, a system which
augments tax resources proportionately or more than proportionately to the increase
in national income has an important role to play. It is important also to encourage
and mobilise the savings of the community with far more intensive official and
non-official efforts than have hitherto been made. As both these can only be
achieved progressively, the implementation of the Plan has to be phased with
care.
REVIEW OF ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
10. A correct appraisal of current economic trends and situations is notoriously
difficult, but as far as such an appraisal is feasible, we should, in my view,
be justified in believing that we are embarking upon our Second Plan in reasonably
favourable economic climate. In retrospect it seems clear that economic conditions
in the country changed for the better in 1953 and 1954 and the Indian economy
achieved greater strength and vigour in the course of 1955. The decline in agricultural
prices which set in after August, 1953, was halted by May, 1955 and over the
remaining part of the year an upward trend was registered. In most industries
production reached significantly higher levels, and, aided by favourable factors,
the performance in regard to agricultural production was satisfactory. The rate
of planned outlay was stepped up considerably without apparently releasing inflationary
pressure. Aggregate demand and supply tend to balance at a higher level. The
slack in the economy which came into evidence after the collapse of the Korean
boom has virtually disappeared. The First plan has thus strengthened the economy
a great deal and stage is now set for more rapid development.
11. In 1954-55 the overall index of agricultural production reached 113.9, almost
on level with the preceding year when it had touched the record figure on 114.1.
The output of foodgrains during the year amounted to 65.8 million tons, which,
though a little lower than in the previous year, was yet in excess of the Plan
target by just over 4 Million tons. The easy supply position of foodgrains enabled
the Government to remove the last remnant of controls on the 18th March, 1955,
when the inter-zonal restrictions on movement of wheat were removed.
The general crop prospects for 1955-56 are considered to be satisfactory. They
would have been better still but for the calamitous floods in the North and
the devastating cyclones in the South that occurred during the year.
12. The production of commercial crops showed further improvement in the current
year. Oilseeds output at 5.9 million tons and raw cotton at 4.3 million bales
have exceeded their targets under the First Five Year Plan by 4 lakhs tons and
about 1 lakh bales respectively. The production of sugar touched the record
level of 15.9 lakh tons as compared to 10.01 lakh tons in 1953-54, while that
of jute, which remained depressed during the last two years, has shown a significant
increase of about 12 lakh bales during the 1955-56 season as compared to the
last.
13. The upward trend in industrial production has persisted through 1955. A
revised index of industrial production is now available. The new series has
a larger coverage-88 items as against 35 items in the old interim index. According
to this series the index of industrial production(1951=100) for the first 10
months of 1955 works out at 125.7 as against 112.9 for the whole of 1954. This
represents an increase of some 11 per cent over the preceding year. This increase
in production was shared by almost all the important industries. The output
of finished steel at 1.26 million tons was higher than the record of 1.243 million
tons achieved in 1954. The production of mill cloth which stood at 5,087 million
yards in 1955 was 89 million yards higher than the production of 1954 and exceeded
the target fixed under the First Five Year Plan by 387 million yards. The production
of handloom cloth has also increased considerably during the year and at 1,450
million yards was the highest since independence. Cement production during the
year reached 4.5 million tons, again the highest since 1947. In jute, chemicals
and paper too, the performances were high. Considerable strides have also been
made by the engineering industry.
14. Special steps are being taken to plan and execute large scale development
of the chemical industry in diverse fields. Manufacture of paper and pulp from
bagasse is under investigation. An expert committee has recently been appointed
to go into the question of existing capacity for the manufacture of different
types of machine tools and to recommend measures required for the rapid development
of this basic industry. The National industrial Development Corporation has
in hand a number of projects including the establishment of heavy foundries,
forges and gear-cutting and structural fabrication shops. These will lay the
foundations of the heavy machine-making industries. The two major producers
of steel have undertaken substantial expansion of their capacity which will
relieve the shortage of steel during the Second Five Year Plan. Licences have
also been given during the year to raise cement output to 11.59 million tons
in the next five years.
15. Special measures were taken during the year for the promotion and development
of small industries. A National Small industries Corporation has been set up
and four regional Small industries Service institutes opened. A number of schemes
for the development of various small industries in co-operation with the State
Governments have been approved. Technical assistance to help small industries
in improving output has been extended and special experts are being brought
in from abroad to help in this task. A scheme for setting up industrial Estates
in various important centres in the country is under implementation. Financial
assistance on a greatly enhanced scale is also being given through the State
Governments. The development of the Khadi and village industries and handicrafts
continued to receive systematic assistance from Government through grants and
loans to the respective Boards and State Governments.
16. Industrial enterprises in the public sector have also advanced to higher
levels of performance. The Sindri Fertiliser Factory has exceeded the planned
target by producing 3,22,000 tons of ammonium sulphate during 1955. The Hindustan
Cable, Factory which began production in September, 1954, has stepped up its
output considerably and during the current year is expected to exceed the target
of production of 470 miles of cables per annum envisaged for this factory. The
Penicillin Factory started working in 1954 and has already left far behind the
planned target of manufacture of 4.8 million mega units. The Machine Tool Factory
at Bangalore and the integral Poach Factory at Perambur have commenced production.
Government have decided to increase the production capacity of the D.D.T. factory
in Delhi, which commenced production only in 1955, to 1,400 tons and also to
set up a second factory in Travancore-Cochin with a similar capacity. Among
the more important now projects that win be taken up during the coming year
is the setting up of a Heavy Electrial Equipment Factory in the public sector
for the manufacture of electric generators, transformers, switch gears, turbines
for river valley projects and traction equipment for railways. The House is
aware of the creation during the year of the Ministry of Iron and Steel to deal
exclusively with the setting up of steel plants in the public sector. The final
project report for the first of the three steel plants which it has been decided
to set up, viz., that at Rourkela, has recently been approved and work at site
is progressing satisfactorily. Decision on the project report for the second
plant at Bhilal has been taken and here too, a Project Division set up at the
site has been making fair progress. Arrangements in regard to the third steel
plant at Durgapur are progressing satisfactorily and meanwhile, a field office,
headed by an administrator, has been established.
17. It is evident that the industrial base of the economy is being broadened
year after year, and to this progress the private as well as the public sector
has made a significant contribution.
18. The downward trend in wholesale prices which began in 1953 and gathered
momentum in, 1954, was halted by May 1955 when the wholesale price index reached
a low of 342. Since then the index has been rising continuously and in December
1955 it reached 368.4, more or less on par with the level in December, 1954.
The prices of food articles advanced from 276.1 in May to 323.7 in December
and of industrial raw materials from 3b6.4 to 438.3. On the other hand, prices
of manufactured articles remained virtually unchanged over the year. The fact
that prices in general did not record any net rise over the year as a whole
is significant in the context of the considerable expansion that has occurred
in money supply with the public which recorded a rise of about 200 crores or
11 per cent during 1955 as against a rise of about 120 crores in 1954.
19. The movement of wholesale prices is reflected in the cost of living. The
all-India index of cost of living moved down from 97 in December 1954 to 92
in May 1955, mainly due to a fall of about 7 per cent in the food index. By
October, 1955, the general index had again moved up to 97. Later figures indicate
that cost of living indices have moved up in the last quarter of the year, in
keeping with the general trend of wholesale prices. The average level of 1955
as a whole, however, is lower than that for 1954.
20. Government took several measures to arrest the downward trend of agricultural
prices which caused some anxiety early last year. Purchases of wheat and coarse
grains were made at selected centres and larger exports of several agricultural
commodities were permitted. These measures, together with the increased tempo
of development, arrested the fall in prices, and an upward trend is now in evidence.
In order to prevent an undue rise in prices as a precautionary measure Government
have been releasing stocks of wheat for sale at selected centres. These price
movements only high-light the importance both of Government keeping a continuous
watch on the price level and also holding at its disposal sizeable stocks of
foodgrains on which it can operate. A little countervailing action in time may
save more extensive and varied measures later.
21. There is another aspect of the problem which may be mentioned in this context.
Experience has shown that measures for imparting relative stability to agricultural
prices cannot be fully effective without properly organised and integrated facilities
for credit and marketing. Accordingly, in the light of the findings of the Rural
Credit Survey Committee, an integrated programme of co-operative development
covering all important aspects of rural economic life, viz., credit, marketing,
processing, warehousing and storage has been formulated. The main features of
this programme are the participation of the States in the share capital of the
co-operative institutions at all levels, re-organisation of the agricultural
credit structure with larger organised primary units and strong Central and
Apex Banks, organisation of marketing societies closely linked with credit co-operatives
establishment of warehouses provision of better storage facilities to co-operatives
and the setting up of institutes or schools for the training of co-operative
personnel. The Government and the Reserve Bank have already implemented a number
of recommendations of the Rural Credit Survey Committee in this respect. Thus
the Imperial Bank of India has already been converted into the State Bank of
India and the Reserve Bank of India Act has been amended so as to enable them
to expand and augment credit facilities in rural areas. Only with progressive
implementation of the Committee's recommendations will the requisite institutional
framework for an effective application of policies in relation to agriculture
be established.
22. Notwithstanding the progress achieved in different sectors of the economy,
the employment situation in the country remains a matter of concern. Several
ad-hoc employment surveys in different parts of the country have been carried
out, but they cannot easily be used to assess the overall situation or assist
in formulating policies and plans for meeting it. The measure of unemployment
and under-employment in an undeveloped economy presents difficult problems of
definition and procedure. The Central Statistical Organisation and the National
Sample Survey have been devoting some attention to these problems, but it will
be some time before comparable and comprehensive data on a continuing basis
become available. Meanwhile, from the rather inadequate data furnished by the
employment figures, it would appear that unemployment in the urban areas is
increasing. The number of persons on the live registers at the various Employment
Exchanges rose from 6.1 lakhs at the beginning of the year to 6.92 lakhs at
the end, i.e., by about 13 per cent. This increase in registrations may however
be due in part at any rate to greater tendency or readiness to register, as
in part it is also due to some movement of people from rural to urban areas.
However that may be the need for stepping up the pace of development and for
diversifying the economic structure of the country is obvious.
BALANCE OF PAYMENTS
23. Honourable Members will recall that when we started the First Five Year
Plan we anticipated a large deficit in our overall balance of payments. But
it has not materialised to the extent we originally feared. Due very largely
to the great increase in our food production, which has resulted in a very substantial
reduction in our food imports, as wen as to the aid we have received from foreign
countries over these years, the total reduction in our sterling balances during
these five years has been about Rs. 150 crores only. Lately, the improvement
in the domestic economy has made itself felt somewhat in our external trade.
The country's balance of payments on current account for the first nine months
of 1955 showed a surplus of Rs. 25 crores and the year as a whole may show a
surplus of about Rs. 35 crores as compared with a deficit of Rs.4 crores in
the previous year.
24. The level of our sterling balances reflects the overall balance of payments.
At the beginning of the year 1955, these stood at Rs. 731 crores and at the
end at Rs. 735 crores. That they have risen only by Rs. 4 crores as against
the much greater surpluses on current account is due to a substantial deficit
in capital account. The House will recall that India repurchased her obligations
from the International Monetary Fund to the extent of Rs. 22.2 crores in 1954.
A further sum of Rs. 19.3 crores was repurchased during 1955, reducing India's
liability to the Fund to about Rs. 6 crores only.
25. Our dollar position has also improved. During the first three quarters of
1955 there was a substantial surplus on current account of Rs. 31 crores as
against Rs. 3 crores in the corresponding period of 1954. As a result of the
improvement in the dollar balance of payments, India made a net contribution
of $ 53 millions to the Central Reserve in 1955 as compared with a net withdrawal
of $ 15 millions in 1954. During the year further progress was made towards
liberalisation of dollar imports. This is in line with the policies followed
generally by members of the Sterling area. Further reduction of the discrimination
against dollar imports or liberalisation of dollar payments will obviously depend
on the overall position of the Central go1d-dollar reserves.
26. The improvement in the payments position was achieved at a higher level
of trade than in the preceding year. The total value of imports during 1955
was higher by Rs. 28 crores as compared with 1954. Exports recorded an even
larger increase, the actual figure being Rs. 41 crores. Of the items which have
contributed to the general increase in exports, special mention may be made
of vegetable oils, jute manufactures, raw cotton and shellac.
27. Despite the satisfactory payments position at present, the projected increase
in the pace of development in the country will necessarily put a heavy strain
on our payments position in future. Government are taking active measures to
promote exports. Export promotion Councils and Commodity Boards have been set
up, greater emphasis is being laid on the value of standardisation and quality
control and participation in international fairs and exhibitions is being increased.
The institution of an Export Credit Guarantee Scheme is under consideration
and a Committee has recently been appointed to formulate proposals in this regard.
In spite of all this, there is little doubt that, if the Second Five Year Plan
proceeds according to schedule, not only shall we not be able to achieve any
surplus in our external accounts but we are also likely to be faced with fairly
substantial deficits. These deficits may be greater than they otherwise would
have been because we have to contend with certain adverse factors. Tea prices
have fallen and export trade in our other major items, jute and cotton textiles
is becoming increasingly competitive. We have therefore to take urgent and effective
steps to modernise and rationalise these industries, so as to make them capable
of withstanding foreign competition. Our import requirements on the other hand
must necessarily continue to rise as the tempo of our development programme
increases. It is in this context that the importance of making all-out efforts
to encourage export industries and otherwise to save or earn foreign exchange
becomes apparent.
28. During the year under review, we have not taken any loan from the International
Bank for Reconstruction and Development. 1ndia’s net total borrowings
from the Bank during a period of six years remain at about $ 125 millions, of
which $ 64 millions have actually been drawn so far. However we expect the Bank
to play a still more significant part in the financing of the foreign capital
requirements of the Second Five Year Plan. In order to enable it to assess our
requirements and to determine what projects in the Plan it could finance, we
have invited the Bank to send a Mission to visit us and we expect that it will
be here shortly. Another development in the foreign financial field is the establishment
of the International Finance Corporation which will start functioning during
the course of the next few months and which, we as a member country hope, will
add to the flow of further funds to this country.
29. India continued to receive economic assistance from friendly countries,
mainly from the U.S.A., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The total amount
of foreign aid estimated to be utilised from April, 1951, to March, 1956, is
of the order of Rs.200 crores, the total authorisation of funds so far being
Rs.300 crores. For the year 1955-56, a sum of $ 50 millions has been authorised
by the U.S. Government as development assistance to India, of which it has been
agreed that $ 37.5 millions or its rupee equivalent will be a loan. The Government
of Canada provided during 1955-56 an amount of $ 13 millions, as usual, and
a special allocation of $ 7 millions for the NRX Reactor for the Atomic Research
Station at Bombay. The Government of Australia have agreed to provide an additional
1000 wagons and some equipment for the All-India Radio at a cost of approximately
Australian £ 1.8 million. Similarly, the Government of New Zealand have
intimated that an additional amount of £ 400, 000 would be available for
being utilised on dairy development schemes. Assistance from the Ford Foundation
for the projects undertaken in the previous years was continued. Under the Colombo
Plan, we a: e also providing assistance to some of our neighbour countries.
In the course of 1956- 57, the value of external assistance expected to be received
by India under the Colombo Plan, including assistance from the U.S.A. is expected
to amount to Rs.75 crores. We shall be spending approximately Rs.1.5 crores
on aid to other countries. We shall also be receiving from the Government of
the USSR a credit equivalent of about Rs.10 crores during the year in respect
of the supply of plant and equipment for the Bhilai Steel Project. Such assistance
from outside, freely given and received without inhibitions, plays a valuable
role in our endeavours to develop our economy, and I feel sure that it is greatly
appreciated by the vast majority of the people of this country.
30. The Government of India have continued, as in the past, to maintain their
close economic link with the Sterling Area. India was represented at the Commonwealth
Finance Ministers Conference in Istanbul in September last when common problems
facing the Sterling Area were discussed and the need for the continuance of
sound internal economic policy was recognised. The Conference also reviewed
the difficulties that had been facing sterling in the recent past and determined
on measures to restore its position in the markets of the world.
31. We have also continued to follow our traditional policy of close co-operation
with our neighbouring countries in economic matters. We participated in the
Asian- African Conference in Bandung in April, 1955, where a number of resolutions
were passed dealing with economic matters designed to promote economic co-operation
among the countries in Asia and Africa. In accordance with the resolutions of
that Conference, we have appointed a liaison officer to examine and pursue policies
conforming to these resolutions. We also agreed to grant a loan of Rs. 20 crores
to the Government of Burma to help them tide over certain temporary difficulties.
32. This review of the last year of the First Five Year Plan shows how far the
country has progressed during the period covered by it. What has been achieved
in the past few years gives reason for hope that given the will and determination
to put up with the necessary sacrifices, the further progress of the country
can be assured. The spell of stagnation has been broken. Total national income
over the First Five Year Plan period will have increased by some 18 per cent
as against the 11 per cent increase envisaged in the Plan. The productive capacity
of the economy has been significantly enlarged. And these results have been
achieved consistently with the maintenance of economic and financial stability.
In the course of the First Plan, there have been inflationary or deflationary
forces in evidence from time to time, but on the eve of the Second Plan, the
situation appears to be more or less one of balance, with slight pressures which,
if not kept under observation and cheek, might in the context of the greatly
increased rates of further expenditure contemplated hereafter become inflationary.
FINANCIAL YEAR 1955-56
33. I shall now deal with the revised estimates for the current year and the
budget estimates for the coming year.
34. The House will remember that the Budget for the current year placed the
revenue at Rs. 481.58 crores and expenditure at Rs. 498.93 crores, leaving a
deficit on revenue account of Rs. 17.35 crores. On the basis of the latest available
information, I now expect that the year will close with a surplus of Rs. 12.31
crores. This improvement is due to a rise in revenue of Rs. 20.09 crores and
a shortfall in expenditure of Rs. 9.57 crores.
35. The revenue from Customs is now taken at Rs. 165 crores which is almost
the same as the budget figure of Rs.164.5 crores. During the year a number of
export duties were abolished or reduced in the interest of our export trade.
Thus the duties on jute manufactures, black pepper, coffee, and iron and steel
manufactures were abolished while the duties on oils and oil cakes, raw cotton
etc., were reduced. The average rate of the export duty on tea was also less
than the rate of As. 10 per pound assumed in the budget. The net result has
been a reduction of Rs.11 crores in the revenue from export duties. This reduction
however has been offset by an equal Improvement in the import duties on various
items, such as motor spirit, machinery and iron and steel. Union Excise duties
are now estimated to yield Rs. 140 crores against Rs. 132.27 crores taken in
the budget. Of the improvement of about Rs. 8 crores, petrol and kerosene oil
account for Rs. 1 crore, cloth Rs. 2 crores, sugar Rs. 1.75 crores, and the
new excise duties introduced in the last budget Rs. 2 crores. For revenue from
income Tax, the budget figure of Rs. 173.7 crores has been repeated. The Estate
Duty collections are now estimated at Rs. 2 crores only against the budget estimate
of Rs. 3 crores, but this revenue accrues almost entirely to the States and
the reduction does not affect the Central Budget. The revenue from Posts &
Telegraphs is expected to increase from the budget estimate of Rs. 70 lakhs
to Rs. 2.27 crores as a result of better traffic; the share of States in income
Tax is now placed at Rs. 55.16 crores against the budget figure of Rs. 56.97
crores; there is a formal increase of Rs. 11.2 crores on account of sale proceeds
of evacuee property which is offset by a corresponding transfer to the compensation
pool on the expenditure side; and other heads show a fall of Rs. 2.64 crores
representing largely a throwforward to the next year of a part of the profits
from the sale of sugar imported on Government account.
36. The expenditure this year is now estimated at Rs.489.36 crores of which
Civil expenditure will amount of Rs. 304.29 crores and expenditure on Defence
Services to Rs. 185.07 crores.
37. In Civil expenditure there is a saving of Rs.3.16 crores, excluding the
selfbalancing item of Rs. 11.2 crores which I have mentioned earlier. This is
the net result of a number of variations, of which I need mention only the major
ones. Assistance to States towards relief and repair of damage caused by natural
calamities is expected to increase by Rs. 4 crores to Rs. 7 crores as a result
of serious floods in certain parts of the country. The expenditure on displaced
persons has increased by about Rs. 3 crores over the budget figure of Rs. 10.37
crores. On the other hand, expenditure under Education shows a shortfall of
Rs. 3 crores due to slower progress of schemes, particularly the Centrally assisted
State schemes, and there are similar savings of Rs.1 crore each in grants to
the Central Social Welfare Board and for village and small scale industries.
Interest charges are expected to be less by Rs. 1.4 crores and there is a similar
decrease under Civil Works.
38. Under Defence Services the revised estimates show a net decrease of Rs.
17.61 crores. This is mainly because expenditure on stores was less than was
anticipated owing to difficulties in procuring supplies.
FINANCIAL YEAR 1956-57
39. For the coming year, I estimate the revenue, on the basis of existing taxation,
at Rs. 493.6 crores and the expenditure at Rs. 545.43 crores leaving a deficit
of Rs. 51.83 crores on revenue account.
40. The revenue from Customs next year has been placed at Rs. 150 crores against
the current year's revised estimates of Rs. 165 crores. The drop of Rs. 15 crores
is due, firstly, to the full year's effect of the abolition of export duties
made this Year; secondly, to the cessation of Imports of sugar and, thirdly,
to a similar reduction in the imports of motor spirit as a result of increase
in indigenous production. The yield from Union Excise duties is taken at Rs.
145.45 crores as compared with the current year's revised estimates of Rs. 140.00
crores, the increase being largely due to an improvement of Rs. 4 crores in
motor spirit and of Rs. 1.2 crores in tobacco. Under Income Tax, the revenue
next year is placed at Rs. 180 crores, an increase of Rs. 6.3 crores over the
current year's revised estimates. The revenue from Posts and Telegraphs is estimated
at Rs. 65 lakhs only against Rs. 2.27 crores this year. The dividend payable
by Railways next year is estimated at Rs. 39.66 crores, an increase of Rs. 3.5
crores over the current year's revised estimate. Of this amount Rs. 33.09 crores
will represent the interest element taken in reduction of the interest payments
on the expenditure side and the balance as contribution to revenue. The estimate
of Estate Duty collections next year is Rs. 2.5 crores, most of which will accrue
to the States. Sale proceeds of evacuee property will drop by Rs. 6.2 crores,
but this, as explained earlier, will have no net effect on the revenue budget.
The only other item which needs mention is the share of income Tax payable to
States which will amount to Rs. 53.35 crores as compared with Rs. 55.16 crores,
the reduction being due to adjustments of overpayments made in the previous
year.
41. I am budgeting for a total expenditure of Rs. 545.43 crores during the next
year of which Rs.203.97 crores will be on Defence Services and Rs.341.46 crores
under Civil heads.
42. The estimates of Defence Services show an increase of Rs. 18.90 crores over
the revised estimates of the current year. The increase is mainly due to the
normal expansion of the Navy and Air Force. The Army budget also shows an increase,
due to the carry-over to the next year of demands of stores which have not materialised
during the current year. Some increase is also expected in the manufacture in
India of stores required for the Services.
43. Civil expenditure next year shows an increase of Rs.43.37 crores, exclusive
of the self balancing item in respect of evacuee property mentioned earlier.
The bulk of the increase is on account of the rising tempo of development expenditure.
I need not weary the House by giving a detailed account of all the individual
variations. As usual, full particulars are given in the Explanatory Memorandum
and I shall mention here only the more important items.
44. The total expenditure on nation-building and development services under
Civil Administration, excluding Rs.3.6 crores transferred from other heads,
amounts to about Rs.92 crores as compared with Rs.69 crores during the current
year. Provision for Education increases by Rs.6.4 crores to Rs.21.6 crores which
includes Rs.10.4 crores for grants to States for basic, social and secondary
education, Rs.3.5 crores for University Grants Commission, and Rs.1.5 crores
for scholarships to students of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other
backward classes. For expenditure on Medical and Public Health an additional
sum of Rs.4 crores has been provided; Agricultural and allied services will
cost Rs.4 crores more, and, similarly, development of village and small scale
industries Rs.1.3 crores more. Provision for scientific research has been increased
by Rs.2 crores and for coal and mineral prospecting by about Rs.1 crore. For
development of Khadi and handloom industries a total provision of Rs.6.1 crores
has been made; in the revenue budget but this will be met from the fund created
out of the special cess on mill-made cloth.
45. In addition to the increase of Rs.23 crores I have just mentioned, the provision
for Community Development and National Extension Service has been raised by
Rs.1.4 crores to Rs.12.9 crores; and that for the welfare of scheduled tribes,
scheduled castes and backward classes by Rs.3.4 crores to Rs.10.2 crores. The
grant to the Central Social Welfare Board and expenditure on Social and Moral
Hygiene will cost Rs.1.6 crores more. Other increases are Rs.50 lakhs for grants
to States for Primary Education under the Finance Commission's Award and Rs.1.8
crores for expenditure on Forest Development.
46. Of the rest of the increase in Civil expenditure, a sum of Rs.2.7 crores
represents additional expenditure on displaced persons due largely to the continued
influx from East Bengal, and Rs.1.4 crores on Elections, the balance being the
net result of variations under other items.
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
47. The current year's budget provided for a capital expenditure of Rs.223.3
crores. This was inclusive of Rs.29 crores for State Trading schemes, mostly
in regard to foodgrains. These schemes are now estimated to yield a net credit
of Rs.11 crores owing largely to reduced imports of wheat and sugar. Capital
outlay in respect of Railways is now expected to be Rs.72 crores against the
budget figure of Rs.66 crores, but this increase has been more than offset by
a shortfall in expenditure under a number of other heads. Thus cash compensation
to displaced persons shows a saving of Rs.6 crores in the budget provision of
Rs.15 crores. The revised estimates of capital outlay for the current year now
stand at Rs.170 crores.
48. For the next year, capital expenditure is estimated at Rs.316.7 crores including
Rs.9.5 crores for Government Trading schemes, mostly for our normal purchases
for the Central Reserve of foodgrains.
49. Provision for the capital outlay of Railways amounts to Rs.113 crores against
Rs.72 crores in the current year. Provision for the three steel plants at Rourkela,
Bhilai and Durgapur amounts to Rs.44 crores. A provision of Rs.5 crores has
been made for investment in the Life insurance Corporation which is being set
up following the decision to nationalise life insurance. Cash compensation to
displaced persons is estimated at Rs.20 crores. There is also an increase of
Rs.6 crores on the capital outlay on Defence next year.
50. In addition to the provision for capital outlay, the estimates include,
against the original Budget provision of Rs.355 crores for the current year,
a revised figure of Rs.327 crores this year for loans to State Governments and
others, mostly for the execution of projects in the Plan. The provision made
for the next year on this account is Rs.386 crores. Honourable Members will
find the broad details of these loans in the Explanatory Memorandum.
51. With the large and growing outlay in the context of the Plan, both on revenue
and on capital account, the question of securing the maximum possible economy
and avoiding wastage owing to delays and, inefficiency assumes added importance.
Honourable Members have naturally been taking keen interest in this question
and the Taxation Enquiry Commission had also stressed the need for a thorough
and careful enquiry, both in the Central Government and in the States, into
the whole question of public expenditure. As I have explained on various occasions
we are keeping a continuous watch over the growth of expenditure and securing
economy, wherever possible, as part of our day to day control over expenditure.
We have an Economy Unit set up under the Home and Finance Ministries continuously
re-assessing the staff requirements of various Central Ministries and an Organisation
and Methods Division in the Cabinet Secretariat engaged on a continuous review
of organisation and methods of work in the various Central Offices, so that
wastes resulting from uneconomic methods are avoided. We have also the assistance
of the Estimates Committee in the pursuit of economy. Any net reduction in the
administrative expenditure in the Centre or in the States can hardly be expected
during the course of implementation of the Second Five Year Plan. Nevertheless,
this very tempo of rising expenditure during the next five years would open
up many possibilities of extravagance and waste and it is necessary to keep
a still closer watch over such expenditure to ensure that the tax-payer gets
the maximum benefit out of the planned outlay. We have been in consultation
with the Planning Commission and have come to the conclusion that the best way
of dealing with this matter would be to set up a special high-powered committee
of Ministers and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission at the Centre
to organize a thorough investigation, including inspection in the field of the
Important projects in hand both at the Centre and in the States (with the approval
of the National Development Council), through specially selected teams. These
teams will be composed of officials as well as non-officials specially selected
for each group of related investigations and may be assisted by outside experts.
As the results of each investigation are received, the High-powered Committee
at the Centre win examine them with a view to formulating proposals for effecting
economy to be implemented by Central Ministries or in the States, as the case
may be. The orders of the Cabinet or guidance from the National Development
Council will be obtained wherever this is considered necessary. Such proposals
may conceivably include the setting up of economy units for different categories
of projects, preferably in the Planning Commission.
52. This brings me to the somewhat related question of the resources of the
States for financing the Plan. It is of great importance that the revenue budgets
of the States, as, indeed of the Centre, should be balanced. While it is reasonable
to borrow for investment outlay and for a time even some measure of deficit
financing may be necessary for financing such outlay, ordinary prudence demands
that current expenditure should be met by taxation. Capital expenditure has
also to be phased so that it corresponds to the results of special efforts to
increase resources for development. The States have been advised to bear these
considerations in mind in framing their budget estimates for 1956-57. Some measure
of relief to the revenue budget of most of the States may result from a re-classification
of expenditure between revenue and capital. This question was examined carefully
by us in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General and, with a view
both to uniformity and also because of the large and abnormal expenditure necessitated
by the Plan, we have suggested to the States that certain items of expenditure
might appropriately be transferred from revenue to capital, as for example,
expenditure on permanent assets of a concrete nature costing Rs.20,000 and over.
The Centre has also been able to make grants to the States over and above the
transfer of resources, which it had to make as a result of the last Finance
Commissions's Award, but the Centre's ability to make such grants is conditioned
by its own revenue position. In any case, the allocation of revenue resources
between the Centre and the States is a matter for the Finance Commission for
which the Constitution specifically provides. For the year 1956-57, Central
assistance towards the schemes falling on the revenue budgets of the States
is being continued on the current pattern, although part of this assistance
will necessarily have to be reallocated among the re-organised units which will
come into existence later in the year as a result of the decisions on the recommendations
of the States Re-organisation Commission. The year 1956-57 will be the last
of the quinquennium covered by the Award of the first Finance Commission. How
far the Centre can continue or increase the present scale of assistance to the
States will depend on the Award of the next Finance Commission. The President
has approved the appointment of Shri K.Santhanam as the chairman of the next
Finance Commission. Other members of the Commission will be appointed shortly
and the Commission is expected to start its work in the near future. The Commission
will have to consider the finances of the re-organised States and its recommendations
would normally take effect from the year 1957-58. In addition to its normal
duty to make recommendations about the distribution of Central taxes and of
Central grants, it is proposed to seek its advice on a few other important subjects.
The first of these, as was indicated in the last Budget Speech, is the distribution
of proceeds of Estate Duty in respect of which we are, at present, tentatively
following the last Finance Commission’s formula about incometax. Another
subject is the terms which can appropriately be fixed for different kinds of
loans to the States. A large number of loans are being and will continue to
be sanctioned to the States for financing their Plan. The terms of each loan
have so far been fixed ad hoc and it is possible that, in some cases, they have
proved onerous. An independent body which will go into the question of the finances
of State Governments would be able to make a proper assessment of the burden
of these loans on the States and also to advise upon their appropriateness.
Whatever relief these adjustments and the Finance Commission may bring to them,
It is clear that the States have to raise additional revenue to cover the growing
recurrent liabilities which the present and the next Plans will involve on their
revenue budgets. In this they may have to go beyond the lines recommended by
the Taxation Enquiry Commission which was visualising a much smaller Second
Five Year Plan.
WAYS AND MEANS
53. The current year’s budget provided for an overall deficit of Rs.327
crores to be met by expansion of treasury bills. On the basis of the revised
estimates, the overall deficit is now expected at Rs.222 crores. As the opening
balance of the year was about’Rs.18 crores less than the minimum of Rs.50
crores the expansion of treasury bills will amount to about Rs.240 crores.
54. Unlike the previous year when a combined loan was floated to cover the requirements
of both the Central Government and the State Governments, this year the normal
procedure of separate loans by the Centre and the States was followed. The Central
Government floated a 10-year loan, the 31% National Plan Bonds-Second Series.
This loan which was for Rs.100 crores was fully subscribed, the amount accepted
being Rs.103.7 crores. Small Savings have shown substantial improvement, the
collections now expected being Rs.65 crores against Rs.52 crores in the budget.
While the response so far has been encouraging, the task set for the next Plan
is much bigger. As Honourable Members will have seen from the Draft Outline
of the Plan, Small Savings are expected to yield Rs.500 crores during the next
Plan, which is more than double the target for the current Plan. Government
have been taking various steps to intensify the Small Savings movement. In the
rural areas, the agency of Panchayats, Union Board Presidents and Village Teachers
is being utilised. The Women’s Savings campaign under the Central Advisory
Committee has been maintaining Ate progress and over 150 voluntary social and
women’s organisations have been appointed as agents for the sale of Certificates.
The State Governments are co-operating in the movement and some of them have
created special offices to intensify the small savings drives in co-operation
and co-ordination with the National Savings Organisation. Advisory Committees
are being formed, both at the State and the district level, to assist the movement
and a system of Savings Groups is proposed to be introduced in all offices and
organisations. The higher target for the next Plan can only be achieved, however,
if there is full and whole-hearted co-operation on the part of every citizen
of the country. This is a task of vital national interest about which there
can be no two opinions and I hope that the fullest co-operation will be forthcoming
freely from all. I, therefore, renew once again my appeal for greater effort
on the part of every one to save and invest in Small Savings and thus contribute
towards the successful implementation of the Plan.
55. The improvement in the Ways and Means position this year is due largely
to the surplus in the revenue account and the savings in the capital expenditure
and loans to State Governments and others which I have mentioned earlier. Foreign
aid this year is now expected to amount to about Rs.56 crores against Rs.74
crores in the budget, but this has been more than offset by improvement in other
heads. Two loans which fell due for repayment this year were duly repaid, the
amount involved being Rs.69 crores.
56. The overall deficit next year is estimated at about Rs.390 crores. This
follows the larger provision for development expenditure in the revenue and
capital budgets. Credit has been taken for a new loan of Rs.100 crores next
year. Small Savings next year may amount to Rs.70 crores and foreign aid Rs.85
crores. There is no loan maturity next year. Allowing for other miscellaneous
transactions under Debt and Remittance heads, it will be necessary, on these
estimates, to expand treasury bills by Rs.390 crores to cover the overall deficit.
57. I might summarise the Ways and Means position for the coming year. Government
need Rs.52 crores for meeting the revenue deficit and Rs.703 crores for financing
the capital outlay and loan requirements of State Governments and others. Against
this, they hope to raise Rat 100 crores from the market loan and Rs.70 crores
from small savings. Foreign aid expected next year amounts to Rs.85 crores and
other miscellaneous Debt and Remittance transactions may bring in Rs.110 crores.
This will leave a gap of about Rs.390 crores in the available resources to balance
the budget.
58. I now turn to the budget proposals for the coming year.
59. The position for the coming year is briefly that the deficit on revenue
account is estimated at Rs.51.83 crores and the overall deficit at Rs.390 crores.
The immediate question is how much of this deficit should be covered by additional
taxation.
60.
I referred earlier to the question of re-classification of expenditure between
revenue and capital. At the Centre, Honourable Members will recall, we are already
taking to capital temporarily a number of grants to States and there is not
much scope for further transfers from revenue to capital without straining unduly
the rules of classification. I believe also that, with the administrative machinery
both at the Centre and in the States getting increasingly geared to the execution
of the Plan, shortfalls in expenditure of the order which have occurred in recent
years will tend to diminish. The estimates for the coming year have been framed
with as much care as possible; in particular, substantial reductions have been
made under heads which have shown persistent savings and the provision for grants
to States for various development schemes has been based on a proper assessment
of the ability of the States to find their share of the resources required to
finance those schemes. Although, therefore, it is not possible to say categorically
that the shortfalls will he entirely eliminated, or that there will be no variations
in estimates of revenue the margin of fluctuations is likely to be narrower
than in the past. Indeed, it may be said that the cuts that have been made in
some of the demands for next year may prove to be too fine. I cannot but stress
again the principle that current expenditure should, as far as possible, be
met from current taxation. It is, therefore necessary to cover the gap on revenue
account in the coming year, If not wholly, at least substantially. My proposals
for additional taxation are related to this objective.
CHANCES IN CUMSTOMS DUTIES
61. I shall first deal with the changes I propose to make in Customs Duties.
62. In regard to Import duties, a number of minor changes are being made and
I need only mention a few of them. The duty on liquid gold for glass making
is being raised from its present level of 311/4 per cent to 621/2 per cent.
The duty on flash-lights and flash light cases is being raised from 39-3/8 percent
to 51 percent. These changes will help the indigenous industries in these goods.
Certain changes are also being made in the items in the Import Tariff affecting
mineral oils, mainly with a view to rationalising the existing headings. The
existing item in the Import Tariff relating to spectacle frames and parts thereof
is being amended so as to include complete spectacles within that item. The
net effect of the changes proposed will be an addition to revenue of about Rs.1
crore.
As regards export duties, the only change I propose to make is by way of affording
relief to the Tea Industry. The House will recall that a slab system of export
duty on tea was introduced last year. It is too early to say how that system
has worked. In the meantime, however, our exports of tea have suffered a setback
during 1955 as a result of a number of factors, including a comparatively high
production and keen foreign competition. In order to afford some relief to the
industry and to step up our exports of medium teas, I propose that the existing
duty for the slab relating to the price range of Rs.3-4-0 to Rs.4/- per lb.
be reduced by two annas per lb., that is, from eight annas per lb., which is
the present rate, to six annas per lb. The effect of this will be that all teas
ranging in price from Rs.2/8/- to Rs.4/- per lb. will bear a uniform duty of
six annas per lb. The change is being given effect to by a notification which
is being issued immediately. On the basis of the present scale of exports, the
loss of revenue involved is expected to be about Rs.1 crore.
UNION EXCISE DUTIES
63. Turning to Excise, I shall first deal with changes in the existing duties.
My main proposal is to raise the duties on all categories of Cotton Fabrics
by 6 pies per sq. yd., except on Dhoties and Sarees of the coarse category the
duty on which would remain unchanged. The Taxation Enquiry Commission had recommended
enhancement of the excise duties on all varieties of Cotton Fabrics and I had
accordingly proposed in last year’s Finance Bill an increase in the duties
on medium and coarse Cotton Fabrics from 6 pies per sq. yd. to one anna per
sq. yd. It was, however, then represented that prices of agricultural commodities,
had been falling for some time, and the purchasing power of the rural population
was low. The off take from the mills had also declined at the time and the mills
were carrying large unsold stocks. The proposals were accordingly withdrawn.
Conditions have since noticeably Improved. Although mill production of Cotton
Fabrics has reached a level higher than ever before, the off take from the Mills
has steadily risen. In the context of an expanding demand for cloth, this position
is likely to improve still further. The prices of agricultural commodities have
also risen.
After the most careful weighing up of all relevant factors, I have come to the
conclusion that an increase in the Excise Duty on medium and coarse cotton cloth
is fully justified. The yield expected from the proposed increase is Rs.141/2
crores.
I also propose to make minor changes in the existing duties in respect of Soap,
Strawboard and Art Silk Fabrics.
The duty on Soap is at present confined to soap produced with the aid of power.
Since this duty was first Imposed year before last, surveys conducted have shown
that the non-power operated units are producing substantial quantities of soap.
Some of the larger units amongst these are offering appreciable competition
to the smaller power operated units. I have accordingly proposed new excise
duties for non-power operated units at somewhat lower rates than the existing
rates for power operated units. In the matter of exemptions to the small-scale
units also, it is proposed to put the non-power operated unit in a slightly
better position that the power operated units.
Strawboard at present enjoys an exemption from excise duty. Enquiries have shown
that this exemption is hardly justified. Strawboard and cheap Millboard compete
with each other. A substantial proportion of Strawboard is actually produced
by well organised units which hardly need any special protection. I accordingly
propose to tax Strawboard at the same rate as that at present applicable to
Millboard, namely, 6 pies per lb. As a measure of relief to the small producer,
I also propose to give, by executive notification, an exemption for the first
500 tons of Strawboard and the cheaper varieties of Millboard cleared by any
manufacturer during the financial year.
In regard to Art Silk Fabrics, it has been found that the exemption given to
units employing not more than 24 looms has placed them in a position considerably
more favourable than the small units in the sister industries producing cotton
or woollen textiles. This has further enabled them to offer unfair competition
to the taxed sector of the industry. I haves therefore, proposed the abolition
of this exemption in its present form. It is being replaced by an executive
notification, in a modified form, exempting the production of the first 9 looms
by any manufacturer.
The total revenue effect of these small changes is an increase, of Rs.50 lakhs.
64. For new excise duties, I propose only two items, namely, Vegetable Nonessential
Oils, and all kinds of Diesel 011, Vapourising 011 and Furnace Oil.
Vegetable non-essential oils figure in the list of commodities recommended by
the Taxation Enquiry Commission for an excise duty and I propose a duty of half
an anna per pound on all such oils. This, duty will be levied only on factories
operated by power. Even, among these, it is proposed to grant exemption by notification
for the first 125 tons per year cleared for home consumption from any factory.
This will ensure that all ghanies and other small units are exempted from the
duty. The yield expected is Rs.51 crores.
Production of diesel oil and other fuel oils at the new Refineries at Bombay
is soon expected to outstrip the internal requirements for such oils. The import
duty on these oils should, therefore, be replaced by an excise duty. The excise
duties I propose are 4 annas per gallon on High Speed Diesel Oil and Vapourising
Oil used primarily in driving heavy motor vehicles, and Rs.30 per ton and Rs.15
per ton, respectively, on other Diesel Oils and Furnace Oils. These new duties
are expected to yield Rs.41 crores.
Countervailing Customs Duties will be imposed wherever necessary.
The net additional revenue from the changes in Excise Duties will amount to
Rs. 25 crores.
INCOME TAX
65. I now come to income Tax. The only change I propose in personal taxation
is a slight adjustment upwards of the super-tax payable on incomes above Rs.
70,000. With this adjustment, the rate of tax on the highest slab of income,
that is, above Rs. 1,50,000 will be 91.9 per cent against the present figure
of 88.6 per cent. The extra revenue on this account will be about Rs. 1 crore.
In this connection, I may mention that the Taxation Enquiry Commission had recommended
that the tax on the highest slab of income should not be more than about 86
per cent. They had, however, recommended that, in addition to this rate of tax,
there should be a surcharge cum compulsory deposit at a graduated rate on incomes
above Rs.25,000 the maximum being 5.6 per cent as Surcharge, and the same amount
as deposit. Their scheme envisaged, however, that against the surcharge a long-term
loan, say, for 45 years, might be given at a nominal rate of interest under
certain conditions and that the deposit should be repayable with interest after
45 years. The net additional amount that the tax-payer would have to pay in
any year is thus represented by only one of these. Considered purely as a tax
burden, the effect of the Commission’s recommendation, is thus a tax of
86 plus 5.6 per cent, that is to say, about 92 per cent, on the highest slab
of income. This will also be the position under my proposals in respect of these
incomes. I propose also to introduce a tax on Registered Firms. The income Tax
Act recognises two kinds of Partnership Firms; those which are registered and
those which are not registered. In the case of the former, no tax is Imposed
on the firm as such but its profits are taxed in the hands of the partners according
to their respective shares and at rates applicable to them individually. In
the case of the latter, that is, the unregistered firms, the tax is Imposed
on the firm as such at rates applicable to personal incomes. The registered
partnerships, therefore, enjoy an advantage over the unregistered partnerships,
and they do not also pay any Corporation Tax which is payable by Companies.
I think there is adequate justification for Imposing a small tax on the registered
firms as such. I propose that the rate of such tax should be nine pies per rupee
up to Rs.75,000 one anna up to Rs.1,50,000 and one anna six pies for incomes
above this figure. The partners of the firm will get abatement on their proportionate
shares of this tax for the purpose of income-tax, but not for super-tax. In
order that small partnerships may not be affected by this, I propose to exempt
incomes upto Rs.40,000. In other words registered firms whose income is Rs.40,000
or less will not be required to pay this new tax. The extra revenue from this
tax is expected to be Rs.1 crore.
66. The other field of direct taxation is the taxes on corporations. About half
of our direct taxes comes from this source and there has been no change in Company
taxation during the last five years. In view of the large development expenditure
that has taken place in the First Plan Period and the even larger expenditure
contemplated in the next Plan, I think there is adequate justification for putting
a small extra burden on Companies. I propose, therefore, to effect three changes.
First, the rebate of one anna of income-tax at present given to non-Section
23-A Companies in respect of undistributed profits will be withdrawn. Second,
while the rate of super-tax payable by Indian companies will remain, unchanged,
there will be levied, in addition, a super-tax at a graduated rate on the dividends
declared by them above a certain limit, namely, 6 per cent. This rate I propose
to be 2 annas in the rupee on the amount distributed in excess of 6 per cent,
but up to 10 per cent of the paid-up capital. On distributions above 10 per
cent of such capital, the extra super-tax will be 3 annas in the rupee. Third,
there will be a tax of two annas on bonus issues. I have taken due notice of
the recommendation of the Taxation Enquiry Commission that there should not
be any tax, on bonus shares. I consider, however, that there is adequate justification
for imposing such a tax and, in any case, such tax is an integral part of the
scheme I have proposed.
Incidentally, I am also taking this opportunity of completing the process which
we started in 1953 of equating the tax payable by a foreign company operating
through a branch and that payable by another company operating through a subsidiary
Indian company which remits the whole of its profits as dividends to the foreign
parent company. The net effect is that the tax payable by a foreign company
operating through a branch will go up from 53 per cent to 62 per cent.
Another change I propose is an increase in the penal super-tax payable by a
Section 23-A company which deals wholly or mainly in investments. I propose
to raise it from the present figure of four annas in the rupee to eight annas
in the rupee on the amount of undistributed profits. The rate applicable to
other Section 23-A companies will remain unchanged.
The net effect of all these changes in corporate taxation will be an increase
in revenue of about Rs.8 crores. I also hope that the scheme proposed will have
some antiinflationary effect.
67. In addition to these, the Finance Bill Contains several other proposals
some of which give relief to the tax-payers and some others which are int6nded
to plug loopholes. In general, they are in Implementation of some of the recommendations
of the Taxation Enquiry Commission. I do not propose to weary the House with
the details of these amendments and for this convenience of the Members I have
appended to the Budget papers a Memorandum explaining in details the provisions
of the Bill.
At this stage, I should like to refer to only one of these amendments. The House
will remember that, shortly after Section 5 (4) of the investigation Commission
Act had been declared invalid by the Supreme Court, we issued an Ordinance on
the 17th July 1954 enacting a new Section 34(1A) in the income Tax Act to enable
us to take over the cases which had been started under the provision declared
invalid. Under this Ordinance, which was subsequently ratified into law by Parliament,
we took powers to reopen all cases of tax evasion during the war years of more
than Rs.1 lakh. As the law stands, this power can be exercised only up to the
31st March 1956. There have been, since then, two other judgements of the Supreme
Court, one in October 1954 declaring Section 5 (1) of the investigation Commission
Act invalid from the 17th July 1954 and another in December 1955 declaring that
Section invalid from the 26th January 1950. This means that the Department will
now have to take over again a large number of cases previously dealt with by
the investigation Commission. We have carefully reviewed the position arising
out )f the judgments of the Supreme Court in consultation with our legal advisers.
As a result, it is now proposed to have a redraft of the existing provisions
of the law enabling the Department to reopen old cases. Substantially, the position
remains unchanged the only difference being that, while the existing law lays
down a time limit up to the 31st March 1956 for the exercise of the Department’s
powers to reopen cases of concealment beyond eight years, the proposed amendment
fixes no time limit. This is being done for three reasons; firstly, the latest
judgment of the Supreme Court having been given only in December, 1955, it is
not possible for the Department to issue all notices within the short period
of three months left since then; secondly, the validity of the new Section 34(1A)
is itself being challenged in several High Courts and it is not known when we
shall get a final decision on this point; and finally, the Taxation Enquiry
Commission have recommended that, as in other countries, there should be no
time limit to the reopening of cases of fraudulent tax evasion. This is a desirable.
reform which has been long overdue. The power of reopening cases beyond eight
years will not be exercised unless the amount of total tax evasion exceeds Rs.1
lakh and then only with the sanction of the Central Board of Revenue. This will
ensure that the powers are exercised after proper scrutiny and only in cases
of substantial evasion. It is also proposed to give the Department powers of
search and seizure of accounts and documents which the investigation Commission
had and which; the Taxation Enquiry Commission have recommended the Department
should have. The experience of the last year and a half has shown-that unless
the Department is armed with these powers, it is not possible effectively to
investigate cases of tax evasion. I have no doubt that the House will give its
whole-hearted support to measures taken to prevent and detect large-scale tax
evasion and it may take my assurance that the new powers taken now will not
be exercised unless they are absolutely necessary.
68. The net effect of these changes in income-tax is an increase of Rs. 10 crores,
of which the States’ share will amount to Rs.1.8 crores.
CHANGES IN POSTAL RATES
69. The Postal and Telegraph branches of the Posts and Telegraphs Department
have been working at a loss for some years. The net loss during the three years
ended the 31st March 1955, was Rs.222 lakhs in the Postal Branch and Rs.65 lakhs
in the Telegraph, and the losses during the current year in respect of these
two Branches are estimated at Rs.49 lakhs and Rs.82 lakhs, respectively. The
main reasons for the losses are the opening of unremunerative post offices and
telegraph offices as part of the Department’s expansion schemes under
the First Five Year Plan on the one hand and the charging of uneconomic rates
on the other. The rates charged at present are, in many cases, well below the
cost of the service. A review of the existing postal and telegraph rates has,
therefore, been carried out with reference to the cost of the service, and,
as a result of the review, it has been decided to increase the fee for registration
on postal articles and the rates for inland telegrams. The existing registration
fee of As. 6 per article will be raised to As. 8 and on inland telegrams the
minimum charge will be raised from As. 12 to As. 13 for “Ordinary”
and from Rs.1/8/to Rs.1/10/- for “Express”. These enhanced rates
for telegrams are the same as those that were in force prior to the 1st April
1950. The additional revenue expected from these increases is Rs.95 lakhs.
NET EFFECT OF THE PROPOSALS
70. The net effect of the proposals may now be summarised. The changes in Customs
Duties will not have any net effect on revenue. The new and increased Excise
Duties will yield RS.25 crores. Changes in income tax will result in an additional
revenue of Rs.10 crores of which the States? share will amount to Rs.1.8 crores,
and changes in postal rates will yield Rs.95 lakhs. In the result, Central revenues
will increase by Rs.34.15 crores.
71. My taxation proposals will still leave a deficit of Rs.17.68 crores on revenue
account. This is a large amount, but unforeseen marginal Improvement in revenue
and savings in expenditure may yet be possible, and I propose to leave it uncovered.
I must repeat, however, that additional taxation is inseparable from a bolder
plan of economic development. The Taxation Enquiry Commission had in mind an
order of expenditure on the Plan amounting to Rs.3,500 crores. The size of the
Plan is now larger and a correspondingly larger tax effort is necessary. The
findings of the Commission have shown that in real terms, there has been little
addition to the national tax effort relatively to national income over the last
two or three decades. Even to maintain the proportion of tax revenues to national
income more or less constant, additional taxation of the order of Rs.350 crores
over the five year period would be necessary at the Centre and in the States.
This proportion has, however, to be raised, moderately. What I have proposed
this year by way of tax effort is, in my judgment, the minimum that must be
attempted in view of the requirements of the Plan.
72. Including the additional taxation, the overall deficit for the year will
stand at Rs.356 crores. I think it is Important to bear in mind the limitation
I mentioned earlier in regard to deficit financing. There is not, at the moment,
any great slack left in the economy which would justify anything more than a
reasonable amount of deficit financing. Up to a point deficit financing is not
only permissible, but even desirable in a developing economy. Experts differ
as to the permissible limit, but it would be quite unrealistic to assume that
deficit-financing of this order can be maintained for any length of time, without
inviting inflation. The road to inflation is easy enough, but it opens flood-gates
which it would later be impossible to close. We are, in fact, taking a measure
of risk with the deficit financing proposed for 1956-57 and we shall have to
watch its effects carefully and adjust subsequent programmes in the light of
these effects. 73. The budget I place before you is, as I have said, the first
step towards the Implementation of the Second Five Year Plan. A big Plan requires
a big effort, and to make a good beginning with it will be, to vary the old
adage, almost to ensure its accomplishment. The objective we have set to ourselves
is that primary and ineluctable duty of every modern Government, namely to raise
the living standards of the people and to create in the process a progressive
and equitable economic and social order. This objective, moreover, is to be
attained by democratic means. The sanction behind the Plan is not the will of
Government but the will of the people Democracy is for us a means as well as
an end. It defines our objective, and it indicates the approaches and techniques
to be adopted for the fulfilment of the objective. The problem is not merely
one of raising the statistical average of per capita incomes which could easily
be a will of the wisp; it is one of raising the lowest incomes and of opening
out to the younger generation avenues of growth and advancement that will bring
out the best in them. For this, the present generation has to make sacrifices.
It has to work harder and it has to abstain from asking for immediate returns.
A plan verily, is a Vajan. This is the essence of capital formation, of building
up the infrastructure of development and of equipping the community with the
tools and implements needed for increasing the national product.We
shall succeed in this task to the extent that we bring to bear 11 on it injudicious
proportions all the idealism and all the practical realism that we possess.
The Second Five Year Plan will be followed by several other Plans and it is
only after we have fulfilled, shall I say, the Third Five Year Plan that we
shall see a marked and unmistakable improvement in living standards all round
and in the capacity of the country to go ahead more rapidly on its own momentum.
The burdens that the Plan Imposes upon the people are by no means light nor
can their weight be mitigated by any assurance that they are temporary. On the
other hand, our people stand, so to say, on the threshold of a golden age; we
have to build well and truly for them; and we have to raise, ungrudgingly and
unhesitatingly, all the moneys necessary therefor. Money is, after all, mainly
a measure of effort; and the success of our monetary calculations, whether for
our taxation measures, or for our deficit financing, or for anything else for
the matter of that, depends vitally upon the measure of productive effort put
forth in the community. It is the responsibility, If I may with all respect
say so, of every member of this honourable House and of similar chambers all
the country over, to adjudge every proposal on this basis, that is, not of what
Government seek to take from this sector or from that (indeed Government cannot
take anything for itself) but of what that proposal in terms of mobilising the
real efforts of the country means and of whether by any alternative proposal
we could call forth equal effort without greater sacrifice.
The success that has attended on the first Plan makes it clear, I believe, that
the people of this country are capable of, and willing to put forth, the effort
necessary to achieve bigger things and to make for themselves and for their
children an India befitting of her great heritage. Our destiny is now in our
hands. Our people have throughout history been known for their almost infinite
patience and perseverance. Given the leadership, they have never failed to respond
in more than adequate measure. It is these people, sir, that have now girt their
loins and stand ready to launch forth on their new, and so far their greatest,
endeavour. They can rightfully expect us, their chosen leaders and representatives,
to give them of our best counsels, loyal guidance and informed direction.