India to be able to present Union Budget around February 1: Shaktikanta Das

The Government of India is likely to present the Union Budget 2017-18 by around February 1 next year, said economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das in an interview to a television channel on Thursday. 

Das in an exclusive interview to India's public broadcaster DD News on November 3, said, "Three major changes we are undertaking in the budget for next year. First, the presentation of the budget is being advanced by about a month. We expect the budget to be presented by around February 1." 

"Secondly, the earlier plan and non-plan classification of accounts, which existed in the budget, that classification is being merged and now the classification will be revenue and capital, so therefore, the plan and non-plan breakup goes," he said. 

"Third thing is that... the Indian Railway Budget will be part of the general budget," Das added. 

On Indian economy, Das said the India's gross domestic product (GDP) will be better than last year and he expects the country's GDP to exceed 7.6% growth on back of good monsoon.

On the budget deficit target, he said that the country is confident of meeting 3.5% of fiscal year 2016-17 (FY17) budget deficit target. 

Das further said that the legislations on Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be presented in the upcoming session of the Parliament. 

Watch the full interview of economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das here-