Date:01/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/01/stories/2008030159171400.htm

National

A rare honour

New Delhi: Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday shared a “rare honour” with only Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in presenting all the five budgets on behalf of a government and could not help patting himself.

Mr. Chidambaram also jokingly said the country having a “lucky” Finance Minister may have been a factor in the tax to GDP ratio rising to 12.5 per cent at the end of 2007-08 after the United Progressive Alliance government inherited a 9.2 per cent ratio in 2003-04.

“High growth rates have helped. Changes in attitude have also helped. Above all, information systems and technology have helped most. And, if I may add in a lighter vein, having a lucky Finance Minister may have also helped!” he said. — PTI