Budget 2013: The Last Flourish

Company Brief

Mumbai, February 11, 2013

The final countdown for Union Budget 2013 has begun, as the nation holds its collective breath in anticipation for what lies ahead. Despite a slew of reforms that the country has seen in the past few months, and inflation worries having eased a little, India’s growth is still deficient. With the Government’s continued attempts to improve investment possibilities in the country and combat the issue of narrowing the fiscal deficit (while keeping in mind the demands of individual sectors), Budget 2013 provides a chance for it to inspire confidence again; not only for India but also to reaffirm the country as a global investment destination. As the last budget for this government before the general elections, expectations are high and the nation is vesting its faith in the FM to provide a much needed boost, hence Budget 2013 indeed sets the stage for “The Last Flourish”.

Focusing on prominent aspects of the approaching Union Budget, CNBC-TV18 has launched a special line-up of five shows scrutinizing the challenges and opportunities facing the FM this year. These shows would be led by India’s most experienced business editorial team and will air views and expectations of stakeholders across the country. Speaking on the budget related programming, CNBC-TV18’s marketing head Suranjana Ghosh says: “With a keen finger on the pulse of the nation’s expectations & indications from the street, CNBC-TV18 is poised to present another defining season of Budget coverage. This is the current government’s last budget & hence it is critically their final opportunity to settle India’s economy in order. CNBC-TV18 brings together an enviable host of leading experts, think-tanks and India’s best editorial minds to decode Union Budget 2013 as ‘The Last Flourish’ & analyse the calls the finance minister is likely to take - be it fixing the fiscal deficit, re-establishing India as an attractive destination for global investors or efficient deployment of subsidies. Through a panorama of special programming & initiatives focusing on budget expectations, analysis & impact across communities through multiple approaches & formats, CNBC-TV18 will once again ensure the most comprehensive coverage both in the run up to, and on Budget Day.”

Key information about the shows are as follows:

Budget 2013 : A Fine Balance

Hosted by Shereen Bhan, this show would be telecasted in four parts showcasing top politicians and CEOs with their expectations from this budget.

Date: Feb 2,9,16 & 23

Budget 2013 : Fixing the Fisc

This is a macro focused show on how the FM will go about balancing his populist and reformist pulls and yet balance the fiscal deficit, the key monitorable in any budget. The show would be hosted by Latha Venkatesh and would be telecasted in four parts.

Date: Feb 2,9,16 & 23

Budget 2013: Taxing Times

Targeted at corporates and individuals, this show would be a purely tax focused series on direct & indirect taxes. It would be hosted by Siddharth Zarabi and telecasted in four parts.

Date: Feb 2,9,16 & 23

Budget 2013: Juggling Options

This show would capture the expectations of each industrial sector from the budget. It would be hosted by Sonia Shenoy and telecasted in two parts.

Date: Feb 9 & 16

Budget 2013 : What the World Wants

Hosted by Udayan Mukherjee and telecasted in two parts, this show would include interviews with leading global investors/economists and rating agencies on what they want from FM.

Date: Feb 16 & 23 Feb

For further information, please contact:

Good Relations India

Bhawna Singh

Mobile: +919769803043

Email: bhawna@gri.co.in