Govt to present full budget, not vote-on account, in February

New Delhi: Indian Finance Minister Jaswant Singh has said that there will be a full budget and not vote-on account, given that the prime minister himself has already said that Lok Sabha elections will be as per schedule in October 2004.

About whether the intended full budget will nevertheless turn out to be soft with a reduced reforms thrust, Singh said: "Reforms are a continuous process."

Singh said placing excessive emphasis on the budget is a "throwback to the idioms of yesterday and there is a need to demystify the budget process." He reiterated his now familiar line: "Management of the country's finances is not any black magic."

Singh also refuted criticism about the government going overboard in projecting the current economic turnaround through its India Shining campaign. "No one can deny that the feel-good factor that was seemingly missing has now returned. Why should we feel guilty about feeling good? Indeed, one should feel good about feel-good."