Tuesday, March 1 2005 16:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Finance Minister P Chidambaram today (Mar 1, 2005) said the budget has attempted to clean up the tax regime and aims at spurring investment and implementing the goals outlined in Government's National Common Minimum Programme.

Describing it as an investment-friendly budget, he said, "The budget is clean, without too much clutter. We have laid down a reasonably fair and transparent tax regime in which you pay taxes, bring growth and investment."

"It will also encourage FDI and FII inflows," he told a meeting of India Today Board of Economists in New Delhi.

The Government's single cause of worry, however, remains outcomes and the delivery mechanism, he said, adding the implementation of programmes outlined in the budget was in the hands of other Ministries, State Governments and local bodies.

"I am only in charge of delivery of agricultural and industrial credit and will follow the banks to ensure that the targets in these segments are met," he said.

Stressing on the delivery mechanism of public services, he said the Finance Ministry and Planning Commission would work out the details for monitoring the implementation of various projects.

"I have already met Planning Commission deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia for putting in place steps to measure development outcomes. We will see that the Ministries deliver," he added.