NEW DELHI: It's that time of the year when India's finance minister would present budgetary proposals and the railway minister his rail budget, which will be preceded by the annual performance result of the country in the form of the Economic Survey.
TV Today Network has lined up a host of programmes relating to these happenings on its Hindi news channel, Aaj Tak, and its English sibling Headlines Today.
Budget related programming on Aaj Tak include shows like Suniye Vitt Mantri, airing from 21 February at 10.45 pm. This is a 10-minute segment which will carry on till 25 February and will concentrate on highlighting the expectations of the industry.The show will also comprise vox pops, displaying the reaction of the viewers on various issues.
In-depth analysis of the Railway Budget will air on 26 February. The show will examine the likely impact of the budgetray proposals on the general travellers, along with a cascading effect that a proposed freight hike might have on the prices of various commodities.
On 28 February, Aaj Tak will air finance minister P Chidambarams speech live, like many other news channels, from the Parliament. After the speech, analysis by special in-studio guests will follow that will look at the impacts of the the proposals on the economy and the common man.
The channel will also transmit post budget analysis from various live studios situated at apex chambers of commerce like Ficci and CII in Delhi and the Bombay Stock Exchange.
A panel discussion, featuring chief ministers of various states, look at the implications of the Union Budget in their respective states, too has been lined up. In the evening of 28 February,a highlight will be an interview with the finance minister.
Headlines Today will air the budget special under the master branding Great Expectations Budget 2005, which would include Budget specials at 8 pm daily till 1 March. Experts will include Confederation of Indian Industry's economic advisor Omkar Goswami and economists like Bibek Debroy and Surjit Bhalla.
Detailed stories would be carried by the channel on the day of the Railway Budget, Economic Survey and the Union Budget, apart from airing live the FM's speech.
