Budget 2013: Is it prudent to reduce expenditure?

Barely 10 days ahead of the Union Budget, expectations of big expenditure cuts are growing as the Finance Minister goes on an austerity drive to rein in fiscal deficit. Experts, Dr DK Joshi, chief economist at CRISIL; Nalin Kohli, national executive member of the BJP; Shoma Chaudhury, managing editor of Tehelka; Ashok Kumar Jha, former finance secretary; Dr Didar Singh, secretary general of FICCI and CM Vasudev, former secretary of finance, expenditure and economic affairs, discuss if deep cuts are an answer to India's macro-economic puzzle at a time when consumption is faltering, private investment is extremely week and inflation is soaring.