Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces the first major test of his reform credentials on Thursday, when his fresh-faced government presents its maiden budget amid early doubts about his willingness to make unpopular decisions.<br />Modi, 63, won a landslide general election victory in May with a pledge to boost growth and create jobs for the 1 million people who enter India's workforce every month.<br />He has since warned of the "bitter medicine" needed to nurse the economy back to health from high inflation and the worst slowdown since free-market reforms in the early 1990s unleashed an era of rapid growth.<br /><br />Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's promises of bold budget decisions and broadsides against the "mindless populism" of his left-of-centre predecessors have proved a hit with investors, helping the benchmark BSE stock index to a record high last week.<br />Jaitley is due to address parliament at 11 a.m. (0530 GMT).<br /><br /><br /><br />For More information on this news visit : http://www.newsx.com/<br />Connect with us on Social platform at : http://www.facebook.com/newsxonline<br />Subscribe to our YouTube Channel : http://www.youtube.com/newsxlive
