Interim budget is well-balanced: PM

The measures announced on student loans and skill development were aimed at India realising its demographic dividend, he said.

"The issue of one rank one pension has been addressed comprehensively and I'm confident that our forces, officers and jawans will welcome this," Manmohan Singh said.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi later thanked Manmohan Singh for accepting the "one rank one pension" demand of the armed forces.