INDIA INTELLIGENCE REPORT

 

Business & Economy

No income tax up to Rs 1 lakh,
more services under tax net 

What is India News Service, Monday, 28 February 2005, 1400 hrs IST

The Budget 2005-06 has offered an altered tax bracket, with nil Income Tax for upto Rs 1 lakh nil across the board. It also envisages more funds for education and health.

Income between Rs 1 lakh and 1.5 lakh will attract 10 per cent and Rs.1.5 lakh to Rs.2.5 lakh- 20 per cent and beyond Rs.2.5 lakh -30 per cent.

Threshold level for women Rs 1.25 lakh and for senior citizens will be Rs 1.5 lakh and standard reduction has been removed.

Another important relief that this budget offers is the removal of Section 80 L. More services brought under tax net.

The conveyance and canteen allowances will be outside the tax net but all other perks given by the employers to the employees, as a collective benefit, will be taxed at 30 per cent. This new tax will be called fringe benefit tax and will be levied on employers.

India unveils budget to fight poverty: India's communist-backed coalition government on Monday unveiled a budget that it said was aimed at combating poverty and helping the common man in Asia's fourth-largest economy. 

Budget could fuel an investment boom: Though the shadow of Bihar elections will hang heavy over Parliament tomorrow, industry and corporate circles are expecting that the second budget of the Manmohan Singh Government will drive investment.

Defence outlay raised to Rs 83,000: Defence budget will be increased to Rs 83,000 crore in 2005-06, with Rs 34,300 crore for capital outlay alone. This allocation is against the current year's revised expenditure.

Budget provides more funds for education, health:
  Bharat Nirman Rural Infrastructure Project, higher allocation for education and almost doubling of resources for the mid-day meal scheme are the highlights of the General Budget.

Financial Express
\95 Union Budget Highlights
\95 Sensex rises 1.4 pc on corporate tax cut
\95 Budget to help ailing sugar mills
\95 Refinery stocks rise on oil duty cuts
\95 Budget to push rural spending: FM
\95 Construction shares rise on infra spend
\95 Rupee little changed on Budget day
\95 Sensex starts higher ahead of Budget
\95 Greater autonomy for rail PSUs: Lalu
\95 Goods tariff rationalised in Rail Budget
\95 Railways to cut investments by 6 pc
\95 Railways' social obligations to cost Rs 6,661 cr
\95 Forex reserves at record $132.96 bn
\95 'WTO must step up talks on services'

Jet Airways IPO price fixed at Rs 1,100: Jet Airways Ltd has fixed the issue price for its Initial Public Offering at Rs 1,100 per share. Bidding closed three days ago.  

Catch a piece of the action in DTH segment: Action seems to be hotting up in the direct-to-home broadcasting (DTH) segment. 


Shasun plans isobutyl benzene plant in Thailand: The Chennai-based Shasun Chemicals and Drugs Ltd proposes to invest about Rs 32 crore in a project in Thailand, to produce 5,000 tonnes a year of isobutyl benzene. 

Repeal outdated laws, suggests economic survey: The economic Survey 2004-05 presented to Parliament by the UPA government has emphasised repealing of over 1000 outdated century-old laws, rationalisation of several central and state legislations, further pushing reforms in pension rules to harmonise them with changing economic scenario.

AP Govt shelves Kakinada LNG terminal project: The mega LNG terminal project, proposed to be set up here by the previous Telugu Desam Government, has been disposed by the Congress Government. It has been shelved. 



Business papers 


Business Standard

Economic Times
Business Line
Financial Express