Assam gets its first e-Budget, no new taxes for 2018-19

Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today presented the state's first e-Budget with a deficit of Rs 2,149.04 crore in the Assembly, and no proposal of fresh taxes.
After Andhra Pradesh, Assam has become the second state to have an e-Budget, but unlike the other state, Assam Budget is available on the Google's Play Store, giving access to everyone, Sarma said.
The state Budget proposed a levy of electricity duty at 5 per cent on ad-valorem basis, and one per cent increase on stamp duty registration fee for transactions in immovable properties.
Sarma said estimated transactions during the fiscal year starting April will result in a surplus of around Rs 999.99 crore, and a Budget deficit of Rs 2,149.04 crore by March 31, 2019.

The Budget estimates of 2018-19 show a receipt of Rs 90,673.42 crore under the Consolidated Fund, out of which, Rs 74,118.50 crore is on Revenue Account and the remaining sum under Capital Account, he said.
It was presented in both hard copy format and in the digital format in tablet computer to the legislators in the House, the minister said.

"We have taken great steps in making this Budget future ready, citizen friendly and all-embracing through our e-Budget model that has easy to use provisions of SDG (sustainable development goal), gender, child and elderly related," Sarma said.
The finance minister also proposed an increase the tender fee from Rs 8.25 to Rs 100 for tenders up to Rs 20 lakh, and Rs 500 for tenders beyond Rs 20 Lakh.

Regarding relief to small tea growers, he proposed to exempt specified land cess on green tea leaves.
In the previous two budgets, the cess had been reduced from 25 paise to 10 paise per kg green tea leaf in two phases.
Media persons covering the budget session were provided the budget speech in a pen drive.