Govt should give only revenue-neutral stimulus, says CII president

The corporation tax rate could be reduced to 18 per cent if exemptions are removed, he said

With less than a month for the Budget presentation, Vikram Kirloskar, new president of the Confederation of Indian Industry, tells Subhayan Chakraborty & Indivjal Dhasmana that the corporation tax rate could be reduced to 18 per cent if exemptions are removed. Similarly, he suggests a reduction in personal tax rates. Edited excerpts:

Given the weak economic condition, what would be your recipe to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the Budget —  to perk up the economy or be fiscally prudent?

We can't widen fiscal deficit. As a country, we have been doing very well to contain the deficit. All this