News agencies, which fulfil certain criteria, are to be exempted from payment of service tax, Finance Minister Pranab Mukerjee said today.

Service tax exemption for news agencies: Pranab

Press Trust of India

The government on Friday proposed a one-time grant of Rs 200 crore for setting up effluent treatment plant at the Tirupur textiles cluster.

Tirupur textiles hub gets Rs 200-cr one-time grant

Samir Arora, Chairman of Information Capital LLC, on markets:&nbsp; The Budget could have led to a bigger rally if the word had been stronger. In general, our markets would rely on global events as the Budget would not have any effect after 2-3 days.

Bigger rally had word been stronger: Samir Arora

Business Standard

While the country's largest car maker, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI), said its car will become costly by two per cent, Hyundai Motor India said it will result in a price rise of Rs 6,500-25,000 on average.

Car makers announce price hike after excise duty increase

In a major Rs 26,000 crore bonanza, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday announced changes to tax structure giving substantial benefit to individual and corporate tax payers.

FM changes tax slabs to provide relief to taxpayers

Financial sector experts, in their initial reactions to the Budget have described it as a &quot;positive and pragmatic&quot; one.

Experts welcome Budget, say it is balanced, focussed

Congress on Friday termed the opposition staging a walking out from Lok Sabha during Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's Budget presentation as &quot;constitutional slur&quot;.

Cong slams opposition for staging walkout

The deficit is much lower than the budgeted estimate for the current fiscal at 6.8 per cent, which, however, has been revised to 6.7 per cent.

Fiscal deficit at 5.5% with help of partial stimulus rollback

Excellent Budget, very clearly focused on providing impetus for growth and is definitely better than the market expectations.

Budget will propel India to the next level of growth: Bandyopadhyay

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today laid a copy of the 2010-11 Budget in the Rajya Sabha.

Mukherjee lays Budget in RS

The government on Friday proposed to auction coal blocks for captive use by consuming industries like power and cement, a move intended to make the allotment process more transparent and expeditious.

Govt seeks Parliament nod to auction coal blocks for captive use

&quot;The Finance Minister has shared the government's desire to open up the banking sector to NBFCs and the private sector. This is a significant step towards further strengthening and broadening the banking sector and bringing it closer to the aam aadmi&quot;.

Happy with proposal of opening banking sector: Ajay Srinivasan

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who gave up his smoking pipe years ago, feels that others too deserve encouragement to kick the habit and hence has subject tobacco products to higher taxation, while exempting toy balloons from central excise duty.

Pranab urges to stop spreading smoke; favours toy balloons

Borrowing at 29 paise will account for the largest share of every rupee that the government will use for financing the Union Budget 2010-11, while will it spend the most &mdash; 21 paise &mdash; on central plan.

Where the Budget rupee will come, where the rupee will go

In a bonanza to farmers, the government today announced a subsidised 5 per cent interest rate on crop loans on timely repayment, while proposing a 15 per cent hike in credit made available for farm sector.

Crop loan at 5% interest for farmers, farm credit up by 16%

ITC shed over 6 per cent to Rs 232, after the Finance Minister announced structural changes in the excise duty on cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos.

ITC slips 6% on excise duty hike

Government today proposed a nearly 16-fold increase, at Rs 1,900 crore, for Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), headed by Infosys founder Nandan Nilekani.

UIDAI gets Rs 1,900 crore, nearly 16-fold increase

The government on Friday proposed the setting up of a technology advisory group to be headed by UIDAI chairman Nanadan Nilekani for creating reliable and tamper-proof IT projects.

Nandan Nilekani to head new Technology Advisory Group

&quot;Dada and Didi have failed the people.

'Dada' and 'Didi' have failed people: Lalu

The government today proposed a coal cess of Rs 50 to create a fund for promoting clean energy, a move which may push up fossil fuel prices.

Govt levies cess on coal; prices likely to go up

The Finance Minister has addressed the key issues of containing fiscal slippage and outlined a clear roadmap for the next three years. The net government borrowing program for 2010-11 is well under control and allays fears of crowding-out of bank credit for the private sector. Tax proposals related to corporate and capital markets are benign and in line with expectations.

Thrust on reforms, a positive surprise: Gaurav Dua

Budget 2026 News: Get latest news and headlines on India budget 2026. Explore more news on railway budget, healthcare budget, defense budget along with latest income tax slab rates on Business Standard.

Budget News: Latest Union Budget 2026-27 News, Budget Headlines Updates | Business Standard

Get latest news and headlines on India budget 2026. Explore more news on railway budget, healthcare budget, defense budget along with latest income tax slab rates on Business Standard.

Page 494 - Budget 2026 News