Page 16 - Budget 2026

Budget 2026: Tax relief for landowners affected by compulsory acquisition

Land acquired by government? Your compensation may now be tax-free

Budget 2026 'tactical', not a 'breakthrough', says Moody's Ratings

The economy is seen growing at 7.4 per cent in ‌the current financial year, with ​inflation likely to be near 2 per cent

Budget 2026 allocates ₹1,102 crore for ministers, PMO and state hospitality

The Union Budget 2026-27 has allocated Rs 1,102 crore for expenses incurred by the Council of Ministers, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Prime Minister's Office, and for hospitality and entertainment of state guests. The amount is higher than the revised estimate of Rs 978.20 allocated in 2025-2026. In the Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Lok Sabha on Sunday, Rs 620 crore has been allotted for the expenses of council of ministers in the coming fiscal. It was Rs 483.54 crore in 2025-25. The provision is for expenditure on salaries, sumptuary and other allowances and travel by cabinet ministers, ministers of state and ex-prime ministers. This also includes provision for Special Extra Session Flight Operations for VVIPs. The National Security Council Secretariat has been allocated Rs 256.19 crore for 2026-27, against Rs 279.74 crore for 2025-26. The provision is for meeting the administrative expenses and space programme of the National Security Council

Budget 2026 keeps fiscal discipline intact; bond market faces supply stress

The tough position that the bond market finds itself reflects a much more fundamental issue, of rising government bond supply chasing limited domestic savings pool

STT hike, bond market boost: 10 positives and 5 negatives of Budget 2026

Capital expenditure has been raised to ₹12.2 lakh crore (~9 per cent YoY), reinforcing the infrastructure- and manufacturing-led growth strategy without resorting to populist fiscal slippage

Budget makes tax compliance easier, gives relief in penalties and timelines

Budget signals a shift toward a less adversarial tax regime by extending return-filing deadlines to March, halving the mandatory litigation deposit to 10%, and decriminalising minor procedural lapses

Centre to borrow record ₹17.2 trillion in FY27, bond supply tops estimates

The net borrowing will rise to ₹11.73 trillion next fiscal ​from ₹11.33 trillion for the current fiscal, according to the budget. India's fiscal year runs April through March

Customs duty exemptions extended for lithium-ion cells, critical minerals

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced an extension of basic customs duty exemption on capital goods used for manufacturing lithium-ion cells for battery storage in the annual budget for the next financial year. In her budget speech, she also proposed to exclude the entire value of biogas while calculating excise duty levy on (biogas) blended CNG (compressed natural gas). "I propose to extend the basic customs duty exemption given to capital goods used for manufacturing lithium-ion cells for batteries. Also, I propose to exempt basic customs duty on import of sodium anti Monet, for use in manufacturing of solar glass," she said. It is proposed to provide basic customs duty exemption to the import of capital goods required for the processing of critical minerals in India. For biogas blended CNG, she said, "I propose to exclude the entire value of biogas while calculating the central excise duty payable on biogas blended CNG." She said that the government will devel

CIC, Public Enterprises Selection Board get ₹39.14 allocation in Budget

The Central Information Commission (CIC) and the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) have been allocated Rs 39.14 crore in the Union Budget 2026-27, a nominal increase of around Rs 3 crore from the revised estimate of Rs 36.94 crore for 2025-26. However, the Budget Estimate for the CIC and PESB in 2025-26 was higher at Rs 42.49 crore. According to the Budget documents presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the provision is meant for establishment-related expenditure of the Central Information Commission and the Public Enterprises Selection Board. In Budget parlance, the allocations made at the time of presentation of the annual Budget are known as Budget Estimates (BE), while the updated figures, reflecting changes in revenue and expenditure during the course of the financial year, are referred to as Revised Estimates (RE). The government has also earmarked Rs 3.5 crore for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) for the propagation of the Right to Informat

India expects record ₹3.16 trn dividend from RBI, state-run firms in FY27

The funds would be crucial for the government to meet its spending needs while keeping the fiscal deficit within 4.3 per cent of gross domestic product

Budget places infra at heart of journey towards 'Viksit Bharat': Gadkari

Union Budget for 2026-27 places infrastructure at the heart of India's journey towards Viksit Bharat2047, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Sunday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday presented the Union Budget 2026-27 in the Lok Sabha. "With a clear focus on connectivity, manufacturing depth, and regional balance, the Budget outlines a decisive push to build world-class, future-ready infrastructure," Gadkari said in a social media post on X. He said initiatives announced in the Budget reflect a clear vision: infrastructure not just as physical assets, but as an enabler of resilience, opportunity, and global competitiveness. The minister also said the Budget for 2026-27 outlines a decisive roadmap centred on farmers, youth, and MSMEs, strengthening the foundations of inclusive growth, innovation, and capital investment as India progresses towards.

Budget 2026: Biopharma Shakti plan aims to make India a biologics hub

Union Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveils Biopharma Shakti, a ₹10,000 crore, five-year plan to boost domestic biologics, biosimilars, clinical trials and regulatory capacity

Budget 2026 lays roadmap for building developed India by 2047: Amit Shah

Shah said the Budget demonstrates that the vision of an "Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat" is not merely a slogan but a firm resolve of the government

Buyback proceeds for all shareholders to be taxed as capital gains: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said buyback proceeds for all types of shareholders will be taxed as capital gains. Presenting the Union Budget for 2026-27, Sitharaman also proposed to raise Securities Transaction Tax to 0.05 per cent on commodity futures from 0.02 per cent. She further said MAT (Minimum Alternate Tax ) will be made final tax and the rate will be reduced to 14 per cent from current 15 per cent. She also said the government has proposed a joint panel of Corporate Affairs Ministry and CBDT for incorporation of income computation and disclosure standards. National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid will be established to digitally document all places of significance, she added.

Budget 2026: Centre allocates ₹1.4 trillion to states, keeps 41% share

The 15th Finance Commission recommended a share of states in the central taxes to be 41 per cent, and the 16th Finance Commission has retained the vertical share of devolution

PSU banks reel after Budget 2026; shares fall up to 7%: Here's why

All the PSU Bank index constituents were trading lower, with Bank of India, Bank Maharashtra, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, and Union Bank of India falling in the range of 3 to 7 per cent

Budget 2026 aims to reduce fiscal deficit, boost capex and growth: PM Modi

PM Modi says Union Budget 2026 focuses on fiscal discipline, inflation control and high capital spending, while backing reforms, MSMEs and tourism to drive growth and achieving 'Viksit Bharat' goals

Nifty IT jumps 3.5% from day's low; TCS, Infy, Wipro shine on Budget boost

Budget 2026 has proposed a tax holiday till 2047 for IT companies providing cloud services using India-based data centres.

Shopping abroad or online? Budget 2026 cuts customs duty burden by half

How the customs duty cut will impact your overseas purchases

Anant Raj stock price soars 14% on heavy volumes in weak market; here's why

As India emerges as a global hub for data centre expansion, driven by rapid data consumption and adoption of cloud reforms, Anant Raj is well-positioned to capitalise on the emerging opportunities.