Page 11 - Budget And Economy

Capital gains tax on share sale: Calculation, treatment, budget expectation

Long term capital gains (LTCG) tax on the sale of these asset classes stocks, mutual funds, real estate etc. is levied when the holding period of the asset is over one year

India put up tariff walls. To revive factories, it must bring them down

The jobs crisis in the most-populous nation has assumed alarming proportions. Young graduates are nine times more likely to be unemployed than those who can't read or write

Centre may cut fiscal deficit target slightly in Budget after revenue boost

Modi returned to power only with the support of coalition partners, who have been seeking more money for their states, already putting demands on the table for more than $15 bn in financial aid

Experts predict Budget to boost clean energy investments with new measures

The government is expected to announce a slew of measures in the full Budget for fiscal year 2024-25 to promote investments in the renewable energy space, experts say. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the 2024-25 Union Budget in Parliament on July 23. Their expectation is that the government may announce policy-related measures, viability gap funding (VGF) and incentive schemes for the clean energy industry, the experts said. "We expect the focus of the budget to remain green growth based... We expect the budget to focus more on renewables, storage, transmission and distribution network strengthening schemes. "We expect policy measures to incentivise, and to encourage investments in (battery) storage groups," Girishkumar Kadam, Senior Vice President & Group Head - Corporate Ratings, ICRA Ltd said. There is a slow progress being witnessed in pumped storage projects (PSP) space. Some policy bridges need to be announced to expedite the implementation of these projects

Union Budget expectations highlights: Real estate sector seeks tax relief

Budget 2024 highlights: FM Nirmala Sitharaman is all set to present the Union Budget 2024-25 in the Lok Sabha on July 23

India's economy poised for robust growth ahead of annual Union Budget

The budget is expected to see an increase in spending on infrastructure and welfare programmes such as rural housing

Govt should rationalise customs duty in Budget to boost domestic mfg: ICC

The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has suggested the government to rationalise customs duties in various sectors including steel, solar battery, aluminum, and lithium cells in a bid to boost domestic manufacturing. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Union Budget for financial year 2024-25 on July 23. ICC President Ameya Prabhu said protective measures are needed for the growth of domestic industry in sectors including steel, solar battery, aluminum, and lithium cells. "There is a need for rationalization of customs duty in these specific sectors in a holistic manner. Huge potential is there to boost domestic manufacturing and make India a global hub for manufacturing," Prabhu said. He added that levies on raw materials impact domestic players particularly the downstream firms. He also asked for correction in inverted duty structure by cutting down duty on mixed petroleum gas from 5 per cent to 2.5 per cent. "To boost domestic manufacturing, there is

Govt to stick to Feb budget targets despite losing majority, shows poll

While relying on some regional parties to form the government, the BJP has retained most ministers from its second term, signaling continuity in fiscal policy

Budget should focus on citizens' welfare, mfg sector: WB's chief economist

The Modi government needs to focus on welfare of ordinary citizens in the upcoming Budget and earmark more funds for the manufacturing sector to boost small businesses and create more jobs, former World Bank chief economist Kaushik Basu said on Tuesday. In an interview with PTI, Basu further said it is critically important for the government to shift some of its attention to ground-level economic welfare. "I hope that, starting with the Union Budget this month, the government will turn its attention to the welfare of ordinary citizens and not just to climbing up the chart of aggregate GDP," he said. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Budget for 2024-25 in the Lok Sabha on July 23. "I believe that the rich can afford to pay higher taxes and using this money to incentivize the manufacturing sector can go a long way in boosting demand for labour, helping small businesses and raising the income of ordinary people," the eminent economist suggested. Ba

Budget 2024: Rail budget may see more focus on passenger capacity, safety

Ashwini Vaishnaw recently announced that the national transporter will manufacture 10,000 non-air-conditioned coaches over the next two financial years

Double standard deduction: KPMG outlines key tax reforms for Budget 2024

Doubling standard deduction to Rs 1 lakh, increasing tax break on interest paid on housing loan and rationalisation of capital gains tax regime are some of the expectations that consultancy firm KPMG has from the Budget 2024-25 to be unveiled on July 23 in Parliament. There has been a significant rise in medical expenses, fuel costs and overall inflation. Keeping in mind the increase in personal expenditure it is popularly expected to enhance the standard deduction to Rs 1 lakh from the existing limit of Rs 50,000, KPMG said in a note. With the objective to have more net disposable income which can either be spent on consumer goods or channelised as savings, it is a popular expectation that the basic tax exemption limit under the default new tax regime be increased to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 3 lakh, it said. With regard to housing loans, it said there is mounting pressure on the real estate sector with recent hikes in interest rates and regulatory reforms. To alleviate these challenges a

Economic vision, political theme key aspects to watch in Budget: Nomura

The new government's economic vision and management of the "political theme" will be among the key aspects to watch in the upcoming Union budget, a Japanese brokerage said on Thursday. The brokerage said the second half of the year will see "muted returns" on the equities front, and reiterated its year-end target of 24,860 points on Nifty, which is only about 3 per cent higher than the current levels. The fiscal glide path beyond FY26, when the government has committed to reduce the fiscal deficit to 4.6 per cent, will also be a key theme to look at, Nomura's India Economist Aurodeep Nandi told reporters. Reminding of the 100-day programmes of the new government prepared by various ministries ahead of the elections, Nandi said getting some idea of the economic vision of the new government will be a key area to watch. After the election setback, the "political theme" of the budget by the new government dependent on coalition partners will also be keenly watched, he said. Specifical

Budget watch: Real estate sector wants industry status, tax relief

The sector also expects the Centre to provide measures, including tax breaks, to boost the demand for affordable housing, generally priced below Rs 50 lakh

Induce reforms in Budget to drive private consumption, says Godrej CEO

The government needs to take steps such as reviewing personal income tax slabs in the upcoming Union Budget to drive private consumption, which in turn will drive private investment, Godrej & Boyce Executive Director & CEO, Anil G Verma said on Thursday. He also expressed optimism that the government will build upon the solid foundation laid by the interim budget, which focused on boosting infrastructure development, maintaining fiscal prudence, and laid progressive emphasis on women, youth, farmers, and the underprivileged through skilling, welfare measures and financial assistance. "The important area that needs to be addressed now, amongst others, is the continued lower-than-expected growth in private consumption," Verma said in a statement. Asserting that private consumption drives private investment, he said, "Therefore, I am hopeful that the GoI (government of India) will take steps that boost consumption through a slew of measures that could include optimising GST ...

Global tax deal: Impact analysis done, govt may talk on Pillar 2 in Budget

Experts suggest India is still iffy on Pillar 1 and the equalisation levy may be extended beyond June 30

Budget 2024: Experts call for restructuring AB-PMJAY to hike health budget

Echoing the urgency of healthcare reforms ranging from restructuring of Ayushman Bharat Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to accelerating the digital health mission, experts and industry leaders have outlined key priorities for the Modi government in its third consecutive term. Their statements highlight the importance of prioritising preventive healthcare measures, strengthening infrastructure, and increasing healthcare spending. Healthcare experts have expressed concerns about whether the government in its new term will make any difference by increasing public expenditure on healthcare to the desired level in India. Notably, the National Health Policy (NHP) 2017, which promises to increase public health spending to 2.5 percent of the GDP, remains overdue even as Indians rely heavily on private services. Dr Girdhar Gyani, Director General, AHPI (Association of Healthcare Providers, India) said, "In the upcoming term, we urge the government to prioritise a comprehensive approach to fostering a ...

How defence Budget priorities have shifted after the Galwan clash?

From 2020 to 2024, India's defence Budget rose from Rs 4.71 trillion to a projected Rs 6 trillion, focusing on modernisation, equipment acquisition, and self-reliance

Full Budgets tend to realign fiscal deficits set in interim Budgets

Analysis of fiscal trends since 1991 reveals that full Budgets typically reduce fiscal and revenue deficits set in interim budgets, with notable exceptions during economic crises and major reforms

Budget 2024: Standard deduction for salaried persons may rise to Rs 1 lakh

Budget 2024: Under the Indian taxation laws, the standard deduction is a provision for the salaried employees and taxpayers receiving a pension

Budget Watch: FinMin confident of sticking to fiscal deficit of 5.1% of GDP

However, this path may not be as easy for the government to tread