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Highlights of the Union Budget 2014-15

Here are the highlights of the Budget 2014-15 presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.



Fiscal deficit● Accepts fiscal deficit target of 4.1 percent of GDP for 2014/15

● Fiscal deficit seen at 3.6 percent of GDP in 2015/16

● Finance Minister says: "We cannot spend beyond our means"

● Tax-to-GDP ratio must be raised



Growth

● Aims for sustained growth of 7-8 percent in the next 3-4 years

● Finance minister says he is bound to usher in policies for higher growth, lower inflation



Taxation● Aims to approve goods and services tax by end of this year

● Will not change rules on retrospective taxation

● All pending cases of retrospective tax for indirect transfers to be examined by a high-level committee before action is taken

● Proposes changes in transfer pricing mechanism

● Extends 5 percent withholding tax on corporate bonds until June 30 2017

● Income tax exemption limit raised by Rs 50,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh and for senior citizens to Rs 3 lakh

● Government expects Rs 9.77 lakh crore revenue crore from taxes

● Long term capital gain tax for mutual funds doubled to 20 per cent; lock-in period increased to three years

● Excise duty on footwear reduced from 12 per cent to 6 per cent

● Net effect of direct tax proposals is revenue loss of Rs 22,200 crore

● Tax proposals on indirect tax front would yield Rs. 7,525 crore



Investment● Raises limit on foreign direct investment in defence sector from 26 per cent to 49 per cent; raises FDI limit in insurance sector to 49 percent

● Earmarks Rs 7000 Crore to create 100 "smart cities"

● Will provide the necessary tax changes to introduce real estate investment trusts and infrastructure investment trusts

● Proposes Rs 4000 crore for affordable housing through national housing bank and extends tax incentives for housing loans

● Exemption limit for investment in financial instruments under 80C raised to Rs 1.5 lakh from Rs 1 lakh.

● Investment limit in PPF raised to Rs 1.5 lakh from Rs 1 lakh

Foreign direct investment

● Raises limit on foreign direct investment in defence sector from 26 percent to 49 percent

● Raises FDI limit in insurance sector from 26 percent to 49 percent



Spending● Capital outlay for defence raised by 50 billion rupees over interim budget

● Earmarks Rs 7000 crore to create 100 "smart cities"

● Proposes Rs 5000 crore for warehousing capacity; 100 billion rupees of private capital for start-up companies; and 378 billion rupees of investment in national and state highways

● Rs 4000 crore for affordable housing proposed through national housing bank and extends tax incentives for housing loans

● Proposes Rs 8000 crore for rural housing scheme



Subsidies● Plans to make food and petroleum subsidies more targeted

● Rural job-guarantee scheme, which provides 100 days of paid employment a year, will become more focused on asset creation

● Proposes Rs 8000 crore for rural housing scheme



Agriculture● Will focus on achieving 4 growth per year in agriculture

● Proposes a long-term rural credit fund with an initial corpus of Rs 5000 crore

● Rs 100 crore for development of organic farming



Social sector● Pension Scheme to be revived for a year (Aug 15-14) for citizens above 60

● Rs 50,548 crore for SC welfare schemes.

● Rs 32,387 crore for ST welfare schemes.



Infrastructure● Earmarks Rs 500 crore for 24x7 uninterrupted power in all homes

● Rs 100 crore for metro projects in Lucknow and Ahmedabad

● Rs 2,037 crore set aside for Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission called 'Namami Gange'

● Rs 200 crore for world-class sports stadium in Jammu and Kasmir

● Trade Facilitation Centre in Varanasi Handloom and Crafts Museum

● Rs 1000 crore to enhance rail connectivity in the Northeast

● Rs 2250 crore for the development and modernization of the border infrastructure

● A project on the river Ganga called 'Jal Marg Vikas' for inland waterways between Allahabad and Haldia; Rs 4,200 crore set aside for the purpose

● War memorial to be set up along with a war museum; Rs 100 crore set aside for this

● Rs 7,060 crore for setting up 100 Smart Cities



Education● Five more IIMs to be opened in HP, Punjab, Bihar, Odisha and Rajasthan

● Five more IITs in Jammu, Chattisgarh, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

● Four more AIIMS like institutions to come up in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Vidarbha in Maharashtra and Poorvanchal in Uttar Pradesh



Tourism● E-Visas to be introduced at 9 airports

● Finance Minister says tourism helps in job creation and e-visas will encourage more tourists to visit India

● A provision of Rs 500 crore for five tourism sector.



Banking● Deduction limit on interest on loan for self-occupied house raised to Rs 2 lakh from Rs 1.5 lakh.

● Set aside Rs 11,200 crore for PSU banks capitalisation

● Government in favour of consolidation of PSU banks

● Government considering giving greater autonomy to PSU banks while making them accountable

● PSUs to invest to over Rs 2.47 lakh crore this fiscal



Others● Earmarks Rs 200 crore for Sardar Patel statue

● Proposes Rs 150 crore for improving women safety

● LCD, LED TV become cheaper

● Cigarettes, pan masala, tobacco, aerated drinks become costlier

● Government proposes to launch Digital India' programme to ensure broad band connectivity at village level

● Rs 100 crore scheme to support about 600 new and existing Community Radio Stations

● Rs 150 crore for Communication facilities in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

● Rs 188 crore for disaster preparedness in Puducherry

● Rs 3,600 crore for providing safe drinking water

● North-stop 24-hour channel is proposed to be introduced

● Farmer TV channel will be launched for the benefit of farmers.

● Rs 200 crore to make Delhi a world class city for social welfare and Rs 500 crore for energy

● Kisan Vikas Patra to be reintroduced, National Savings Certificate with insurance cover to be launched

● 'Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya New Teachers Training Programme' launched with initial sum of Rs 500 crore

● Government provides Rs 500 crore for rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri migrants

● Indian Custom Single Window Project to be taken up for facilitating trade




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