Over the last month, we have read a host of wish lists from Union Minister Of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman's Interim Budget from various sectors and industries. These wish lists came even though Interim Budgets, which are announced a few months before the general elections and are meant to cover the transition period between the current and new governments, are typically non-events.
Instead of making new announcements, an Interim Budget merely recaps major decisions taken by the present government over the last five years. Any new announcements could be seen as a populist move just before the elections. In keeping with the convention, Sitharaman also announced no changes to the tax slabs or rates; neither did she introduce any welfare schemes, in the Interim Budget tabled on February 1, 2024. "Being a vote on account, no major changes were expected in the tax rates. All hopes are pinned to the Budget post elections," says Divya Baweja, partner, Deloitte India.
The Continuity
Though no changes were made to the tax slabs, rates or schemes, taxpayers have found a mention, at least in the past three Interim Budgets, including the current one. In the 2014 Interim Budget, then finance minister P. Chidamabaram raised taxpayers hopes for a simplified tax regime when he mentioned the readying of the Direct Taxes Code (DTC). "We have also got ready a Direct Taxes Code that will serve us for at least the next 20 years. I intend to place it on the website for a public discussion without partisanship or acrimony. I appeal to all political parties to resolve to pass the GST laws and the DTC in 2014-15," he said.
This story is from the February 2024 edition of Outlook Money.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2024 edition of Outlook Money.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
New Or Old Which Tax Regime Should You Choose In These 5 Scenarios?
The government made the new tax regime the default one from FY2023-24. However, you can still choose between the old and the new tax regime while filing your income tax return. But that would depend on your income slab and the deductions you wish to claim. We help you choose the most suitable tax regime in these five common scenarios
Plan With Fixed-Income Funds
Fixed-income funds lend stability to your portfolio, have better cash flow visibility, and help preserve capital. They can be used in various stages of planning
TDS: Tax Deducted At Source
Every taxpayer in India has heard about tax deducted at source (TDS). It is one of the main revenue sources for the government.
What Makes You Splurge On Food
With increased earnings, people tend to spend more on gourmet experiences. However, spending within your means is essential to stay healthy, both physically and financially
PORT, BUY TOP-UPS TO TACKLE RISING HEALTH PREMIUMS IN OLD AGE
Healthcare costs can eat into your retirement corpus, so buying health insurance makes sense. If rising premiums are holding you back from buying a cover, here are some tips to reduce the outgo
Here's How To Buy A Plot Of Land
Buying a plot of land is a complicated process and varies across states. But the overall process is the same, and typically starts with verifying the legal ownership of the land, preparing the sale deed, paying the sale value and getting the land registered at the sub registrar’s office after the purchase.
WILL THE BULL RUN CONTINUE IN MODI 3.0?
After a decade, a coalition government is back in power. What does that mean for stock market investors?
VALUE INVESTING LESSONS FROM BENJAMIN GRAHAM
A poet, translator, mathematician and financial strategist, Benjamin Graham was all of this and more. But his most signification contribution has been to lay the foundations of an investing strategy that revolved around buying undervalued stocks with strong fundamentals and holding them for the long term. We have used a screening method based on his strategy to recommend a few stocks you may consider
'Often Our Emotions Get The Best Of Us And Lead Us Astray'
Dan Ariely, author and professor of psychology and behavioural economics, at Duke University, North Carolina, the US, studies the irrational ways in which we all behave. In his own words, he “looks at people not from a rational perspective, but from the irrational perspective. We basically ask questions around what we are doing that is not in our long-term best interest”. In an interview with Nidhi Sinha, Editor, Outlook Money, as part of the Wealth Wizards series, he talks about himself, his signature half a beard, how people can deal with irrationality, and the role of emotions like misbelief, trust, and human motivation in how people behave or make decisions. Here are the edited excerpts from the interview.
3 Pillars Of Support On Claims
In the last 6-8 months, Irdai has introduced a set of regulatory changes that promise to resolve issues that previously often led to poor outcomes on health insurance claims