Union Budget 2013 Highlights:
- First home loan from a bank or housing finance corporation upto Rs. 25 lakh entitled to additional deduction of interest upto Rs. 1 lakh.: The Finance Bill 2013-14 proposes additional tax benefit to the first – home buyer who takes a loan for an amount not exceeding Rs.25 lakh. Presenting the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha today, the Finance Minister Shri P.Chidambaram proposed that a person taking a loan for his first home from a bank or a housing finance corporation upto Rs.25 lakh during the period 1.4.2013 to 31.3.2014 will be entitled to an additional deduction of interest of Rs.1 lakh.
- Proposal to launch Inflation Indexed Bonds or Inflation Indexed National Security Certificates to protect savings from inflation.
- Nirbhaya Fund to empower women and to keep them safe and secure.
- Finance Minister makes three promises: to women, youth and the poor.
- A surcharge of 10 percent on persons (other than companies) whose taxable income exceeds Rs.1 crore have been levied.
- Tobacco products, SUVs and Mobile Phones to cost more :
- Excise duty on SUVs increased from 27 to 30 percent. However, this will not apply to SUVs registered as taxies. Cigarettes will cost more as specific excise duty increased by about 18 percent. Similar increases are proposed on cigars, cheroots and cigarillos. Duty on mobile phones priced above Rs. 2000 has been raised to 6 percent from the current one percent
- Relief of Rs. 2000 for the tax payers in the first bracket of 2 to 5 lakhs.
- As regards Direct Taxes, a relief of Rs. 2000 for the Tax Payers in the first bracket of Rs. 2 lakhs to Rs. 5 lakhs have been proposed. A surcharge of 10 percent on persons (other than companies) whose taxable income exceeds Rs.1 crore have been levied. Surcharge has been increased from 5 to 10 percent on domestic companies whose taxable income exceed Rs. 10 crore. In case of foreign companies, surcharge will increase from 2 to 5 percent, if the taxable income exceeds Rs. 10 crore. Additional surcharges to be in force for only one year. Mr. Chidambaram said, education cess to continue at 3 percent.
- ‘Voluntary Compliance Encouragement Scheme’ launched for recovering service tax dues.
- The Finance Bill 2013-14 proposes levy of TDS at the rate of 1 percent on the value of the transfer of immovable property where the consideration exceeds Rs.50 lakh. However, agricultural land will be exempt.
- No Change in Tax slab.
