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Saturday, 28 February 2015

UNION BUDGET 2015-16 HIGHLIGHTS

UNION BUDGET 2015-16 HIGHLIGHTS


Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 28th February 2015 presented the Union Budget for the year 2015-16. Being termed as 'make or break', this is Arun Jaitley and the NDA Government's first full year Budget. Here are the key highlights of the Budget.

Important Numbers to Note


1. Non-Plan expenditure: Rs 13,12,200 crore.

2. Plan expenditure: Rs Rs 4,65,277 crore.

3. Total expenditure: Rs 17,77,477 crore.

4. Gross Tax receipts: Rs 14,49,490 crore.

5. Devolution to the States: Rs 5,23,958 crore.

6. Share of Central Government: Rs 9,19,842 crore.

7. Non Tax Revenues: Rs 2,21,733 crore.

8. Fiscal deficit : 3.9% of GDP and Revenue Deficit: 2.8% of GDP

Economic Survey 2014-15 Highlights


Key Features of Union Budget 2015


1. Defer the applicability of GAAR by 2 years; effective from 1.04.2017

2. Wealth Tax to be abolished

3. 2% surcharge on those who have income of over Rs 1 Cr per annum

4. Benami Property Transaction bill to tackle black money transaction in real estate soon

5. PAN must for any sale exceeding Rs 1 lakh

6. High corporate tax with too many exceptions gives us worst of both worlds, we neither get revenues nor investments

7. Taxation is an instrument of socio-economic engineering

8. Corporate Tax to be reduced to 25% from 30%

9. GST expected to play transformative role by creating a common market; have already introduced bill for same

10. Aim to rationalize and cut exemptions in corporate tax

11. Govt. to get tough on Black Money

12. Direct Tax collection is going to be 14.49 lakh crore rupees

13. To avoid surprise in taxation policy

14. Corporate tax to be reduced by 5% over next four years

15. Policy of Make in India in Defence not only to cater our needs but also for export

16. Defence budget enhanced to Rs 2,46,727 crore

17. Special Assistance to Bihar and West Bengal

18. Rs 15,000 crore scheme to skill rural India

19. Poor students get fund aid through PM scheme

20. Renewable energy target will be increased to 1,75,000 MW

21. AIIMS to be set up in J&K, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Assam

22. IIT in Karnataka, IIMs in J&K and Andhra Pradesh

23. ISM Dhanabad will be upgraded to full IIT

24. Section 6 of FEMA to be amended

25. Public procurement law to be introduced

26. Public contracts resolution bill to be introduced

27. Rupay Debit Cards to be incentivised, to move towards paperless transactions

28. Regulatory reform law for infrastructure development

29. To launch National Skills Mission to boost jobs

30. Committee to be set up to plan the celebration of the 100th birth anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya

31. Govt. to do away with distinctions between FII and FDI and replace it with Composite Caps

32. Another 1,000 crores for Nirbhaya Fund

33. Corpus for maintenance of Global Heritage Sites at Goa, Gujarat, J&K, Mumbai, Punjab and Telangana

34. Environment friendly development process only

Here are the highlights of the Rail Budget 2015


35. Foreign investment in alternate investment funds

36. Govt. to introduce Gold Monetization Scheme, Sovereign Gold Bonds

37. EPF & ESI has hostage rather than client ; ESI should be made optional to employees

38. Visa on arrival for 150 countries in phases

39. FMC to be strengthened by merging with SEBI

40. To put in place bankruptcy code soon

41. Employees contribution to EPF should be optional

42. Indian Gold Coin with Ashok Chakra

43. 5 Ultra Mega power projects, of 4000 MW announced

44. Highest ever allocation for MGNREGA, by increasing it this year by 5,000 crore rupees

45. Internationally competitive Direct Tax regime to be put in place

46. Deepening of bond market to complement our world class equity; Public Debt Management agency towards this end

47. Ports in public sector will be encouraged to corporatize & become companies under Companies 
48. Plan an expert committee for Drafting Legislation for Regulatory mechanism

49. NBFCs with size of Rs 500 Cr and above to get parity in recoveries

50. Capex for state PSUs to be Rs 3.17 lakh crore

51. PM agri plans get Rs 3,000 crore extra allocation

52. Initial sum of Rs 150 Cr to create world class IT hub to take advantage of our competitiveness

53. Expert committee to examine need for multiple prior clearances for projects

54. PPP model has to be revised and revitalized

55. Rs 30,000 crore allocation for SC welfare schemes

56. Lending priority to be given to SC, ST in Mudra bank

57. Outlay upped by 24,000 Cr for rail, road

58. Capex for state PSUs to be Rs 3.17 lakh crore

59. Atal Innovation Mission to foster culture of research among India's and global brain

60. Investment in Infrastructure to go up by 70,000 crores in 2015-16 over 2014-15

61. Tax free Infrastructure bonds for projects in railways and roads

62. PM Surakhsha Bima Yojna to increase the access to insurance ; it will be linked with Jan Dhan 

63. Atal Pension Yojna to provide defined pension according to contribution

64. Divestment in loss making units

65. New scheme called Nayi Manzil to enable minority youth without school-leaving certificates to get the employment

66. Exhibition of Parsi culture

Here are the highlights of the Rail Budget 2015


67. Senior citizens welfare fund to subsidise the premium for elderly people

68. MUDRA bank to refinance micro finance institution under PMs MUDRA scheme

69. To utilize vast postal network for increasing access to institutional banking

70. To launch PM Surakhsha BhÄ«ma Yojna, offering coverage of 2 lakh rupees for just premium of Rs 12 (Rs 1 per month)

71. Universal Social Security for all Indians

72. New scheme physical aid and assited

73. GST to be in place by April 01. 2016

74. Senior citizens welfare fund to subsidise the premium for elderly people

75. Proposes a Mudra Bank of corpus of 20000 crores to refinance the MFIs

76. To bring a Comprehensive Bankruptcy code for the ease of doing business by 2015-16

77. Committed to increase the access of people to formal financial system

78. Committed to bring a Universal social security system for all

79. Manufacturing Hub through Make in India program

80. Forex reserves at $340 billion

81. We need a well-targeted system of subsidies rather than to cut subsidies

82. Micro irrigation to get Rs 5300 crore

83. Electrification of villages by 2020

84. To continue with MNREGA

85. Agri credit target in 2015-16 increased to 8.5 lakh crore

86. National agri market to increase income of farmers



87. Well-targeted system of Subsidy delivery, cutting down of leakage

88. Need well targeted system to rationalise subsidies

89. LPG direct transfer subsidy to be expanded

90. Rural Infrastructure Development Fund to be at Rs 25000 Cr

91. Road map to achieve Fiscal Deficit of 3% of GDP in three years

92. Target of 3.9% in Fiscal Deficit 2015-16

93. Target of 3.5% in Fiscal Deficit 2016-17

94. Target of 3% in Fiscal Deficit 2017-18

95. Will finish the journey to 3% fiscal deficit in two years

96. Tax buoyancy is lower but still we will meet the promise of Fiscal deficit of 4.1% of GDP this 

97. Latest CPI 5.1% WPI negative

98. States to get 62% of the total resources

99. Rural and urban divide to be removed

100. A roof for each family in India by 2022- 75th Year of India's Independence

Here are the highlights of the Rail Budget 2015


Sector-wise Highlights of Union Budget 2015

Taxation

1. Abolition of Wealth Tax.

2. Additional 2% surcharge for the super-rich with income of over Rs. 1 crore.

3. Rate of corporate tax to be reduced to 25% over next four years.

4. Total exemption of up to Rs. 4,44,200 can be achieved.

5. 100% exemption for contribution to Swachch Bharat, apart from CSR.

6. Service tax increased to14 per cent.

Agriculture


1. Rs. 25,000 crore for Rural Infrastructure Development Bank.

2. Rs. 5,300 crore to support Micro Irrigation Programme.

3. Farmer’s credit - target of 8.5 lakh crore.

Infrastructure


1. Rs. 70,000 crores to Infrastructure sector.

2. Tax-free bonds for projects in rail road and irrigation

3. PPP model for infrastructure development to be revitalised and govt. to bear majority of the 



4. Rs. 150 crore allocated for Research & Development

5. NITI to be established and involvement of entrepreneurs, researchers to foster scientific innovations.

6. Govt. proposes to set up 5 ultra-mega power projects, each of 4000MW.

Education


1. AIIMS in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Assam.

2. IIT in Karnataka; Indian Institute of Mines in Dhanabad to be upgraded to IIT.

3. PG institute of Horticulture in Amritsar.

4. Kerala to have University of Disability Studies

5. Centre of film production, animation and gaming to come up in Arunachal Pradesh.

6. IIM for Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh.

Defence


1. Rs. 2,46,726 crore for Defence.

2. Focus on Make in India for quick manufacturing of Defence equipment.

Here are the highlights of the Rail Budget 2015

Welfare Schemes


1. 50,000 toilets constructed under Swachh Bahrat Abhiyan.

2. Two other programmes to be introduced- GST & JAM Trinity. GST will be implemented by April 2016.

3. MUDRA bank will refinance micro finance orgs. To encourage first generation SC/ST entrepreneurs.

4. Housing for all by 2020.

5. Upgradation 80,000 secondary schools.

6. DBT will be further be expanded from 1 crore to 10.3 crore.

7. For the Atal Pension Yojna, govt. will contribute 50% of the premium limited to Rs. 1000 a 

8. New scheme for physical aids and assisted living devices for people aged over 80.

9. Govt. to use Rs. 9000 crore unclaimed funds in PPF/EPF for Senior Citizens Fund.

10. Rs. 5,000 crore additional allocation for MGNREGA.

11. Govt. to create universal social security system for all Indians.

Renewable Energy


1. Rs. 75 crore for electric cars production.

2. Renewable energy target for 2022: 100K MW in solar; 60K MW in wind; 10K MW in biomass and 5K MW in small hydro

Tourism


1. Development schemes for churches and convents in old Goa; Hampi, Elephanta caves, Forests of Rajasthan, Leh palace, Varanasi, Jallianwala Bagh, Qutb Shahi tombs at Hyderabad to be under the newtoursim scheme.

2. Visa on Arrival for 150 countries


Economic Survey 2014-15 Highlights

Economic Survey 2014-15 Highlights


Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today (27th February 2015) tabled the Economic Survey 2014-2015 in Lok Sabha, which outlines the broad direction of the Budget and the economic performance of the country. This survey, prepared by the finance ministry's chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, forecasts Indian economy is likely to grow above 8 percent in 2015-16. The Survey furt her said that economic growth for the financial year 2015-16 is likely to remain between 8.1 and 8.5 percent.

Economic Survey 2014-15 Highlights


Fiscal Deficit


 India must meet its medium-term fiscal deficit target of 3 per cent of GDP

 Government will adhere to fiscal deficit target of 4.1 per cent of GDP in 2014/15

 Govt. should ensure expenditure control to reduce fiscal deficit

Growth


 2015/16 GDP growth seen at over 8 pct y/y

 Double digit economic growth trajectory now a possibility

 Economic growth at market prices seen between 8.1 - 8.5 per cent in 2015/16 on basis on new GDP calculation formula

Current Account Deficit


 Estimated to fall 1 pct of GDP in coming fiscal year

Inflation


 Inflation shows declining trend in 2014/15

 Inflation likely to be below central bank target by 0.5 - 1 per centage point

 Lower inflation opens up space for more monetary policy easing

 Govt and central bank need to conclude monetary framework pact to consolidate gains in inflation control

 CPI inflation in 2015/16 is likely to range between 5 - 5.5 per cent

Reforms


 There is scope for big bang reforms now.

 India can increase public investments and still hit its borrowing targets.

Fiscal Consolidation


 Govt. remains committed to fiscal consolidation.

 India can balance short-term imperative of boosting public investment to revitalize growth with fiscal discipline.

 Outlook for external financing is correspondingly favourable.

Subsidies


 Overhauling of subsidy regime would pave the way for expenditure rationalization

IT & ITeS Sector


 IT and ITeS sector including Business Process Management (BPM), continues to be one of the largest employers in the country

 Software products and services revenues for 2015-16 is projected to grow at 12-14 per cent.

 Government's "Make in India" mission has included IT and BPM among the 25 focus sectors

Tourism


 Increase in growth on both foreign tourist arrivals at 7.1 per cent and foreign exchange earnings at 6.6 per cent in the year 2014.

 Easing of the Indian tourism visa regime through the expansion of Tourist Visa on Arrival enabled by Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) will give a fillip to foreign tourist arrivals in the country.

Trade & Repair Services Sector


 Migration from traditional stores to modern retail continues, though the latter still accounts for only 8 per cent of the total market.

E-commerce Market


 Government proposes to include sufficient provisions for consumer safeguards in the ongoing amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

Media & Entertainment Industry


 With 100 per cent FDI permitted in the Film Sector, India is emerging as the new favourite of international studios.