Budget News

Updated : Jul 6, 2011

Pranab, the Clever

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is either incredibly clever or a budding illusionist. Little else can explain his presentation of the Union Budget on Monday, February 28.

Hectic activity inside Religare's dealing room

Updated : Jul 5, 2011

Treading on volatility

How a dealing room, where money is made or lost each time a share moves, responded.

Updated : Jul 5, 2011

Tumult on D-Street

The markets cheer the budget, but macroeconomic concerns could still affect sentiment.

Updated : Jul 5, 2011

It's the elections, stupid

Pranab Mukherjee will have to keep an eye out for five key state elections this summer, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The populist spending cannot stop.

Updated : Apr 26, 2011

Pranab withdraws proposal to levy service tax on healthcare

Union Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday rolled back his proposal to impose 5 per cent service tax on high-end healthcare services.

Updated : Apr 4, 2011

Mr Das, my neighbour and a cricket enthusiast, summed up the Budget most aptly in the style of commentators so visible this World Cup. So, here's what he had to say, says Sonu Iyer, tax partner, Ernst & Young.

Updated : Mar 17, 2011

Win some, lose some

There were few surprises in Budget 2011-12. But here's a look at some sectors likely to get affected - some favourably, some less so - by the proposals.

Updated : Mar 11, 2011

Govt looking at suggestions on tax proposals

Under fire for the proposal to tax 'high-end' medical services, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday told Lok Sabha he is examining various suggestions and would respond later.

Updated : Mar 7, 2011

Textile Ministry seeks rollback of excise duty on branded garments

Shoppers Stop, Pantaloons, Westside, Lifestyle, Madura Garments and Arvind Brands shut their establishments on Monday to protest against the proposal of hike in excise duty.

Updated : Mar 3, 2011

Budget 2011 impact: Hoteliers seek rollback of service tax

Tour operators are also up in arms against the government for enhancing service tax on air travel. Airlines are seeing red but they seem to understand the compulsions.

Updated : Mar 1, 2011

MAT in SEZs to impact smaller IT Cos: Nasscom

Bringing units operating in SEZs under the minimum alternate tax bracket will impact small and medium enterprises, software representative body Nasscom said on Monday.

Updated : Mar 1, 2011

Mobile phones to cost more from Apri1: Pranab

Mobile handsets will cost more as Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced one per cent hike in Central Excise duty for 130 items in his Budget for 2011-12 on Monday.

Updated : Mar 1, 2011

GST not possible from April 2012: Govt

The government is scheduled to table the GST Constitution Amendment Bill during the current session of Parliament for consideration.

Updated : Mar 1, 2011

More tax-free bonds on the anvil

The government's focus on infrastructure sector in this year's budget has opened up another investment avenue for investors.

Updated : Mar 1, 2011

Interest subsidy on home loans up to Rs 15 lakh

The government has extended the 1% interest subsidy for home loans up to Rs 15 lakh where the cost of house does not exceed Rs 25 lakh.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Parliament on Monday

Updated : Mar 1, 2011

Budget 2011-12: Pranab is India Inc's Sachin, says Ficci

India Inc described Pranab Mukherjee as industry's Sachin saying the veteran leader was steering the economy "with ease of a seasoned player" in difficult times.

Updated : Feb 28, 2011

Budget reduces surcharge, increases MAT

In a major relief to the industry, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday lowered the surcharge on domestic companies to 5 per cent from 7.5 per cent.

Updated : Feb 28, 2011

Defence budget up by 11.6 per cent

To procure modern weapon systems and defence equipment, Rs 69,199 crore has been allocated for capital expenditure, FM informed during the Budget speech 2011-12.

Updated : Feb 28, 2011

Direct Taxes Code to be implemented from April 1, 2012: Pranab

In the DTC Bill, which was introduced in Parliament last year, the annual I-T exemption limit is proposed at Rs 2 lakh, compared to Rs 1.6 lakh at present.

Updated : Feb 28, 2011

Low-cost housing loans of Rs 15 lakh to get 1% interest sop

FM Pranab Mukherjee said low-cost housing loans of Rs 15 lakh will be eligible for one per cent interest subsidy, which will help in increasing the demand for such housing.