How the budget made your life easier

Ease of living is what the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley promised in the Union Budget 2018-19. Here are five ways in which he tried to ease our life.
12 per cent contribution by government to all new employees across all sectors for the next three years.
8 per cent contribution by women employees to their EPF, for first three years, against existing EPF deduction of 10-12 per cent, to increase their take home pay. No reduction in employer's contribution.

Rs 40,000 standard deduction for transport allowance and reimbursement of medical expenses, apart from hospitalisation expenses reimbursement.

Five fold increase in income tax exemption on interest income for senior citizens, on fixed deposits with banks and post offices - from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000, along with no TDS.

Rs 50,000 standard deduction for senior citizens on health insurance premium or medical expenses incurred - 67% increase from the earlier limit of Rs 30,000 per year.
Rs 1 lakh is the new upper limit of deduction for medical expenses on critical illness for senior citizens - up from Rs 60,000 for age group 60-79 and Rs 80,000 for those aged 80 and above.

Rs 15 lakh is the new upper limit for senior citizens to invest in the pension scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana - up from Rs 7.5 lakh earlier.
Scheme can now be subscribed till March 2020 - it was earlier open for subscription till May 2018.