Measures Proposed for Skill Development and Augmenting Funds for SMEs Turnover Limit for Compulsory Tax Audit Raised to Rs. One Crore.

STT Proposed to be Reduced by 20 Per Cent GAAR PANEL Mooted to Counter Aggressive Tax Avoidance Schemes Levy of Alternate Minimum Tax Proposed to be Extended.

To Promote Investment, Weighted Deduction for Expenditure in R&D and AGRI-Extension Services Proposed Sunset Date for Tax Exemption in Power Sector Extended.

Slew of Measures Proposed to Deter Generation and Use of Unaccounted Money Tax Collection at Source on Cash Purchase of Bullion/Jewellery Above Rs. 2 Lakh Tax Collection at Source on Trading in Coal, Lignite and Iron Ore Unexplained Money to be Taxed at 30 Per Cent.

Measures Introduced to Allow Corporates to Access Lower Cost Funds; Promote Higher Level of Investments in Several Sectors Rate of Withholding Tax on Interest Payments on ECBs Proposed to be Reduced to 5 Per Cent From 20 Per Cent Restriction on Venture Capital Funds to Invest in Specified Sectors Removed Rate of Investment Linked Deduction of Capital Expenditure Proposed to be Enhanced to 150 Per

Exemption Limit for Individual Taxpayers Raised to Rs. 2 Lakh Upper Limit of 20 Per Cent Tax Slab Raised to Rs. 10 Lakh Deduction up to Rs. 10,000 Proposed for Savings Bank Interest Senior Citizens not Having Income from Business Exempted from Payment of Advance Tax ,

Buy Backs, Stock Exchange Listings Allowed to PSUs in Divestmentmode Rupees 30,000 Crores to Raised Through Disinvestment.

Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme Launched.

Advance Pricing Agreement Introduced.

Curbing the Black Money A Priority Concern for the Government; Number of Proactive Steps To Tackle the Malaise Announced; White Paper to be Laid in Current Session Itself: FM.

Tax compliance reforms expand audit threshold, tighten anti-evasion rules, and introduce incentives to boost investment. The Budget advances compliance and investment incentives by raising the compulsory tax audit turnover threshold, reducing securities transaction tax, proposing extension of Alternate Minimum Tax and enhancing investment-linked deductions; it proposes reduced withholding on external borrowings, removal of venture capital sector restrictions, introduction of Advance Pricing Agreements, and reliefs for individual and senior taxpayers. Concurrently, anti-evasion measures include Tax Collection at Source on high-value cash bullion and specified mineral trades, taxation of unexplained money at a higher rate, a GAAR panel to counter aggressive avoidance, and publication of a white paper on black money.