Also, transportation allowance is tax-free to the extent of Rs 800 per month. This limit was fixed more than a decade ago, and needs to be revised upwards to at least Rs 3,000 per month.
PwC is of the opinion caption that the realty sector has been under pressure for long and the government should incentivise investments into the sector.
Industry has been demanding that definition of infrastructure be expanded to include some of the key sectors like telecom, housing, shipping and education. Infrastructure sector status ensures tax benefit and easier access to domestic and global funding.
Analysts have put faith in Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's fiscal discipline, with budget projections factoring in a 4.8 percent deficit, similar to the official forecast.
Tax has become a sensitive issue in Britain as the government cuts spending to tackle a big budget deficit, and as more becomes known about legal loopholes firms such as Starbucks and Amazon use to sharply cut their tax bill.
The IT and IT-enabled services industry here has sought the reduction in minimum alternate tax (MAT) to 5 percent in the Budget 2013-14 for all IT companies operating in SEZs.
FMCG major Dabur India today posted 17.61 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 200.55 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2013
This year's budget deficit will look smaller due to faulty cash-based accounting. Time to abandon this trick.
Taxing the rich or super rich who are already paying taxes is not the best way to raise more resources. It's better find more rich people who currently don't pay tax
Railway fares hiked, an imminent hike in diesel and LPG prices. Is it time for the final burst of speed on reform? <br /><br /> <br /><br />
The investor and taxpayer should separate from one another. Investments should be made based on outlook for the asset class. The taxpayer should use all tax breaks available to save on tax.
The markets will welcome a budget that is pragmatic and if global equities stay firm, Indian equities, bonds and the currency can see a strong rally after the budget.
A good budget will see markets taking up PSU stocks along with the broad market and since PSU stocks have underperformed over the last two years the catch up could fetch handsome returns to investors.
If reducing gold imports is an important short- or medium-term goal, here is the right way to go about it in gold-craxy India
The markets also understand that there will be pain in the short term for long-term gains.
Investors do not mind paying taxes as tax is paid on gains, unfortunately retail investors are nervous on whether they will see gains at all on equities given the current state of economic affairs.
The budget day is like a grand finale of a reality show, where the participants perform their best to win votes.
With global signals continuing to be weak, the rating agencies keeping a close watch and the slowdown showing little signs of abating, Chidambaram and Subbarao will have to come up with a common formula to keep growth from flagging further.<br /><br /> <br /><br />
Taxes cannot be raised at a time when the economy is slowing down while it cannot be broadened as elections are due in 2014.
Survey of 300 firms shows requirement of a less litigious tax regime is also key expectation
Fiscal 2013-14 will be characterised by weak investment demand more than anything else.
This irony should not be missed. It has grave import for the public since the Indian Railways talk about safety but do not give a damn.
The Planning Commission chief sees scope for getting the non-taxpaying rich into the tax net. He says the rich already pay higher rates
Non-Plan expenditure is expected to grow by 4 percent in 2013-14 against a growth rate of 19 percent seen in 2012-13.
The Budget may have been flat, but there's a lot in it for angel investors, startups and MSMEs<br /><br /> <br /><br />
India will finally be a $2 trillion economy this year, but getting back to 8-9 percent growth and becoming a middle income country needs faster reforms
<br /><br /> Markets will stabilize at lower levels and climb up. The budget itself is not going to do much for the economy in terms of taking it up or bringing it down
Not only is this unregulated sector cash-rich, but at least 50-60 percent of the funds in the industry change hands in black.
The key to reading asset classes in 2013 is reading government policies right. But that's not easy, as some of these policies may fail to deliver.
Over the past 20 years, the MSCI India has outperformed the MSCI EM on eight occasions in the month after the Budget. However, except for 1997, it is difficult to attribute these performances to the Budget, says Morgan Stanley<br /><br />