What are the major takeaways from the Union budget for 2023?
- The vision for Amrit Kaal Blue Print for an empowered and inclusive economy is presented by the Union Budget 2023-24.
- Rs 2,200 crore will be allocated to boost the availability of disease-free, quality planting material for the growth of horticulture crops under the Atmanirbhar clean plant program.
- An increase of 33% to Rs 10 Lakh crore is made in capital investment outlay
- Effective capital expenditure at 4.5% of GDP
- In 2023-24 the fiscal deficit is estimated to be 5.9% of the GDP
- Real GDP to grow at 7% and exports at 12.5%
- The government will establish 157 new nursing colleges
- To create a pesticide manufacturing network and national-level distributed micro-fertilizer, 10,000 bio-input resource centres will be set up.
- Establishment of Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) through the use of priority sector lending shortfall
- Under the Gobardhan scheme, 500 new ‘Waste to Wealth’ plants are to be established at a total investment of Rs 10.000 crore
- Mantri Kausal Vikas Yojana 4.0 to be launched
- Basic custom duty tax on goods other than textiles and agriculture to be reduced from 21 to 13
- The topmost priority of the Modi government is inclusive development, which is also the first of the ‘saptarishis’, or the seven goals.
- Mahila Samman Bachat Patra scheme with a 7.5% interest rate, deposit facility of up to Rs 2 lakh, and Senior Citizen Savings scheme limit increased up to Rs 30 Lakh
- National digital library to be established for children
- The new initiative will be taken to promote domestic tourism with the name ‘Dekho Apna Desh’
- Interstate transmission system for grid integration and evacuation of 13 GW renewable energy from Ladakh to be constructed with an outlay of Rs20,700 crore
- The unified skill India Digital platform to be launched for skilling will be further expanded
- Work will be done on mission mode to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047
New tax regime
The rebate limit for individual taxpayers has increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 Lakh a year. As per NDTV, Sitharaman said, "Currently, those with income up to ₹ 5 lakh do not pay any income tax in both old and new tax regimes. I propose to increase the rebate limit to ₹ 7 lakh in the new tax regime. Thus, persons in the new tax regime, with income up to ₹ 7 lakh, will not have to pay any tax.”New Slabs
- Rs 0-3 Lakh- No Tax
- Rs 3-6 Lakh- 5% tax
- Rs 6-9 Lakh- 10% tax
- Rs 9-12 Lakh- 15% tax
- Rs 12-15 Lakh- 20% tax
- Above Rs 15 lakh- 30% tax
List of items getting costlier
- 16% hike in taxes on cigarettes
- Essential import duty increased to 25% from 10% on compound rubber
- Customs duty hiked on articles made from gold bars
- Custom duty increased to 15% from 7.5% on electric kitchen chimney
List of items getting cheaper
- Custom duty cut to 2.5% on parts of open cells of TV
- Reduction in customs duty on the import of specific inputs for mobile phone manufacturing
- Lowering of essential customs duty on seeds used in the manufacturing of lab-grown diamonds
- Reduction of customs duty on shrimp feed to boost exports