As it happened hindu

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As it happened: Union Budget 2015
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley arrives at North Block.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha.
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States to be equal partners in economic growth; move to making India cashless society; social
sector programmes to continue.
12.33 p.m.: The Finance Minister tables the Union Budget, Statement of Receipts and Expenditure and the
Finance Bill in Parliament after completing his speech.
12.32 p.m.: DTC - No merit in going ahead with Direct tax Code as it exists today. Net impact of tax proposals
Rs. 15,068 crore.
12.31 p.m.: Yoga - included under charitable activites.
12.30 p.m.: Indiviual taxpayer can get benefits up to Rs. 4,44,200.
12.29 p.m.: Transport allowance exemption to be increased to Rs. 1,600 per month.
BUDGET 2015
Here are sector-wise highlights
Taxation
1Abolition of Wealth Tax.
2Additional 2% surcharge for the super rich with income of
over Rs. 1 crore.
3Rate of corporate tax to be reduced to 25% over next four
years.
4Total exemption of up to Rs. 4,44,200 can be achieved.
5100% exemption for contribution to Swachch Bharat, apart
from CSR.
6Service tax increased to14 per cent.
Infrastructure
1Rs. 70,000 crores to Infrastructure sector.

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2Tax-free bonds for projects in rail road and irrigation
3PPP model for infrastructure development to be revitalised
and govt. to bear majority of the risk.
4
Atal Innovation Mission to be established to draw on
expertise of entrepreneurs, and researchers to foster
scientific innovations; allocation of Rs. 150 crore.
5Govt. proposes to set up 5 ultra mega power projects, each
of 4000MW.
Education
1AIIMS in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Himachal
Pradesh, Bihar and Assam.
2IIT in Karnataka; Indian Institute of Mines in Dhanbad to be
upgraded to IIT.
3PG institute of Horticulture in Armtisar.
4Kerala to have University of Disability Studies
5Centre of film production, animation and gaming to come
up in Arunachal Pradesh.
6IIM for Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh.
Welfare schemes
1 50,000 toilets constructed under Swachh Bharath
Abhiyan.

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2 Two other programmes to be introduced- GST & JAM
Trinity. GST will be implemented by April 2016.
3 MUDRA bank will refinance micro finance orgs. to
encourage first generation SC/ST entrepreneurs.
4 Housing for all by 2020.
5 Upgradation 80,000 secondary schools.
6 DBT will be further be expanded from 1 crore to 10.3
crore.
7 For the Atal Pension Yojna, govt. will contribute 50% of
the premium limited to Rs. 1000 a year.
8 New scheme for physical aids and assisted living
devices for people aged over 80 .
9 Govt to use Rs. 9000 crore unclaimed funds in PPF/EPF
for Senior Citizens Fund.
10Rs. 5,000 crore additional allocation for MGNREGA.
11Govt. to create universal social security system for all
Indians.
Agriculture
Rs. 25,000 c
Rural Infrastructure Development Bank

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Rs. 5,300 cr
Micro Irrigation Programme
Rs. 8.5 lakh cr
Targeted for farmer credit
Defence
Rs. 2,46,726 cr
allocated for defence
(an increase of 9.87 per cent over last
year)
Focus on Make in India for quick
manufacturing of Defence equipment.
Renewable energy
Rs. 75 cr
electric cars production
2022: 100K MW
Solar power
60K MW
Wind power
10K MW
Bio Mass
5K MW
Small Hydro
Tourism

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Develpoment schemes for churches and
convents in old Goa; Hampi, Elephanta
caves, Forests of Rajasthan, Leh palace,
Varanasi , Jallianwala Bagh, Qutb Shahi
tombs at Hyderabad to be under the new
toursim scheme.
Visa on Arrival for 150 countries
12.28 p.m.: Rs. 50,000 contribution to new pension scheme. "To make India a pensioned society."
12.27 p.m.: Additional deduction of Rs. 25,000 for differently abled persons.
12.26 p.m.: Increase in limit of deduction of health insurance premium of Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000. For senior
citizens, limit will be Rs. 30,000. Very senior citizens - Rs. 30,000 deduction on expenses incurred.
12.25 p.m.: 2 per cent cess on services for Swachch Bharat.
12.24 p.m.: 100 per cent deduction for contribution to Swachch Bharat and Clean Ganga schemes.
12.23 p.m.: Service Tax rate increased to 14 per cent.
12.22 p.m.: Educational cess and higher educational cess to be subsumed as a part of GST.
12.19 p.m.: Wealth tax - Rs. 1,008 crore in 2013-14. Wealth tax to be abolished and replaced with a super-rich
tax for those with income of over Rs. 1 crore.
12.17 p.m.: Basic custom duty rate reduced for 22 items.
12.16 p.m.: GAAR - applicability to be deferred by two years.
12.15 p.m.: Allocation for renewable energy
12.10 p.m.: Allocation for agriculture

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12.08 p.m.: First proposal is to deal with black money. In the last 9 months, a major breakthrough was
achieved when a delegation of the Revenue Department visited Switzerland.
12.07 p.m.: Exemption to individual taxpayers will continue.
12.04 p.m.: Taxation
Basic rate of corporate tax in India is now 30 per cent. But rate of collection is 23 per cent. A regime of
exemptions has led to loss of revenue.
Coporate tax rate wil be reduced to 25 per cent over the next four years.
12.02 p.m.: Budget estimates
Non-plan expenditure - Rs. 13,12,200 crore
Plan expenditure - Rs. 4,65,277 crore
Fiscal deficit - 3.9% of GDP
12.01 p.m.: Make in India policy for defence equipment - Rs. 2,46,727 crore allocation for defence.
12.00 noon: Rs. 68,968 crore for education sector.
11.57 a.m.: We are making good progress on Digital India.
11.55 a.m.: AIIMS in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Assam. AIIMS-like institution in Bihar. IIT in
Karnataka. IIMs in Jammu and Kashmir, and Andhra Pradesh. Centre for Film Production and Animation in
Arunachal Pradesh.
11.54 a.m.: Fully IT based student financial aid scheme for higher education.
11.53 a.m.: National Skills Mission for skill development and entrepreneurship - Rs. 1,500 crore.
11.52 a.m.: Procurement law for public contracts. Govt. to introduce Public Contracts (Resolution of Disputes)
Bill. Regulatory reform law to be introduced.

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11.51 a.m.: Rs. 75 crore for electric cars production.
11.50 a.m.: Visa on arrival scheme - increased to 150 countries in different stages.
11.49 a.m.: World Heritage Sites - churches and convents of old Goa, Hampi, Elephanta caves, Leh palace,
Varanasi temple town, Jallianwala Bagh etc., will be developed to make them more tourist-friendly.
11.48 a.m.: Rs. 1,000 crore additional allocation to the Nirbhaya fund.
11.47 a.m.: Will do away with different types of foreign investment — like FPI and FDI — and replace them with
a comprehensive type.
11.46 a.m.: We will look at making India a cashless society by incentivising card transactions.
11.44 a.m.: EPF - Employee may opt for EPF or new pension scheme, employee's contribution to EPF below an
income threshold will be optional without reducing employer's contribution.
11.43 a.m.: Direct Tax regime which will be internationally competitive on rates.
11.41 a.m.: Will merge Forward Markets Commision with SEBI. Will set up a public debt management agency.
11.40 a.m.: Rs. 5,000 crore additional allocation for MGNREGA.
11.37 a.m.: Ports will be encouraged to corporatise and become companies under Companies Act.
11.35 a.m.: The govt. is establishing a mechanism for techno-financial incubation and facilitation programme -
Rs. 1,000 crore set aside for this.
11.33 a.m.: Investment in Infrastructure will go up by Rs 70,000 crore in 2015-16. Annual inflow of Rs. 20,000
crore by way of a trust, to use this extra equity to leverage investment in infrastructure. PPP model to be revisited
and revitalised. Atal Innovation Mission - for entrepreneurs and researchers to foster a culture of innovation: R.s
150 crore for this purpose.
11.32 a.m.: Nayi Manzil scheme - to enable minority youth to obtain school leaving certificate and gain better
employment.
11.31 a.m.: Assisted living devices for senior citizens living below the poverty line.
11.30 a.m.: Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana - Rs. 1 per day premium, Rs. 2 lakh coverage.
11.28 a.m.: Accident death risk - Rs 2 lakhs for a premium of Rs. 12 per year. Atal Pension Yojana - defined
pension depending on contribution. Govt. will contribute 50 per cent of the amount.
11.27 a.m.: NBFCs registered with RBI above Rs. 5,000 crore to be considered financial institutions.
11.26 a.m.: We will bring a comprehensive bankruptcy code in 2015-16.
11.26 a.m.: Will create Mudra Bank with corpus of Rs. 20,000 crore for microfinance. "We are banking the
unbanked and funding the unfunded."
11.25 a.m.: MGNREGA - Rs. 34,699 crore
11.23 a.m.: Rs. 8.5 lakh crore of rural credit for the year.

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11.21 a.m.: In order to improve soil health, the Agriculture Ministry's organic farming programme, Rs. 5,300
crore for micro-irrigation watershed projects.
11.20 a.m.: Gross disinvestment in loss-making units will be undertaken. DBT will be further expanded from 1
crore to 10.3 crore.
11.17 a.m.: Total public investment will be Rs 1.25 lakh crore. "Will complete the journey to fiscal deficit of 3 per
cent in two years and not three years."
11.16 a.m.: Government will continue all social sector programmes like MNREGA, rural schemes etc.
11.14 a.m.: "We have devolved a 42 per cent share of divisible taxes to States. Devolution will be Rs. 5.2 lakh
crore in 2015. Total transfer to States will 62 per cent."
11.13 a.m.: "The rural-urban divide is no longer acceptable."
11.12 a.m.: "All our schemes should focus off-centre on the poor. We need to upgrade 80,000 secondary
schools."
11.11 a.m.: Housing for all by 2022 announced — 2 crore in rural areas, 5 crore in urban areas.
11.10 a.m.: Estimated GDP for 2015-16 will be between 8 and 8.5 per cent. "Aiming for a double-digit growth
rate seems feasible."
11.08 a.m.: We have embraked on two other programmes now — GST and JAM Trinity. GST will be
implemented by April 2016 says Mr. Jaitley.
11.07 a.m.: Mr. Jaitley puts forth three achievements of the new government — the success of the Jan Dhan
Yojana, coal auctions and Swachch Bharat Abhiyan. "We will attain the target of building 6 crore toilets. It's at a
deeper level a programme of preventive healthcare."
11.05 a.m.: "The people of India have voted resoundingly for quick change, faster growth and high levels of
transparency. We have lived up to that trust."
11.04 a.m.: "We inherited a sentiment of doom and gloom. We have come a long way since then. The CAD for
the year is expected to be below 1.3% of GDP. Foreign exchange reserves have risen to $340 billion."
11.02 a.m.: "The credibility of the Indian economy has been reestablished," says Mr. Jaitley. "We are a round-
the-clock, round-the-year government."
11 a.m.: Arun Jaitley begins his Budget speech. "We have embraced the States as equal partners in the process
of economic growth."
10.50 a.m.: Budget documents arrive at the Parliament. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

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10.45 a.m.: The Swachch Bharat Abhiyan has a target of building 120 million toilets over five years with an
investment of Rs. 2 lakh crore. But the FY '15 target of 12 million targets seems set to be missed.
10.34 a.m.: Which are India’s most effective subsidies, the ones that best reach the poor?
Read The Hindu's National Data Editor Rukmini S.' analysis on how India's Rs. 3.8 lakh crore subsidies don’t
always reach the poor.
10.25 a.m.: Take a look at how our Business team demystified the Economic Survey 2014-15, in a live chat
with our readers.

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10.20 a.m.: Before the Budget speech begins, familiarise yourself with terms that will be used in the speech
using our glossary.
10.15 a.m.: Do you know which former Finance Minister used to be a soap salesman and eventually became the
first Minister to lose his job over a scam? Head over to our Budget quiz to answer this and more.
10.10 a.m.: The Hindu's headlines on previous Union Budgets, over the years. See the slideshow here.
10:05 a.m.: From mass rapid transit system to standardisation of taxes to higher budgetary spending and steps
to curb prices, here are a series of measures that might transform Chennai:

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