2011 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

* Fiscal deficit for FY11 at 5.1% ; FY12 seen at 4.6%
* Personal income tax exemption limit for individual tax payers raised to Rs 1.8 lakh from Rs 1.6 lakh.
* Tax exemption limit for senior citizens increased to Rs 2.5 lakh from Rs 2.4 lakh
* Eligibile age for senior citizens reduced to 60 years against 65 years
* No new tax exemption limits for women
* Tax exemption limit for ‘very senior’ citizens over 80 years at Rs.5 lakh
* SEZ to come under MAT.
* MAT raised to 18.5% v/s 18%
* Corporate surcharge reduced to 5% from 7.5%
* FY11 Fiscal deficit at 5.1%; F12 at 4.6%
* AC restaurants serving liquor to pay service tax
* Direct Tax Code (DTC) to be effective from April 01, 2012
* Divestment target at Rs.40,000 crore for FY12
* SEBI registered mutual funds permitted to accept subscription from foreign investors
* FII limit for investment in corporate bonds in infrastructure sector raised from US$20 bln to US$40bln
* SIDBI to create India Microfinance Equity Fund of Rs. 100 crore
* Special incentives for hybrid vehicle makers if Made in India
* Health Check-Ups in Private hospitals to become expensive
* Rs 52,057 cr for education sector
* Rs 58,000 cr to Bharat Nirman projects
* Social projects spending outlay up 17%
* 24% increase in educational allocations
* Rs 30K crore tax free bonds for railways, NHAI
* To tax life insurance service providers
* Servcie tax on hotel accommodation above Rs 1,000 per day
* Domestic travel to pay Rs 50 service tax, Rs 250 on international travel
* AC hospitals with more than 25 beds under service tax
* Import duty on gypsum and coal from 5% to 2.5%
* Fertiliser sector to get infrastructure status
* 7 Mega clusters for leather products to be set up
* Rs.200 crore for cleaning of rivers
* 7 Mega clusters for leather products to be set up
* 23.3% increase in allocation for infrastructure