Here are the highlights of Finance minister's budget for the fiscal year that begins on April 1.
FISCAL DEFICIT
* Fiscal deficit seen at 3.9 percent of GDP in 2015/16
* Will meet the challenging fiscal target of 4.1 percent of GDP
* Remain committed to meeting medium term fiscal deficit target of 3 percent of GDP
* Current account deficit below 1.3 percent of GDP
* Jaitley says have to keep fiscal discipline in mind despite need for higher investment
GROWTH
* GDP growth seen at between 8 percent and 8.5 percent y/y
* Nominal economic growth seen between 11 and 12 percent
* Aiming double digit growth rate, achievable soon
INFLATION
* Expects consumer inflation to remain close to 5 percent by March, opening room for more monetary policy easing
* Monetary policy framework agreement with the RBI clearly states objective of keeping inflation below 6 percent
* "One of the achievements of my government has been to conquer inflation. This decline in my view represents a structural shift."
REVENUES
* Revenue deficit seen at 2.8 percent of GDP
* Non tax revenue seen at 2.21 trillion rupees
* Agricultural incomes are under stress
* Net receipts under market stabilisation scheme estimated at 200 billion rupees
DISINVESTMENT
* Government targets 410 billion rupees ($6.7 billion) from stake sales in companies in 2015/16
* Total stake sale in 2015/16 seen at 695 billion rupees
* Sets stake sale target for 2016/17 at 550 billion rupees
* Revises down stake sale target for 2014/15 to 313.5 billion rupees
MARKET REFORMS
* Propose to merge commodities regulator with SEBI
* To bring a new bankruptcy code
* Jaitley says will move to amend the RBI act this year, and provide for a monetary policy committee
* To set up public debt management agency
* Proposes to introduce a public contract resolution of disputes bill
* To establish an autonomous bank board bureau to improve management of public sector banks
POLICY REFORMS
* To enact a comprehensive new law on black money
* Propose to create a universal social security system for all Indians
* To launch a national skills mission soon to enhance employability of rural youth
* To raise visa-on-arrival facility to 150 countries from 43
* Allocates 346.99 billion rupees for rural employment guarantee scheme
* Raises threshold for application of transfer pricing rules to 200 million rupees from current 50 million rupees
BORROWING
* Gross market borrowing seen at 6 trillion rupees
* Net market borrowing seen at 4.56 trillion rupees
GENERAL ANTI-AVOIDANCE RULES (GAAR)
* Government defers rollout of anti-tax avoidance rules GAAR by two years
* GAAR to apply prospectively from April 1, 2017
* Retrospective tax provisions will be avoided
TAXATION
* To abolish wealth tax
* Replaces wealth tax with additional 2 pct surcharge on super rich
* Proposes to cut to 25 percent corporate tax over next four years
* Corporate tax of 30 percent is uncompetitive
* Net gain from tax proposals seen at 150.68 billion rupees
* Jaitley proposes modification of permanent establishment norms so that the mere presence of a fund manager in India would not constitute a permanent establishment of the offshore fund, resulting in adverse tax consequences.
* Proposes to rationalise capital gains tax regime for real estate investment trusts
* Extends withholding tax concession on foreign debt purchases by two years
* Expects to implement goods and services tax by April 2016
* To reduce custom duty on 22 items
* Basic custom duty on commercial vehicle doubled to 20 percent
* Proposes to increase service tax rate and education cess to 14 percent from 12.36 percent
* Plans to introduce direct tax regime that is internationally competitive on rates without exemptions
* Exemptions for individual tax payers to continue
* To enact tough penalties for tax evasion in new bill
* Tax dept to clarify indirect transfer of assets and dividend paid by foreign firms
PERSONAL INCOME TAX
* No revision of income tax brackets
* Limit of deduction of health insurance premium increased to 25,000 rupees from 15,000 rupees; limit increased to 30,000 rupees from 20,000 rupees for the elderly
* People aged above 80 and not covered by health insurance to be allowed deduction of 30,000 rupees for medical expenses
* Additional deduction of 25,000 rupees for the disabled
* Limit on deduction for contributions to pension fund and new pension scheme increased to 150,000 rupees from 100,000 rupees
* Additional deduction of 50,000 rupees for contribution to new pension scheme under section 80CCD
* Monthly transport allowance exemption doubled to 1,600 rupees
IMPORT TAX
* Import tax on iron and steel increased to 15 percent from 10 percent
* Import tax on metallurgical coke increased to 5 percent from 2.5 percent
INFRASTRUCTURE
* Investment in infrastructure will go up by 700 bln rupees in 2015/16 over last year
* Plans to set up national investment infrastructure fund
* Proposes tax-free infrastructure bonds for projects in roads, rail and irrigation projects
* Proposes 5 "ultra mega" power projects for 4,000 MW each
* Second unit of Kudankulam nuclear power station to be commissioned
* Will need to build additional 100,000 km of road
* Ports in public sector will be encouraged to corporatise under Companies Act
EXPENDITURE
* Plan expenditure estimated at about 4.65 trillion rupees
* Non-plan expenditure seen at about 13.12 trillion rupees
* Allocates 2.46 trillion rupees for defence spending
* Allocates 331.5 billion rupees for health sector
* If revenue improves, hope to raise budgeted allocations for rural job scheme by 50 billion rupees
INVESTMENT
* Government to provide 79.4 billion rupees capital infusion to state-run banks
* Propose to do away with different types of foreign investment caps and replace them with composite caps
* To allow foreign investment in alternative investment funds
* Public investment needed to catalyse investment
GOLD
* To launch gold deposit accounts and sovereign bond
* Import duty stays at 10 percent; disappoints jewellers
* To work on Indian-made gold coin to cut imports
CIGARETTES
* Raises excise duty on cigarettes by 25 percent for cigarettes of length not exceeding 65 mm
* Raises excise duty by 15 percent for cigarettes of other lengths
SUBSIDIES
* Food subsidy seen at 1.24 trillion rupees
* Fertiliser subsidy seen at 729.69 billion rupees
* Fuel subsidy seen at 300 billion rupees
* Major subsidies estimated at 2.27 trillion rupees
* We are committed to subsidy rationalisation based on cutting leakages
FINANCE MINISTER'S COMMENTS
* "We inherited a sentiment of doom and gloom. The investment community had almost written us off. We have come a long way since then."
* "We have turned around the economy, dramatically restoring macroeconomic stability and creating the conditions for sustainable poverty elimination, job creation, durable double digit economic growth."
* "While being mindful of the challenges ... this gives us reason to feel optimistic."
* "Domestic and international investors are seeing us with renewed interest and hope."
NARENDRA MODI ON TWITTER
* 2015 Budget will further reignite our growth engine, signalling the dawn of a prosperous future.
* Budget is investment friendly & removes all doubts on tax issues. It assures investors that we have a stable, predictable & fair tax system.
MARKET REACTION
* BSE index gains 0.48 percent; NSE index up 0.65 percent
