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Highlights: India unveils budget aimed at boosting pandemic-hit economy

NEW DELHI, Feb 1: Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday unveiled the budget for fiscal 2021-22, that aims to shore up an economy badly-hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
By Reuters

NEW DELHI, Feb 1: Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday unveiled the budget for fiscal 2021-22, that aims to shore up an economy badly-hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic.


The economy is projected to contract 7.7% in the current fiscal year, although the government forecasts growth of 11% for the coming fiscal year, after a massive COVID-19 vaccination drive and a rebound in consumer demand and investments.


These are the highlights from Sitharaman’s fiscal 2021-22 budget speech:


DEFICIT


* 2020/21 fiscal deficit seen at 9.5% of GDP


* 2021/22 fiscal deficit seen at 6.8% of GDP


* 2025/26 fiscal deficit target set at 4.5% of GDP


EXPENDITURE


* 2020/21 revised expenditure 4.39 trillion rupees ($60.14 billion)


* 2021/22 capital expenditure estimated at 5.54 trillion rupees ($75.90 billion)


* Revised revenue expenditure to 34.5 trillion rupees ($472.70 billion) in 2020/21


* 2021/22 gross expenditure seen at 34.83 trillion rupees ($477.16 billion) in 2021/22


* To provide more than 2 trillion rupees ($27.40 billion)for states and autonomous bodies


RECEIPTS


* 2021/22 revenue receipts seen at 17.88 trillion rupees ($244.98 billion)


* 2020/21 revenue receipts revised to 15.55 trillion rupees ($213.06 billion) from 20.21 trillion rupees ($276.91 billion)projected earlier


* Aims to get 6.3 trillion rupees ($86.32 billion) from goods and services tax in 2021/22


* Revised 2020/21 goods and services tax collection to 5.15 trillion rupees ($70.56 billion) from 6.91 trillion rupees ($94.68 billion) projected earlier


* Aims to get 1.04 trillion rupees ($14.25 billion) from dividends and profit in 2021/22


* Aims to get 535.11 billion rupees ($7.33 billion) dividend from Reserve Bank of India and financial institutions in 2021/22


BORROWING


* To raise 2.5 trillion rupees ($34.25 billion) via cash management bills in 2021/22


* 2021/22 gross market borrowing seen at 12 trillion rupees ($164.40 billion)


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* India says will need 800 billion rupees ($10.96 billion) in next two months from bond market


HEALTHCARE


* India to allocate 2.2 trillion rupees ($30.20 billion) for healthcare in 2021/22


* Sitharaman says expect two or more COVID-19 vaccines soon


* India to launch new federal health scheme with outlay of around 641 billion rupees ($8.80 billion) over the next six years


* To allocate 350 billion rupees ($4.81 billion) for COVID-19 vaccines, and allocate more funds if needed.


FINANCE


* India to introduce bill for development financial institution with capital of 200 billion rupees ($2.74 billion)


* To infuse 200 billion rupees ($2.74 billion) for recapitalization of state-run banks in FY2022


* India to consolidate certain SEBI regulations for Securities Market Code


* To relax FDI cap for insurance sector to 74% from 49%


* Set up asset reconstruction company to take over toxic assets


* To cut money market requirement to 15% from 25%


* To allocate 15 billion rupees ($205.50 million) for scheme to incentivise use of digital payments


* India to incentivise incorporation of one-person companies


DUTY


* Basic customs duty of 1.4rs/litre on petrol, 1.8rs/liter on diesel


* Proposes agricultural cess of 2.5rs/litre on petrol, 4 rs/litre on diesel


* To withdraw a few exemptions on some mobile components


* Cuts customs duties to 7.5% on semis, some steel products


* Revokes customs duties on some steel products


* Rationalising customs duties on gold and silver


* Cuts tax on gold ore to 6.9% from 11.85%


* Raises import tax on solar inverters and lanterns


* Raising customs duties on some auto parts


* Raises customs duties on cotton to 10%


* To review more than 400 old exemptions for customs duty


* Proposes agricultural infrastructure and development cess


INCOME TAX


* Proposes exemption to senior citizens for filing income tax returns


* Proposes changes in personal income taxes for non-resident Indian


* To set up dispute resolution panel for small taxpayers


DIVESTMENT


* India sets 2021/22 divestment target at 1.75 trillion rupees ($23.97 billion)


* India to divest two public sector banks and one general insurance company


* India to launch IPO of Life Insurance Corporation


* India to announce policy for privatisation of state-run companies


* To create new list of companies for divestment


* India to introduce new mechanism for privatisation of loss-running state-run companies


* To monetise surplus lands of public sector entities


INFRASTRUCTURE


* To allocate 2.87 trillion rupees ($39.40 billion) for clean water supplies over the next five years


* To allocate 3 trillion rupees ($41.10 billion) for power sector for next five years


* To provide 10 billion rupees ($137.01 million)to Solar Energy Corporation of India


* Sitharaman says will move to end power distribution company monopolies


* To double ship recycling capacity by 2024


* India to monetise infrastructure assets


* To extend tax holiday on low cost housing projects for one more year


TRANSPORT


* Allocates 1.18 trillion rupees ($16.17 billion) for ministry of roads and highways


* Allocates 1.1 trillion rupees ($15.07 billion) for railways


* Railways to monetise freight corridors


* India to launch new vehicle scrapping policy


* Proposes tax holiday for aircraft leasing firms in India


AGRICULTURE


* India allocates an estimated 1.7 trillion rupees ($23.29 billion) for paddy procurement


* Hikes enhanced agriculture credit target to 16.5 trillion indian rupees ($226.05 billion) in 2020/21


* To include loans for activities in allied sectors in agriculture


* To discontinue small savings fund loans to Food Corporation of India


LABOUR


* To launch database for gig economy, building and construction workers


* Social security benefits to be extended to gig economy workers


($1 = 72.9940 Indian rupees)

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