Assocham tables pre-budget recommendations; seeks income tax exemption limit to Rs 3 lakh

04 Dec 2012 Evaluate

In the pre-budget recommendations to the government, the industry body, Assocham President Rajkumar Dhoot has advised raising personal income tax exemption limit to Rs 3 lakh, reducing service tax and excise to 8% from 12% and increase in deduction of interest on housing loan to 5 lakh to revive consumer demand and to boost investment. The pre-budget memorandum for 2013-14 was jointly released by the chamber including President Dhoot, Chairman and Co-Chairman of taxes council Ved Jain and J.K. Mittal and chamber's Secretary-General D.S. Rawat.

Dhoot has also asked for reduction of corporate tax to 25% from 30%, besides demanding grant of infrastructure status to special economic zones and industrial parks. According to Assocham’s pre-budget memorandum for 2013-14, the base exemption limit of resident individual below the age of 60 years should be raised to Rs 3 lakh, to incentivize people to come into the tax net, ensure higher collection from greater compliance and encourage consumption and savings.

Moreover, the chamber said the tax base for goods and services has already expanded to generate high revenue and the government can selectively increase customs duty rates to neutralise the effect of lower tax rate of excise duty and service tax. Besides, by increasing customs rates, the government can protect the domestic industry from unfair competition from countries like China.

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