The Union Budget this financial year could provide relief to taxpayers and various industry sectors with reductions in tax and greater allocation in infrastructure. Take a look at some of the common expectations.
Union Budget 2023 Expectations from Salaried Individuals
1. Revision of Tax Slabs
In terms of the Budget 2023, income tax revisions are some of the most anticipated announcements. While the basic exemption is capped at ₹2.5 Lakhs, taxpayers are hoping that it is moved to ₹5 Lakhs.
This increase is expected to apply to both the new and traditional regimes. Moreover, the tax slab of 30% is also expected to be moved to ₹20 Lakhs from its current value of ₹10 Lakhs.
2. Deduction Under Section 80D and 80C
The budget is also expected to deliver good news for those hoping to receive bigger deductions via Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. While it has a cap of ₹1.5 Lakhs right now, this is anticipated to increase to ₹2.50 Lakhs.
Alongside Section 80C, Section 80D is also projected to offer a higher tax exemption for medical insurance premiums. Currently, at ₹50,000 for seniors and ₹25,000 for non-senior citizens, experts predict a revision to ₹1 Lakh and ₹50,000, respectively.
Both these modifications will help increase India’s purchasing power and boost GDP.
3. Increase in Standard Deduction
Budget 2023 is also being looked upon to provide impetus to salaried professionals when it comes to increasing the standard deduction. While this benefit was removed in 2005, it was reintroduced in 2018. It has replaced both the medical reimbursement and the transport allowance.
This financial year 2023-24, employees are waiting for the cap on the standard deduction to be raised from ₹50,000 to ₹1 Lakh. This will help compensate for the inflation that adversely impacts disposable incomes.
4. Exemption for Home Loan Interest Rates
Similarly, home loan borrowers are awaiting some relief when it comes to higher EMIs that have resulted from increased home loan interest rates. These hikes are subsequent to the RBI’s rising repo rate.
The most probable solution from the Union Budget is an increase in the exemption for home loan interest, which is currently limited to ₹2 Lakhs a year under Section 80EEA of the income tax act.
5. Revision of Higher Tax Slab Rates
Taxpayers are also hoping for a revision in the effective tax rate for those in the bracket of ₹5 Crores and more. Purchasing power will increase by reducing the highest slab rate from 42.744% to 35.62%.
This way, India will also match the highest tax rate among neighbouring nations, the closest of which is 30% in Malaysia.
6. Reconsideration of Other Income Tax Deductions
One of the other Budget 2023 expectations is around increasing income tax deductions such as:
Having a higher limit for Section 80TTA deduction on savings bank account interest income which is capped at ₹10,000 at present.
Increasing the ceiling by two years for the deduction for buying an EV. Currently, this applies to loans sanctioned up to March 2023 as per Section 80EEB of the Income Tax Act.
Getting a higher cap for the Children Education Allowance and Hostel Expenditure Allowance under Section 80C. Changing it from ₹100 and ₹300, respectively, to ₹1000 and ₹3,000 will help parents address education inflation a little better.
Union Budget 2023 Expectations from Industries
1. Stock Market
The Union Budget is also predicted to bring transparency to stock market investments. This relates specifically to the capital gain tax structure, which is currently divided by holding duration and asset class.
A simpler system with one rate and consolidating all asset classes into predefined tenures can boost investment in this sector and prevent disagreements.
2. Manufacturing
Manufacturing and service industries are also looking for a more uniform corporate tax structure. Currently, different tax rates apply to different sectors, and a standardised rate of 15% is likely to boost this sector.
3. Banking
The banking industry is expecting a surge in capital funding and looking for a well-defined privatisation strategy for public sector banks. A modification to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is also awaited to aid in the recovery of bad loans to aid lenders.
4. Real Estate
In addition to increasing the home loan interest deduction, the real estate sector is also looking forward to positive changes to usher in growth. This applies to:
Lowering the 20% taxation rate for gains on property that is held for 2 years before the date of sale.
Capital gains on property sales that cross ₹2 Crores are exempt if invested in one property, and under ₹2 Crores are exempt if invested in two properties. Both the property limit and the cap of this amount are expected to be relaxed to incentivise the resale market.
The Credit-Linked Subsidy Scheme is also expected to be extended from 2024 to 2027 to encourage potential homebuyers from the economically weak, low-income and mid-income groups.
The affordable housing sector is also looking for an adjustment in the price cap of ₹45 Lakhs and a limit of 645.6 sq ft. The anticipated modification is to have a higher ceiling for metros.
Housing developers are also looking forward to a GST break to participate more fully in the Affordable Rental Housing Complex scheme.
5. Healthcare
The healthcare sector also expects an increase in budgetary allocation in FY 2023-24. Some of the most anticipated announcements in the Union Budget 2023 include:
Increase in public-private partnerships to bolster rural healthcare and get experienced teachers from the private sector to medical schools
Increase in tax reforms to support R&D in med-tech
Reducing GST for medical providers and import duty on medical equipment that brings state-of-the-art facilities to national shores
More allocation towards telemedicine and mental healthcare
Improving quality and bringing transparency to diagnostic centres in India’s tier 2 and 3 cities with national accreditation
6. Electric Vehicle
The Electric Vehicle sector is also looking forward to policies that support its growth. Some of the expectations include the following:
Lowering the import fee and customs duty to 5% on different components that go into building lithium-ion batteries. This is the chief resource that the EV industry relies on and is currently taxed at 20%.
Improving the last-mile delivery by reducing GST to 5% on EVaaS functions.
Helping EV adoption by increasing spending on electric charging infrastructure across the country.
7. MSMEs
The MSME sector is also pinning its hopes on the Budget 2023. It is anticipating positive changes to the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises. This move is expected to help with a more convenient way to get a line of credit for working capital requirements.
With all this on the anvil, it is time to wait and watch to see which sectors will receive the needed impetus from the government. Watch this space as we bring you the latest news on the Union Budget 2023.