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BUDGET LIVE IT services put in one category for tax certainty

 Sun, 01 February 2026
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13:14

IT services put in one category for tax certainty

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday highlighted India's position as a global leader in software development services, IT-enabled services, knowledge process outsourcing and contract research and development. Presenting the Union Budget 2026-27 in Parliament today, Sitharaman...
13:00

Single-window cargo clearance approvals by year-end

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said approval required for cargo clearances will be seamlessly processed through a single window by the year-end. Presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, the finance minister also said validity for advance period, binding on Customs will be extended...
12:57

NIMHANS-2 to be set up, and other Budget proposals

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Other proposals Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made in her Budget speech are:   Coconut promotion scheme to increase production, productivityGovt to support high-value crops such as coconut, sandalwood, walnuts.   Govt will develop cadre of 'Corporate Mitras' in...
12:47

6-month foreign asset disclosure scheme for small taxpayers

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed a six-month foreign asset disclosure scheme for small taxpayers like students, tech professionals and relocated NRIs as she presented the Union Budget 2026-27.She said there will be no interest liability on taxpayers on the penalty amount for...
12:39

Increase in securities transaction tax spooks Dalal Street

Photo: Reuters
Photo: Reuters
India's equity markets seem to have reacted negatively to the increase of securities transaction tax (STT) on futures and trading segment from 0.02% to 0.05%, with the BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 indices down by 1.8%. After both the indices took a slide of more than 2.5%, the markets seem to be...
12:36

Income tax law to come into force from April 1

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said the Income Tax Act, 2025 will be implemented from April 1 and rules and tax returns forms will be notified shortly. Beginning April 1, the Income Tax Act, 2025, will come into force replacing the six-decade-old tax law and the changes made...
12:29

Securities transaction tax on commodity futures raised to 0.05%

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said buyback proceeds for all types of shareholders will be taxed as capital gains. Presenting the Union Budget for 2026-27, Sitharaman also proposed to raise Securities Transaction Tax to 0.05 per cent on commodity futures from 0.02 per...
12:27

Sitharaman's Budget speech was 85 minutes long

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman winds up her Budget 2026 speech, one that lasted 85 minutes.
12:15

Debt-to-GDP ratio to be lowered to 55.6 pc in FY27

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The government has proposed to lower debt-to-GDP ratio to 55.6 per cent in FY27, from 56.1 per  cent in the current fiscal year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday.Presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, she said the Centre has allocated Rs 5,000 crore for CITY Economic Regions...
12:10

Persons residing outside India (PROI) allowed equity investment

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said individual persons residing outside India (PROI) will be permitted equity investments in listed Indian companies through a portfolio investment scheme.She also proposed raising investment limit for PROIs to 10 per cent from 5 per cent.The finance...
12:07

Tax collected at source on overseas travel cut to 2%

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Tax collected at source rates for travel, education and health has been reduced, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in her Budget speech. I propose to reduce TCS rate for pursuing education and for medical purposes under the liberalised remittance scheme, popularly known as LRS,...
11:54

Electronics manufacturing stocks jump 6 pc on Budget boost

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Shares of electronic manufacturing companies rose up to 6 per cent after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed to increase the outlay on electronics manufacturing to Rs 40,000 crore in 2026-27. The stock of Syrma SGS Technology jumped 5.95 per cent to Rs 806.35, Dixon...
11:50

Infrastructure in Tier 2, Tier 3 cities to be developed

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Among other proposals made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are:Professional institutions like ICAI, ICSI to design short term modular courses.   Infrastructure in Tier 2, Tier 3 cities to be developed.   Natural Fibre Scheme, Textile Expansion and Employment scheme,...
11:45

Rs 100 cr for incentive for single bond issuance by municipalities

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed incentives of Rs 100 crore for single bond issuance by municipal corporations of more than Rs 1,000 crore. She also announced restructuring of REC Ltd (formerly Rural Electrification Corporation) and Power Finance Corporation (PFC) as...
11:39

Self Reliant India Fund to be topped up with Rs 4,000 cr

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced that the Self-Reliant India Fund will be topped up by Rs 4,000 crore in 2026-27 to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The fund was announced in 2023 to infuse Rs 50,000 crore in equity funding into MSMEs with the...
11:38

PIOs can invest in equities, listed Indian firms

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Person of Indian Origin (PIO) permitted to invest in equity instruments, listed Indian companies through Portfolio Investment Scheme.Finance Minsiter Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed raising the investment limit for individual PIO from 5 pc to 10 pc.Details soon.
11:34

Electronics manufacturing to get Rs 40,000 cr boost

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed to increase the outlay on electronics manufacturing to Rs 40,000 crore in the 2026-27 fiscal year. Presenting the Union Budget for 2026-27, she said high-tech tool rooms will be established at two locations to give push to capital goods...
11:29

Sitharaman lists out 3 kartavyas for government

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech said, Given that this is the first Budget prepared in Kartavya Bhavan, we are inspired by 3 kartavya. First kartavya is to accelerate and sustain economic growth by enhancing productivity and competitiveness and building...
11:26

Rs 10,000 cr investment in biopharma over 5 years

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed Rs 10,000 crore investment in the biopharma sector over the next five years, a move which would give a boost to the country's pharmaceuticals industry. Biopharmaceuticals, or biologics, are complex medicines manufactured from living...
11:24

MSMEs to get Rs 4000 cr additional funding

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposes to top up Self Reliance India Fund with Rs 4,000 cr in FY27 to support MSMEs.   She also proposed the Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj initiative to strengthen Khadi handloom.   A scheme for enhancement for construction and...
11:20

Sitharaman proposes megal textile parks in challenge mode

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In her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed the setting up of mega textile parks in challenge mode, and said value addition to technical textiles will be provided.  Apart from this, she said high-tech tool rooms to be established at two locations to give a push to...
11:17

Made strides in poverty reduction, says Sitharaman

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, Keeping Aatmanirbharta as a lodestar, we have built domestic manufacturing capacity, energy security and reduced critical import dependencies. Simultaneously, we have ensured that citizens benefit from every action of the Government, undertaking...
11:13

Strong thrust on investment, says Sitharaman

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Presenting Union Budget 2026-27, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says,We have pursued far-reaching structural reforms. Fiscal prudence and monetary stability, while maintaining a strong thrust on public investment, keeping self-reliance as a pillar. We have built domestic manufacturing...
11:12

Sitharaman lists 6 areas for major govt push

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Nirmala Sitharaman proposes government intervention in 6 areas in the Budget:   Scaling up manufacturing in 7 strategic sectors Regenerating legacy sectors Powering MSME sector Delivering push for infrastructure Long term stability and security  Developing...
11:06

Sitharaman presents 16h Finance Commission report on tax devolution

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Finance Minister lays 16th the Finance Commission report for tax revenue devolution between Centre, states for 2026-2031 in Lok Sabha.
11:05

How the common man awaits Budget 2026 on Sunday Morning

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Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com offers his take on how the common man awaits the Union Budget on a Sunday morning.Image created using AI.
11:01

Nirmala Sitharaman presents Budget 2026 in Parliament

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday started delivering her Budget speech, making history as she presents a record ninth consecutive Budget that is expected to unveil measures to sustain growth momentum, maintain fiscal discipline, and contain reforms that could buffer the economy from...
10:47

Union Cabinet approves Budget 2026

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The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday approved the Union Budget 2026-27. Following the approval, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth record Budget in the Lok Sabha that comes against the backdrop of global uncertainties and slowdown in...
10:37

Key numbers to watch out for in Sitharaman's 9th Budget

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com
Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her record 9th straight Budget, and all eyes will be on the much-awaited customs reforms. Sitharaman had, in her first Budget in 2019, replaced the leather briefcase -- which had been in use for decades for carrying Budget documents -- with a...
10:35

Union Budget: Have your tax questions answered!

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rediffGURUS Mihir Tanna, Vipul Bhavsar, T S Khurana, Vivek Lala and Anil Rego will answer your tax queries related to the Union Budget 2026-27.Click on this link to get your answers!
10:27

Gross GST collections rise 6.2 pc in January

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com
Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com
Gross GST collections rose 6.2 per cent to over Rs 1.93 lakh crore in January, mainly on higher revenues from imports, sources said on Sunday. Total refunds declined 3.1 per cent to Rs 22,665 crore. Net Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues, however, grew 7.6 per cent to about Rs 1.71 lakh...
10:25

Gold, silver prices plunge in futures trade

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Gold and silver prices plunged up to 9 per cent in futures trade on Sunday, hitting their lower circuit levels ahead of the Union Budget for 2026-27, as investors extended profit booking after the recent record-breaking rally. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the FY27 budget...
10:17

FM Sitharaman arrives in Parliament

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday arrived at the Parliament to attend the Cabinet meeting ahead of presenting the Budget 2026-27 in Lok Sabha. Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget. The Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will...
10:15

Sitharaman meets President Murmu ahead of Budget

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday called on President Droupadi Murmu before presenting her record ninth Budget in the Lok Sabha.  As per established tradition, the finance minister met the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan before heading to Parliament. Before going to...
10:11

How the stock markets are faring on Sunday ahead of Budget

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Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty fluctuated in a narrow range in early trade on Sunday ahead of the Budget 2026-27 presentation. After opening the day on a positive note, the 30-share BSE Sensex later fluctuated and quoted 13 points up at 82,282.82. The 50-share NSE Nifty...

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