UNION BUDGET 2019-20

What does it offer?

© Agarwal Sanjiv & Company

Chartered Accountants, Jaipur

The Union Budget for the year 2019-20, as laid in the Parliament today (i.e., 5^th July, 2019) is the first Budget of the new Union Government and so for the Union Finance Minister, a woman. While the Budget promises a host of plans, welfare schemes and developmental activities, here is a snap shot of the of the Indian economy and Budget offerings in terms of direct and indirect taxation and directions for the economy in the backdrop of economic slowdown.

A.    Economic Highlights and Select Proposals

• Economic survey suggest economic growth with macro-economic stability
• India is now the 6th largest economy in the world, compared to 11th largest economy in 2014.
• Indian economy is globally the 3rd largest in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) terms
• Indian economy to become a 3 trillion dollar economy in the current year, aspiring to be a 5 trillion dollar economy
• Fiscal deficit in FY19 at 3.3% of the GDP
• Building Team India with Jan Bhagidari: Minimum Government Maximum Governance.
• Common man000040000s life changed through MUDRA loans for ease of doing business.
• Various measures related to MSMEs announced like Pradhan Mantri Karam Yogi Maandhan Scheme, Interest Subvention Scheme for MSMEs, Payment platform for MSMEs
• Measures to make India a more attractive FDI destination.
• GDP predicted @7% for financial year 2019-20
• Focus on private investment and infrastructure
• Industrial production and service sector growth not encouraging
• Labour laws reforms to be prioritized
• Life expectancy increases and ought to be addressed
• Starts up econ system to be liberalized to encourage entrepreneurship

B.     Direct Taxes Highlights and Select Proposals

• Direct tax revenue increased by over 78% in past 5 years to Rs. 11.37 lakh crore
• Tax rate reduced to 25% for companies with annual turnover up to Rs. 400 crores (earlier Rs. 250 crores).
• Surchage increased for individuals having income from Rs. 2 crores to Rs. 5 crores
• TDS of 2% on aggregate cash withdrawals exceeding Rs. 1 crore in a year from a bank account
• Business establishments with annual turnover more than Rs. 50 crore shall have to offer low cost digital modes of payment to their customers and no charges or Merchant Discount Rate shall be imposed on customers as well as merchants.

• Tax Simplification and Ease of living

Ø  Interchangeability of PAN and Aadhaar: Return can be file using Adhaar instead of PAN and also Aadhaar can be used wherever PAN is required.

Ø  Pre-filling of Income-tax Returns for faster, more accurate tax returns

Ø  Faceless e-assessment with no human interface to be launched

• Additional deduction up to Rs. 1.5 lakhs for interest paid on loans borrowed up to 31st March, 2020 for purchase of house valued up to Rs. 45 lakh.

• E-Vehicles

Ø  Additional income tax deduction of Rs. 1.5 lakh on interest paid on electric vehicle loans.

Ø  Customs duty exempted on certain parts of electric vehicles.

Ø  GST rate proposed to be reduced from 12% to 5%

• Start-ups

Ø  Capital gains exemptions from sale of residential house for investment in start-ups extended till FY21.

Ø  Funds raised by start-ups to not require scrutiny from Income Tax Department

• STT restricted only to the difference between settlement and strike price in case of exercise of options

C.    Indirect Taxes Highlights and Select Proposals

a)  Customs , Service Tax and Central Excise

• Import duty on gold & precious metals increased to 12.5% from 10%.
• Import of Defence equipment not manufactured in India exempt from Customs Duty
• 5% Basic Custom Duty imposed on imported books.
• Customs duty reduced on certain raw materials, like Inputs for artificial kidney, Capital goods required for manufacture of specified electronic goods, etc
• Increase in Special Additional Excise Duty and Road and Infrastructure Cess each by Rs. 1 per litre on petrol and diesel
• Legacy Dispute Resolution Scheme, 2019 for quick closure of pending litigations in Central Excise and Service tax from pre-GST regime
• Service Tax (provisions shall apply retrospectively):

Ø  No service tax shall be levied or collected in respect of taxable service provided or agreed to be provided by the State Government by way of grant of liquor licence, against consideration in the form of licence fee or application fee, by whatever name called, during the period commencing from the 01.04.2016 to 30.06.2017.

Ø  Refund of tax already collected but which would not have been so collected shall be given and application for the claim of such refund shall be made within a period of 6 months from the date on which the Finance (No.2) Bill, 2019 receives the assent of the President.

Ø  Special provision for retrospective exemption from service tax in certain cases relating to services provided by Indian Institutes of Management to students  for period 1st July, 2003 to 31st March, 2016.

Ø  Special provision for retrospective exemption from service tax in certain cases relating to long term lease of plots for development of infrastructure for financial business for 1st October, 2013 to 30th June, 2017

D.    Goods and Service Tax (GST)

• Acknowledges GST as a monumental tax reform in country
• Praises cooperative federalism and efforts of GST Council
• Admits teething problems in GST implementation, but considers it to be natural, looking to the scale of reform.
• Stress on further simplification of GST processes, including simplified single return and e-invoice system.

GST revised collection for financial year 2018-2019             Rs.  643900 crores

Budget estimate for GST collection for financial                   Rs. 663343 crores

year 2019-2020

• Changes in GST law

Changes proposed in CGST / IGST / UGST tax laws:

Ø  CGST

Ø  IGST

Ø  UGST

Amendment in  CGST Law

(For any clarifications, mail us at asandco@gmail.com )