List of Benefits Offered to Middle Class Tax-Payers

Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley presented Union Budget 2015 on Feb 28. Here are few benefits offered to middle class for the fiscal year that begins on April 1.

• Limit of deduction of health insurance premium increased from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000, for senior citizens limit increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000.
• Senior citizens above the age of 80 years, who are not covered by health insurance, to be allowed deduction of Rs 30,000 towards medical expenditures.
• Deduction limit of Rs 60,000 with respect to specified decease of serious nature enhanced to Rs 80,000 in case of senior citizen.

• Additional deduction of Rs 25000 allowed for differently abled persons.
• Limit on deduction on account of contribution to a pension fund and the new pension scheme increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh.
• Additional deduction of Rs 50,000 for contribution to the new pension scheme u/s 80CCD.
• Payments to the beneficiaries including interest payment on deposit in Sukanya Samriddhi scheme to be fully exempt.
• Service-tax exemption on Varishtha Bima Yojana.
• Concession to individual tax-payers despite inadequate fiscal space.
• Lot to look forward to as fiscal capacity improves.
• Conversion of existing excise duty on petrol and diesel to the extent of Rs 4 per litre into Road Cess to fund investment.
• Service Tax exemption extended to certain pre cold storage services in relation to fruits and vegetables so as to incentivise value addition in crucial sector.
• Negative List under service-tax is being slightly pruned to widen the tax base.
• Yoga to be included within the ambit of charitable purpose under Section 2(15) of the Income-tax Act.
• It is proposed to modify the ceiling on receipts from activities in the nature of trade, commerce or business to 20% of the total receipts from the existing ceiling of Rs 25 lakh.

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