Budget 2019: Key takeaways of Nirmala Sitharaman’s maiden budget speech

Date posted: Monday 8 July 2019

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the country is well within its capacity to become a $5-trillion dollar economy in the next five years. Budget 2019 highlights: Here are the key takeaways from finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s maiden Budget speech.

  • From $1.85 trillion in 2014, the economy has reached $2.7 trillion.
  • Economy will grow to become a $3 trillion economy in the current year itself.
  • Several reforms would be undertaken to promote rental housing, current rental laws are archaic as they do not address lessor-lessee relationships fairly.
  • Upfront incentives on purchase of electric vehicles, greater emphasis on affordable and eco-friendly public transport.
  • Bharat Mala 2.0 to focus on states to build their road networks.
  • Electronic Fundraising Platform, a social stock exchange, to be set up to list social enterprises and voluntary organizations working for social welfare objectives.
  • Sebi has been asked to condier increasing minimum public shareholding criterion from 25 per cent to to 35 per cent.
  • NRI portfolio investment route to be merged with foreign portfolio investment route.
  • 80 Livelihood business incubators and 20 technology business incubators to be set up in 2019-20 under ASPIRE to develop 75,000 skilled entrepreneurs in agro-rural industries.
  • To resolve angel tax issue, start-ups and investors who file declarations will not be subject to scrutiny on valuation premiums.
  • 2 per cent TDS on cash withdrawal exceeding from a bank account in a year to discourage cash payments in business transactions.

(Business Standard)

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