New Delhi: Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth on Sunday said the historic decision to give significant income tax relief will
stimulate demand and propel growth in the next financial year for which the ministry has pegged the nominal GDP growth of 10.1 per cent.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced significant income tax cuts for the middle class.
Individuals earning up to Rs 12.75 lakh in a year will not have to pay any taxes benefiting 1 crore taxpayers. However, the tax cuts will cost the exchequer about Rs 1 lakh crore.
The Union Budget has tried to address domestic headwinds through measures which can mitigate them, Seth said.
“Very, very significant tax relief given to all taxpayers, and in particular to the middle class, is an attempt towards that direction, because some data is showing that consumption, as well as investment by the private sector is not to a level which requires or which is necessary for a higher growth path,” he said.
“There are a few things which are beyond our control, like the geopolitics...but there are domestic factors which we can influence a lot better than what we can do anything about the external factors,”
Seth said.