No income tax for people earning less than Rs 8 lakh per annum, demands Shiv Sena
Sena leader Sanjay Raut argued that if individuals earning less than 8 lakh per annum were considered ‘poor’ and eligible for 10% quota under economically-weaker category, they should also be exempted from paying income tax
The Central Government should exempt those earning less than Rs 8 lakh per annum from paying income tax, the Shiv Sena has demanded ahead of the interim budget.
The demand by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party comes days after the Parliament approved an amendment to the Constitution to make economically-weaker sections of general category eligible for 10 percent reservation in education and government jobs.
The reservation is meant for people across religions and belonging to economically-weaker sections. In order to be eligible for the reservation, the individual needs to have annual earnings below Rs 8 lakh and possess less than five acres of agriculture land.
“10 percent reservation has been given to upper caste people. Those who earn less than or equal to eight lakh per annum can apply for this. So, we feel people who earn Rs 8,00,000 per annum are poor,” Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told ANI.
“Therefore, the limit of income tax should be eight lakhs. Those who earn up to eight lakhs per annum should be refrained from paying tax. This is our demand,” the MP added.
The Budget Session of Parliament commenced on Thursday and the interim Budget will be presented on February 1. The session will commence with the customary address by President Ram Nath Kovind to the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
According to officials, the session will see ten sittings till February 13.
Given the budget’s proximity to the general elections, the ruling NDA is expected to announce a plethora of sops for a vast majority of voters.
