Fin Min to consult Congress party leaders before budget - Business Standard

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram will hold consultations with Congress party

leaders on Feb. 14 amid expectations the 2013/14 budget, to be presented to

parliament on Feb. 28, will unveil populist schemes with an eye on national

elections due by early 2014.

http://link.reuters.com/daz75t

------------

Tax surcharge on income above 10 mln rupees likely - Business Standard

The cash-strapped government might impose a surcharge on personal taxes on

annual incomes of more than 10 million rupees ($187,700). The top income tax

rate is currently 30 percent.

http://link.reuters.com/faz75t

------------

Another hike in rail fares on the cards? - One India News portal

Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal declined to rule out a further increase

in railway fares in the coming budget. The government had raised rail passenger

fares in January for the first time in nine years, and a cut in state subsidy on

diesel prices has further pushed up costs for the state-owned railways.

http://link.reuters.com/maz75t

------------

Tax boost likely for affordable homes - Financial Express

The finance ministry favours giving tax breaks to investors in affordable

housing projects, a proposal made by the housing and urban poverty alleviation

ministry and similar to incentives available for investment in infrastructure.

http://link.reuters.com/paz75t

------------

Note: Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their

accuracy.

($1 = 53.2850 Indian rupees)

(Compiled by Manoj Kumar in New Delhi; Editing by Ranjit Gangadharan)

Keywords: INDIA PRESS/BUDGETEXPECTATIONS

COPYRIGHT

Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. All rights reserved.

The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.