Several existing tax holidays, partial tax holidays, and other concessions are to be removed while introducing a simplified three tier corporate tax structure, taxation of capital gains while expanding the coverage of withholding taxes. Corporate tax rate will be revised and the Finance Ministry is likely to re-introduce the wealth tax, official sources said.
The government had set a target in its medium-term economic plan to increase income tax contribution to total tax revenue to at least 40 per cent from 20 per cent in the budget revenue proposals.
The excise tax on cigarettes and hard liquor manufactured locally will be further increased (excise duty on special arrack remains without change) and excise duties imposed on malt liquor will also be revised. Furthermore the government is to hike taxes on fuel imports, luxury items and cosmetic imports.