HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MAHARASHTRA STATE BUDGET SPEECH
DATED 9TH MARCH, 2023
BY HONOURABLE DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER (FINANCE)
SHRI DEVENDRA FADNAVIS

PART-II

(A) Amnesty Scheme, 2023 for Goods and Services Tax Department announced :—

> This Amnesty Scheme will be called as 'Maharashtra Settlement of Arrears of Tax, Interest, Penalty or Late Fee Act, 2023'.

> This Scheme is applicable on various taxes levied by GST Department before introduction of GST Act and duration of this Amnesty Scheme will be from May 1, 2023 to October 31, 2023.

> Complete waiver of the arrears in cases where arrears are Rs. 2,00,000/- or less per year. As a result small dealers will be benefited in around one lakh cases.

> Dealers having arrears up to Rs. 50 lakhs or less per statutory order will pay only 20% amount and balance 80% will be waived. As a result medium dealers will be benefited in around eighty thousand cases.

(B) Female employees drawing monthly salary up to 25000/-will be exempted from Profession Tax.

(C) The definition of 'Person with Disability' in the Profession Tax Act is proposed to be amended as per definition given in the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and hence more persons with disabilities will become eligible for exemption from payment of Profession Tax.

(D) Reduction of VAT rate on ATF from 25% to 18% in Mumbai, Pune and Raigad districts.

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Honourable Speaker,

Now I present Part II of the Budget before the House.

1. State's Own Tax Revenue is Rs. 2,75,786 crores for the year 2022-23 as per the Revised Estimates. In this, the share of Goods and Services Tax (GST), Value Added Tax (VAT), Stamp Duty and Registration fee and State Excise Duty is of Rs. 2,43,411 crores .

2. The Budget Estimate for State's Own Tax Revenue has been fixed at Rs. 2,98,181 crores for the year 2023-24. I am fully confident that this target will be achieved through various economic measures proposed by the State Government.

3. I present the following proposals for women empowerment, to provide relief to tax payers and to propel the economy through enhancement in government revenue.

Profession Tax waiver to women

4. At present employed women have to pay Profession Tax if their salary is more than Rs. 10,000 per month. It is proposed to enhance this limit to Rs. 25,000 to increase the purchasing power of women. Hereafter, women with a monthly salary of up to Rs. 25,000 will not have to pay any Profession Tax.

5. Profession Tax waiver to Persons with Disability

The definition of 'Person with Disability' in the Profession Tax Act is proposed to be amended as per the definition given in the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. This proposed amendment will not only enable inclusion of more number of disabled persons to be eligible for Profession Tax exemption, but also simplify the present process of taking exemption.

6. Reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).

I propose to reduce the rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) from 25 per cent to 18 per cent, equivalent to Bangalore and Goa, in the geographical areas of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Pune Municipal Corporation and Raigad District with a view to encourage air transport and to accelerate economic growth.

7. Amnesty Scheme for GST Department

I announce an Amnesty Scheme, 'Maharashtra Settlement of Arrears of Tax, Interest, Penalty or Late Fee Act, 2023' in respect of various laws implemented by the State Tax Department prior to the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax Act. This Amnesty Scheme will be in force from 1st May 2023 to 31st October 2023. This scheme will be applicable for the arrears pending as on 1st May 2023.

8. I propose full waiver of arrears, if the arrears for any year is Rs. 2 lakhs or less as per statutory order. This will benefit small traders in nearly one lakh cases.

9. Dealers having arrears up to Rs. 50 lakhs or less as per statutory order will pay only 20 per cent amount of arrears and the remaining 80 per cent will be waived. As a result small and medium dealers will be benefited in around eighty thousand cases.

I am hopeful that the Honourable members of this August House will support my proposals.

Today, being ' Tukaram beej ', Jagad Guru Shri Tukaram Maharaj's Abhang has been quoted in my speech

Tukobaraya used to say…

This was his concept of 'Ram Rajya '.

Dnyanoba Mauli says

This is the PRASADIK message of this budget,
These are our sincere feelings.

The similar action will be taken by the State
Government.

Jai Hind ! Jai Maharashtra !!

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