India General Budget- 2011-12 HIGHLIGHTS

AC hospitals with more than 25 beds under service tax

Domestic travel to pay Rs 50 service tax, Rs 250 on international travel

Health check-up services now attract service tax

No change in Central Value-added Tax rates

No new tax exemption limits for women

Cut in import duties of raw material for mobile phones

Basic food, fuel exempted from central excise duty

Tax sops of Rs 20,000 on infra bonds extended by a year

1% excise duty on 130 new items

Rs 5 lakh tax exemption limit for individuals above 80 years of age

SEZ to come under MAT

Minimum alternative tax raised 185% vs 18%

Tax exemption limit increased to Rs 5 lakh for senior citizens

Eligible age for senior citizens is now 60 years against 65 years earlier

Exemption limit for individual tax payers raised to Rs 1.8 lakh from Rs 1.6 lakh

SC/ST scholarship scheme will benefit about 40 lakh students

Scholarships to SC/ST students in Class IX and X

Social projects spending outlay up 17% to Rs 16 lakh crore

Metro projects in key cities will get financial aid

Short term interest to farmers will continue to be at 7%

New companies bill to be introduced in this session

FII allowed to invest in MF schemes

FII limit in corporate bonds has been raised.