Union Budget-2023: Widen application of DBT mode

The Union Budget-2023 needs to exempt gross income up to ₹8 lakh, being the threshold for categorisation as economically weaker section. It’s time to conclude a stable and uniform tax code. The twin taxation options -- one with exemptions and the other without them -- needs to go in favour of a single taxation regime without exemptions as income tax entails nothing between income and tax. The new slabs can justly be: No tax on gross income upto ₹8 lakh, 5% income tax on the next ₹5 lakh, 10% on the next ₹5 lakh and 20% up to ₹1 crore and incomes beyond that may attract special income tax at the rate of 30%. All compensations/exemptions/ incentives to employees to promote housing, savings should be routed through direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode to curb leakages and manipulation. We count what we value and nothing should be doled out unaccounted and unsolicited.

Lalit Bharadwaj

Panchkula brotherhood. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is good at portraying Indian philosophy and is already a known world figure, having met half of the world’s leaders during his tenure. India can play a great role of give and take in trade, as G20 covers two-thirds of the world with huge GDP and trade. India should strive on priority for world peace first, that would put her above all mighty powers in the world.

BM Singh

Amritsar

Football Federation and hockey player Dilip Tirkey was appointed head of Hockey India, now athlete PT Usha, who earned many laurels for India, has become the chief of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). This is a welcome decision. Earlier, politicians and administrators heading sports organisations had brought down the level of sports in India. Now we hope PT Usha will leave no stone unturned to improve the standard of athletics and other sports in the country.

Paramjit Singh Parwana

Patiala