According to a PTI report, announcing Kerala government’s budget for 2010-11, Thomas Isaac, Finance Minister, Kerala proposed to extend the ambit of welfare schemes like employment guarantee and food subsidy, reduce taxes on tourism, beer and wine and impose fresh ones on direct to home services and jewellery shop owners.
While continuing with most of the schemes under the Rs 10,000 crore stimulus package unveiled last year during the slowdown, the state Finance Minister in his budget announced fresh sops for the crisis-hit tourism sector by slashing the Luxury Tax. Luxury Tax on tourism, a major revenue earner, was brought down to 7.5 per cent and 12.5 per cent in different categories from ten per cent and 15 per cent respectively. |