As Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented Budget 2021, the government did not make any change in the personal income tax slabs this time.

However, Sitharaman in her Budget presentation proposed to increase the threshold for tax audit from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore albeit for those transacting 95% digitally.

Sitharaman on Monday reduced the time limit for reopening of income tax assessment cases to three years from six years, while for serious tax fraud cases where concealment of income is Rs 50 lakh or more it would be 10 years.

In her Budget speech for 2021-22, Sitharaman also announced that senior citizens above 75 years of age having only pension and interest income would not be required to file income tax returns. Banks paying the interest would deduct the tax on their behalf.

She said to end the uncertainty in the minds of taxpayers over reopening of assessment cases, the time limit for a reduction in limit for reopening to assessment to three years from six years earlier.

(With inputs from Agencies)