Nirmala Sitharaman defends income tax relief in Rajya Sabha; tables new Income Tax Bill in Lok Sabha

By our Special Correspondent

Sitharaman on Thursday defended the income tax relief announced in the budget for 2025-26 as a pro-middle class move, refuting the opposition's allegations that it would benefit the rich and the affluent more than the less privileged.

While the move will benefit all sections of people, savings as a percentage of the total tax outgo will progressively decline as the income levels go up, she said.