Whenever a budget is presented, the first question on everyone’s mind is—"What will become cheaper and what will become more expensive?" This year, significant changes have been made, offering relief in tourism and healthcare, while introducing stricter measures in tax regulations.

Here are the details of how these changes will impact the common man’s pocket:

What Gets Cheaper?

The government has brought good news for consumers by providing duty exemptions in several sectors:

Overseas Tours: The TCS (Tax Collected at Source) on foreign tour packages has been slashed from 5–20% to just 2%. This makes your dream international vacation much more affordable.

Cancer Treatment: Customs duty on drugs used for cancer and rare diseases has been completely waived. This will provide massive financial relief to patients.

Foreign Education: The TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) rate on money sent abroad (remittances) for students studying in foreign countries has been reduced.

Household Appliances: Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on microwave ovens and parts for civil aircraft has been scrapped.

Solar Energy & Fuel: Duties have been cut on raw materials for solar glass production, energy transition equipment, and capital goods for critical minerals.

Personal Imports: The duty on items imported for personal use has been halved from 20% to 10%.

Fisheries & Nuclear Power: Exemptions from BCD have been granted for fish caught by Indian fishermen and for imports related to nuclear power projects.

Footwear: 'Shoe uppers' used for manufacturing export-quality shoes can now be imported duty-free.

What Gets Costlier?

Strict measures have been implemented to increase tax transparency and regulate transactions in the stock market:

Stock Market Trading: The Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on Stock Options and Futures has been hiked from 0.02% to 0.05%.

Income Tax Misreporting: If incorrect information is provided in Income Tax returns, a penalty of 100% of the tax due will now be imposed.

Disclosure of Movable Assets: Failing to disclose movable assets will now attract penalties.

These changes aim to bring about financial discipline while providing better facilities for the general public in the healthcare and education sectors.