HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5 pm:

TOP STORIES

PAR177 LD BUDGET Budget cuts personal income tax, raises customs duty

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced cuts in personal income tax, extended tax benefits for affordable housing and gave relief to companies on payment of dividend in the Union Budget for 2020-21 as the government looked to boost consumption to bring the economy out of the worst slowdown in 11 years.

NATION

DEL120 BUD-FM Govt intends to remove all income tax exemptions in long run: FM

New Delhi: After slashing income tax rates for individuals on condition that they give up exemptions and deductions, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the government intends to remove all I-T exemptions in the long run.

DEL121 BUD-SHAH Budget to provide unprecedented relief to taxpayers: Amit Shah

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the Union Budget 2020-21 will contribute significantly in fulfilling the Modi government's resolve to double the income of farmers and provide unprecedented relief to the taxpayers.

DEL93 BUD-LD CONG Cong slams budget as 'insipid', says main issue of unemployment not addressed

New Delhi: Slamming the Union budget as "insipid" and lacking in stimulus for growth, the Congress on Saturday said it does not address the main issue of unemployment and describes the mindset of the government which is "all talk and nothing happening".

DEL108 BUD-LD RAHUL No strategic idea, anything concrete in Union Budget: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said there was no strategic idea or anything concrete in the Union Budget and it described the "hollow" approach of the government that was "all talk and nothing happening".

DEL106 BUD-DEFENCE Rs 3.37 lakh crore allocated for defence budget

New Delhi: In a marginal hike, the defence budget was increased to Rs 3.37 lakh crore for 2020-21 against last year's Rs 3.18 lakh crore, belying expectations of a significantly enhanced allocation to fast-track long-pending military modernisation.

DEL118 BUD-2NDLD EDUCATION Govt to encourage FDI in education, set up national police and forensic science universities

New Delhi: The government will encourage external commercial borrowings and FDI in the education sector for financing infrastructure, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Saturday.

DEL112 AVI-2NDLD KAMRA-NOTICE Kamra sends legal notice to IndiGo demanding apology, revocation of 6 month ban

New Delhi: Days after IndiGo banned Kunal Kamra for a six-month period for allegedly heckling journalist Arnab Goswami on a flight, the comedian has sent a legal notice to the airline demanding an unconditional apology, revocation of the ban and Rs 25 lakh compensation.

DEL5 AVI-CORONAVIRUS-2NDLD FLIGHT Coronavirus outbreak: 324 Indians evacuated from China's Wuhan in special Air India plane

New Delhi: Air India's jumbo B747 plane, evacuating 324 Indian nationals from the novel coronavirus-hit Wuhan in China, landed here on Saturday morning, officials said.

DEL86 JAMIA-PROTESTS Jamia prohibits students from holding protests inside campus, warns of strict action

New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia on Saturday prohibited students from holding any protest meeting or agitation inside the university campus, warning them of strict action, according to officials.

LEGAL

LGD4 DL-HC-NIRBHAYA Delhi HC to hear plea on execution of Nirbhaya case convicts on Saturday

New Delhi: Tihar Jail authorities on Saturday approached the Delhi High Court, challenging a trial court's order staying the execution of the four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case.

FOREIGN

FGN11 CHINA-VIRUS-2NDLD TOLL Coronavirus: Death toll rises to 259 in China, infections surge to nearly 12000

Beijing: The death toll from the novel coronavirus outbreak in China has risen to 259 with total confirmed cases surging to 11,791 amid stepped up efforts by a number of countries to evacuate their nationals from Hubei province, the epicentre of the virus, officials said on Saturday. By K J M Varma

FGN6 EU-LD BREXIT Brexit done: UK leaves EU as Boris Johnson hails new dawn

London: The UK's divorce from the European Union (EU) came into force on Friday night as it became the first country to exit the economic bloc after 47 years of membership following the vote in favour of Brexit in June 2016. By Aditi Khanna

BUSINESS

DEL122 BUD-INDUSTRY-REAX India Inc terms Budget as growth provoking, says implementation crucial

New Delhi: India Inc on Saturday termed the Budget as "growth provoking and welfare inducing" but said that urgent implementation of the measures proposed will be crucial for achieving desired outcomes, while acknowledging that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had "little room" to manoeuvre.

SPORTS

SPD7 SPO-LD BUD Government allocates Rs 2826.92 crore to sports budget, Rs 50 crore increase from last year

New Delhi: The government on Saturday allocated Rs 2826.92 crore to the sports budget for the next financial year, which is up by a mere Rs 50 crore from the revised estimates of 2019-20.