Chennai: In a please-all Budget, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister K Anbazhagan on Friday announced sops for all sections of the society but refrained from imposing fresh taxes and left an uncovered deficit of Rs 3,396.45 crore.
The key highlights of the Budget include free education for post graduate students in government arts and science colleges, establishment of a new technical university at Madurai, setting up of an Institute of Oncology at Chennai, addition of 1400 mw of power to the state grid and free supply of iodised salt for expectant mothers.
The minister did not attempt any fresh taxes, apparently with an eye on the state elections in May 2011.
The budget also announced a separate department for differently-abled persons and a hike in their stipends.
Sales tax on unbranded products, including coffee, bakery products, steel furniture, footwear, dry grapes and branded items--masala powders, bajji flour, ghee, vanaspati, pickles and wet grinders--has been slashed from 12.5 percent to four percent.
In a bid to curb the hike in sugar price in the open market, imported sugar would be exempt from purchase tax for one year.
The Budget was presented in the Rs 500 crore state-of the art new assembly complex.
The discussion on the budget would be held from March 31.
PTI
First Published: Friday, March 19, 2010, 15:03