Union minister Piyush Goyal presented the election year Interim Budget in parliament today and announced major relief for farmers and individual taxpayers. With the Lok Sabha election just months away, the government kept the budget focussed on immediate relief such as easing income tax rules, favourable loan terms for small businesses, farm loan waiver and even direct cash transfers to small farmers. The government said it will send Rs 6,000 to small farmers directly into their bank accounts in a scheme that will be funded 100 per cent by the centre. The programme will cost Rs 75,000 crore.
