Reality television shows have become a big part and parcel of Indian television as well as Indian society. Shows where you get to answer questions and become an overnight crorepati (millionaire), there's even one where you just need to say 'deal' or no deal' and could walk away with Rs 50 lakh (Rs 5 million).
To be honest, at times these shows lose the 'real' effect and start looking 'surreal'. One such 'reality show' is the annual financial exercise of the government of India .The one chance for the finance minister to take centrestage: the Union Budget. Like all shows, the Budget too has winners and losers.
Of course, over the last 76 episodes of this show (76 Budgets have been presented since the first one was presented by Shamukham Chetty in 1947), the Budget has become a boring affair for many.
So, here we take a look at the numbers post-Budget 2010 and compare them with the tax laws prevailing in 2009-2010 to see which part of the Indian junta will laugh its way to the bank in 2010-11.
There have been countless discussions on how the Budget is pro-middle-middle class (the repetition of middle is intentional to define a new creed: the people in the Rs 4 lakh to Rs 8 lakh taxable income).
Let's look at actual numbers to see how much you and me stand to save post Budget 2010-11 vis-a-vis 2009-10.
A very simple way to do this is to compare the income tax payable by us for 2009-10 and for 2010-11.
| Men | |||
| Income (Rs) | Tax Payable (Rs) | Saving | |
| Old Slab | New Slab | % | |
| 161,000 | 100 | 100 | 0.00% |
| 250,000 | 9,000 | 9,000 | 0.00% |
| 300,000 | 14,000 | 14,000 | 0.00% |
| 400,000 | 34,000 | 24,000 | 29.41% |
| 450,000 | 44,000 | 29,000 | 34.09% |
| 500,000 | 54,000 | 34,000 | 37.04% |
| 550,000 | 69,000 | 44,000 | 36.23% |
| 600,000 | 84,000 | 54,000 | 35.71% |
| 750,000 | 129,000 | 84,000 | 34.88% |
| 800,000 | 144,000 | 94,000 | 34.72% |
| 850,000 | 159,000 | 109,000 | 31.45% |
| 900,000 | 174,000 | 124,000 | 28.74% |
| 950,000 | 189,000 | 139,000 | 26.46% |
| 1,000,000 | 204,000 | 154,000 | 24.51% |
| 1,050,000 | 219,000 | 169,000 | 22.83% |
| 1,100,000 | 234,000 | 184,000 | 21.37% |
| 1,150,000 | 249,000 | 199,000 | 20.08% |
| 1,200,000 | 264,000 | 214,000 | 18.94% |
| 1,250,000 | 279,000 | 229,000 | 17.92% |
| 1,300,000 | 294,000 | 244,000 | 17.01% |
| 1,350,000 | 309,000 | 259,000 | 16.18% |
| 1,400,000 | 324,000 | 274,000 | 15.43% |
| 1,450,000 | 339,000 | 289,000 | 14.75% |
| 1,500,000 | 354,000 | 304,000 | 14.12% |
| Women | | Senior Citizens |
| ||||||
| Income (Rs) | Tax Payable (Rs) | Saving % | | Income (Rs) | Tax Payable (Rs) | Saving |
| ||
| Old Slab | New Slab | | Old Slab | New Slab | % | ||||
| 191,000 | 100 | 100 | 0.00% | 251,000 | 100 | 100 | 0.00% | ||
| 250,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 0.00% | 275,000 | 2,500 | 2,500 | 0.00% | ||
| 300,000 | 11,000 | 11,000 | 0.00% | 300,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | 0.00% | ||
| 400,000 | 31,000 | 21,000 | 32.26% | 400,000 | 25,000 | 15,000 | 40.00% | ||
| 450,000 | 41,000 | 26,000 | 36.59% | 450,000 | 35,000 | 20,000 | 42.86% | ||
| 500,000 | 51,000 | 31,000 | 39.22% | 500,000 | 45,000 | 25,000 | 44.44% | ||
| 550,000 | 66,000 | 41,000 | 37.88% | 550,000 | 60,000 | 35,000 | 41.67% | ||
| 600,000 | 81,000 | 51,000 | 37.04% | 600,000 | 75,000 | 45,000 | 40.00% | ||
| 750,000 | 126,000 | 81,000 | 35.71% | 750,000 | 120,000 | 75,000 | 37.50% | ||
| 800,000 | 141,000 | 91,000 | 35.46% | 800,000 | 135,000 | 85,000 | 37.04% | ||
| 850,000 | 156,000 | 106,000 | 32.05% | 850,000 | 150,000 | 100,000 | 33.33% | ||
| 900,000 | 171,000 | 121,000 | 29.24% | 900,000 | 165,000 | 115,000 | 30.30% | ||
| 950,000 | 186,000 | 136,000 | 26.88% | 950,000 | 180,000 | 130,000 | 27.78% | ||
| 1,000,000 | 201,000 | 151,000 | 24.88% | 1,000,000 | 195,000 | 145,000 | 25.64% | ||
| 1,050,000 | 216,000 | 166,000 | 23.15% | 1,050,000 | 210,000 | 160,000 | 23.81% | ||
| 1,100,000 | 231,000 | 181,000 | 21.65% | 1,100,000 | 225,000 | 175,000 | 22.22% | ||
| 1,150,000 | 246,000 | 196,000 | 20.33% | 1,150,000 | 240,000 | 190,000 | 20.83% | ||
| 1,200,000 | 261,000 | 211,000 | 19.16% | 1,200,000 | 255,000 | 205,000 | 19.61% | ||
| 1,250,000 | 276,000 | 226,000 | 18.12% | 1,250,000 | 270,000 | 220,000 | 18.52% | ||
| 1,300,000 | 291,000 | 241,000 | 17.18% | 1,300,000 | 285,000 | 235,000 | 17.54% | ||
| 1,350,000 | 306,000 | 256,000 | 16.34% | 1,350,000 | 300,000 | 250,000 | 16.67% | ||
| 1,400,000 | 321,000 | 271,000 | 15.58% | 1,400,000 | 315,000 | 265,000 | 15.87% | ||
| 1,450,000 | 336,000 | 286,000 | 14.88% | 1,450,000 | 330,000 | 280,000 | 15.15% | ||
| 1,500,000 | 351,000 | 301,000 | 14.25% | 1,500,000 | 345,000 | 295,000 | 14.49% | ||