Plea to raise IT limit for women, senior citizen

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior citizens have urged the Union Government to raise the income tax limit for women and senior citizens to Rs 4 lakh and Rs 5 lakh respectively. Senior citizens M Yunnus Kunju, Kunjoonjammal Joseph, K M Joseph and M J Antony said that the Union Government should at least continue the exemption parity that existed in 2005-06 when it was first introduced. During that time, the tax exemption for general category was fixed at `1 lakh and that of women and senior citizens were Rs 1.35 lakh and Rs 1.85 lakh.While the living index was 119 six years ago, it is 198 now. The income tax exemption should have been raised to Rs 2.43 lakh and Rs 3.3 lakh for women and senior citizens respectively. Unfortunately, the exemption allowed to women and senior citizens in the 2011-12 budget was only Rs 1.9 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh respectively .When the general category got an increase in exemption of 80 percent in 2005-06, it was 40 percent and 35 percent for women and senior citizens.According to senior citizens, this is injustice rendered to the two categories, especially to senior citizens who are forced to spend more on health care. At least the exemption sanctioned to the general category should have been extended to others also in the budget.