West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta presented the full state budget for the financial year 2026-27, focusing on tax simplification to enhance compliance and boost tax revenue. This marked the first budget session under the BJP-led government in the state. Dasgupta’s proposals aim to increase tax revenues without burdening ordinary taxpayers.
One significant proposal is the revision of professional tax exemptions. Salaried individuals will now have a monthly exemption limit of Rs 20,000, up from Rs 10,000, while self-employed individuals will see their annual exemption threshold rise to Rs 2.5 lakh from Rs 60,000. Traders and businesses will benefit from an increased turnover threshold for professional tax liability, now set at Rs 10 lakh from the previous Rs 5 lakh.
Additionally, the Finance Minister announced a complete exemption from professional tax for Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in West Bengal. The state also plans to amend excise regulations to ease compliance for homoeopathic medicine manufacturers using industrial spirit, aiming to reduce unnecessary burdens on the industry.
The budget also includes stricter norms for liquor shop establishments, with no new licenses to be issued within one km of educational institutions, hospitals, or religious places. The state anticipates a significant rise in its own tax revenue collection for 2026-27, with State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) and state excise revenue being the primary contributors.
