Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will present the Budget for 2010-11 today amid speculation that taxes and duties may be raised as part of a partial rollback of stimulus prescribed by government's advisers.

However, direct tax rates are not likely to be altered for the time being as the Finance Ministry is likely to wait for implementation of Direct Taxes Code from 2011-12, before initiating any change.

The direct taxes code, which will replace the archaic Income Tax Act, is unlikely to come in the budget session,
sources said.

The debate on withdrawal of stimulus measures introduced in the wake of the global economic slowdown since late 2008 intensified on Thursday with Economic Survey and Finance Commission favouring gradual rollback of stimulus to check strains on government finances, but India Inc wanted the sops to continue to push up economic growth further.

The Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on Thursday suggested that stimulus be withdrawn gradually, since the economy is on the rebound and the growth is broad-based.

"The broad-based nature of the recovery creates scope for a gradual rollback, in due course, of some of the measures undertaken over the last 15 to 18 months," said the Survey.

The Finance Commission also recommended "a calibrated exit strategy from the expansionary fiscal stance of 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Expectations

Gradual rollback of stimulus

Hike in excise duty, service tax

Focus on reforms, disinvestment

Measures to curb government spending

Roadmap for Goods and Services Tax

Measures to tackle food inflation