Clarification to pensioners about the hike in exemption limit to Rs 3 Lakhs from Minister of State for Finance.
D.O. No. 370150/9/2017- TPL
MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE 
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
NEW DELHI-110001
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
NEW DELHI-110001
14th November 2017
Dear Dr.Tharoor Ji,
Kindly refer to your D.O. letter No. DO/S1/09/2017/986 dated 
26.09.2017 requesting, for providing the exemption of Rs. 5 lakhs per 
annum to pension income.I have got the matter examined. 
Currently, the basic exemption limit for individual taxpayer is Rs, 2, 
50,000, However, considering the specific needs of the senior citizens, 
the basic exemption limit for a senior citizen above 60 year, is fixed 
at Rs.3,00,000 and for very senior citizen i.e. above 80 years, the same
 is fixed Rs. 5,00,000. Therefore, a pensioner who is a senior citizen 
is not required to pay any income-tax if his. total income, including 
pension., does not exceed Rs. 3 lakhs Similarly, a pensioner who is very
 senior citizen is not required to pay tax if his total income, 
including pension, does not exceed Rs. 5, 00.000. However, the 
suggestions that pension up to Rs. 5 lakhs per annum should be exempt in
 all cages would require amendment to the existing provisions of the 
Income-tax Act, 1964.
Accordingly, the proposal would be examined during the exercise for 
the ensuing Union Budget, 2018 and the outcome would be reflected in the
 Finance Bill 2018.
With regards
Yours sincerely,
(Shiv Pratap Shukla)
Signed copy 