The government on Monday announced a slew of tax sops, including an additional Rs 10,000 personal income tax exemption and scrapping of 10 per cent surcharge, while announcing cheaper loans to farmers and incentives for export and infrastructure to attain nine per cent growth.

In tune with the poll promises made by the Congress and reflecting the pressures of the global financial crisis, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presented the Budget for 2009-10 that contained a series of measures that could be termed popular.

Beginning with incentives for individual tax payers that included an additional exemption of Rs 15,000 for senior citizens and Rs 10,000 for women and others, Mukherjee also abolished Fringe Benefit Tax that could ease pressure on employers in giving benefits to the workers, but there was no change in corporate tax as also the rates for customs, excise and service tax.