Some of the major highlights of the Interim Budget 2009-10:

• IIFCL to refinance 60 per cent of commercial bank loans for PPP projects in critical sectors over the next fifteen to eighteen months. IIFCL and Banks are now in a position to support projects involving total investment of Rs.1,00,000 crore.
• Allocation to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP) increased by 23 per cent over B.E. 2008-09 in B.E. 2009-10 and allocation for Railways increased from Rs.10,800 crore in Interim B.E. 2009-10 to Rs.15,800 crore in B.E. 2009-10.
• Allocation under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) stepped up by 87 per cent to Rs.12,887 crore in B.E. 2009-10 over B.E. 2008-09.
• Allocation for housing and provision of basic amenities to urban poor enhanced to Rs.3,973 crore in B.E. 2009-10. This includes provision for Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY), a new scheme announced.
• Allocation under Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (APDRP) increased by 160 per cent to Rs.2,080 crore in B.E. 2009-10 over B.E. 2008-09.
• To ensure balanced application of fertilizers for increasing agricultural productivity, Government intends to move towards a nutrient based subsidy regime so as to cover larger basket of fertilizers with innovative fertilizer products available in the market at reasonable prices.
• Allocation under NREGS increased by 144 per cent to Rs.39,100 crore in B.E. 2009-10 over B.E. 2008-09.
• Allocation for Bharat Nirman increased by 45 per cent in 2009-10 over B.E. 2008-09. Allocations under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) increased by 59 per cent over B.E. 2008-09 to Rs.12,000 crore in B.E. 2009-10.
• Structural changes in direct taxes to be pursued by releasing the new Direct Taxes Code within the next 45 days and in indirect taxes by accelerating the process for the smooth introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) with effect from 1st April, 2010.
• Exemption limit in personal income tax raised
by Rs.15,000 from Rs.2.25 lakh to Rs.2.40 lakh for senior citizens; by Rs.10,000 from Rs.1.80 lakh to Rs.1.90 lakh for women tax payers; and by Rs.10,000 from Rs.1.50 lakh to Rs.1.60 lakh for all other categories of individual taxpayers.
• Deduction under section 80-DD in respect of maintenance, including medical treatment, of a dependent who is a person with severe disability being raised from the present limit of Rs.75,000 to Rs.1 lakh.
• Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) to be increased to 15 per cent of book profits from 10 per cent. The period allowed to carry forward the tax credit under MAT to be extended from seven years to ten years.
• Commodity Transaction Tax (CTT) to be abolished.