Guwahati: A tax-free deficit Budget of Rs 2365.91 crore for 2003-04 was on March 10 presented at the Assam Assembly by the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi who also holds the Finance portfolio.

Presenting the Budget, Gogoi said his government was not imposing any fresh tax on any item, instead proposed to exempt a few items from sales tax and reduce the rate of tax on some others from eight per cent to four per cent.

He said, glass bangles, kumkum, bindi, alta and sindur were proposed to be exempted from sales tax. Besides slate and slate pencils were also exempted from sales tax in view of the importance accorded to education.

Tax exemption was also extended to indigenous hand made musical instruments to promote local culture, human blood for humanitarian point of view, besides khadi and khadi products.

To promote print media the eight per cent tax on paper and newsprint was halved to four per cent.

As Assam would be hosting the next national games, eight per cent tax on sports industries was reduced to four per cent.

To protect and promote local enterprises, industries and make them competitive in comparison to products imported from other states, an entry tax was imposed on dry fish, processed fruit juice, items of bell metal and brass, biscuits withdrawing the tax levied on them under the AGST Act.

PTI