As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present the Interim Budget 2024 on February 1, tax experts are urging for an increase in the standard deduction for salaried taxpayers. Currently set at Rs 50,000, experts suggest raising it to Rs 1,00,000 or linking it to individual income levels or inflation. Surabhi Marwah, Tax Partner at EY India, emphasizes the rise in the cost of living and the need to accommodate salaried taxpayers’ expenses. Chander Talreja, Partner at Vialto Partners, recommends linking standard deduction to salary income levels, and Kuldip Kumar, Partner at Mainstay Tax Advisors, highlights the changing work models post-Covid-19, suggesting a revision based on inflation and new working norms.