New Delhi: Joining other automakers in reducing prices, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M) on Saturday announced to fully pass on the GST 2.0 benefits to customers across its ICE SUV portfolio — up to Rs 1.56 lakh — with an immediate effect.

According to the company, models like Thar, Scorpio, Bolero, XUV700, and Scorpio-N will be available with substantial savings ranging from Rs 1.01 lakh to Rs 1.56 lakh. Bolero and Bolero Neo are cheaper by up to Rs 1.27 lakh, while the XUV3XO Petrol gets a cut of Rs 1.40 lakh, and the XUV3XO Diesel leads with a reduction of Rs 1.56 lakh.

The Scorpio-N offers savings of up to Rs 1.45 lakh, the Thar Roxx Rs 1.33 lakh, and the flagship XUV700 RS 1.43 lakh. Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) also announced it will fully pass on the benefits of the recent GST rate reduction to its customers across its range of vehicles — ranging from Rs 48,700 (Rumion) up to Rs 3.49 lakh (Fortuner).

“We sincerely thank the government of India, for this historic reform. It has not only enhanced affordability for customers but also strengthened overall confidence in the auto sector. Ahead of the festive season we expect this step will provide strong momentum and further accelerate demand,” said Varinder Wadhwa, Vice President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business and Profit Enhancement.

While Toyota Glanza will see price cuts up to Rs 85,300, Taisor will see price reduction up to Rs 1,11,100; Hyryder up to Rs 65,400; and Fortuner up to Rs 3,49,000.

Renault India also announced a significant price reduction for its cars on Saturday. Prices of its three models — Kwid, Triber and Kiger — have been slashed by up to Rs 96,395. Under the new GST 2.0 framework, all internal combustion engine (ICE) cars are now taxed at either 18 per cent or 40 per cent.

Smaller cars such as hatchbacks, compact sedans, and compact SUVs fall under the 18 per cent slab, while mid-size, larger, and luxury models attract 40 per cent. Previously, ICE vehicles were subject to 28 per cent GST plus an additional compensation cess ranging between 1 per cent and 22 per cent depending on size and engine capacity.

For electric vehicles, the GST rate remains unchanged at 5 per cent, while hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) have seen a reduction from 12 per cent to 5 per cent.

For most Indians, the fear of outliving retirement savings looms larger than ever as life expectancy rises and medical costs climb. Picture this: your morning coffee in retirement, bills paid, lifestyle intact — and all of it supported by a steady Rs 1 lakh monthly income. Financial planners say this is possible, but the secret lies in building the right retirement corpus and matching it with your risk appetite.Depending on the investment route you choose, the required savings range from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore. Safe options like annuities and fixed deposits can work with Rs 2 crore, while those willing to take higher risks may target the same income with just Rs 1 crore in diversified equity funds.How much do you need to earn Rs 1 lakh a month?To generate Rs 12 lakh annually, the required corpus depends on the rate of return. With Rs 2 crore, investors can choose safer instruments like annuities, debt funds or fixed deposits, which typically offer around 6% returns, according to an ET report. For those with Rs 1.5 crore, instruments offering 8% returns, such as the Senior Citizens’ Savings Scheme, balanced hybrid funds or equity savings funds, may be enough. According to Value Research data (September 2, 2025) quoted in the ET analysis, balanced hybrid and equity savings funds have delivered 8.80% and 8.10% CAGR respectively over the last decade.Risk-tolerant investors with Rs 1.2 crore can aim for products that generate about 10% returns, such as aggressive hybrid, large-cap or large-and-midcap funds, which have delivered 11.98%, 12.75% and 14.69% CAGR respectively in the last 10 years. At the highest-risk level, those with Rs 1 crore can still target Rs 12 lakh annual income by investing in flexicap or multicap funds, which have historically returned over 12% CAGR. Flexicap funds, for instance, gave 13.64% CAGR in the past decade.

Table source: ETWithdrawal-based strategies to keep corpus intactSome planners recommend strategies that preserve capital while providing inflation-adjusted returns. Rohan Goyal of MIRA Money suggests a 4–5% withdrawal rate, requiring Rs 2.4–3 crore to sustainably generate Rs 12 lakh annually. “A 4–5% withdrawal rate is low enough that portfolio growth should outpace withdrawals, making the corpus last decades,” he was quoted as saying.Arun Kumar of FundsIndia advises an 85:15 split between aggressive hybrid and arbitrage funds, with systematic withdrawal plans (SWPs) starting after one year. Withdrawals should pause if the market corrects sharply and shift temporarily to arbitrage funds, resuming later.Elever’s Karan Aggarwal suggests a glide-path approach: begin with a 50:50 split between debt and arbitrage funds, then shift 10% annually towards equity until the sixth year, when equity allocation reaches 50%.Tax rules to rememberTax treatment varies across instruments. Equity funds attract 15–20% short-term capital gains tax and 10–12.5% long-term capital gains tax, while debt funds face 20% with indexation or 12.5% without. Hybrid funds are taxed according to their asset mix, said CA Suresh Surana.Don’t forget inflationA fixed withdrawal of Rs 1 lakh today may lose significant value over 10 years. SWPs that allow part of the corpus to remain invested and continue compounding can help balance current income with future security.Experts say there is no universal formula for securing Rs 1 lakh a month. “Start early, diversify across equity, debt and hybrid options, and review periodically,” one planner said. “What matters most is matching investments with risk appetite and keeping income inflation-adjusted.”(Disclaimer: The opinions, analyses and recommendations expressed herein are those of brokerage and do not reflect the views of The Times of India. Always consult with a qualified investment advisor or financial planner before making any investment decisions.)

Last Updated:September 06, 2025, 20:32 IST

Nirmala Sitharaman thanked state finance ministers for supporting the GST overhaul, unanimously approved at the GST Council, and promising relief for the common man.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wrote to finance ministers of all states, expressing gratitude for their support and active role in helping implement the landmark overhaul of the goods and services tax (GST) regime.

In an interview with news agency PTI, Sitharaman said states made their view on the proposal to rejig tax rates but ultimately agreed that it was for the benefit of the common man, an argument that helped reach a unanimous decision at the GST Council meeting earlier this week.

The revision, set to take effect on September 22 and expected to reduce rates on a broad range of products—from butter and chocolates to shampoos, tractors, and air conditioners—was approved at a GST Council meeting on September 3. The council, chaired by Sitharaman, comprises representatives from all states and Union Territories.

“Yesterday, I wrote a letter to each finance minister thanking them, saying, you can have any number of intense discussions and arguments, but finally, the Council rose to the occasion and gave relief to the people of India, to all people of India. And, I am grateful for that gesture. So, I wrote that letter,” she said.

Seh called the work at the Council, truly ‘remarkable’. Despite concerns about potential revenue loss from reclassifying most products into two main categories—5% for essential goods and 18% for all others, eliminating the 12% and 28% slabs—the council unanimously approved the GST overhaul.

The panel was to meet for two days, starting September 3, to discuss the proposal made by the Centre, but ended up approving it on the very first day after a marathon day-long meeting.

“So the sense of the house was, this is a proposal which is going to undoubtedly benefit the common man. There is no point in standing against it… Ultimately, everybody came together for a good cause, and I’m truly very grateful,” the Finance Minister said.

The minister stated that while states have consistently supported rate reductions, their primary concern has been the impact on revenue following the tax cuts.

“I even appealed to them, saying, for the sake of the people of India, please. It’s not just the states. It’s even the Centre that is going to be affected by the reduction. But we’ll make up for it because once the rates come down, people are going to come out to buy, and that will take care of it (revenue impact). That’s how consensus was arrived at,” she said.

Speaking at a press conference following the GST Council meeting, Sitharaman expressed her gratitude to the states for their cooperation and collaborative efforts in implementing one of India’s most significant tax reforms.

On Saturday, she observed that the Council had patiently considered every comment and suggestion from its members. “All points were carefully discussed before reaching a consensus,” she said.

She also emphasised the inclusive nature of the discussions, noting that several ministers who wished to speak again after their initial points had been addressed were allowed to do so.

“Their additional inputs were heard and taken into account,” the Finance Minister emphasised. She also credited states for their constructive participation in the GST Council and their commitment to driving tax reform.

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