Budget 2024: Govt may relax 45-day payment rule for MSMEs

The government is considering relaxing the 45-day payment requirement to MSMEs to prevent large corporations from seeking other sourcing options. This potential change to Section 43B(h) of the Income Tax Act might be announced in the upcoming Budget on July 23. Last year's Budget introduced this clause to ensure timely payments to MSMEs, penalizing larger companies for delays by disallowing tax deductions on unpaid expenses.