Prime Minister Narendra Modi had instructed that taxes not be raised amid the Covid pandemic, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters today after presenting the Union budget in parliament. PM Modi, she added, had given the same direction last year as well. "Didn't want to increase tax at the time of pandemic... PM Modi's instruction was very clear --'No additional taxes'," Ms Sitharaman said. Accordingly, Income tax slabs have not been changed in this budget.