Archive for March, 2010

The government today said it is looking into the report submitted by the expert group set up to suggest steps for monitoring the end-use of IPO funds and would take appropriate action to prevent misuse of IPO money."The report (of expert group) has been submitted. We will certainly read the report carefully. But we can only tell you the finding after we finish reading it," Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said when asked about the findings of the report. Full Article

The government today said it is planning to allow banks and financial institutions to issue long-term tax-free bonds specifically to fund the crucial infrastructure sector requirements. "What has been proposed is that there will be financial entities and banks, which will be authorised to issue infrastructure bonds to raise money specifically for lending in infrastructure activities," finance secretary Ashok Chawla told reporters here today. Full Article

The Meghalaya budget 2010-11, presented in the Assembly today, proposed to hike the VAT rate on all items, barring wheat and rice, from four per cent to five per cent. Presenting the budget, Finance Minister Mukul Sangma proposed to raise the royalty rate on coal to realise Rs 42 crore. The tax on luxuries will be amended to rationalise the room tariffs, he added. Full Article

Home buyers and property developers need not worry about being levied a service tax if they cannot procure a completion certificate from the local authority. The government could allow some independent authority to certify that the property is complete. Full Article

The Maharashtra budget on Thursday proposed to extend VAT exemptions on food articles like rice, wheat and pulses among others for one more year to help control price rise.Finance Minister Sunil Tatkare while presenting the budget for 2010-11 in the Assembly said that despite recommendation from the empowered committee to levy value added tax (VAT) of 4 percent on these goods, the government has decided not to do so in order to keep the prices of these essential items un.. Full Article

VAT rates of various commodities in Delhi, which are less than the rates suggested by the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers, are termed as deviations. A number of deviations have been done in the past. On account of these deviations we have incurred losses in our revenue collection as well as reduced compensation from the Central government. I propose to remove such deviations on items / commodities and levy VAT as follows : Full Article

"There is a high possibility definitely (that China will be labelled as a manipulator), but it is very important to remember that the decision is largely symbolic and does not force any action, other than consultations," the China Daily quoted Schwab as saying today. Full Article

The Maharashtra Government has decided to levy one per cent Value-Added Tax on property sale from April 1, 2010 in its Budget for 2010-11. All sale agreements registered on or after April 1 will attract one per cent on the contract price of flats mentioned in the agreement of sale. Full Article