chambers of commerce

India is drafting new rules to avail the services of private information technology (IT) firms for a range of government functions such as collecting taxes or issuing birth certificates, allowing transactions to be conducted electronically or through mobile phones, which are more pervasive in the country than computers. Full Article

The government is through with the consultation process on the proposed direct taxes code and the contours of the new tax structure could be finalised soon, a top government official said on Wednesday. The process of consultation is almost complete," finance secretary Ashok Chawala told reporters on the sidelines of a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry seminar in New Delhi. Full Article

The services/activities provided by the American Institute to DRDO pursuant to the agreement entered into between FICCI and the American Institute do not fall within the purview of Article 12(4)(b) of the Indo-US DTAA and the payments received by the Institute under the agreement are not liable to be taxed as fees for technical services under the domestic law; consequently, FICCI is not required to deduct tax under section 195 for payments made by it to the American Inst.. Full Article

India can surpass China as a global production hub for consumer durables with rationalisation of tax structure and policy support from the government, says a study by industry body Ficci and financial consultancy company PricewaterhouseCoopers. The study suggested tax rebates for high-end technology companies that set up research and development centres in India . Full Article

The new centralized web based software application of CBEC under the name Automation of Centralized Excise and Service Tax (ACES) is likely to be introduced shortly. The details of the same can be accessed at http:// www.aces.gov.in. It is designed to provide you an electronic interface with the department and aims at reducing paper work, visit to the departmental offices and improving transparency, accountability and efficiency in indirect tax administration in India. Full Article

Citing serious fiscal situation, Union Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar said that no new incentives and sops could be provided to exporters in the next fiscal in view of significant resource crunch faced by Centre. Khullar tersely told a meeting of exporters last night that the current fiscal situation was so serious that it was not going to be a temporary problem in terms of resource-crunch. Full Article

As per the new definition of charitable purpose in Finance Act 2008, advancement of any object of public utility, which was earlier considered to be “charitable purpose,” is now not so if it involves the “carrying on of any activity in the nature of trade, commerce or business or any activity of rendering any service in relation to any trade, commerce or business, for a cess or fee or any other consideration Full Article