The Government of India has decided to raise the limit for external commercial borrowings to $30 billion from $20 billion before, a senior finance ministry official said on Friday. The government has decided not to raise the foreign institutional investor limit in government bonds, said the official, who did not wish to be named. FIIs can invest up to $10 billion in government bonds currently.
The finance ministry has cleared the Reserve Bank of India’s draft guidelines on new bank licences with a rider that the existing 74% cap on foreign direct investment be retained. The central bank, which had proposed capping FDI in new banks at 49% in the first 10 years, is likely to make the guidelines public and may seek comments from all stakeholders again. “We have given our final approval to the RBI and requested them to share the final guidelines after they incorporate comments from other stakeholders,” said a senior finance ministry official.
The Government has constituted a Committee under the Chairmanship of Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to examine ways to strengthen laws to curb the generation of black money in the country, its illegal transfer abroad and its recovery. The Committee will examine the existing legal and administrative framework to deal with the menace of generation of black money through illegal means including, inter alia,
Transparency in Survey operations – For bringing transparency in survey operations and obviate the possibility of any grievance to the taxpayers, it is decided that henceforth: Survey teams visiting taxpayer’s premises under the provisions of section 133 A of the Income tax Act will, before the commencement of survey proceedings,provide to the taxpayer the names, designations & contact numbers of their Chief Commissioner, Commissioner &Additional/ Joint Commissioner of Income Tax.
Who can use this Return Form This Return Form is to be used by an individual whose total income for the assessment year 2011-12 includes:‑ (a) Income from Salary/ Pension; or (b) Income from One House Property (excluding cases where loss is brought forward from previous years); or (c) Income from Other Sources (excluding Winning from Lottery and Income from Race Horses)
The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) received 10,170 calls during April 2011 for redressal of consumer complaints. In addition of these calls, 639 complaints were also received through online complaint system on NCH website. The maximum calls were received from Delhi followed by Uttar Pradesh,Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Haryana.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has instructed that from Monday next, i.e. May 29th, 2011 the payment of less than Rs. 50,000/- through electronic mode will be permissible in the “Investor Education and Protection Fund” through Pay Misc. Fee functionality. This facility will also be admissible for user having category as“Official Liquidator office, and the user having category as MCA employee.
In this case the appellant have deposited the amount under protest on differential value of the goods cleared by them to their sister unit/group companies. While adjudication, the show-cause notice demanding the differential duty was dropped and it was subsequently held in the order that the supplementary invoices issued by the assessee under rule 57AE of Central Excise Rules, 1944 is declared void for the purpose of taking MODVAT/CENVAT credit.
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 69 – Performance Guarantees issued by the Indian Party -At present, ‘financial commitment’ of the Indian Party includes contribution to the capital of the overseas Joint Venture (JV) / Wholly Owned Subsidiary (WOS), loan granted to the JV / WOS and 100 per cent of guarantees issued to or on behalf of the JV/WOS. Keeping in mind the utility and usage of the instrument of performance guarantees in project executions abroad and also considering the risks associated with such guarantees vis-à-vis financial guarantees, it has been decided that only 50 per cent of the amount of the performance guarantees may be reckoned for the purpose of computing financial commitment to its JV/WOS overseas, within the 400 per cent of the net worth of the Indian Party as on the date of the last audited balance sheet. Further, the time specified for the completion of the contract may be considered as the validity period of the related performance guarantee. The Indian Party may report these guarantees in the similar way in which financial guarantees are being presently reported. In cases where invocation of the performance guarantees breach the ceiling for the financial exposure of 400 per cent of the net worth of the Indian Party, the Indian Party shall seek the prior approval of the Reserve Bank before remitting funds from India, on account of such invocation.
The Competition Act, 2002 was enacted to regulate (a) anti-competitive agreements, (b) abuse of dominance, and (c) Combinations. The provisions relating to regulation of combinations (for instance mergers, acquisitions, amalgamations, takeovers etc.) had been in abeyance for some time. These have now been notified Vide Notification No. S.O. 479(E) dated 4 March, 2011 and shall come into effect from 1 June, 2011. On n May, 2011, the CCI has released The Competition Commission of India (Procedure in regard to the transaction of business relating to combination) Regulations, 2011 . Consequently, combinations covered by the prescribed monetary thresholds, based on assets or turnover of the parties (or groups) to the combination, shall now require filing and prior approval of the Competition Commission of India effective 1 June, 2011.
