India today asked the US to move ahead with an agreement which would exempt professionals from payment of security taxes to mitigate the impact of a visa fee hike last year. Both the sides are negotiating Bilateral Totalisation Agreement (BTA), which once signed, would benefit lakhs of Indians who are working in America and paying social security but are unable to get any benefit out of it.
More than half of the country’s overall workforce is self-employed, even as female employees receive less remuneration than their male counterparts for doing similar jobs, as per the data of a government survey released today. While 51 per cent of the country’s total workforce are self-employed, only around 15.6 per cent are ‘regular wage/ salaried’ employees and 33.5 per cent are casual labours, the key indicators from a survey the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) revealed.
The Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance had issued Customs Notification No. 40/2011 Customs (N. T.) dated 24th June, 2011 notifying amendments in the Customs Tariff [Determination of
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will seek clarification from UB Group and India Cements over money given by them to Kalaignar TV to apparently help the channel return over Rs 200 crore allegedly received by it from DB Group of companies in return for allocation of 2G spectrum.
M/s Prajna Technologies & Services Private Limited vs. DCIT (ITAT Hyderabad) – Observing the nature of business, the taxpayer never sold the right to carry on the business of its software development or its right to carry on any business. It had merely sold a specific sale contract with a client, which is routine outsourcing in all businesses. The provision of Section 55(2)(a) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 would be applicable in the present case and accordingly the transaction would fall under the ambit of the expression “right to manufacture, produce or process any article or thing”. The said expression was inserted by the Finance Act 1997 w.e.f. 1 April 1998. Hence, the contention of the taxpayer that the amendment to Section 55(2)(a) bringing the transfer of commercial right to capital gain tax is effective from the AY 2003-04 and not 2002-03 is not tenable. Hence the transfer of a specific sale contract is taxable as capital gains under Section 55(2)(a) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Mauritius Treaty – A Joint Working Group (JWG) was constituted in 2006 for the purpose of renegotiating the Direct Taxation Avoidance Convention with Mauritius and its last meeting was held in 2008. Thereafter, India has successfully used the mechanism of the Peer Review Group (PRG) of the Global Forum for Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes – of which India is Vice Chair – to leverage arguments with the Mauritian side to be more open in furnishing tax related information to India.
Government of India has evolved a Scheme named Rajiv Gandhi Adhivakta Prashikshan Yojna (Rajiv Gandhi Advocate’s Training Scheme) to be launched on 27 June, 2011. The Scheme envisages selection of 10 young practicing Advocates from each State every year for being imparted professional training. This initiative is in sync with the Supreme Court directive in the case of State of Maharashtra vs Manubhai Pragaji Vashi (1995) 5 SCC 730 where the Court had observed that continuing and well organised legal education is absolutely essential reckoning the new trends in the world order and to meet the ever-growing challenges.
About 47.5 lakh domestic helps would soon get medical insurance benefits under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) with the Union Cabinet approving the proposal on Thursday. The scheme, which envisages smart card-based cashless health insurance cover of up to Rs. 30,000 under any empanelled hospital anywhere in the country, was approved by the Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
A Committee comprising of following is appointed with the approval of competent authority, on framing of National Competition Policy and related matters: – 1. Shri Dhanendra Kumar, Chairman 2. Shri Sudhir Mital, Additional Secretary, MCA 3. Shri Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International 4. Shri Pallavi Shroff, Expert Advocate, Amarchand Mangaldas
