Background:
Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi proclaimed the “Startup India campaign” in January 16, 2016 to boost entrepreneurship in India. The action plan aimed to build strong eco-system for nurturing innovation and startups in the country that will drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities.
In order to meet the objectives of the initiative, the Government of India promote bank financing for startups, simplifying the incorporation of startup process and grant of various tax exemptions and other benefits to startups.
Under the Startup India Action Plan, startups that meet the definition as prescribed under G.S.R notification 127(E) are eligible to apply for recognition under the program. If the startup falls under the criteria of “Eligible Startup” then it will be eligible to avail exemptions and benefits as mentioned in above notification.
So in this article we will discuss whether your entity is “Eligible Startup” and if yes what are the exemptions and benefits available?
Definition of Eligible Start-ups:
An entity shall be considered as Startup;
Application Process:
a) Certificate of incorporation / registration, as the case may be, and
b) A write-up about the nature of business highlighting how it is working towards innovation, development or improvement of products or processes or services or its scalability in terms of employment generation or wealth creation.
As on 01.03.2020, total 28,979 startups have been recognized by the DPIIT as “Eligible startups”. Maximum numbers of startups are recognized from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, Gujarat and Tamilnadu. These startups are allowed to enjoy certain tax and non-tax benefits under the startup India Programme.
Once your startup is recognized by DPIIT, you may avail the following benefits under Income tax Act.
a) Deduction u/s 80-IAC of Act: To promote growth of startups and address working capital requirements, an eligible startup can avail deduction of 100% of profits for any 3 consecutive years out of 7 years from the date of its incorporation. Further, it has to fulfill the following conditions to claim this deduction:
b) Tax exemptions on investments above fair market value: Section 56(2) (viib) requires a company (issuer), not being a company in which public are substantially interested, to issue shares at a fair market value (FMV). Any consideration received by such company in excess of FMV then such excess being liable to tax as an income from other sources. It is popularly known as “Angel Tax”.
To claim the above exemption, the startup has to file declaration in specified form i.e Form 2 with DPIIT along with required details. Exemption from levy of angel tax under section 56(2)(viib) is available subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Kindly refer the notification G.S.R. 127(E) dated 19.02.2019 for more details.
c) Relaxed provisions for set-off and carry forward of losses: Section 79 deals with the provisions for set off and carry forward of losses in case of companies. It is stipulated that in case of a company, not being a company in which the public are substantially interested, shall not be allowed to carry forward and set-off the losses against the income of previous year, unless on the last day of the previous year, the shares of the company carrying not less than fifty-one per cent of the voting power were beneficially held by persons who beneficially held shares of the company carrying not less than fifty-one per cent of the voting power on the last day of the year or years in which the loss was incurred.
The above condition is relaxed for an eligible startup. Hence an eligible startup shall be allowed to carry forward and set-off losses against income of previous year on fulfillment of either of the two conditions specified above;
d) Tax exemption to individual/ HUF on investment of long term capital gain in equity shares of eligible startups u/s 54GB: The provisions of Section 54GB of the Income Tax Act exempts the capital gain arising from transfer of a long term capital assets being a ‘residential property’, if the amount of net consideration is invested in small and medium enterprise as defined under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Act. 2006 and eligible startup.
Thus, if an individual or HUF sells a residential property being a long term capital asset and invests the net consideration of capital asset to subscribe the 25% or more of share capital / voting rights of eligible startup, then the following amount of capital gain shall not be charged to tax under section 45 of income tax act.
(Investment in new asset * capital gain) / net consideration
Provided, the equity shares of the company or the new asset acquired by the company are not sold or transferred within five years from the date of its acquisition. This exemption will boost the investment in eligible startup and will promote their growth and expansion.