Rationalisation of tax on distributed income by the Mutual Funds
Under the existing provisions of section 115R any amount of income distributed by the specified company or a Mutual Fund to its unit holders is chargeable to additional income-tax. In case of any distribution made by a fund other than equity oriented fund to a person who is not an individual and HUF, the rate of tax is 30% whereas in case of distribution to an individual or an HUF it is 12.5% or 25% depending on the nature of the fund.
In order to provide uniform taxation for all types of funds, other than equity oriented fund, it is proposed to increase the rate of tax on distributed income from 12.5% to 25% in all cases where distribution is made to an individual or a HUF.
Further in case of an Infrastructure debt fund (IDF) set up as a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) the interest payment made by the fund to a non-resident investor is taxable at a concessional rate of 5%. However in case of distribution of income by an IDF set up as a Mutual Fund the distribution tax is levied at the rates described above in the case of a Mutual Fund.
In order to bring parity in taxation of income from investment made by a non-resident Investor in an IDF whether set up as a IDF-NBFC or IDF-MF, it is proposed to amend section 1 15R to provide that tax @ 5% on income distributed shall be payable in respect of income distributed by a Mutual Fund under an IDF scheme to a non-resident Investor.
This amendment will take effect from 1st June, 2013.
