The Finance Minister has introduced the Finance Bill, 2012 in Lok Sabha today, i.e., 16th March, 2012. Changes in Customs and Central excise law and rates of duty have been proposed through the Finance Bill, 2012 [clauses 114 to 126 for customs; clauses 127 to 142 for Central Excise and clauses 151, 152, 154 to 156 for miscellaneous changes)]. In order to prescribe effective rates of duty and to carry out changes in the Rules made under the respective Acts, the following notifications are being issued:
General excise duty rate (CENVAT rate) is being enhanced from 10% to 12%. Consequently, the merit rate of 5% is being enhanced to 6% while 1 % excise duty applicable on 130 items is also being enhanced to 2%with a few exceptions. The statutory or tariff rate of central excise is being reduced to 12% for non-petroleum goods other than those which are exempt, or at higher duty and for petroleum goods, the statutory ad valorem duty or the ad valorem component on products having composite rate is also being reduced to 14%. The First Schedule to the Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985 is accordingly being amended. Till the Finance Bill, 2012 is enacted, the general excise duty rate of 12% and 6% for some items is being notified [Clause 141 read with the Seventh schedule and Notification no. 18 /2012-CE dated the 17th March, 2012 and Notification no. 16 /2012-CE dated the 17th March, 2012 refers]
Health Care, Services Provided by Charities, Religious Persons, Independent Journalists, Sportspersons Among Others also Exempted from Service Tax. In his Budget Speech, the Union Finance Minister ShriPranab Mukherjee said that the Government has proposed to tax all services except those in the negative list. The list comprises 17 heads.
As a measure of harmonization between Central Excise and Service Tax, the Government has made a number of alignments. This was announced by the Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee while presenting the Union Budget 2012-13 in Lok Sabha today.
The Service tax rate has been raised from 10 per cent to 12 per cent. Presenting the Union Budget 2012-13 in Lok Sabha today, the Union Finance Minister ShriPranab Mukherjee said that to maintain a healthy fiscal situation, the Government has raised the service tax with consequential changes in rates from services that have individual tax rates.
The Power Point Presentation (PPT) file highlights Key Features of Budget 2012-13. File Covers Direct and Indirect Tax Provisions in a very crisp manners.
1. Income tax exemption limit raised to Rs.2 lakh to provide relief of relief of Rs.2,000 for assessee in this category; 20 percent tax on income over Rs.10 lakh, up from Rs.8 lakh. 2. No change in corporate tax 3. Deduction of up to Rs.10,000 from interest from savings bank accounts
Considering general increase in salary and inflation since revision of this limit, it is proposed to increase the existing threshold of gross salary from five lakh rupees to ten lakh rupees for the purpose of levying wealth-tax on residential house allotted by a company to an employee or an officer or a whole time director.
It is proposed to amend the provisions to provide that the deduction for life insurance premium as regards insurance policies issued on or after 1st April, 2012 shall be allowed for only so much of the premium payable as does not exceed 10% of the actual capital sum assured.
Currently, there is no provision in either of the aforesaid sections specifying the mode of payment of money. Therefore, it is proposed to amend sections 80G and 80GGA so as specify therein that any payment exceeding a sum of ten thousand rupees shall only be allowed as a deduction if such sum is paid by any mode other than cash.
