At the behest of the Minister of Tourism Kumari Selja, in order to encourage the growth of new hotels coming up for the Commonwealth Games, the Ministry of Finance in the recently announced Union General Budget has extended the Five Year Tax Holiday available to 2, 3 and 4-star category hotels and convention centers in National Capital Territory Region of Delhi
The government is likely to maintain the distinction between short term and long-term capital gains to encourage long-term savings, as it deliberates the draft direct taxes code. The finance minister said in his Budget speech that the new direct taxes law could be rolled out from April 1, 2011. The government is veering around to the view that the existing regime with regard to taxation of capital gains should be continued, a finance ministry official privy to discussions told.
The Government has informed Lok Sabha that the Government has adopted the approach of convergence of Accounting Standards issued under the Companies Act, 1956 with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), keeping in view the requirements relevant to Indian conditions and to enable Indian companies and concerned regulatory bodies to transform to the new standards smoothly.
The Companies Bill, 2009 has not proposed any upper cap on the number of independent directors, but, sub-clause (3) of clause 132 of the Companies Bill, 2009 provides that at least one-third of total directors shall be independent directors to be appointed in every listed company having certain amount of paid up capital to be prescribed by the Central Government.
The main reasons for the pendency are, time taken in collection and scrutiny of voluminous documents, examination of large number of witnesses, scientific and forensic examination of exhibits, obtaining expert advice and shortage of officers at the level of Supdt. of Police, Dy.SP etc.
Although, the proposal is for setting up all twenty IIITs in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, since industry participation may not be forthcoming in some States like in the North East, it is proposed that IIITs in the North East may be set up by the Central Government with contributions from Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER).
The CVC does not issue sanction for prosecution. However, the Commission advised sanction for prosecution in the year 2008 and 2009 in 107 and 131 cases respectively. In pursuance of the Commission’s advice, the Competent Authorities have imposed penalties as per details given below:-
The CA institute favours a regime where depreciation rates for company law purposes are based on the useful life of an asset. The depreciation rates should also be indicative and not prescriptive as is the case now, Mr Amarjit Chopra, President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), has said.
The last examinations under SYLLABUS 2002 would be held in June 2010. From December 2010 term onwards, examinations shall be held only under the REVISED SYLLABUS, 2008
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), in a bid to save time and money of students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy programme as they complete their course is planning to provide them with coaching classes taught by the faculty members through virtual and physical medium.
