As is now well known, the Empowered Committee of State Finance Minister (EC) had, in November 2009, issued a First Discussion Paper (Paper) on the dual Goods and Service Tax (GST). This paper had set out the EC’s views on the nature of the dual GST, its coverage, the manner of its applicability, its coverage and on several other design aspects of the GST as well, including on treatment of inter-state supplies of goods and services.
Existing Income-tax Act provides that income earned by a non resident by way of ‘Royalty’ or ‘Fees for Technical Services’ (FTS) shall be charged to income tax at 10 per cent. The rates of tax in most of the Tax Treaties are also 10 per cent in respect of income from Royalty or FTS. Recently, India has signed tax treaties with several countries, eg:
Home loan frauds may become a thing of the past with the country moving closer to a central registry for equitable mortgages. Once a central registry is in place, it would be virtually impossible for a borrower to raise loans twice against the same property or raise loans using forged documents.
In an informal meeting of newly elected WIRC members, held on Tuesday, 9th February, 2010. Following office bearers were got elected unanimously and they will be taking charge on 22nd February, 2010: CA.Sanjeev Lalan, Chairman (from Mumbai),CA.Makarand Joshi, Vice Chairman (from Nagpur)
The Central Government have authorized the Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) to issue tax-free, secured, redeemable, non-convertible bonds of the total value of Rs.5,000 crore carrying an interest rate in the range of 6.50% to 7.25% per annum, through public issue or otherwise by 31st March 2010.
The government is likely to clarify in the budget that special economic zone or SEZs would continue to enjoy tax benefits in their current form even after the proposed direct taxes code is implemented, providing clarity over taxation of these special enclaves.
“We have requested the finance minister for cheaper dollar credit at 1 per cent over LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate), against 3.5 per cent over LIBOR,” Jyotiraditya Scindia told reporters in Kolkata. “We have also requested for the extension of the interest rate subvention scheme,” he added.
India’s biggest software exporter Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) became a victim of cyber attack on Sunday, after the company’s website was hacked and the domain name was put up for sale. While in the recent past, hackers have attacked top government websites, including telecom regulator’s trai.gov.in, this is the first time a large IT company’s website has been hacked.
The Gems and Jewellery Federation (GJF), the national body of the jewellery trade in the country, has made a representation to the Ministry of Finance to seek modifications in the proposals in the Direct Taxes Code (DTC). The apex body is objecting to the search and seizure provisions, tax on gross assets and TDS on all payments.
The Supreme Court has decided to examine the plea of Punjab government pertaining to the provision of its VAT law which according to the government provides no exemption to the assessees from the mandatory deposit of 25% of the tax, penalty and interest for entertaining their appeal by the appellate authority.
