Asit Ranjan Mishra &Amp; Prashant K Sahu In New Delhi

Stories by Asit Ranjan Mishra &Amp; Prashant K Sahu In New Delhi

Lower tax mop-up: States want CST rate to stay

Lower tax mop-up: States want CST rate to stay

Rediff.com   22 Jan 2009

Though CST is a central tax, the entire collection, estimated at Rs 250 billion per year, goes to the states. CST was to be cut to 1 per cent from April this year before its phase-out; from April 1, 2010, the country will transit to a uniform goods and services tax regime. "It was recommended by the empowered committee of state finance ministers that the CST rate of 2 per cent should continue until GST is implemented," said a source familiar with the development.

Centre, states may agree on 16% GST

Centre, states may agree on 16% GST

Rediff.com   22 Jan 2009

GST, which will replace almost all central and state taxes, could have two components of 8 per cent each -- one will go to the Centre and the other to the states, according to sources familiar with the talks between the Centre and the states. However, it will not cover tax on petroleum products and Customs duty.

Satyam scam prompts Clause 49 review

Satyam scam prompts Clause 49 review

Rediff.com   14 Jan 2009

Serious Fraud Investigation Office joins multi-agency probe.

I-T dept to expand tax evasion probe

I-T dept to expand tax evasion probe

Rediff.com   10 Jan 2009

The Income Tax department is likely to include eight other related firms for its investigation into the possible tax evasion by Satyam.

PwC has a chequered past with taxmen

PwC has a chequered past with taxmen

Rediff.com   9 Jan 2009

PricewaterhouseCoopers, an advisory and consulting firm whose sister company audited the accounts of Hyderabad-based Satyam Computer Services, has a chequered past with Indian tax authorities, having admitted its "mistake" in at least two cases of tax evasion.

Banks pay 38% higher advance tax in Q3

Banks pay 38% higher advance tax in Q3

Rediff.com   30 Dec 2008

The higher tax paid by the banks comes in overall 22 per cent decline in advance tax collections in the third installment that was due by December 15. He said BoB is not revising the revenue and profit targets for the 2008-09 fiscal, despite overall slowdown affecting the economy, which is projected to grow at less than 7 per cent in the second half.

Govt may scale down indirect tax target

Govt may scale down indirect tax target

Rediff.com   26 Dec 2008

The government is likely to revise downwards indirect tax collections target for the current financial year by at least Rs 20,000 crore.

E-returns: I-T dept discovers Rs 1,700 cr gap

E-returns: I-T dept discovers Rs 1,700 cr gap

Rediff.com   24 Dec 2008

During a verification of electronic returns, the department found that as many as 1,714 taxpayers under the self-assessment scheme (where tax-payers determine their tax liability and pay accordingly) had not paid their tax dues. In a few cases, the amount due was around Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion). The government made it compulsory for companies to file their returns online from 2006.

Commerce ministry wants speedy stimulus package

Commerce ministry wants speedy stimulus package

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2008

Secretaries' panel fails to arrive at a decision. Sources told Business Standard the commerce ministry felt that the delay would add to the cost for the government as more and more factories could shut shop.

RBI not done with cuts

RBI not done with cuts

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2008

The meeting comes ahead of a fresh stimulus package aimed at sectors not covered in the earlier measures announced by the central bank and the government.

States agree not to change GST unilaterally

States agree not to change GST unilaterally

Rediff.com   18 Dec 2008

The Centre and the state governments have agreed not to unilaterally change the tax rate on goods and services, once the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is implemented from April 2010.

Changes in non-life covers to aid clients

Changes in non-life covers to aid clients

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2008

Under the standard fire and special perils policy, everything is excluded other than whatever is named specifically in the cover. Removal restriction on an all-risk policy will also result in greater adoption of loss of profit insurance, which is a critical risk for any company. Insurance companies are likely to offer value-added services like a replacement car in case of a car breakdown and full compensation (without any depreciation) if the car is damaged.

TRP scheme to be revamped

TRP scheme to be revamped

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2008

The finance ministry has now decided to extend the coverage of the scheme to tax deducted at source and service tax returns to provide round-the-year work to the TRPs, as majority of existing prepares had shown signs of disinterest due to seasonality of their job. Previously, the ministry was planning to create a separate set of tax preparers for filing service tax returns.

Govt may restrict home loan rates to 7-8%

Govt may restrict home loan rates to 7-8%

Rediff.com   9 Dec 2008

The government is pushing state-owned banks to offer interest rates on housing loans up to Rs 20 lakh (Rs 2 million) at pre-2004 levels.

Viability norms for road projects may be eased

Viability norms for road projects may be eased

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2008

The government aims to make highway projects more attractive to the private sector by raising the approved or sanctioned cost of all projects to be implemented under the private-public partnership mode by 15 per cent.

Government considering further cut in CRR, SLR

Government considering further cut in CRR, SLR

Rediff.com   19 Nov 2008

The rate cuts are expected to infuse Rs 80,000 crore into the banking system.

Firms defer advance tax payments

Firms defer advance tax payments

Rediff.com   10 Nov 2008

Interest charged by government lower than bank rates.

Government looks at widening TDS ambit

Government looks at widening TDS ambit

Rediff.com   31 Oct 2008

A department committee, set up to look at ways to expand the TDS net, is scheduled to meet in Hyderabad to discuss the proposal. hile some services like contracts, construction and rentals are under the TDS net, a large number of services like beauty treatment, connectivity between mobile operators, event management, credit rating agencies, market research firms and authorised automobile service stations are not.

Credit insurance dries up for exporters

Credit insurance dries up for exporters

Rediff.com   24 Oct 2008

With the global financial crisis hurting more companies in developed countries, Indian insurance firms have hiked premium rates by 25-30 per cent for export credit insurance covers and have imposed a host of restrictions such as maximum liability and credit limit in case of single buyers.

RBI set to increase liquidity

RBI set to increase liquidity

Rediff.com   14 Oct 2008

In a move to boost liquidity, the government and the Reserve Bank of India are considering a special window to enable banks with farm loan relief scheme arrears, a major factor impacting liquidity, to raise funds. The move will help inject liquidity into the system till Parliament approves the Rs 25,000-crore reimbursement.