Dilasha Seth, Arup Roychoudhury And Indivjal Dhasmana

Stories by Dilasha Seth, Arup Roychoudhury And Indivjal Dhasmana

Serum, Bharat Biotech to get Rs 45 bn for 300 mn vaccines

Serum, Bharat Biotech to get Rs 45 bn for 300 mn vaccines

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2021

This will be an upfront payment for the vaccine doses that these two companies will supply to the government.

Personal income tax rises to Rs 5.7 trillion

Personal income tax rises to Rs 5.7 trillion

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2021

'Personal income tax collections have been high on account of impressive advance tax mop-up.'

States want GST exemption on Remdesivir, others

States want GST exemption on Remdesivir, others

Rediff.com   19 Apr 2021

Other decisions piled up include rationalisation of GST rate slabs, correction of inverted duty on certain items and inclusion of petroleum products.

GST: Firms challenge constitutional validity of arrest rules in SC

GST: Firms challenge constitutional validity of arrest rules in SC

Rediff.com   9 Apr 2021

'There are obvious concerns regarding revenue leakage which is understandable, but there are also concerns about whether or not well accepted, judicially tested, fair and proper procedures are being followed during such arrests.'

Check the details of changes in the new ITR forms

Check the details of changes in the new ITR forms

Rediff.com   5 Apr 2021

However, the department has not changed ITRs significantly, considering Covid-19 crisis.

Govt to infuse Rs 14,500 crore in 4 banks, issue recapitalisation bonds

Govt to infuse Rs 14,500 crore in 4 banks, issue recapitalisation bonds

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2021

Zero-coupon bonds don't give out interest but are issued at a deep discount to the face value, making it difficult to ascertain the net present value.

GST technical glitches behind input tax credit frauds: CAG

GST technical glitches behind input tax credit frauds: CAG

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2021

CAG recommended fixing a definite time frame for rolling out simplified GST return forms.

Direct tax collection inches closer to revised Budget target for 2021-21

Direct tax collection inches closer to revised Budget target for 2021-21

Rediff.com   24 Mar 2021

Providing comfort to the government on the revenue front amid fiscal stress, direct tax collection is moving closer to the revised Budget target for 2021-21 and may get a further thrust from the last instalment of the advance tax payment, the deadline for which ended on Monday. The contraction in net direct tax collection narrowed to 5 per cent year-on-year as on March 15 compared to a 9 per cent decline seen in January. In absolute terms, net collection stood at Rs 8.2 trillion against Rs 8.67 trillion in the same period last year, according to the provisional numbers shared by a government official.

India's infra sector gets a major funding boost

India's infra sector gets a major funding boost

Rediff.com   17 Mar 2021

The Cabinet has cleared a Bill to set up a government-owned development finance institution (DFI) with initial paid-up capital of Rs 20,000 crore so that it can leverage around Rs 3 trillion from the markets in a few years to provide long-term funds to infrastructure projects as well as for development needs of the country. To put it in perspective, Rs 3 trillion constitutes slightly less than 3 per cent of the Rs 111 trillion to be spent on over 7,000 projects in the National Infrastructure Pipeline from 2019-20 to 2024-25. Besides, the government will give Rs 5,000 crore as grant to the institution, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday told the media after the Cabinet meeting.

It's the Centre not states who don't want GST on fuel

It's the Centre not states who don't want GST on fuel

Rediff.com   12 Mar 2021

Many states are open to the idea of petrol and diesel being brought under the goods and services tax (GST) regime - contrary to the perception that they are averse to it - but they want a concrete proposal, including a compensation mechanism, from the Centre. West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra says while the issue can be discussed, the Centre may not be keen to bring the change because it earns "much more" from taxes on petrol and diesel. "(The peak rate of) GST is 28 per cent. Under the regime, the Centre would only get 14 per cent. "So, definitely, the Union government does not want GST on fuel. It is all lies. Currently, they are in a very cozy place," Mitra said.

Payments by Indian firms for foreign software not taxable: SC

Payments by Indian firms for foreign software not taxable: SC

Rediff.com   3 Mar 2021

The apex court has settled the long-pending dispute between companies such as Samsung, IBM, HP & others and the tax department.

NSE technical glitch cost us immensely, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

NSE technical glitch cost us immensely, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Rediff.com   2 Mar 2021

Taking lessons from that, I would think seamless digital payments is something you have to clearly have a roadmap for, the FM said.

Cairn, govt discuss LTCG tax and Vivad se Vishwas scheme

Cairn, govt discuss LTCG tax and Vivad se Vishwas scheme

Rediff.com   22 Feb 2021

During a series of hectic talks between Cairn Energy and the Indian government over the $1.2-billion arbitration award in favour of the former last week, a slew of options was proposed by the two sides, including computation of capital gains and participation in the Vivad se Vishwas (VsV) dispute resolution scheme. The government is likely to go ahead and appeal against the arbitration award by a Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague before March 21, indicated finance ministry officials. Cairn Energy Plc on Sunday said it was hopeful that an acceptable solution to its tax dispute with the Indian government could be found to avoid prolonging and exacerbating the 'negative issue' for all parties.

4-day week likely for some firms as final rules of labour codes are set

4-day week likely for some firms as final rules of labour codes are set

Rediff.com   9 Feb 2021

Working hours cannot go beyond 48. Those who give a four-day week will have to provide three consecutive holidays after that.

RBI wants government to cut fuel tax to ease inflation

RBI wants government to cut fuel tax to ease inflation

Rediff.com   6 Feb 2021

'Pump prices of petrol and diesel have reached historical highs. An unwinding of taxes on petroleum products by both the Centre and the states could ease the cost-push pressures,' the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has said.

Railways, India Post not among PSUs to go on sale block

Railways, India Post not among PSUs to go on sale block

Rediff.com   6 Feb 2021

The department of investment and public asset management (Dipam) can also seek in-principle approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) for strategic divestment of PSUs on a case-to-case basis considering investor appetite and sectoral trends.

Economic surveys: A case of hits and misses on GDP numbers

Economic surveys: A case of hits and misses on GDP numbers

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2021

Of the seven surveys presented under Modi govt, predictions of three were quite close to the actual GDP growth rate, one saw the base year change in between, but the last three were way off the mark.

Niggling issues in India-US mini trade deal mostly addressed: Commerce Secy

Niggling issues in India-US mini trade deal mostly addressed: Commerce Secy

Rediff.com   4 Feb 2021

India has demanded resumption of export benefits to certain domestic products under GSP, and greater market access for its products from sectors like agriculture, automobile, auto components and engineering. On the other hand, the US wants greater market access for its farm and manufacturing products, dairy items and medical devices, data localisation, and import duties cut on some ICT products.

Budget: Despite talk of cutback, central schemes' outlay on rise

Budget: Despite talk of cutback, central schemes' outlay on rise

Rediff.com   2 Feb 2021

The number of centrally sponsored schemes have increased to 35 in FY22 from 30 in FY21 and central sector schemes have increased to 704 from 685 in the previous year, reports Dilasha Seth.

Budget: Easier tax administration to boost revenue

Budget: Easier tax administration to boost revenue

Rediff.com   2 Feb 2021

The Budget proposed abolishing the under-performing, authority of advance ruling, to replace it with a two-member board of advance ruling.