Prashant K Sahu &Amp; Anindita Dey

Stories by Prashant K Sahu &Amp; Anindita Dey

Cess, purchase tax, octroi outside GST

Cess, purchase tax, octroi outside GST

Rediff.com   26 Dec 2007

Besides central cess, the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers has also recommended to keep purchase tax and octroi, which are collected at state and local levels, outside the GST framework.

PSU banks to see reshuffle in '08

PSU banks to see reshuffle in '08

Rediff.com   24 Dec 2007

The government will soon finalise a reshuffle of top management teams in the country's leading 11 public sector banks (PSBs), 10 of which are listed on the stock exchanges. They include the country's third largest bank, Canara Bank, and fifth largest bank, Bank of Baroda.

Tax paid by employer is not a perk: Tribunal

Tax paid by employer is not a perk: Tribunal

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2007

A special bench of the Delhi Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has ruled that the income tax that an employer pays on behalf of its employee is a non-monetary benefit in kind and, therefore, exempt from tax.

RBI's New Year gift to credit card holders

RBI's New Year gift to credit card holders

Rediff.com   18 Dec 2007

Reserve Bank of India set to bring transparency in credit card operations.

Budget to focus on compliance

Budget to focus on compliance

Rediff.com   17 Dec 2007

Compliance levels in India have improved significantly over the past few years with 85 per cent of the country's 31.9 million tax payers filing income tax returns in 2006-07. But this is still below the near-100 per cent compliance levels in developed countries.

Firms in a fix over currency options

Firms in a fix over currency options

Rediff.com   14 Dec 2007

Companies hit by the sudden appreciation of foreign currencies such as Swiss franc and yen are finding it difficult to restructure their currency options as banks have become cautious in extending fresh credit limits to them.

RBI may tighten norms for forex derivatives

RBI may tighten norms for forex derivatives

Rediff.com   12 Dec 2007

These measures, under preliminary discussion with the central bank, come soon after Hexaware Technologies, an IT services company, recently said it was providing Rs 80-100 crore due to losses allegedly on account of foreign exchange transactions fradulently entered into by one of its officials with banks.

MNCs on alert on Rolls Royce I-T ruling

MNCs on alert on Rolls Royce I-T ruling

Rediff.com   8 Dec 2007

The taxman is rapidly catching up with foreign companies operating in India through agents. After Star, Morgan Stanley and Sony, it was the turn of UK-based Rolls Royce to be asked to pay taxes on a part of profits earned from Indian operations.

Power: Bonds up to Rs 50,000 may be tax-free

Power: Bonds up to Rs 50,000 may be tax-free

Rediff.com   6 Dec 2007

With an eye on channelising domestic savings into the power sector, the finance ministry is considering granting income-tax exemptions for individual investments up to Rs 50,000 in power infrastructure bonds.

Petrol, tobacco to be taxed at GST-plus

Petrol, tobacco to be taxed at GST-plus

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2007

A decision in this regard will be taken by the empowered committee of state finance ministers in its meeting on December 20.

New GST regime to reduce paperwork

New GST regime to reduce paperwork

Rediff.com   30 Nov 2007

In a move that will significantly reduce paperwork for producers of goods and services, the draft recommendations submitted by the all-states joint working group on goods and services tax (GST) have said one document will have to be filed.

I-T dept mulls capital tax on property deals

I-T dept mulls capital tax on property deals

Rediff.com   28 Nov 2007

The suggestion is to introduce a "capital transaction tax" based on the "circle rate" of the state in which the deal is registered.

I-T exemption may be raised in Budget

I-T exemption may be raised in Budget

Rediff.com   27 Nov 2007

Rising compliance, buoyant collections may prompt this move

IFCI raises bar for strategic investor

IFCI raises bar for strategic investor

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2007

Debt conversion formula will increase govt stake.

Overseas loans put on hold

Overseas loans put on hold

Rediff.com   19 Nov 2007

RBI, govt concerned over inflationary impact of rising capital inflows.

Sebi board wants IPO disclosure norms review

Sebi board wants IPO disclosure norms review

Rediff.com   19 Nov 2007

Reliance Power's exemption demands prompt move.

Govt may infuse Rs 20,000 cr in PSU banks

Govt may infuse Rs 20,000 cr in PSU banks

Rediff.com   14 Nov 2007

The government may infuse about Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion) as equity capital in nationalised banks in addition to an identical amount in the country's largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI). Nationalised banks with the government holding closer to the floor of 51 per cent are likely to receive the capital infusion support.

Promoters of NSE want public issue

Promoters of NSE want public issue

Rediff.com   14 Nov 2007

According to sources close to the development, the IPO will provide an easy exit route to the banks and FIs to bring down their respective stakeholding to 5 per cent as required under the new demutualisation guidelines of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).

Banks, insurers eye F&O for better returns

Banks, insurers eye F&O for better returns

Rediff.com   12 Nov 2007

According to sources close to the development, major domestic banks and institutions such as State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of India (BoI) and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) have sought the permission of their respective regulators - the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irda) to participate in the equity derivatives market (F&O segment) as traders.

Banks for easier core sector lending norms

Banks for easier core sector lending norms

Rediff.com   29 Oct 2007

Banks have asked for an exemption of statutory requirements such as the cash reserve ratio (CRR) and the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) for lending to the infrastructure sector. While the CRR is a tool where banks have to set aside liquidity with RBI in proportion of the deposits mobilised by them, the SLR requires banks to invest 25 per cent of their liabilities in government securities to generate instant liquidity.