This at a time companies have asked the revenue department to increase the rate in view of higher bank rates.
The pension reforms Bill is likely be passed with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deciding to support it in the parliamentary standing committee. The Bill has been pending since 2005. Its revised version was tabled in the Budget session of Parliament this year.
Finance ministry officials said they were scrutinising many deals, but the actual tax liability would depend on many factors, including the kind of payment (royalty, interest, stake sale) and the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement with the country where the foreign company was based.
Consumption per capita was 5.6 times less in a month for the bottom ten per cent of the population than the top 10 per cent in rural areas during 2009-10.
The accounting system of the central and state governments may change considerably, with a high-level committee suggesting sweeping changes in how expenditure is classified in Budget documents.
However, the finance ministry is hopeful of keeping its fiscal deficit under control.
Black money is difficult to deal with.
Black money is difficult to deal with.
Officials said Mukherjee had proposed the name of Modi for the post, as an experienced person like him could have helped convince BJP-ruled states to move ahead on the Goods & Services Tax (GST).
This may benefit high net-worth individuals who use the services of portfolio managers to sell and buy securities.
The ministry is awaiting some more data in the next few days to arrive at a precise number.
In non-conventional sources of energy like solar, Japanese firms can collaborate with Indian counterparts.
Reservations expressed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) notwithstanding, North Block, the finance ministry headquarters, is going ahead with its plans to set up a full-fledged Debt Management Office (DMO) to manage the government debt.
Finance ministry officials said the issue had been raised several times before, but this time it was serious in the wake of huge differential between the two fuel options.
Ground reality suggests that someone from the developing world does not stand a chance to emerge victorious.
With the finance ministry facing the risk of missing its tax collection target this year, it has turned down a proposal to reduce duties on petroleum products to reduce the impact of rising crude prices on profitability of oil companies.
With the setting up of the watchdog Competition Commission of India (CCI) and introduction of new legislation like the Direct Taxes Code and the Goods & Services Tax scheduled next year, private companies and consultancies are looking at the government pool of civil servants to meet their requirements.
After getting periodic extensions, the 14-year-old tax-refund scheme is finally coming to an end in June.
The victory of the Congress and its allies in three out of five states may make it easier for the United Progressive Alliance government to move forward on the Goods and Services Tax.
To better track generation of black money in the system, the finance ministry is planning to streamline third-party information provided on high-value transactions.