The government on Friday extended he deadlines for various income tax compliances and said the amount paid by an employer to employees for Covid-19 treatment would be tax exempt.
The new Income Tax Bill, passed by Lok Sabha on Monday, has retained the provisions regarding ITR filing for TDS claims and tax exemptions for anonymous donations made to all religious-cum-charitable trusts, as in the existing tax laws. The original Income Tax Bill, which was brought in Parliament in February, had done away with this exemption and the ITR filing flexibility for claiming TDS refunds.
This Budget positions India's taxation ideology as not merely a revenue source but as a strategic catalyst for growth, inclusion and long-term confidence.
At present, the EPF subscribers are exempted from paying income tax on deposits.
The members of these trusts enjoy tax and other benefits at par with EPFO subscribers.
To seek tax exemption, a start-up will now have to apply, with all the documents, to the DIPP instead of the inter-ministerial board of certification. The earlier requirement of start-up to submit report from merchant banker specifying the fair market value of shares has also been removed.
The government, under the Finance Act, 2020, had allowed tax exemption for SWFs and pension funds in the case of incomes from investment in 34 key infrastructure sectors, including hotels, cold chains, educational institutions, hospitals, and gas pipelines.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) has sought urgent steps to clear the huge backlog of income-tax appeals, simplify tax deducted at source (TDS) compliance, and ensure tax neutrality for fast-track demergers, during its consultation with Revenue Secretary Arvind Shrivastava ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27.
The meeting has been called as the Finance Minister P Chidambaram did not extend a March 31 deadline for the trusts to get regular tax exemption through the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation.
'If a charitable or religious trust sells a capital asset -- such as land, buildings, shares -- and makes a capital gain, it can avoid paying tax on that gain if it reinvests the proceeds in another capital asset for its charitable purposes.'
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea challenging the validity of a provision of the Income Tax Act that allows political parties to receive "anonymous" cash donations below Rs 2,000.
Personal income tax as a percentage of GDP has gone up from 2.11 per cent in 2014-15 to 2.94 per cent in 2021-22 fiscal, indicating that taxpayer base is widening as a result of the steps taken by the present government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
BCCI's vice-president Rajiv Shukla said the Indian cricket team's new jersey sponsor will be finalised in the next two to three weeks.
Avoid donating without checking the receipt proforma showing the political party's ECI registration number and PAN.
Taxpayers have been advised to file accurate particulars of their income and contact details, and not to fall prey to agents or intermediaries promising undue refunds.
This exercise allows investors to realign their portfolios with changing market conditions and evolving personal objectives.
The government appears serious about its intent to do away with the sore points in the taxation laws.
One of the most exploited provisions is Section 10(13A), which permits exemption on HRA.
Prime Minister Modi urged the people of the country to take pride in selling and buying indigenous goods.
Currently, India has five publicly listed Reits: Brookfield India Real Estate Trust, Embassy Office Parks Reit, Mindspace Business Parks Reit Nexus Select Trust, and Knowledge Realty Trust.
'With new technology and stricter checks, cheating on taxes is just not worth it anymore.'
Until now, salaried individuals having income under the head LTCG were required to file Form ITR-2.
Without changes to the taxation rules, buybacks are expected to remain scarce.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
The exemption of individual life and health insurance premiums from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) enables the insurance industry to make products affordable and attractive, said Ajay Seth, chairman of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit 2025.
India's real estate investment trust (Reit) sector is set for robust expansion, with at least one new Reit expected to enter the market each year over the next three-five years. This growth trajectory builds on rising occupancies, surging leasing activity, and increasing investor interest.
The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has accepted BCCI's submission that the latter's objective is the promotion of cricket and it enjoys the power of holding IPL for achieving its objective, reports Indivjal Dhasmana.
'If our Budget allows, we may implement both measures -- making income up to Rs 10 lakh tax-free and introducing a 25 per cent slab for income between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 20 lakh.'
Direct tax collection, net of refunds, moderately exceeded the revised estimates (RE) for the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) on the back of personal income tax revenues, but corporation tax receipts fell short of the RE. Net direct tax collection stood at Rs 19.58 trillion in FY24, surpassing the RE of Rs 19.45 trillion by Rs 13,000 crore, or 0.7 per cent. The government had revised up FY24 projections for personal income tax by 13.5 per cent over the Budget estimates (BE) of Rs 9 trillion, at Rs 10.22 trillion.
The income-tax (I-T) authorities have tightened disclosure norms for charitable trusts. They now have to declare the nature of their activities from October 1 for tax purposes. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified changes in reporting rules where the charitable institutions have to mention whether the activities undertaken are charitable, religious, or both to claim tax benefits.
The Budget announcement of zero tax for earnings upto Rs 12 lakh per annum and the rejig of tax slabs across the board should prompt more than 90 per cent of individual taxpayers to embrace the new tax regime as compared to the about 75 per cent as of now, CBDT Chairman Ravi Agrawal said. Agrawal also highlighted the government's focus on "non-intrusive" tax administration through enhanced use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and simplified tax processes for common taxpayers. He emphasized the benefits of the new tax regime (NTR), which offers simple calculations and allows taxpayers to file their ITR without professional help. The CBDT chief stated that the Budget provisions related to income tax payment benefit all income earners, not just those earning Rs 12 lakh per annum, creating a positive sentiment in the economy and propelling growth. The department is also harnessing technology, including AI and data analytics, to widen and deepen the tax base, resulting in increased compliance and tax revenue. Agrawal further highlighted the positive impact of data availability and simplified tax processes on compliance rates, citing examples of taxpayers filing revised returns and paying taxes after being prompted by the department's data analysis.
Disclosing an individual's income-tax returns is tantamount to violating the person's fundamental right to privacy as recognised by the Constitution.
Simplifying GST rates, removing exemptions, easing disputes, and speeding up refunds can boost investment in India and offer the best reply to Trump's tariffs, observes V S Krishnan, former member, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) on Thursday said its two-day nationwide strike on March 24 and 25 will be observed as scheduled since discussions with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) over key demands failed to yield any positive outcome. In a meeting with the IBA, all UFBU constituents raised issues, including recruitment in all cadres and a five-day workweek.
Highlights of the Union Budget 2024-25 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Ask rediffGURU and PF and MF expert Janak Patel your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Bank employees want a five day work week.
Tax Guru Anil Rego answers your personal income tax queries.
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