29 February 2016

Union Budget 2016: At a Glance


HEALTHCARE
* To start National Dialysis Service under PPP mode
* To exempt certain dialysis equipment from basic custom duty
* Health protection scheme with 100,000 rupee/family cover
* 3000 drug stores to be opened under PM Aushadhi Yojana
* To provide 130,000 rupee/yr health cover to senior citizens
* To launch new health protection scheme

INFRASTRUCTURE, INDUSTRY
* Propose to circulate model shops and establishments bill
* To give choice to shops to remain open on 7 days/week
* 10,000 km of national highways to be added FY17
* Total outlay for infra 2.21 trln rupees FY17
* Total outlay for roads, railway 2.18 trln rupees FY17
* Total investment in road sector 970 bln rupees
* NHAI to raise 150 bln rupees via bonds FY17
* Allot 550 bln rupees for roads, highways FY17
* 85% of 70 stranded road projects back on track FY16
* To allot 550 bln rupees for roads, highways
* India's highest ever kilometre of highways awarded in 2015
* 30 bln rupees/yr to augment nuclear power in 15-20 yrs
* Mkt freedom for gas from difficult blocks to have price cap
* Mull calibrated mkt freedom for gas from difficult blocks
* Need to diversify resources for power generation
* Drawing up comprehensive plan on nuclear power
* To incentivise ultra-deep sea gas exploration
* Achieved highest coal production growth
* To provide incentives for gas production from tough blocks
* 10 non-functional air strips to be redeveloped
* To partner with state govts to develop airports
* Started series of measures for modernising ports
* To partner with states to develop regional airports
* Medium-term goal is to abolish permit raj
* Plan new public transport policy to up pvt participation
* FY17 allocation for new port development 8 bln rupees
* Motor Vehicles Act to be amended to up passenger segment
* New greenfield ports to be developed on east, west coasts
* Govt to open up road transport sector
* Medium-term goal is to abolish permit raj
* 50,000 km state highways to be converted to national highways
* FY17 total infrastructure outlay 2.21 trln rupees
* To have new policy for mgmt of assets of PSUs
* NITI Aayog to identify PSUs for strategic sale
* To encourage PSUs to divest individual assets
* 100% FDI in marketing of food pdts produced in India
* To have more FDI reforms in asset restructuring companies
* To change FDI policy for asset reconstructions cos
* To modify FDI policy for bourses, asset recast cos
* Duty drawback schemes to be widened, deepened
* Have deepened, expanded duty drawback scheme
* More FDI reforms in insurance, stock exchanges, pension
* To modify FDI policy for insurance, pension sectors
* FDI policy to address requirements of farmers
* To allow mobilisation of 313 bln rupee by govt infra bodies
* Mulling gas production incentive from high temperature area
* May incentivise gas production from ultra deep water areas
* Mulling incentives for gas production from deep sea areas
* New credit rating system for infra to be developed
* To issue guidelines for renegotiation of PPP contracts
* Received conflicting suggestions on FRBM roadmap
* To amend Companies Act for ease of doing business
* Will amend companies act this Parliament session
* Registration of cos to be done in one day
* 300,000 fair price shops to be automated by Mar 2017

FINANCIAL SECTOR, BANKING
* Banking Board bureau to be operational in FY17
* To strengthen debt recovery tribunal
* Considering cutting stake in IDBI Bank to below 50%
* Stand solidly behind PSU banks
* To find resources if PSU banks need additional capital
* Allot 250 bln rupees for recapitalisation of PSU bks FY17
* Not interfering in lending activities of PSU bks
* To amend SEBI act to provide for more SAT benches
* To bring legislation FY17 on illicit deposit taking schemes
* Sponsor in asset recast cos can hold 100% stake
* Financial Data Management Centre to be established
* To allow 100% FDI in asset recast cos
* To make necessary amendments in SARFASI Act
* Bankruptcy code to help deepen corporate bond mkt
* SEBI to develop new commodity derivative pdts
* SEBI to introduce new derivative pdts in commodity mkts
* To adopt comprehensive approach for invest in central PSUs
* To introduce comprehensive Bankruptcy Code in Parliament
* To rename divest dept as Dept of Invest & Public Asset Mgmt
* To amend RBI Act to implement monetary policy framework
* Vibrant fincl sector critical for econ growth
* PM Mudra Yojana target to give 1.8 trln rupees loans FY17
* To draw road for consolidation of PSU banks
* Banking board bureau to be operationalized in FY17
* To draw roadmap for consolidation of PSU banks
* To take up massive rollout of micro-ATMs across nation
* Public money should reach poor without leakages
* Nationwide roll out of ATMs via post offices
* To list govt-owned general insurance cos on stock exchanges
* To list general insurance cos on stock exchanges
* To set up panel to review FRBM Act
* Time has come to review FRBM Act
* Propose to set up committee to review FRBM Act
* Govt open to reducing its stake in PSU banks below 50%
* Consolidation roadmap for PSU banks next year

INDIRECT TAX
* Propose changes in customs duty to push Make in India plan
* Exempt svc tax on general insurance plans in Nirmaya scheme
* Committed to implementing GAAR from Apr 1, 2017
* Asset recast cos' income to be taxed at hands of investors
* Propose special patent regime to power innovation, research
* Services provided by EPFO exempted from service tax
* STT of 0.05% on options contracts
* Service tax waiver for houses of less than 60 sq mtr
* Service Tax exempt for svc under rural electrification plan
* To give excise duty exemption to ready-mix concrete
* Excise of 12.5% with input tax credit on jewellery
* To abolish 13 cesses by ministries
* To amend Central Value Added Tax credit rules
* To amend CENVAT credit rules
* Taxation panel to fix demand under retrospective tax cases
* Hope old cases on retrospective tax reach conclusion soon
* No retrospective taxation to be undertaken
* 1-time no-interest liability in retrospective tax cases
* To up excise duty on various tobacco products by 10-15%
* Cos incorporated post Mar 1 to be taxed at 25%+ surcharge
* Doubles clean energy cess on coal to 400 rupees/tn
* To up excise duty on some tobacco pdts by 10-15%
* Infra cess of 2% on diesel cars
* 4% infra cess on high capacity vehicles, SUVs
* To levy 1% infra cess on small petrol, LPG, CNG cars

DIRECT TAX
* Plan simplification, rationalisation of taxes
* Tax rebate on rent paid upped to 60,000 rupees vs 24,000
* Tax changes to support Make in India, affordable housing
* To give relief to small taxpayers
* To launch steps to move towards pension society
* To give relief to small tax payers
* Withdrawal upto 40% from Natl Pension plan to be tax exempt
* To allow lower corporate tax for some cos from FY17
* Reduction in corporate tax has to be calibrated
* Faster depreciation rate under income tax act at 40% FY17
* Reduction in corporate tax has to be caliberated
* Detailing roadmap for phasing out corporate tax exemption
* Propose 0.5% Krishi Kalyan cess on all taxable svcs Jun 1
* Propose Krishi Kalyan cess
* To raise surcharge on income over 10 mln rupees to 15%
* 10% tax on recipient if got dividend over 1 mln rupees/yr
* Some home buyers to get extra exemption of 50,000 rupee/yr
* No changes in income tax slabs
* To rationalize tax deducted at source for small tax payers
* Penalty of 200% of tax for misreporting of income
* Penalty of 50% of tax for under-reporting of income
* Penalty to be 50% of tax in income under-reporting cases
* Modifying scheme of penalty under Income Tax Act
* Revenue secy to head committee on taxation
* Committed to stable, predictable taxation regime
* To focus on bringing to book people with black money
* Prosecution immunity for undisclosed income declaration
* 300,000 tax cases worth 5.5 trln

Rupees pending
* New dispute resolution scheme for taxation proposed total 45% Tax
* Compliance window for undisclosed income Jun 1-Sep 30
* 7.5% surcharge on undisclosed income in compliance window
* Govt committed to removing black money
* To move towards low tax regime with non litigious approach
* Limited period compliance window on undisclosed income
* To strongly counter tax evasion

* Moving towards a low tax regime

19 February 2016

Business Identification Number


To improve ease of doing business, the government will soon introduce Business Identification Number (BIN) for companies, doing away with multiple registration numbers a single entity needs to obtain for various regulatory purposes.

The BIN would act as an identification number for different regulatory purposes and do away with the need for procuring separate registration numbers such as Company Identification Number and Labour Identification Number. Normally, a company is required to obtain 18 different registration numbers.

As per the proposal, the permanent account number ( PAN) may become the BIN for companies, an official said.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is discussing the matter with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

"The DIPP is expected to come out with the BIN in the next 2-3 months. It will help in reducing the time of registration processes of the companies," the official said adding the firms will have to apply for the BIN on the e-Biz portal.

The portal provides one-stop clearance platform for investment proposals.

India has been ranked at 130th for 2016 among 189 countries in the World Bank report on ease of doing business, improving four places from last year's ranking. The government is aiming to bring India into the top 50 ranks.

Several initiatives have been taken up by the government for improving ease of doing business in India through simplification and rationalisation of the existing rules and introduction of information technology to make governance more efficient and effective.