B. - ADDITIONAL RESOURCE MOBILISATION - DIRECT TAXES - Finance Bill, 2017

B. ADDITIONAL RESOURCE MOBILISATION Rationalization of taxation of income by way of dividend Under the existing provisions of section 115BBDA, income by way of dividend in excess of ₹ 10 lakh is chargeable to tax at the rate of 10% on gross basis in case of a resident individual, Hindu undivided family or firm. With a view to ensure horizontal equity among all categories of tax payers deriving income from dividend, it is proposed to amend section 115BBDA so as to provide that the provisions of said section shall be applicable to all resident assessees except domestic company and certain funds, trusts, institutions, etc. This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2018 and will, accordingly apply in relation to the assessment year 2018-19 and subsequent years. [Clause 44] Deduction of tax at source in the case of certain Individuals and Hindu undivided family The existing provisions of section 194-I of the Act, inter alia, provide for deduction of tax at source at the time of credit or payment of rent to the account of the payee beyond a threshold limit. It is further provide that an Individual or a Hindu undivided family who is liable for tax audit under section 44AB for any financial year immediately preceding the financial year in which such income by way of rent is credited or paid shall be required to deduction of tax at source under this section. Therefore, under the existing provisions of the aforesaid section, an Individual and HUF, being a payer (other than those liable for tax audit) are out of the scope of section 194-I of the Act. In order to widen the scope of tax deduction at source, it is proposed to insert a new section 194-IB in the Act to provide that Individuals or a HUF (other than those covered under 44AB of the Act), responsible for paying to a resident any income by way of rent exceeding fifty thousand rupees for a month or part of month during the previous year, shall deduct an amount equal to five per cent. of such income as income-tax thereon. It is further proposed that tax shall be deducted on such income at the time of credit of rent, for the last month of the previous year or the last month of tenancy if the property is vacated during the year, as the case may be, to the account of the payee or at the time of payment thereof in cash or by issue of a cheque or draft or by any other mode, whichever is earlier. In order to reduce the compliance burden, it is further proposed that the deductor shall not be required to obtain tax deduction account number (TAN) as per section 203A of the Act. It is also proposed that the deductor shall be liable to deduct tax only once in a previous year. It is also proposed to provide that where the tax is required to be deducted as per the provisions of section 206AA, such deduction shall not exceed the amount of rent payable for the last month of the previous year or the last month of the tenancy, as the case may be. This amendment will take effect from 1st June, 2017. [Clause 63]