UNION BUDGET 2014 – HIGHLIGHTS

[CS Swati Dodhi]

UNION BUDGET 2014 – HIGHLIGHTS

1. Government will not bring any retrospective amendment which is unfair to the tax payers.

2. Five more Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) to be set up.

3. Four more Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) to be set up.

4. ₹ 100 crores for Metro in Lucknow and Ahmedabad.

5. Allocates ₹ 400 crores to incentivize the development of low cost housing.

6. ₹ 500 crores for solar power development project in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.

7. Uniform Know Your Customer (KYC) norms for entire financial sector.

8. Finance Minister Proposes liberalization of American Depository Receipt (ADR)/Global Depository Receipt (GDR) regime.

9. Accounting Standards for Banks and Insurance sector would be notified separately.

10. Taxation issues for foreign funds with Indian managers to be clarified.

11. Finance Minister proposes one Demat account for all financial products.

12. Special small saving scheme to be introduced for the education of girl child.

13. Public Provident Fund (PPF) annual ceiling enhanced to 1.5 lacs.

14. Maximum exemption limit raised to ₹ 2.5 lacs for an individual.

15. Senior Citizen are not liable to pay tax on income upto ₹ 3,00,000.

16. Investment limit under Section 80C increased to ₹ 1.5 Lacs.

17. Deduction for Interest on Housing Loan increased to ₹ 2,00,000.

18. No change in tax rates for corporate tax payers.

19. Concessional rate of tax on dividend from foreign subsidiaries continues.

20. No sunset date for concessional rates for foreign dividends.

21. Concessional rate of 5% on interest extended to all types of bonds.

22. Government shall consider public comments received on DTC.

23. 10 year tax holiday for power companies starting production and distribution on or before March 31, 2017.

24. To boost manufacturing sectors - customs duty reduced on certain inputs such as fatty acids, etc.

25. Import duty on steel increased from 5% to 7.5%.

26. Government to provide investment allowance at 15% for 3 years to manufacturing company investing more than ₹ 25 crores.

27. Portfolio income of Foreign Institutional Investor (FIIs) to be treated as capital gain.

28. Imported electronics goods to cost more. A cess to be introduced.

29. Income of funds from portfolio investments shall be deemed as capital gains.

30. Controversy over categorization of income of foreign investor funds as capital gains or business income shall end with this proposal.

31. Customs duty reduced on certain types of coals.

32. Government reduces basic customs duty on LCD/LED televisions.

33. Customs duty cut to nil on import of LCD, LED Panels below 19 inch.

34. TV sets, Solar power units, computers, oil products, soaps becomes cheaper.

35. Footwear to go cheaper - excise duty reduced from 12% to 6%.

36. Sugary carbonated drinks to get dearer.

37. Cigarettes, Cigars, Pan Masala, Gutka and other tobacco product to attract more excise duty.

38. Basic rates of customs duty @ 10%, excise duty @ 12% and service tax @ 12% remains intact.

39. Excise duty hiked on aerated waters with sugar content.

Discussions to this article

[M K Bajaj]

I have small query. In the recent Budget Custom Duty on coking coal under Chapter 27 has been proposed from nil rate to 2.5%. Simultaneously, 6% CVD applicable earlier has been slashed to 2%. My query is, whether the proposed 2% is also Cenvatable as was being availed earlier?

Regards

Pradyot Kumar Chattopadhyay

GM-Commercial, Gujarat NRE Coke Ltd.,

22 Camac Street, 5th Floor, Kolkata-700 016.