Budget may bring good news for salaried people

New Delhi: Every year when the Union finance minister presents the Budget speech, the ‘salaried people’ looks to him with expectations for reducing their tax liability.

It is possible that there would be some moves in this regard in the coming one.

The salaried people could get some relief as finance minister Arun Jaitley is likely to raise the minimum income threshold for paying personal income tax for those below 60 years of age to Rs 3 lakh a year from Rs 2.5 lakh at present and the deduction limit under Section 80C to Rs 2 lakh in the Union Budget for 2017-18, multiple sources told The Sen Times.

Currently the tax exemption slab is at Rs 2.5 lakh for individuals below 60 years, while deduction under Section 80C is Rs 1.5 lakh.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley raised the personal income tax exemption limit from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh on July 11, 2014 in the Union Budget for 2014-15.

Jaitley may also raise section 80C deductions limit to Rs 2.0 lakh, the sources said.

This move aimed at boosting household savings. The hike in deductions limit for investments by individuals in financial instruments to Rs 2.0 lakh would come as a sigh of relief for the salaried people blatting high inflation.

Investments under Section 80C up in popular tax saving instruments such as the general provident Fund, public provident fund, NPS, national savings scheme, unit-linked insurance plans and equity-linked savings schemes are not taxed up to the allowed threshold.

Section 80C was introduced by the UPA government in 2005-06 with a limit of Rs 1 lakh but UPA government did not revised it since then. Jaitley raised it up to Rs 1.5 lakh in the Union Budget for 2014-15.

Deduction on payment of income tax on interest paid on loans for self occupied houses may be also raised to Rs 2.5 lakh from Rs 2.0 lakh, the sources added.

Union Finance Minister will present the Union Budget on Wednesday.

TST

ATTENTION TAX PAYERS!

As you are aware, a tax deduction is a reduction in tax obligation from a taxpayer's gross income and it can be the result of a variety of events that the taxpayer experiences over the course of the year, which lowers the taxpayer's overall tax liability. 

At present different tax codes allow taxpayers to deduct a variety of expenses from taxable income. Taxation authorities in both the Central and State governments set the tax code standards at different intervals. It is an un- disputed fact that the tax deductions set by government authorities are often used to entice taxpayers to participate in community service programs for the betterment of society. Thus the taxpayers who are aware or unaware of eligible central and state tax deductions greatly benefit through both tax deduction and service-oriented activities annually. 

We have been paying a huge amount of tax daily, monthly, quarterly half yearly or yearly towards different kinds of taxes to the Government, such as Service Tax, Building Tax, , Property tax, Gift Tax, Entertainment tax, Sales Tax, Excise tax/duty , Professional tax Income tax etc. In addition to that certain amount of cess is also levied along with taxes in some cases. Suppose the telephone bill for a particular month is Rs. 1000/-, we are paying an additional amount of Rs.150/- or more towards service tax and cess. Likewise if we recharge our mobile phone for Rs.100/- more than Rs.15 is immediately deducted and the remainder only is credited towards talk time. So also is the case of purchase for goods and availing of services. As such though aware or unaware of the fact, thousands of rupees are paid by us towards taxes including income tax every year. 

Actually, the amount equal to the sum total of such taxes is a part of our income earmarked for government purpose. In short, the beneficiary of this part our hard earned money the Government as it is not utilized by personal or family purposes by the tax payer. Due to the very reason, we the individual tax payers including the salary class are entitled to get deduction from income tax equal to the sum total of different taxes paid especially income tax. But it is disheartening that only Professional Tax is being deducted from our income while computing income tax. As a result a huge amount of loss is being sustained by the tax payers every year,

The following simple calculation would reveal this

Suppose the Gross income of an individual tax payer is Rs.700000/- before deduction of Rs.150000 under section 80 (C ). He had paid total tax of Rs. 50000/-(including income tax of previous year) .

Computation of income tax - present system(AY-2017-18)

Gross Income	Rs .700000
Deduction under Section 80 ( c)	Rs. 150000
Net taxable income	Rs. 550000
Income tax  payable (with out cess)	Rs.   35000

Computation of income tax under proposed system

Gross Income	Rs .700000
Deduction of  Taxes paid	Rs.   50000
Deduction under Section 80 ( c)	Rs. 150000
Net taxable income	Rs. 500000
Income tax  payable (with out cess)	Rs.   20000

Hence it would be advantageous is the Income tax computation system is revamped in such a way that un- necessary burden is shouldered by the individual tax payers who may have to take initiative to bring the matter to the notice of the government so as to remove the anomaly. 

Reflection of the recurrent lapses in the Annual Performance Assessment Report(APAR)

IndiaPost becomes 3rd entity to receive licence to start payment bank operations

IndiaPost becomes 3rd entity to receive licence to start payment bank operations

NEW DELHI: IndiaPost has become the third entity to receive a final license last week from the Central Bank to start its payment bank operations. Country’s largest telcom service provider Bharti Airtel and digital payments firm Paytm are the other two to have received the license while only Airtel has started operations so far. 

The government has also appointed AP Singh has interim MD and CEO of the India Post Payment Bank. A 1986 Indian Postal Service Officer he was earlier Joint Secretary in the department of disinvestment, ministry of Finance and Deputy Director General incharge of financial inclusion and payments systems at Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Singh was one part of the founding team that launched Aadhaar and was stationed at the department of Post prior to UIDAI. 

As per the initial road map, each post office in the country will offer the post bank services. The department of post has an existing network of around 1,55,000 post offices currently. ET had reported earlier that IndiaPost plans to open 650 new branches for the payment bank. The branches will be co-located with the existing post offices. The idea is that the 650 branches will be in located in postal district headquarters and all the branches under that particular head post office will be enabled by the payment bank services. This will cover the entire network of 155,000 post offices in the country. 

Earlier this month, Airtel Payments Bank launched nationwide operations, offering 7.25% interest on savings bank balances, which is more than the maximum 7% paid by SBI on its fixed deposits. Bharti and Kotak Mahindra, which holds a 20% stake in the payments bank, would invest Rs 3,000 crore in the venture. 

Payments banks can accept deposits from individuals and small businesses of up to Rs 1 lakh per account. And RBI had set a condition that formal license has to be obtained before 31 March. 

ALIBABA backed Paytm also said early in January that it has received the final license from RBI and the company hopes to launch operations in February with the first branch coming up in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

While operation of Payment Banks such as Paytm are likely to be focused on technology based differentiation, IndiaPost is banking on its huge reach especially in the rural areas to be successful.

Source : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/

7th Central Pay Commission / Pay Fixation of 4200 MACP on 15.3.2016 – MoD Clarification with illustrations on 5.1.2017 Pay Fixation of 4200 MACP on 15.3.2016 – MoD Clarification with illustrations on 5.1.2017

MoD once again issued a clarification orders with three illustrations of an employee shall be fixed who has been granted financial upgradation in MACP on 15.3.2016 in the grade pay of Rs.4200.

MoD action on BPMS’s representation on Seeking of Clarification regarding Option & Pay Fixation in 7th CPC

Office of the Controller General of Defence Accounts
Ulan Batar Road, Palam, Delhi Cantt – 110010

No.AT/II/2701/Orders

Dated: 05 Jan 2017

To
All PCsDA/CsDA
PCA(Fys)/All CsFA(Fys)
(Through NIC mail server

Subject: Representation of Defence Civilian Employees’ Federations regarding misinterpretation of RPR 2016 leading to incorrect pay fixation of employees.

A copy of MoD/D (Civ-I) ID No 11 (6)/2016-D(Civ-I) dated 07.12.2016 along with all its enclosures on the above subject is forwarded herewith. It is seen that MoD/D(Civ-I) has requested that the clarification on the subject from MoF/MoD(Fin) may be awaited. Accordingly, the instructions issued by MoD in para 2 of the MoD ID dated 7.12.2016 may be adhered to avoid any inconsistencies in the matter of pay fixation.

Jt CGDA (P&W) has seen.

(Vinod Anand)
Sr ACGDA (P&W)

The employee has exercised option 2 to fix the pay in the Pay Matrix after availing the increment dated 1.7.2016, in the old pay structure scale.

Option 2 is exercised by the employee to fix the pay in the new pay matrix after availing promotional upgradation under MACP Scheme that look place on 1.1.2016.

Option 2 is exercised by the employee tofix the pay in the pay matrix after availing promotion/MACP upgradation as on 15.3.2016

Click to view the order

Authority: http://pcafys.nic.in/