Archive for July 6th, 2007

Mutual Fund - Glossary

Friday, July 6th, 2007


Net Asset Value (NAV)

Net Asset Value is the market value of the assets of the scheme minus its liabilities. The per unit NAV is the net asset value of the scheme divided by the number of units outstanding on the Valuation Date.
 
Sale Price

Is the price you pay when you invest in a scheme. Also called Offer Price. It may include a sales load.
 
Repurchase Price

Is the price at which a close-ended scheme repurchases its units and it may include a back-end load. This is also called Bid Price.

 
Redemption Price

Is the price at which open-ended schemes repurchase their units and close-ended schemes redeem their units on maturity. Such prices are NAV related.

 
Sales Load

Is a charge collected by a scheme when it sells the units. Also called, ‘Front-end’ load. Schemes that do not charge a load are called ‘No Load’ schemes.

 
Repurchase or ‘Back-end’ Load
Is a charge collected by a scheme when it buys back the units from the unit holders.

The Income-tax (8th Amendment) Rules, 2007 [No.208]

Friday, July 6th, 2007

NOTIFICATION NO. 208/2007

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 295, read with proviso to sub-section (3) of section 40A of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the Central Board of Direct Taxes hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Income-tax Rules, 1962, namely : -

1. (1) These rules may be called the Income-tax (8th Amendment) Rules, 2007.

(2) They shall come into force with effect from the assessment year 2008-09.

2. In the Income-tax Rules, 1962, for rule 6DD, the following rule shall be substituted, namely:

‘Cases and circumstances in which payment in a sum exceeding twenty thousand rupees may be made otherwise than by an account payee cheque drawn on a bank or account payee bank draft.

6DD. No disallowance under clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 40A shall be made and no payment shall be deemed to be the profits and gains of business or profession under clause (b) of sub-section (3) of section 40A where any payment in a sum exceeding twenty thousand rupees is made otherwise than by an account payee cheque drawn on a bank or account payee bank draft in the cases and circumstances specified hereunder, namely:

(a) where the payment is made to

(i) the Reserve Bank of India or any banking company as defined in clause (c) of section 5 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949);

(ii) the State Bank of India or any subsidiary bank as defined in section 2 of the State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act, 1959 (38 of 1959);

(iii) any co-operative bank or land mortgage bank;

(iv) any primary agricultural credit society or any primary credit society as defined under section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949);

(v) the Life Insurance Corporation of India established under section 3 of the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956 (31 of 1956);

(b) where the payment is made to the Government and, under the rules framed by it, such payment is required to be made in legal tender;

(c) where the payment is made by

(i) any letter of credit arrangements through a bank;

(ii) a mail or telegraphic transfer through a bank;

(iii) a book adjustment from any account in a bank to any other account in that or any other bank;

(iv) a bill of exchange made payable only to a bank;

(v) the use of electronic clearing system through a bank account;

(vi) a credit card;

(vii) a debit card.

Explanation.- For the purposes of this clause and clause (g), the term “bank” means any bank, banking company or society referred to in sub-clauses (i) to (iv) of clause (a) and includes any bank [not being a banking company as defined in clause (c) of section 5 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949)], whether incorporated or not, which is established outside India;

(d) where the payment is made by way of adjustment against the amount of any liability incurred by the payee for any goods supplied or services rendered by the assessee to such payee;

(e) where the payment is made for the purchase of

(i) agricultural or forest produce; or

(ii) the produce of animal husbandry (including livestock, meat, hides and skins) or dairy or poultry farming; or

(iii) fish or fish products; or

(iv) the products of horticulture or apiculture,

to the cultivator, grower or producer of such articles, produce or products;

(f) where the payment is made for the purchase of the products manufactured or processed without the aid of power in a cottage industry, to the producer of such products;

(g) where the payment is made in a village or town, which on the date of such payment is not served by any bank, to any person who ordinarily resides, or is carrying on any business, profession or vocation, in any such village or town;

(h) where any payment is made to an employee of the assessee or the heir of any such employee, on or in connection with the retirement, retrenchment, resignation, discharge or death of such employee, on account of gratuity, retrenchment compensation or similar terminal benefit and the aggregate of such sums payable to the employee or his heir does not exceed fifty thousand rupees;

(i) where the payment is made by an assessee by way of salary to his employee after deducting the income-tax from salary in accordance with the provisions of section 192 of the Act, and when such employee -

(i) is temporarily posted for a continuous period of fifteen days or more in a place other than his normal place of duty or on a ship; and

(ii) does not maintain any account in any bank at such place or ship;

(j) where the payment was required to be made on a day on which the banks were closed either on account of holiday or strike;

(k) where the payment is made by any person to his agent who is required to make payment in cash for goods or services on behalf of such person;

(l) where the payment is made by an authorised dealer or a money changer against purchase of foreign currency or travellers cheques in the normal course of his business.

Explanation.- For the purposes of this clause, the expressions “authorised dealer” or “money changer” means a person authorised as an authorised dealer or a money changer to deal in foreign currency or foreign exchange under any law for the time being in force.’.

[F. No. 142/4/2007-TPL]

Now CAs can also do CFA

Friday, July 6th, 2007

After nearly two decades, the Institute of Chartered Financial
Analysts of India (ICFAI) has won the `chartered’ row against the ICAI
(Institute of Chartered Accountants of India).

In a decision dated May 16, the apex court ruled in favour of
the Hyderabad-based ICFAI, by setting aside an earlier verdict of the
Andhra Pradesh High Court, which had allowed the ICAI to prohibit its
members from using the description `Chartered Financial Analyst’ or its
abbreviation, CFA.

The dispute goes back to the late 1980s when the ICAI, the
premier accounting body headquartered in New Delhi, initiated action
under the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Act against
the ICFAI, after having obtained the opinion of the Additional
Solicitor General of India in this regard.

ICSI to give profession a facelift

Friday, July 6th, 2007

NEW DELHI, JUL 4:  The profession of company secretaries is in for an image makeover with the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) planning a series of measures, including renaming the intermediate and final papers as ‘executive’ and ‘professional’ programs, prefixing the word ‘CS’ before a professional’s name and even searching for a new name for itself.“For many years, ICSI has been receiving suggestions from members for changing the name of the Institute. The matter had also been taken up with the government on several occasions. Our council has now formally taken a decision to look into this and we have come out with a list of proposed names that can replace the existing one,” ICSI president Preeti Malhotra told FE.

At its meeting last month, the ICSI council had sought views and suggestions of members to a list of options that include either maintaining its current nomenclature or adopting a new one from among ‘Institute of Chartered Secretaries of India’, ‘Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Advisors of India’, ‘Institute of Corporate Secretaries of India’, ‘Institute of Corporate Secretaries and Advisors of India’ and ‘Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of India’. “It is an effort at international benchmarking,” Malhotra said, also pointing out to the recent name change of the ministry of company affairs (that governs the professional institutes in India) to ministry of corporate affairs.

Interestingly, the apex body governing the company secretarial profession in the UK is called ‘Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), a name that also figures in ICSI’s new plans.

Malhotra said that there was a lot of demand for company secretary students who were in demand even after completing their intermediate exams. “A CS intermediate is technically very sound and has knowledge of company and other corporate laws. A new branding would always help these professionals who for various reasons cannot complete their course,” she said.

Source

How should the e-TDS/TCS return be prepared?

Friday, July 6th, 2007

e-TDS/TCS return has to be prepared in the data format issued by e-Filing Administrator. This is available on the Income Tax Department website ( www.incometaxindia.gov.in ) and NSDL-TIN website (www.tin-nsdl.com). There is a validation software (File Validation Utility) available along with the data structure which should be used to validate the data structure of the e-TDS/TCS return prepared. The e-TDS/TCS return should have following features:

1. Each e-TDS/TCS return file should be in a separate CD/floppy.
2. Each e-TDS/TCS return file should be accompanied by a duly filled and signed (by an authorised signatory) Form No. 27A in physical form.
3. Each e-TDS/TCS return file should be in one CD/floppy. It should not span across multiple floppies.
4. In case the size of an e-TDS/TCS return file exceeds the capacity of one floppy, it should be filed on a CD.
5. If an e-TDS return file is required to be compressed, it should be compressed using Winzip 8.1 or ZipItFast 3.0 compression utility (or higher version thereof) to ensure quick and smooth acceptance of the file.
6. Label should be affixed on each CD/floppy mentioning name of the deductor, his TAN, Form no. (i.e . 24, 26 or 27) and period to which the return pertains.
7. There should not be any overwriting/striking on Form No. 27A. If there is any, then the same should be ratified by an authorised signatory.
8. No bank challan or copy of TDS/TCS certificate should be filed alongwith e-TDS/TCS return file.
9. In case of Form Nos. 26 & 27, deductor need not file physical copies of certificates of no deduction or lower deduction of TDS received from deductees.
10. In case of Form 24, deductor should file physical copies of certificates of no deduction or deduction of TDS at lower rate, if any, received from deductees. However, there is no such requirement in case of Form 24Q.
11. e-TDS/TCS return file should contain TAN of the deductor/collector without which, the return will not be accepted.
12. CD/floppy should be virus-free.

In case any of these requirements are not met, the e-TDS/TCS return will not be accepted at TIN-FCs.

Some Questions about e-TDS/TCS Return

Friday, July 6th, 2007

What is annual e-TDS/TCS Return?

Ans. Annual e-TDS/TCS return is the TDS return under section 206 of the Income Tax Act (prepared in Form Nos. 24, 26 or 27) or TCS return under section 206C of the Income Tax Act (prepared in Form No. 27E), which is prepared in electronic media as per prescribed data structure. Such returns furnished in a CD/floppy should be accompanied by a signed verification in Form No. 27A in case of Annual TDS returns or Form No. 27B in case of Annual TCS return.

What is quarterly e-TDS/TCS statement?

Ans. TDS/TCS returns filed in electronic form as per section 200(3)/206C, as amended by Finance Act, 2005, are quarterly TDS/TCS statements. As per the Income Tax Act, these quarterly statements are required to be furnished from FY 2005-06 onwards. The forms used for quarterly e-TDS statements are Form Nos. 24Q, 26Q and 27Q and for quarterly e-TCS statement is Form No. 27EQ. These statements filed in CD/floppy should be accompanied by a signed verification in Form No. 27A in case of both e-TDS/TCS statements.

Who is required to file e-TDS/TCS return?

Ans. As per Income Tax Act, 1961, all corporate and government deductors/collectors are compulsorily required to file their TDS/TCS returns on electronic media (i.e. e-TDS/TCS returns). However, deductors/collectors other than corporate/government can file either in physical or in electronic form.

e-TDS/TCS returns have been made mandatory for Government deductors. How do I know whether I am a Government deductor or not?

Ans. All Drawing and Disbursing Officers of Central and State Governments come under the category of Government deductors.

Under what provision should e-TDS/TCS returns be filed?

Ans. An e-TDS return should be filed under Section 206 of the Income Tax Act in accordance with the scheme dated August 26, 2003 for electronic filing of TDS return notified by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) for this purpose. CBDT Circular No. 8 dated September 19, 2003 may also be referred. An e-TCS return should be filed under Section 206C of the Income Tax Act in accordance with the scheme dated March 30, 2005 for electronic filing of TCS return notified by the CBDT for this purpose. As per section 200(3)/206C, as amended by Finance Act 2005, deductors/collectors are required to file quarterly TDS/TCS statements from FY 2005-06 onwards.

Paying taxes has never been simpler with the authorities introducing the mechanism of online payment

Friday, July 6th, 2007

Paying taxes has never been simpler with the authorities introducing the mechanism of online payment. The use of electronic means to deliver services is not only an efficient and speedy process, but it also facilitates a transparent process for disseminating information and delivering it to the taxpayers of the nation.

Online payment of taxes helps you save time, is convenient and is paperless. You could be in office or at home ? the facility to pay taxes is just a click away. To use of this facility, all you need is an account with a bank that offers net banking and e-tax payment facility. SBI, HDFC Bank, IDBI Bank, UTI Bank and Union Bank of India are some banks that provide the e-tax payment facility.

The procedure for payment of taxes online is simple and the user-friendly instructions make it even more attractive. To start with, you need to log on to NSDL-TIN website (www.tin-nsdl.com) and click on the ?e-Tax-online payment? option. You will then be directed to a list of banks that provide the e-tax payment facility. Click on the option for your bank and choose the applicable tax challan.

If it is a tax deducted at source payment, challan no. 281 shall apply; else challan nos. 280, 282 or 283 shall be applicable. Challan no. 280 is used for payment of advance tax and self-assessment tax. Challan no. 282 is used for payment of miscellaneous taxes like gift tax, wealth tax, estate tax, expenditure tax etc. Challan no. 283 is used for payment of fringe benefits tax or banking cash transaction tax.

On opting for the challan type applicable, particulars such as the permanent account number (PAN) or tax deduction account number (TAN) as may be applicable, name and address of the taxpayer, relevant assessment year, type of payment and name of the bank will be displayed.

These particulars will need to be filled in carefully as an incorrect PAN/TAN (if it does match the records of the income-tax department) will not allow further processing of the payment. The mandatory fields are highlighted and to ensure smooth processing, these fields need to be populated. You will then reach the net-banking site provided by your bank where you hold your account and with the use of the allocated customer ID and password, the payment will be processed.

Once the process is complete and the bank processes the online transaction, you will be issued an acknowledgment indicating the challan identification number (CIN). After a week of making the payment, the status of the payment may be verified at the NSDL-TIN website under section ?Challan Status Inquiry?.

You can also verify the payment of taxes through an online bank statement. Apart from being relieved of the hassles of visiting the bank for paying taxes and the additional paper work, an added advantage is that online payment does not require attaching the acknowledged counterfoil with your return.

Quoting the challan identification number is sufficient proof for the tax authorities. Imagine, not having to worry about the challan copies and the related paperwork. As for security concerns, the authorities assure the taxpayers that the transmission through the NSDL-TIN website is encrypted and is with the secure socket layer authentication.

Source : www.cainindia.org,

Sensex makes history, hits 15k

Friday, July 6th, 2007

MUMBAI, JULY 6:  India’s benchmark share index rose above 15,000 points for the first time on Friday, led by gains in Infosys Technologies and Bharti Airtel Ltd.At 1:23 p.m. (0753 GMT), the 30-issue BSE index was up 0.75 percent, or 111.04 points, at 14,971.14, after rising as high as 15,007.22.

Company Secretaries can now prefix the word CS

Friday, July 6th, 2007

Company Secretaries  in India can now prefix the word CS

The Council of the Institute (ICSI) in its 173rd meeting held on June 23-24,
2007 has decided that a member of the Institute may prefix CS to his name in
order to distinguish himself from other professionals and to create brand
image of the CS profession.

Pvt schools, hospitals to be in service tax net

Friday, July 6th, 2007

Will have to pay 12% tax besides 3% education cess.

Service tax of 12 per cent (plus the education cess of 3 per cent) will soon be levied on fees charged by schools, doctors and hospitals.

A decision to this effect was taken by the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on Value-Added Tax (VAT) at a meeting in Srinagar on June 15.

The committee decided that private schools and hospitals, amusement parks, coin-operated amusement machine services and other recreation and amusement services will be brought under the tax net from the current financial year. The government will now amend the Service Tax Rules, 1994 to impose the tax.

Consequently, service tax at the rate of 12.36 per cent will be levied on all institutions providing pre-school education, secondary education as well as technical and vocational educational services in case the fees charged is more than Rs 1,000 per month.

Similarly, service tax will be levied on all private hospitals, including those providing primary healthcare, though services provided to families living below the poverty line will be exempt.

Healthcare companies said the tax would make their services more expensive. ?Healthcare players will have no option but to pass on the additional tax burden to the patients,? said Daljit Singh, president (operations), Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre Ltd.

Added Max Healthcare Ltd Executive Director Mukesh Shivdasani: ?A cardiac surgery that costs Rs 2,00,000 now will become more expensive by Rs 25,000.?

The Centre had agreed to give the entire tax collection from 33 services to compensate states for the phasing out of the central sales tax from the current fiscal.

It was also agreed that another 44 services would be brought under the tax net ? the new services identified at the Srinagar meeting are the first five of the lot. The tax collection from the 33 services is likely to fetch states about Rs 4,000 crore this year.

June, 28th 2007

Source : CAinIndia

RBI releases Master circulars

Friday, July 6th, 2007

Click to read / download Master circulars released by RBI (Reserve Bank of India) in the month of July 2007.

Master circulars 

RBI Governor announces Annual Policy Statement for the year 2007-08

Friday, July 6th, 2007

RBI Governor announces Annual Policy Statement for the year 2007-08.
Highlights

  • Greater emphasis on price stability and well-anchored inflation expectations while ensuring a monetary and interest rate environment that supports growth momentum.
  • Swift response with all appropriate measures to all situations impinging on inflation expectations and the growth momentum
  • Renewed focus on credit quality and orderly financial markets conditions in securing macroeconomic, in particular, financial stability.
  • Bank Rate, Reverse Repo Rate and Repo Rate kept unchanged.
  • Scheduled banks required to maintain CRR of 6.5 per cent with effect from the fortnight beginning April 28, 2007.
  • GDP growth projection for 2007-08 at around 8.5 per cent.
  • Inflation to be contained close to 5.0 per cent during 2007-08. Going forward, the resolve is to condition policy and perceptions for inflation in the range of 4.0-4.5 per cent over the medium term.
  • M3 expansion to be contained at around 17.0-17.5 per cent during 2007-08.
  • Deposits projected to increase by around Rs.4,90,000 crore during 2007-08.
  • Adjusted non-food credit projected to increase by around 24.0-25.0 per cent during 2007-08, implying a graduated deceleration from the average of 29.8 per cent over 2004-07.
  • Appropriate liquidity to be maintained to meet legitimate credit requirements, consistent with price and financial stability.
  • Ceiling interest rate on FCNR (B) deposits reduced by 50 basis points to Libor minus 75 basis points.
  • Ceiling interest rate on NR(E)RA deposits reduced by 50 basis points to LIBOR/SWAP rates.
  • Average cut-off yield on 182-day Treasury Bills to be used as a benchmark rate for floating rate bonds.
  • Working Group to be set up to go into all the relevant issues and suggest measures to facilitate the development of interest rate futures market.
  • Overseas investment limit (total financial commitments) for Indian companies enhanced to 300 per cent of their net worth.
  • Listed Indian companies limit for portfolio investment abroad in listed overseas companies enhanced to 35 per cent of net worth.
  • Aggregate ceiling on overseas investment by mutual funds enhanced to US $ 4 billion.
  • Prepayment of external commercial borrowings (ECBs) without prior Reseve Bank approval increased to US $ 400 million.
  • Present limit for individuals for any permitted current or capital account transaction increased from US $ 50,000 to US $ 100,000 per financial year in the liberalised remittance scheme.
  • A Working Group on Currency Futures to be set up to suggest a suitable framework to operationalise the proposal in line with the current legal and regulatory framework.
  • Risk weight on loans up to Rs.1 lakh against gold and silver ornaments for all categories of banks reduced to 50 per cent.
  • Introduction of a credit guarantee scheme for distressed farmers.
  • Indian banks permitted to extend credit and non-credit facilities to step-down subsidiaries within the existing prudential limits and some additional safeguards.
  • Banks and primary dealers permitted to begin transactions in single-entity credit default swaps.
  • Risk weight on residential housing loans to individuals for loans up to Rs.20 lakh reduced to 50 per cent as a temporary measure.
  • Existing relaxed prudential norms applicable to Tier I and Tier II urban cooperative banks extended by one year.
  • Ceiling rate of interest payable by NBFCs (other than RNBCs) on deposits raised by 150 basis points.
  •  Source and details

    ICAI to start new curriculum for CAs

    Friday, July 6th, 2007

    July, 04th 2006

    The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) will introduce the new curriculum for Chartered Accountancy this September. The Government has approved the draft scheme for the same, said Mr T.N. Manoharan, President, ICAI.

    Under the new curriculum, the course can be completed in four years, against five years currently. This includes an articleship of three and a half years.

    A quarterly entrance test called CPT (common proficiency test) will make qualifying students eligible to opt for the new CA course. The first CPT will be held on November 12, in two sessions. The objective type test will include questions covering accountancy, mercantile law, economics and quantitative techniques, said Mr Manoharan.

    Those preparing for the PE-I (Proficiency Examination) exam under the old curriculum, can appear for the CPT and on passing, take up articleship, while those pursuing PE-II can directly do their articleship. Also those appearing for the final exam in May 2007, can appear for it in November.

    ICAI has opened 16 news centres for the CPT, four each at Tirupur, Anand, Karnal and Sonipet. Besides nine new centres have been opened for other exams. Currently, there are 170 test centres in India and two abroad.

    Digital Signatures allowed on Form 16

    Friday, July 6th, 2007

    The Central Board of Direct Taxes has allowed the deductors, at their option, in respect of the tax to be deducted at source from income under the head Salaries to use their digital signatures to authenticate the certificates of deduction of tax at source in Form No.16. More…

    Minister for Corporate Affairs Unveils new Logo for CA Profession on Chartered Accountant’s Day.

    Friday, July 6th, 2007

    Logo for CA ProfessionThe Minister of Corporate Affairs, Shri Prem Chand Gupta inaugurated the 59th Chartered Accountants Day, here today. It was on 1st July, 1949 that the ICAI came into being with the enactment of the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949.

    The Minister unveiled the Logo designed for the CA Profession which consists of the letters ‘CA’ and a tick mark upside down inside a rounded rectangle with white background.
    Speaking on the occasion, Shri Gupta highlighted that the concerns of ICAI relating to capacity building, autonomy and fastrack disciplinary mechanism have all been addressed by his Ministry through the Chartered Accountants (Amendment) Act 2006 notified on 23rd March, 2006. He stated that ICAI can now increase the membership fee without any change in regulation and approval from the Government, subject to a ceiling and that to increase the fee more than the ceiling, only approval from the Government was needed. He also stated that the ICAI has been empowered to approve academic courses as well as their contents without affecting any change in CA Regulation. The Minister further added that the Government has also removed the ban on fee sharing by members of ICAI in practice with certain categories of non-members to be recognized by the Council of ICAI. He assured that Regulations to effect the above will come into force at the earliest.     In his address, the Hon’ble Minister appreciated the efforts made by the ICAI as a partner in Nation Building. He advised that misconduct by individual member should not go unpunished.     Speaking on the occasion, CA Sunil Talati President, ICAI stated that the logo has been designed to create brand image for the Chartered accountancy profession.. President ICAI stated that, the letters ‘CA’ in the logo have been put in blue colour, the corporate colour which not only stands out on any background but also denotes creativity, innovativeness, knowledge, integrity, trust, truth, stability and depth. The upside down tick mark typically used by Chartered Accountants, has been included to symbolize the wisdom and value of the professional. The green colour in the tick mark signifies growth, prosperity, harmony and freshness.

    Coinciding with the occasion, the ICAI has come out with a co-branded credit card for Chartered Accountants in association with ICICI bank. President ICAI stated that the credit card will benefit the members and is expected to act as an affinity card for the members.

    Source