-The Indian Express The flagship rural jobs programme has shown improved performance after initial neglect by the Modi government. New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government may spend close to Rs 60,000 crore on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the current fiscal, a record for the programme that was a baby of the previous United Progressive Alliance regime. The Union Budget had allocated Rs 38,500 crore towards MGNREGA for...

-Hindustan Times New Delhi: The crackdown on black money is not over. With the scheme for voluntary disclosure of unaccounted for wealth now closed, tax officials have launched a drive to unearth hidden incomes and are looking at transactions carried out beyond a six-year ceiling under existing rules, sources said. “The tax department can scan transactions older than six years by invoking clause 197C of the Finance Act, 2016. This clause was introduced...

-PTI Collections of indirect taxes during the first half of the current financial year grew by 25.9 per cent to Rs 4.08 lakh crore, mainly on account of a 46 per cent jump in excise duty collections. The net indirect-tax collection in the April-September period is 52.5 per cent of the Budget 2016-17 estimates. The finance ministry said net collections of central excise jumped 46.3 per cent to Rs 1.83 lakh crore during...

-The Indian Express The committee is meant to screen applications and shortlist institutions that deserve the world-class status. New Delhi: The Human Resource Development Ministry has tweaked the UGC regulations for setting up 20 world-class institutions, just weeks after the proposal hit a roadblock with the Solicitor General of India objecting to the unlimited powers of the proposed empowered experts committee. The committee is meant to screen applications and shortlist institutions that...

-Business Standard Exemptions granted on agri income and subsidies provided by the Centre and states are being cornered by big farmers and corporates The Comptroller and auditor general’s proposed audit of exemptions granted to big corporates, companies and even farmers under the head of agriculture incomes has once again rekindled the debate as to whether farm incomes derived from big companies and large farmers should be taxed. According to an analysis done by...