Bonanza for taxpayers in budget

Bringing cheer to individual taxpayers, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his maiden Union Budget 2014-15 in Parliament on Thursday, raised personal tax exemption limit to Rs 2.5 lakh from the current Rs 2 lakh. Income tax exemption limit for senior citizens has been raised to Rs 3 lakh. The Investment limit under Section 80C has also been hiked to Rs 1.5 lakh from the current Rs 1 lakh, while the FM increased housing loan interest rate deduction limit to Rs 2 Lakh. In further relief to the depositors, the FM announced that the PPF (Public Provident Fund) deposit ceiling will be raised to Rs 1.5 lakh from the existing Rs 1 lakh.
Highlights of budget 2014 regarding Income Tax
* No hike in direct tax rates 
* Retain tax targets for FY15
* Gross tax revenue seen 10.9% of GDP in FY16; 11.2% in FY17
* Retain interim gross tax collection aim
* Propose relief to individual tax payers
* Ups 80C tax break invest cap to Rs 150,000 from Rs 100,000
* Up tax exemption limit for senior citizens to Rs 300,000
* No change in rate of surcharge for corporates, individuals 
* No change in surcharge rates for direct tax
* To up personal income tax exemption limit to Rs 250,000
* Personal income tax exemption hiked by Rs 50,000 per year
* Will consider views on new Direct Tax Code draft
* Education cess to continue at 3% 

Mumbai ITGOA members seek clarification, threaten to resign from Association

Flash news : Delhi ITGOA agitation suspended
The ongoing agitation of ITGOA, Delhi kept in abeyance, as board has constituted a committee on directorate issues, committee will report by 18th July, 2014

News from ITGOA, Mumbai
A number of ITOs in Mumbai have written to ITGOA Mumbai and sought clarification regarding ACIT promotion, seniority list etc. They belong to 2001 batch of ITO. In this letter they requested answer of queries within 5 days and threatened to quit the association if their just demands and queries are not adhered to. A copy of the letter is with us. We are publishing it for public interest.
Click here to view the letter
(There were some technical problem and this link was not working. Now it is rectified and working perfectly. Sorry for the inconvenience.)

ITO to ACIT promotion : No immediate possibility

ITGOA, Central Headquarter issued a circular to all members apprising of different issues. Out of these issues, perhaps the most important issue, ACIT promotion is still uncertain.
"The CBDT had submitted two Review / Regular proposals for promotion to the post of ACsIT to UPSC on 18.02.2014. CBDT was advised by UPSC to obtain opinion of DOLA on the issue as to whether holding DPC from the existing seniority list of ITOs subject to revision of seniority of ITI/ITO based on the judgment of Hon’ble Supreme Court in N. R. Parmar will tantamount to contempt or not.

Assessees are required to authenticate email id and mobile No. for e filing

The process of updating and authenticating the contact details are below
New User
 Provide the correct Mobile Number and Email ID during the Registration in the e-Filing portal, Activation link would be sent to the registered E-mail ID and a One Time Password (OTP also called PIN) is sent to the registered Mobile Number. User needs to Click on the Link provided in the E-mail and enter the OTP received in the mobile number for Successful activation of the registered user in e-Filing portal 

Registered User 
After the user logs in to the e-filing account, the user is requested to update the current Mobile number and E-mail ID. The user should update their personal Mobile number and Email so that the updated contact particulars are registered with the Department or confirm that the Mobile number and email ID already registered is their valid personal contacts. 
Upon submitting the details, Department would immediately send OTPs (PIN1 & PIN2) to new mobile number and Email ID. The respective PINs- PIN1 and PIN2 received through Mobile number and E-mail ID should be entered by them in the respective input fields to authenticate that the email ID and mobile are correct. Upon successful validation the Mobile number  and email ID would be updated in the taxpayer’s profile and the process would be complete. 
If the PINs are not received within specified time (say 2 minutes), the taxpayer may opt for “Resend PINs” option. The PINs once received will be valid for 24 hours. The taxpayers are advised to validate the contact details using the PINs received within 24 hours. If PINs are not validated within 24 hours, the taxpayer has to login and follow the same procedure as above again. 
Note: 
Taxpayers are advised to follow the process mentioned above in the interest of the security of their e-filing account and to directly receive communication from the Department about status of processing and issue of refunds etc. 
This is a one-time process to validate the mobile number and email ID. However, whenever 
the taxpayer changes the Mobile Number or email ID in their Profile, the process will be repeated to ensure that the particulars provided are correct. 
One mobile number or email ID can be used for a maximum of 10 user accounts as the Primary Contact- Mobile Number and Email ID in e-Filing. This is to ensure that family members (not exceeding 10 separate users) not having personal email or mobile can be covered under a common email or mobile, but in general taxpayers should have their own unique email ID and Mobile registered with the Department. 
The taxpayer can enter any other person’s email or mobile number in addition as a Secondary Contact (without any restriction on the number of user accounts linked as a Secondary Contact). Using “Profile Settings  My Profile” the taxpayer can select to include the Secondary Contact to also receive emails, alerts etc. 
Include the emails and SMS from the Income tax Department in the ‘safe list’ or ‘white list’ to prevent the communications from the Department from being blocked or rejected or sent to Spam folder. 
As a best practice, please update and authenticate the current contact and address details 
under “Profile Settings  My Profile” after login to eFiling portal. 
Source : E filing portal (I.T. Dept.)

ITEF works out formula for diversion of posts to deprived circles

ITEF Central Hqr. issued a circular today regarding various issues including filling up or additional posts, Recruitment Rules, 
diversion of posts, memorandum to 7th CPC etc.
Following are the salient features :
Cadre Restructuring and filling up of posts.
"We hope by this time in all Circles the process of filling up of Addtiionaly allotted posts of Cadre Restructuring including consequential vacancies for the RY 2013-14 in the cadres of Group B & C would have taken place.  In any Charge, if this has not been completed or only partly done, the same may be intimated to the CHQ with reasons for the delay for taking up the matter with the Board for further necessary instructions.  As informed in the CWC meeting held on 1st June, 2014, the RRs for all group B & C cadres have been finalized and submitted to the Secretary (Revenue)for approval.  The same will be submitted to the Department of Personnel for its approval.  The CHQ is pursuing the matter for its early clearance.  The instructions for conducting the DPCs for the RY 2014-15 will be issued only after approval of the RR.  In the event of delay in getting the RRs approved, alternative ways will be explored for filling up of the posts for RY 2014-15."
Diversion of Cadre Restructuring posts.
A formula has been prepared to divert some posts to deficient circles. As per the formula, only 18 posts of ITO and 170 posts of Inspectors may be diverted from one charge to another. (It may be mentioned that while CBDT did not consider ITEF proposal before allocation of posts, it is really surprising that the leaders expect that CBDT will dance in their tune now !)
Click here for the proposed diversion formula

Click her to view the entire circular Cir. No. 45/12-15   Dated 25.06.2014