Clarification to pensioners about the hike in exemption limit to Rs 3 Lakhs from Minister of State for Finance

Exemption of Pension up to Rs. 5 lakhs per annum from Income Tax: Proposal will be examined - MoS  for Finance.

Shiva Pratap Shukla
D.O. No. 370150/9/2017- TPL
MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
NEW DELHI-110001

14th November 2017

Dear Dr.Tharoor Ji,

Kindly refer to your D.O. letter No. DO/S1/09/2017/986 dated 26.09.2017 requesting, for providing the exemption of Rs. 5 lakhs per annum to pension income.

I have got the matter examined. Currently, the basic exemption limit for individual taxpayer is Rs, 2, 50,000, However, considering the specific needs of the senior citizens, the basic exemption limit for a senior citizen above 60 year, is fixed at Rs.3,00,000 and for very senior citizen i.e. above 80 years, the same is fixed Rs. 5,00,000. Therefore, a pensioner who is a senior citizen is not required to pay any income-tax if his. total income, including pension., does not exceed Rs. 3 lakhs Similarly, a pensioner who is very senior citizen is not required to pay tax if his total income, including pension, does not exceed Rs. 5, 00.000. However, the suggestions that pension up to Rs. 5 lakhs per annum should be exempt in all cases would require amendment to the existing provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1964.

Accordingly, the proposal would be examined during the exercise for the ensuing Union Budget, 2018 and the outcome would be reflected in the Finance Bill 2018.

With regards
Yours sincerely,
(Shiv Pratap Shukla) 

Source: NFIR

SCoS: Instructions for processing foreign visits of officers of the Government of India for approval of Screening Committee of Secretaries

Instructions for processing foreign visits of officers of the Government of India for approval of Screening Committee of Secretaries (SCoS)

No. 4(4)/E.Coord/2015

Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure

 New Delhi, 27th November 2017

Subject: Instructions for processing foreign visits of officers of the Government of India for approval of Screening Committee of Secretaries (SCoS)

Reference is invited to this Department's OM of even number dated 5th January 2016 on the above subject. Para 22 of the ibid OM provides that 'Proposals, complete in all respects, seeking approval of SCoS shall be submitted to Department of Expenditure 15 days prior to departure date of delegation'.

2.It has been observed that Ministries/Departments are not submitting their proposals within the stipulated time, often sending proposals one day prior to the departure of the official (s). While it is understandable that requisite approvals and clearances from different agencies/departments take time, it has been observed that Ministries/Departments have been casual in processing their proposals internally without giving due regard to the time frame stipulated for receiving the proposals in Department of Expenditure and seeking approval of the SCoS. Late receipt of proposals for SCoS approval leads to administrative inconveniences both for the SCoS and Ministries/Departments.

3.Hence, Ministries/Departments are directed to ensure that as far as possible, proposals of foreign visits requiring SCoS approval are received 15 days prior to departure date of the delegation but not later than 5 days before date of departure of the delegation. Proposals not adhering to the time frame are liable to be rejected.

S/d,
(H. Atheli)
Director

Source: DoE