FM Sitharaman announces big-bang package for MSMEs to revive economy

Rs 6-trn stimulus includes Rs 3 trn of collateral-free loans; Rs 30,000-crore special liquidity scheme for NBFCs, HFCs, MFIs

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced a set of stimulus measures of nearly Rs 5.94 trillion to provide relief to various constituents of the Indian economy. They are micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs); taxpayers; non-banking financial companies (NBFCs); power distribution companies; the real estate sector; organised sector employees; and contractors working with the government.

These measures are part of the Rs 20-trillion “Atmanirbhar Bharat” package, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. The finance minister said she would make announcements pertaining to different sectors every day, starting Wednesday, as the government looks to kick-start economic activities even as the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown is expected to continue beyond May 17.

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The immediate fiscal impact of Wednesday’s announcements could be less than Rs 20,000 crore, even though analysts differ on that. The key measures were aimed at MSMEs, with a Rs 3-trillion credit guarantee fund for collateral-free automatic loans, a Rs 20,000-crore subordinate fund for stressed MSMEs, and a Rs 50,000-crore equity infusion “fund of funds”.

Income Tax dept revises Form 16: Here’s all you need to know

The amended form will come into effect from May 12, 2019. This means the income tax returns for financial year 2018-19 will have to be filed on the basis of revised Form 16

The Income Tax department has revised Form 16 by adding various details, including income from house property and remuneration received from other employers, thereby making it more comprehensive to help check tax avoidance. The amended form will come into effect from May 12, 2019. This means the income tax returns for financial year 2018-19 will have to be filed on the basis of revised Form 16. Form 16 is a certificate issued by employers, giving details of employees’ TDS (tax deducted at source) usually by mid June and is used in filing I-T returns.

Here’s the revised Form 16

The move is aimed at stricter scrutiny of claims made by assessees to check tax avoidance or evasion. The Income-tax Act, 1961 requires every employer to issue a certificate giving details of salary along with the tax deducted at source (TDS) of each its employee in Form 16. 

It will also include segregated information regardingdeductions under various tax saving schemes, investments in tax savings instruments, different allowances received by the employee as well as income from other sources. The I-T department has already notified income tax return forms for fiscal 2018-19. Salaried class and those who do not have to get their accounts audited, will have to file their ITRs by July 31 this year.

Meanwhile, the income tax department has also modified Form 24Q, which is furnished by employer to the tax department. It will include additional details like Permanent Account Number (PAN) of non-institutional entities from whom the employee has taken loan for buying or constructing housing property….

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