FICCI pitches for abolition of MAT in full-budget

01 Jul 2019 Evaluate

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in the pre-budget memorandum has suggested measures to spur investment and growth including corporate tax rate cut to 25% and a simpler Alternate Minimum Tax.

Some of the key recommendations are:

• The focus of the Government should be to spur domestic investment and in order to retain India’s competitiveness globally, corporate tax rate cut should be considered.

• Abolish MAT and extend a simpler Alternate Minimum Tax as is currently applicable to non-corporates to corporates, but at a reduced rate of 10% considering the reduction in corporate tax rate to 25% in line with global trend.

• The need to restore weighted deduction under section 35(2AB) of the Act for expenditure incurred on scientific research being critical for Indian businesses was clearly stressed upon.

• Amendments required in the Act to facilitate smooth re-organisation across the economy.

On the indirect tax side

• Currently, Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) and Service Export from India Scheme (SEIS) scrips cannot be utilized for payment of IGST & GST compensation cess on imports. The non-availability of utilizing the scrips towards the payment of IGST, has led to financial burden on the importers. It was recommended that the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 and Customs Law needs to be amended for allowing the utilization of MEIS & SEIS scrips towards the payment of GST on imports.

• The existing Authority of Advance Rulings constituted under Section 245-O of the Act is common for both Customs and Income Tax applications and as result the average time period for obtaining advance ruling is 6 to 12 months. As a trade facilitation measure, a separate 'Customs Authority of Advance Rulings' needs to be constituted and made operational without any further delay.

• Tariff duty rate changes are undertaken by the Government with strategic view of the future, resulting in avoidable disputes for the past period where customs department and the trade has been following a particular practice. To protect possibility of disputes for the past period, any upward revision of duty rates should be accompanied with protection for reopening of assessment practice of the past period.

• During the Pre-GST regime, the custom benefits allowed exemption on goods imported for mega power project from Basic Custom Duty, Additional Duty (CVD) and Additional Duty (SAD). However, due to introduction of the GST Regime, exemption stand curtailed under GST Law. Post GST Implementation, only Basic Custom Duty is notified to be exempted resulting in increase in cost of developing the mega power projects in India. Recommendation was made to grant exemption from IGST payment on all the goods imported for mega power projects.

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