« Top Headlines » Open DEMAT Account in 24 hrs  Delhi HC Rules GST Registration Cannot Be Cancelled Retrospectively Without a Clear Show Cause Notice (SCN)  Belated income tax return AY 2026-27: How to file, late filing charges and what you may lose  Major Financial Changes from August 1, 2026: ITR Deadline, RBI MPC Meeting, Tatkal Ticket Rules & More  Government proposes to ease tax relief conditions for offshore funds  TallyPrime Connected Banking: Automating Banking and Accounting  ITR Filing Deadline 2026: Is July 31 the Last Date to File Your Income Tax Return? Latest Official Update  ITR filing deadline nears: How to file income tax return online on e-filing portal - quick 15-step guide  Will the ITR Filing Deadline Be Extended Beyond July 31 for FY 2025-26? Here's the Latest Update for Taxpayers  Income Tax Refund Delayed for AY 2026-27? 5 Common Reasons Your Refund May Be Stuck and How to Fix It  ITR Filing 2026: FM Nirmala Sitharaman Asks Tax Officials to Let Honest Taxpayers Correct Genuine Mistakes  Will Your FCNR Deposit Stay Tax-Free After Returning to India? Tax Rules Explained for NRIs «  FM hints at belt tightening... FinMin may best fiscal target... » Cut Customs, abolish FBT, CII tells govt November, 14th 2006 In its pre-Budget wish list to the government, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) today demanded a reduction in distribution tax on dividends, abolition of fringe benefit tax (FBT) and a cut in Customs and excise duties.    CII has urged for a reduction in distribution tax from 14 per cent to 5 per cent. It has also asked the government to provide tax credit while computing distribution tax on dividends paid by subsidiaries to parent companies.    The industry body has said FBT should be abolished, or a choice be given to corporates to pay 1 per cent additional corporation tax on its total income. It has also demanded that the minimum alternative tax (MAT) be brought down from 10 per cent to 7.5 per cent. It also supports the total abolition of the levy.    On Customs duty, the CII has said it supports further reduction in peak rate to 10 per cent. The chamber has urged the government to reduce Central Sales Tax (CST) from 4 per cent to 2 per cent with effect from the next financial year.    The CII has also recommended reducing the Cenvat rate of excise duty to 14 per cent from the current 16 per cent. In the forthcoming Budget, definitive measures should be announced towards introducing general sales tax by 2010, its memorandum said.    To raise revenue for investment requirements, especially in infrastructure, the chamber said the limit under Section 80 C should be raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh, provided the additional Rs 1 lakh savings is in infrastructure bonds.    Under Section 80 C an individual and HUF are allowed to get deduction from the total income on investments not exceeding Rs 1 lakh, the memorandum said.    The industry body has recommended designating incremental tax revenue in the proportion 35:35:20:10 for education, infrastructure, health and other development expenditure.