Service tax on computerized data processing services now applies to Customs EDI charges, requiring providers to collect and disclose the tax.
Service tax and education cess apply to computerized data processing and maintenance of computer software services at the Customs EDI Service Centre from 1 May 2006. The EDI operator must collect the aggregated levy from users on amounts billed for data-entry and related processing, and must affix a stamp on coupons and receipts indicating that service tax is extra and showing the service tax registration number. Revised EDI processing charges will reflect this tax inclusion.

Service tax on computerized data processing at customs EDI centre requires providers to collect and display tax on user charges.
Service charges for data entry and computerized processing at the Customs EDI Service Centre are subject to service tax and the applicable education cess under the statutory provision for computerised data processing and software maintenance. The EDI operator is instructed to collect tax on the total charge, denote the tax separately on coupons or receipts, and display its service tax registration number; revised processing charges for the EDI/EDT system take effect from the notified commencement date.

Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana eligibility expanded to specified Gram Udyog products; KVIC/KVIB registration required for benefits.
Amendment adds specified Gram Udyog Products to Appendix 37A for Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana benefits, subject to the condition that only products exported by or sourced from KVIC/KVIB registered units qualify. The Aayaat Niryaat Form is amended to require a KVIC/KVIB registration certificate or, where applicable, a supplier's registration plus a sourcing certificate to claim scheme benefits.

Zero-duty wheat imports permitted for a specified quantity under the Foreign Trade Policy, limited to STC procurement and designated ports.
Importation of wheat is authorized at zero duty pursuant to an ad hoc exemption and paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy; a specified aggregate quantity may be imported within the prescribed timeframe only through the State Trading Corporation and only via designated ports, thereby coupling a tariff concession with procedural limits on importer and entry points.

Duty Free Import Authorisation introduced, exempting export inputs from customs duties while requiring minimum value addition and transferability.
Introduction of the Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) Scheme replacing the DFRC scheme: export inputs are exempt from basic customs duty, additional customs duty, education cess, anti dumping and safeguard duties; the scheme requires a minimum 20% value addition (except for gem & jewellery) and allows transfer or sale of the licence or imported inputs (other than fuel) after fulfilment of the export obligation; sensitive items require declaration of technical characteristics, quality and specifications in the shipping bill.

Qualified Institutions Placement: private placements to QIBs with floor pricing, investor limits, disclosure and due diligence obligations.
Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP) allows listed companies meeting minimum public shareholding and nationwide listing requirements to privately place fully paid equity or convertible/exchangeable securities with Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs). Allocations exclude promoters and related parties, mandate at least 10% to mutual funds (or other QIBs if unused), set minimum numbers of allottees and per-allottee caps, prohibit bid withdrawal post-closure, cap annual aggregate QIP proceeds relative to prior-year net worth, require market-based floor pricing with adjustments for corporate actions, and impose disclosure, merchant banker due diligence and listing approval procedures, including placement document disclosures per Schedule XXIA.

STT scrutiny: all taxable securities transaction returns selected for detailed examination under applicable scrutiny provisions, feedback requested.
The Board directed that all returns filed in respect of taxable securities transactions for the initial return period be selected for detailed scrutiny under section 102 of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2004, following the first returns due under section 101(1); field formations are requested to send feedback to facilitate effective administration of STT.

Transshipment of containerized cargo automated: IGM SMTP treated as application, bonds and PLA payments managed electronically.
Automates electronic processing of containerised transshipment using the IGM SMTP portion as an implicit transshipment request when required fields are supplied and the MLO/shipping agent is registered; mandates Bond Registration No., Carrier Agency Code, Mode of Transport and MLO Code, with bond calculation defaulting to container size (20' or 40') or optionally by invoice value, requires PLA or revenue-stamp payment of TP fee, prescribes EDI/paper filing channels and message formats, and sets approval, permit issuance, landing-certificate-triggered line closing and bond re-crediting procedures.

Bank guarantee requirement for removal of capital goods applies where unit lacks two years' export history under amended procedure.
Units seeking removal of capital goods or inputs must furnish a bank guarantee equivalent to the duty foregone to the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner of Customs/Central Excise where the unit has not been in existence for two years or has not engaged in export of agriculture, horticulture or aquaculture products; the guarantee remains until the unit completes the two year requirement.

Export warehousing extension to Ankleshwar enables registration of approved warehouses under the revised locations list.
The Board amends paragraph 2(2) of Circular No. 581/18/2001 CX to add the taluka Ankleshwar in the district of Bharuch, Gujarat to the list of places where warehouses may be established and registered for warehousing of excisable goods for export, and directs that trade and field formations be informed and acknowledge receipt.

Supplier registration requirement governs import eligibility and enables deregistration and enforcement against noncompliant parties.
Amendments require registration of overseas suppliers with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and listing under Appendix 5-B for imports; registration applies only to suppliers directly contracting with Indian importers. The new regime for imports from registered sources is given prospective effect with a transitional rule allowing certain shipments to be processed under the Pre-Shipment Inspection regime. Violations will lead to deregistration of suppliers and possible action against the Indian importing firm, and specified administrative routes are provided for filing registration applications.

Import licence requirement clarified: items not covered by the circular will be subject to an import licence.
Correction to Policy Circular No. 29(RE-2005)/2004-09 amends the final sentence of paragraph 8 to read: "However, if it is not covered under the said circular, it will be subject to an import licence." The corrigendum makes clear that items not covered by the circular require an import licence under the import licensing regime.

Special Economic Zone jurisdiction updated: Kandla SEZ now covers Kutch district, units in Kandla and Surat, and Gujarat EOUs.
Amendment to Appendix 1 designates the Development Commissioner (and deputies) as the regional authority for Kandla Special Economic Zone, supplying contact details, and specifies territorial jurisdiction: Kutch District, units in Kandla and Surat SEZs, and approved EOU/SEZs located in Gujarat, issued as a public notice under Paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy for administrative implementation.

Monitoring of scrutiny assessments: Range heads must supervise assessments under the statutory monitoring framework for administrative oversight.
Range Heads are required to supervise and monitor ongoing scrutiny assessments in accordance with the applicable statutory monitoring provision referenced in the Income Tax framework, superseding earlier internal instructions and to communicate this supervisory requirement to all concerned officers.

Service tax accounting codes: new codes and education cess notified for specified taxable services; commissioners to issue trade notices.
Accounting codes under Major Head "0044 - Service Tax" have been opened for fifteen newly taxable services and a separate code for Education Cess effective 1-5-2006; each service is assigned sub-heads for Tax collection, Other Receipts (interest/penalty), and Deduct Refunds (for departmental use only). Commissioners of Central Excise & Customs are to be informed and to issue Trade Notices to advise assessees; Education Cess is assigned code 00440298.

Line of Credit enables export finance for Fiji sugar sector with specified utilisation periods and compliance requirements.
Exim Bank extended a Line of Credit to the Fiji Sugar Corporation for financing eligible exports from India for modernization and capacity expansion of sugar plants. Terminal utilisation is 48 months for project exports and 72 months for other supply contracts. Shipments must be declared on GR/SDF forms. No agency commission is payable under the Line of Credit, though exporters may use own funds or EEFC balances for commission payments subject to realisation and prevailing instructions. Authorised dealer banks must notify exporter constituents; directions are issued under the Foreign Exchange Management Act.

NOC requirement for precursor chemicals: selected substances require authority permission for export, import, or both.
The narcotics authority issues a NOC only for specified precursor chemicals and specifies whether permission applies to export, import or both; Acetic Anhydride is allowed for both export and import, Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine (and salts) are listed as controlled precursors, Anthranilic Acid and certain ketone/oxidant precursors are subject to export only NOC, and Heliotropin and listed ergot alkaloid derivatives are subject to import only NOC.

Classification of industrial cables clarified under VAT: specified multi-conductor and specialty cables covered, single core small cross-section wires excluded.
Clarification on the classification of industrial cables under Entry No. 40 of the Third Schedule to the Delhi VAT Act confirms that the entry covers cable products described by the relevant HSN headings, including high voltage, XLPE, jelly-filled and optical fibre cables, while expressly excluding single-core cables and wires with conductor cross-sections from 0.5 to 6.0 square millimetres; the circular supersedes earlier clarifications and is issued for department-wide application.

Standard Input Output Norms amended; new SION entries added and multiple product input quantities and descriptions corrected.
Amendments to the Standard Input Output Norms revise product-specific input allowances, correct descriptions and quantities in the Handbook of Procedures, Vol.2, add new SION entries for chemicals, plastics and food products, and prescribe precise import to export input ratios and composition limits for affected items.

Returns filing logistics: Front Office manages refund-claiming and monthly returns while extensions handle non-refund quarterly submissions.
Designated Front Office and Front Office Extension Counters will accept monthly, quarterly, half-yearly and yearly VAT returns with manual submission; returns must include a colour-coded acknowledgement card (pink for cash refund claims, green otherwise) that is stamped, serially numbered and initialled. Ground floor Front Office will handle all monthly returns and quarterly returns claiming refunds; extension counters will accept non-refund quarterly returns. Zonal in-charges supervise floor-wise receipt, bundling, transport, indexing and centralised data entry at the Front Office, with returns despatched to concerned wards after data posting.