Benefits for individual taxpayers - Tax benefits under section 80C for the girl child under the Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme

[Admin TMI]

Question - What are the tax benefits under section 80C for the girl child under the Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme in Finance Bill 2015 ?

[Admin TMI]

Tax benefits under section 80C for the girl child under the Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme

Pursuant to the Budget announcement in July 2014, a special small savings instrument for the welfare of the girl child has been introduced under the Sukanya Samriddhi Account Rules, 2014. The following tax benefits have been envisaged in the Sukanya Samriddhi Account scheme:-

(i) The investments made in the Scheme will be eligible for deduction under section 80C of the Act.

(ii) The interest accruing on deposits in such account will be exempt from income tax.

(iii) The withdrawal from the said scheme in accordance with the rules of the said scheme will be exempt from tax.

Accordingly, a new clause (11A) is proposed to be inserted in section 10 of the Act so as to provide that any payment from an account opened in accordance with the Sukanya Samriddhi Account Rules, 2014 shall not be included in the total income of the assessee. As a result, the interest accruing on deposits in, and withdrawals from any account under the scheme would be exempt.

The Scheme has been notified under clause (viii) of sub-section (2) of section 80C vide Notification number 9/2015 S.O.210

(E),F.No. 178/3/2015-ITA-I dated 21.012015.

With a view to allow the deduction under section 80C to the parent or legal guardian of the girl child, amendment of section 80C of the Act is proposed to be made so as to provide that a sum paid or deposited during the year in the Scheme in the name of any girl child of the individual or in the name of any girl child for whom such individual is the legal guardian, would be eligible for deduction under section 80C of the Act.

These amendments will take effect retrospectively from 1st April, 2015 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to assessment year 2015-16 and subsequent assessment years.

AI Summary

Tax deduction for Sukanya Samriddhi deposits: parents and guardians get 80C eligibility; interest and withdrawals exempt. Contributions to Sukanya Samriddhi Accounts qualify for deduction under section 80C; interest on deposits and withdrawals made per Scheme rules are exempt from tax through proposed insertion of clause (11A) into section 10. The amendment permits parents or legal guardians to claim the 80C deduction for sums deposited in the name of a girl child. The Scheme is notified as a small savings instrument and the amendments are declared to have retrospective effect for the relevant assessment year and thereafter.