Withholding tax limits on cross-border passive income set by treaty amendments, reducing source taxation under amended convention.
The notification modifies the India-France income tax Convention to impose ceilings on source taxation where the recipient is the beneficial owner. It substitutes paragraphs limiting tax at source on dividends, interest and royalties/fees/payments for use of equipment, including transitional distinctions for certain lenders and a later uniform ceiling, and applies paragraph 7 of the Protocol to give effect to lower or more restricted source taxation adopted in India's treaties with OECD third States.

Approval under section 35(1)(ii): associations granted research exemption subject to accounting, reporting and audited submission requirements.
Approval is granted to specified organisations as associations eligible for research-related tax exemption, subject to compliance: maintain separate books for research; file an annual return of scientific research activities to the Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research by 31 May; and submit audited annual accounts and audited income and expenditure accounts for research activities to the Director-General of Income-tax (Exemptions), the Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and the territorial Commissioner/Director of Income-tax by 31 October, in addition to filing the return of income to the designated Assessing Officer.

Research institution approval permits tax treatment for specified entities subject to annual accounting and reporting obligations.
The notification approves specified organisations as approved institutions for research-related tax treatment for stated periods, subject to conditions requiring separate research accounts, annual filing of a scientific research return to the central research department by the prescribed date, and submission of audited annual accounts and audited research income-and-expenditure accounts to the tax exemptions office, the research department, and the competent income-tax authority by the prescribed annual date, in addition to filing the regular return of income.

Research institution approval requires separate accounts and specified annual disclosures to scientific and tax authorities by set deadlines.
Approved organisations are designated as "Institution" under clause (ii) of sub-section (1) of section 35 and must maintain separate research accounts, file an annual return of scientific research activities to the Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research by 31st May, and submit audited annual accounts and audited income and expenditure accounts for exempted research activities to specified tax and research authorities by 31st October, in addition to the regular income tax return.

Research institution approval requires separate research accounts, annual scientific returns, and submission of audited research accounts to authorities.
Approvals under section 35(1)(ii) recognise specified organisations as institutions for tax treatment of scientific research, subject to conditions: maintain separate books for research; file an annual scientific research return to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research by 31 May; and submit copies of audited annual accounts and audited income and expenditure accounts for research activities to designated tax and administrative authorities by 31 October, in addition to the normal income-tax return.

Research institution approval requires separate research accounts and prescribed annual reporting and audited submissions.
Deenadayal Research Institute is approved as an institution eligible under section 35(1)(iii) for the stated period, subject to maintaining separate books for research, submitting an annual scientific research return to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research by 31 May, and delivering audited annual accounts and audited income-and-expenditure accounts for the research activities to the Director-General of Income-tax (Exemptions), the Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and the relevant Commissioner/Director of Income-tax (Exemptions) by 31 October, in addition to filing its income-tax return with the designated Assessing Officer.

Charitable exemption under section 10(23C)(iv) granted to Bharat Bhavan Trust subject to specified compliance conditions.
Notification under section 10(23C)(iv) notifies Bharat Bhavan Trust as eligible for exemption for the stated assessment years provided the trust applies or accumulates income wholly and exclusively to its objects, confines investments to forms permitted under section 11(5), treats business income as incidental only if separate books are kept, files returns regularly, and on dissolution transfers surplus assets to a charitable organisation with similar objectives.

Charitable exemption under section 10(23C)(v) notified for Shri Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan, subject to conditions for specified assessment years.
Notification recognises Shri Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan, Shegaon, as eligible for charitable exemption for specified assessment years provided it applies income wholly to its objects, confines investments to modes permitted for charitable trusts (excluding excepted in-kind voluntary contributions), excludes business income unless incidental and separately accounted, files income-tax returns regularly, and, on dissolution, transfers surplus assets to a charitable organisation with similar objectives.

Income-tax rule amendment raises Form 52A threshold, altering reporting threshold and related compliance obligations for taxpayers.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes, exercising powers under section 295 of the Income-tax Act, 1961, amends Appendix II to the Income-tax Rules, 1962 by substituting a higher monetary figure in Form No. 52A, thereby changing the statutory reporting benchmark on that form; the Income-tax (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2000 come into force on publication in the Official Gazette.

Tax return form fields updated: mandatory entries for tax payable, surcharge and net tax added to return form.
The amendment inserts three fields in Appendix II, Form No.2 to capture tax payable, surcharge and net tax payable in the acknowledgment (24a-24c) and revises PART III, Statement of Taxes in the RETURN OF INCOME by substituting item 8 with three entries-tax payable, surcharge where applicable, and net tax payable (8, 8(a), 8(b)); the rules commence on publication in the Official Gazette under section 295 authority.

Withholding tax designation: Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority notified under Section 194A for TDS applicability and compliance.
Notifies the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority as the designated entity under a sub-clause of Section 194A of the Income-tax Act, 1961, exercising the Central Government's power to identify the Authority for the operation of the withholding tax mechanism and related compliance obligations under that statutory provision.

Exemption under section 35AC extended for specified cancer detection and awareness projects, permitting continued eligible donations.
The Central Government specified that renovation of a cancer detection unit in Mumbai and cancer awareness, education and detection camps across specified Maharashtra districts by Cancer Patients Aid Association are an eligible project or scheme for Income-tax exemption; after the National Committee recommended continuation, the projects were specified for a further three years beginning with the assessment year 2001-2002, with an estimated project cost recorded.

Exemption under section 35AC: Central Government specified extension of eligibility for a rural health programme enabling donor tax benefits.
The Central Government specified that the comprehensive three tier rural health care and socio economic integrated programme executed by Arpana Research and Charities Trust, Madhuban, Karnal, in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh is an eligible project for tax exemption; following the National Committee's recommendation that the project was being executed properly, the Government exercised its powers under the Explanation to the statutory exemption provision to specify the scheme for a further period commencing with the stated assessment year and noted the estimated project cost.

Exemption under section 35AC: eligible project extension for Eye Research Training Centre enabling continued tax-eligible donations.
The Central Government specifies the construction of building and equipment for the Eye Research Training Centre at Veerayatan, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bihar, as an eligible project under the Explanation to section 35AC, and, following the National Committee's recommendation that the project is being executed properly, extends the specification for a further three years beginning with the assessment year 2001 2002 at the estimated cost stated in the notification.

Exemption under section 35AC extended for vocational training centres scheme, preserving eligibility for a further three-year period.
Pursuant to a National Committee recommendation under rule 11M(5) and exercising powers under sub-section (1) read with clause (b) of the Explanation to section 35AC, the Central Government specified the Sterlite Foundation's scheme of 45 vocational training centres for computer and tailoring courses as an eligible project for a further three-year period beginning with the assessment year 2001-2002, recording the estimated project cost and an associated corpus fund.

Exemption under section 35AC extended for CRY project; eligibility renewed and project cost increased by central government.
Exemption under section 35AC specifies CRY Supported Development Project by CRY as an eligible project for tax deduction; the Central Government renews eligibility for a further three-year period beginning with the assessment year 2001-2002 and amends the previously specified maximum estimated project cost by substituting the earlier amount with a revised higher amount in the notification table, following the National Committee's recommendation that the project is being executed properly.

Exemption under section 35AC: eligible project specification extended for construction and furnishing of an old age home and seva centre.
The Central Government specifies the construction and furnishing of an Old Age Home and Seva Centre at Sector 30B, Chandigarh, by Shri Satya Sai Trust as an eligible project for a further three year period beginning with the assessment year 2001 2002, following the National Committee's recommendation under the applicable rule and exercising powers under the Explanation to section 35AC and sub section (1); the notification names the trust, project location and estimated cost.

Exemption under section 35AC extended for a specified educational and sports infrastructure project, preserving eligibility for donations.
Central Government specifies extension of tax-exemption eligibility under section 35AC for the construction of a school, college, hostel, library and sports complex at Ran Area, Porbandar, carried out by Shri Maldevji Odedra Smarak Trust. The National Committee recommended a further three-year specification because the project was being properly executed, and the Government specifies the project as eligible for an additional three-year period beginning with the assessment year 2000-2001, noting the project's estimated cost and identifying the implementing trust and location.

Tax exemption under section 35AC extended for charitable old age home and eye hospital project, preserving donor deduction eligibility.
The Central Government, under section 35AC of the Income tax Act, specifies the construction, furnishing and running of the South Block of Ashram Sravana Old Age Home and Eye cum General Hospital by the Association for the Care of the Aged as an eligible project, following a National Committee recommendation, at an estimated cost of nine lakhs seventy thousand rupees for a further three year period beginning with the assessment year 2001 2002.

Deduction limits under section 35AC increased for a specified trust, expanding eligible project cost ceiling.
Amendment increases the maximum deductible cost allowed under section 35AC by substituting a higher approved ceiling in the Table entry for the listed beneficiary; the Central Government amends Notification No. S. O. 791(E) on recommendation of the National Committee to replace the previously prescribed maximum cost with a new, higher maximum cost for eligibility of deduction.