EPCG scheme amendment raises tariff concession rate and adds specified supply routes under the export and import policy.
Amendment substitutes a higher percentage in column (2) against serial No. 4 of the notification table, increasing the tariff concession for imports under the EPCG framework, and adds to Explanation clause (5) that supplies of the products in terms of specified clauses of paragraph 121 of the Export and Import Policy qualify for the concession.

EPCG scheme amendment: off site installation permitted with joint bond and bank guarantee; increased concessional rate and expanded supply scope.
The amendment permits capital goods imported under the EPCG scheme to be installed in another manufacturer's factory if that manufacturer is endorsed on the licence and the importer and manufacturer execute a bond for the full duty difference backed by a Bank Guarantee, binding them jointly and severally to fulfil the export obligation and other notification conditions and to pay duty with interest on default; it also increases the TABLE figure at serial 4, column (2), and expands clause (v) to include supplies under specified clauses of paragraph 121 of the Export and Import Policy.

Import-export port eligibility expanded to specified seaports, airports and ICDs; Commissioner may permit additional locations.
Amendment prescribes that imports and exports under advance licences issued on or after 19-9-1995 must be effected through specified seaports, airports and Inland Container Depots as listed, and empowers the Commissioner of Customs to permit movement through any other sea port, airport, Inland Container Depot or land customs station by special order subject to conditions specified by him.

Port and Terminal Access: authorised sea ports, airports and ICDs prescribed for VBAL imports, with commissioner discretion to permit others.
The amendment replaces condition (iv) of Notification No. 148/95-Cus to prescribe specific sea ports, airports and Inland Container Depots as the authorised points for imports and exports against a VBAL issued on or after 19-9-1995, and provides that the Commissioner of Customs may, by special order and subject to specified conditions, permit use of any other sea port, airport, ICD or a land customs station.

Specified port requirement limits garment VBAL imports and exports to listed ports, with commissioner able to permit alternatives.
The amendment replaces condition (6) to require that imports and exports under Special VBAL for readymade garments be through the same specified sea port, airport or inland container depot drawn from an enumerated list, while allowing the Commissioner of Customs, by special order and subject to conditions, to permit use of other ports, airports, ICDs or land customs stations.

Port-specific import-export requirement restricts garment VBAL shipments to listed ports; commissioner may permit others with conditions.
The amendment requires that imports and exports under Special VBAL for readymade garments be undertaken through the same port, airport or inland container depot, specifying a list of permitted sea ports, airports and inland container depots; the Commissioner of Customs may, by special order and subject to specified conditions, permit import and export through other ports, airports, inland container depots or land customs stations.

Exemption to imports for export orders conditioned on specified ports and ICDs; Commissioner may permit alternate points.
The amendment conditions the exemption for imports made for execution of export orders on movement through specified sea ports, airports, or Inland Container Depots while allowing the Commissioner of Customs to permit other points by special order; it also expands "packing materials" to expressly include hangers for garments.

Imports under advance licence: amendment expands permitted ports and adds controlled substances to provisos by Commissioner discretion to permit others
The notification substitutes condition (iv) to list permitted sea ports, airports and Inland Container Depots for imports and exports under advance licences and empowers the Commissioner of Customs to permit other ports or a land customs station subject to conditions. It also amends provisos to conditions (vi) and (vii) by substituting the single reference to Acetic Anhydride with the trio Acetic Anhydride, Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine.

Imports under advance licence: permitted ports specified and commissioner empowered; Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine added to controlled items.
Amendment to Notification No. 79/95-Cus replaces condition (iv) to specify permitted sea ports, airports and Inland Container Depots for imports and exports under the advance licence and grants the Commissioner of Customs authority to permit other ports or stations by special order subject to conditions. It also amends the provisos to conditions (vi) and (vii) to substitute "Acetic Anhydride" with "Acetic Anhydride, Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine," thereby extending specified controls to Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine.

Customs entry-point restriction: specified ports and depots required for imports/exports, with commissioner power to permit exceptions.
Substituted condition (7) restricts imports and exports to a specified list of sea ports, airports and Inland Container Depots, and authorises the Commissioner of Customs to permit use of any other sea port, airport, Inland Container Depot or land customs station by special order subject to conditions specified by the Commissioner.

Port and airport routing requirement: imports and exports limited to specified locations, commissioner may permit others subject to conditions.
Amendment restricts imports and exports for goods to be supplied to UNO, UN and other aided programmes to specified sea ports, airports and Inland Container Depots, while permitting the Commissioner of Customs, by special order and subject to specified conditions, to allow movement through other ports, airports, ICDs or land customs stations.

Tax deduction eligibility under Section 35AC: watershed and village development scheme specified for further assessment years.
Specification under Section 35AC designates Yusuf Meharally Centre's watershed and integrated village development scheme in Konkan and Panvel and Pen Talukas as an eligible project for tax-deduction purposes and extends that specification for a further three assessment years following a National Committee recommendation confirming proper execution; the scheme is identified at an estimated project cost in the notification.

Eligible project specification: extension of tax benefit eligibility for Shivanand Mission's health and sanitation schemes following National Committee recommendation.
The Central Government specifies that Shivanand Mission's activities-free eye camps, mobile medical services and health education near Virnagar, a ladies' hostel at Virnagar, and construction of low cost latrines in Rajkot villages-are an eligible project or scheme for tax benefit purposes for a further two assessment years, on the National Committee's recommendation and without change in the previously approved cost.

Section 35AC approval for charitable sports centre projects permits specified deduction for approved institution construction and running expenses.
Approval under section 35AC is conferred on the named charitable institution to construct and run a sports centre at Agra, with the notification specifying the estimated project cost and the maximum amount of that cost eligible as a deduction; the notification also prescribes the limited period (specified assessment years) during which the approval operates for claiming deductions under the provision.

Exemption extension: inclusion of Bhartiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited in currency-note printing machines notification.
Notification No. 21/96-Cus dated 7-6-1996 amends Notification No. 187/94-Customs by inserting the words "or Bhartiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited" after "Reserve Bank of India," thereby extending the existing exemption for machines for printing currency notes to include the additionally named entity.

Tax exemption for rehabilitative scheme extended, enabling tax-advantaged support for disabled persons, prosthetics and self-employment programs.
Exemption under section 35AC is applied to the scheme of Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti, Jaipur, for provision of artificial limbs, rehabilitative aids, medicines, special shoes for leprosy-affected persons, and financial support for self-employment and rehabilitation of handicapped persons; the Central Government, on the National Committee's recommendation under the Income-tax Rules, specifies the scheme as an eligible project for a further three assessment years, continuing its status for tax-exemption purposes.

Exemption under section 35AC extended for an integrated rural development scheme after National Committee recommendation.
The Central Government specifies the integrated rural development scheme at District Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, executed by Krishnamurthi Foundation India, Madras, as an eligible project for exemption under section 35AC for a further specified three assessment year period following a National Committee recommendation that the project has been properly executed.

Exemption under section 35AC: drinking water project by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust approved for extension of eligibility.
The Central Government renewed the specification of the drinking water supply project in District Anantpur by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust as an eligible project for income-tax exemption for a further assessment year, following a National Committee recommendation that the project was properly executed; the extension is effected by formal notification under the relevant income-tax provision and applicable rule-based recommendation procedure.

Exemption under Section 35AC extended to Salumbre development project, maintaining its eligibility for specified assessment years.
The Central Government, on the National Committee's recommendation under the applicable income-tax rules, specifies the Salumbre area development project executed by the Poona North Rotary Charitable Trust as an eligible project for a further two assessment years, thereby continuing its qualification for the development-project tax exemption.

Exemption under section 35AC extended for elderly care project, qualifying construction as eligible for tax relief.
Central Government specified the construction of Anand Niketan Vridh Sewa Ashram by Jan Kalyan Trust, Ghaziabad, to provide free accommodation to 159 persons above 60 at NOIDA as an eligible project under section 35AC, at an estimated cost of rupees one crore eleven lakhs, and extended the specification for a further three assessment years (1997-98 to 1999-2000).