Exemption for EOUs/EPZ sales of fabrics: excise duty limited to prescribed reduced rates when sold in the domestic market.
The Central Government exempts specified fabric categories produced in EOUs or free trade zones and sold in the domestic tariff area from excise duty to the extent that such duty exceeds the reduced rates set out in the Table; value is to be determined under the valuation rules of the Central Excise Act, and the notification includes amendment notes and has been subsequently superseded.

Excise duty exemption scope narrowed for inputs used in manufacture, excluding specified exempt items from the notification.
Amendment substitutes the proviso to Notification No.22/96-CE to provide that the notification shall not apply to inputs used in or in relation to the manufacture of final products (other than those cleared to a Free Trade Zone, a 100% Export Oriented undertaking, an Electronic Hardware Technology Park or a Software Technology Park). The exclusion covers inputs specified at serial numbers 1 and 2 that are wholly exempt or chargeable at nil rate of duty, and inputs at serial number 3 that are wholly exempt and chargeable at nil rate of additional duty.

SSI exemption amendment: exclusion of specified cast brass bars and brass billets from concessional tariff coverage.
The Government amends specified SSI exemption notifications by substituting the Annexure entry for heading/sub-heading Nos. 74.03 to exclude cast brass bars/rods of a length not exceeding 3 feet and brass billets weighing up to 5 kilograms from the concession, with the substitution applied to item (xxiii) of Notifications 8/98-CE and 9/98-CE.

Exemption schedule amendments update tariff entries, adjust duty rates and define valuation for decorated goods.
The notification amends the general exemption schedule by inserting, substituting and omitting tariff serials, altering exemption rates and specific duties for identified goods, defining valuation for certain entries, and adding an Annexure condition that the exemption applies only where no credit or duty paid has been taken under specified Central Excise Rules.

Double taxation avoidance: treaty allocates taxing rights and limits withholding taxes on cross-border income for residents.
The Agreement allocates taxing rights between the Contracting States for residents, defines residence and tie-breaker rules, and sets a detailed permanent establishment concept with inclusions and exclusions. It prescribes taxation rules for immovable property, business profits (attributable to a PE on an arm's-length basis), international traffic, associated enterprises, capital gains, dividends, interest and royalties (with capped source withholding rates where the recipient is beneficial owner). Relief is provided by tax credits, and cooperation is enabled through mutual agreement, exchange of information and assistance in tax collection.

Exemption from Special Additional Customs Duty expanded to First Schedule goods when imports fall under an earlier customs notification.
The Government amends Notification No. 34/98-Customs by omitting item (xi) against serial No. 13 in the Table and adding a new entry (serial No. 14) that exempts all goods falling within the First Schedule from the special additional customs duty where import is covered by Notification No. 34/97-Customs dated 7th April, 1997.

Duty exemption for donated computers enables tax-free transfer to educational and healthcare institutions subject to use and disposal restrictions.
Imported computers and peripherals donated by units under Export Oriented Unit, Software Technology Park, Electronic Hardware Technology Park and Export Processing Zone schemes are exempt from customs duties and related levies when transferred to recognized non commercial educational institutions, registered charitable hospitals, public libraries, publicly funded research and development establishments and government organizations after two years' import and use, subject to donor certification, prescribed transport procedure and a five year restriction on commercial use or disposal without customs permission.

Information technology software exempted from customs duty under amended notification, including rights documents and a statutory definition.
Amendment substitutes the tariff entry to list Information Technology software and documents of title conveying the right to use such software as nil-rated (exempt) goods, deletes the former S. No. 207, and provides a statutory definition: any representation of instructions, data, sound or image, including source code and object code, recorded in a machine readable form and capable of manipulation or providing interactivity to a user by means of an automatic data processing machine.

Export supply timelines updated: licence-linked and import-triggered completion periods; personal carriage of jewellery samples allowed with approval and return condition.
Amendments fix export supply completion for rough diamonds to within 12 months from licence issuance or within 3 months from import, whichever is later, and permit personal carriage of jewellery and precious/semi precious samples for export promotion and temporary display with prior approval, provided the items are brought back within 45 days from departure.

Warehousing for export: Chapter Seven provisions extend to excisable goods stored in approved warehouses for export, subject to conditions.
The Central Government directs that the provisions of Chapter Seven of the Central Excise Rules, 1944 apply to excisable goods cleared from a factory or Commissioner approved premises for storage in warehouses appointed or registered at places specified by the Central Board of Excise and Customs, where such goods are intended for export under clause (a) of sub rule (1) of rule thirteen or under rule fourteen, subject to exporter eligibility and conditions and limitations specified by the Central Board.

Long-term specified securities under section 54EB designated for specified equity shares, subject to timing and transfer restrictions.
Equity shares issued by Messrs. Energy Development Company Ltd., Bangalore are designated as long-term specified securities under section 54EB, provided they are issued within one year of publication, subject to an aggregate issuance ceiling, and remain non-transferable for seven years from allotment.

Specified securities designation under section 54EA restricts transfer for three years and limits issuance to one year.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes designates shares to be issued by Energy Development Company Limited, Bangalore as specified securities under the income-tax provision. The designation applies to shares issued within one year from publication, subject to an aggregate issuance cap stated in the notification, and requires that such shares are not transferable before three years after allotment.

Specified securities under section 54EA: shares granted specified status with an issuance window and three-year transfer restriction.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes notifies that shares to be issued by Energy Development Co. Ltd., a public company, are specified securities for the purpose of section 54EA, provided they are allotted within one year from publication, the aggregate issue does not exceed the stated monetary ceiling, and the shares are not transferable before three years after allotment.

Canalisation of petroleum products assigned to a designated canalising agency, with crude exempt for private and joint refineries' own use.
Canalisation is imposed on imports of specified petroleum products, requiring importation through a designated canalising agency, while expressly exempting private and joint sector refineries from import licence requirements when importing crude for actual use in their own refineries; corresponding ITC(HS) entries for crude petroleum and a furnace oil classification are amended to reflect canalised and free import status respectively.

Tariff amendment adjusts the customs rate applied to edible vegetable oils under the existing notification framework.
Acting under section 25(1) of the Customs Act, 1962, Notification No. 45/98-Cus dated 10-7-1998 amends Notification No. 23/98-Customs by substituting the entry in column (4) of the Table against S. No. 9 with the substituted entry "10%", thereby altering the notified tariff condition for vegetable oils of edible grade.

Exemption under section 35AC extended to specified women's college and hostel project, permitting further eligible deduction period.
The Central Government specifies the construction, furnishing and establishment of a women's degree college and girls' hostel at Borli Panchatan, Raigad, as an eligible project for exemption under section 35AC for a further three assessment years commencing from assessment year 1998-99, following a National Committee recommendation and on the basis of the estimated project cost.

Exemption under section 35AC extended for Training and Rehabilitation scheme for disabled soldiers for three further assessment years.
Central Government specifies the Training and Rehabilitation of disabled soldiers at Queen Mary's Technical Institute, Kirkee, Range Hills, Pune, as an eligible project under section 35AC for a further three assessment years commencing with assessment year 1999-2000, following the National Committee's recommendation that the project is being executed properly and subject to the estimated project cost.

Exemption under section 35AC extended for eligible school construction and running projects after the National Committee's recommendation.
The Central Government specified construction and operation of Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Higher Secondary School, construction and operation of Manickavasagam High School at Pandipathram, and recurring expenses for running both schools as eligible projects under section 35AC. Following the National Committee's recommendation that the projects were being properly executed, the Government extended the specification for a further three assessment years commencing with assessment year 1999 2000, without change in the approved cost.

Exemption under Section 35AC specified five welfare projects as eligible for tax relief for a further three assessment years.
Central Government specified five named welfare projects as eligible for tax exemption under section 35AC for a further three assessment years commencing with assessment year 1999-2000, without change in the approved cost; the action followed a National Committee recommendation after finding the projects likely to extend beyond six years and satisfied with their execution.

Tax exemption for specified charitable medical projects: designation extends eligibility for donation-based relief following administrative recommendation.
The Central Government designated the Furnishing and Equipment of the Assam Gujarat Voluntary Blood Bank and Research Centre at Guwahati as an eligible project for tax exemption, conditioned on at least 51% of beneficiaries being patients below the poverty line or government general ward patients receiving tested and screened blood free of charge. The National Committee recommended and the Government specified the project for a further three assessment years following review of its execution and recorded the estimated project cost and implementing charitable trust.