Tax exemption eligibility extended for rural development project, allowing donor deduction after committee recommendation.
The Central Government specified the rural development project executed by Anuvrat Gram Bharti Sansthan, Vinaypuram, Bhilwara, Rajasthan-including construction of primary school, women and child welfare centre, staff quarters, guest house, laboratory and library hall, kitchen and dining hall, meditation hall and administrative block-as an eligible project for tax exemption under the Explanation to section 35AC for a further three years beginning with assessment year 2001-2002 at an estimated cost of sixty lakhs.

Section 35AC exemption: rehabilitation and education of the blind in Gujarat specified for a three-year extension as an eligible project.
The Central Government, invoking powers under sub section (1) read with clause (b) of the Explanation to section 35AC, specifies the rehabilitation and education of the blind in Gujarat by the National Association for the Blind (Gujarat State Branch) as an eligible project for a further three-year period beginning with assessment year 2000-2001, following a National Committee recommendation and noting an estimated project cost of rupees fifty-four lakhs forty-five thousand.

Tax exemption under section 35AC: hospital construction and operation at Vaso specified as eligible project for extended three-year period.
The Central Government specifies the construction, equipment purchase and running of the hospital at Vaso, Nadiad, by Vaso Arogya Mandal, Shri C.M. Shah General Hospital, as an eligible project for tax exemption under the Income-tax Act for a further three years beginning with assessment year 2001-2002, following a National Committee recommendation under the Income-tax Rules that the project is being properly executed.

Exemption under section 35AC extended: hospice project by Bangalore Hospice Trust approved as eligible for a further period.
The Central Government, under section 35AC, specifies the project of construction, purchase of equipment and furnishing of a 50 bed hospice for terminally ill cancer patients by Bangalore Hospice Trust as an eligible scheme for a further three years beginning with the assessment year 2001 2002, following the National Committee's recommendation that the project is being executed properly; the specification identifies the executing trust, the scope of work and the estimated project cost.

Exemption under section 35AC extended for a specified charitable healthcare project, enabling qualifying donations to receive tax benefit.
The Central Government, relying on sub section (1) read with clause (b) of the Explanation to section 35AC and a National Committee recommendation under the Income tax Rules, specifies the Maitri Mandal Trust scheme for purchase of medicines, equipment, an ambulance and financial assistance to poor patients as an eligible project or scheme for a further three year period beginning with assessment year 2001 2002, at the estimated cost stated in the notification.

Exemption under section 35AC: specified institutions' projects approved for eligible deductions for approved charitable schemes.
The notification approves specified charitable institutions and itemises their eligible projects or schemes, stating estimated costs and the maximum portion of those costs allowable as deductions under section 35AC. The Table covers medical, educational, rehabilitation and related projects, records corpus treatment where applicable, and notes subsequent textual substitutions. The approval remains in force for a three-year period in respect of the listed assessment years.

Portfolio manager managing foreign funds permitted under foreign institutional investor regulations, clarifying cross border management compliance.
Amendment adds Regulation 16A allowing a portfolio manager to manage funds raised, collected or brought from outside India in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Foreign Institutional Investors) Regulations, 1995; the amendment is made under statutory authority and takes effect upon publication in the Official Gazette.

Customs tariff exemption expanded for edible vegetable oil imports used in Vanaspati manufacture and refining under amended notification.
The notification amends the exemption entry for edible vegetable oils imported for manufacture or refining, specifying two categories: (a) edible vegetable oils excluding coconut and palm oils and their fractions, eligible for Vanaspati manufacture or refining when meeting a prescribed free fatty acid threshold; and (b) crude palm oil and its fractions of edible grade, eligible for manufacture of hydrogenated vegetable oil known as Vanaspati when meeting a higher prescribed free fatty acid threshold.

Customs tariff amendment revises import classification and conditions for vegetable oils used in Vanaspati manufacture.
The notification substitutes serial No. 11A to clarify that edible vegetable oils, excluding coconut oil and palm oil fractions unless specified, imported in loose or bulk form for refining or for manufacture of oil known as Vanaspati, are subject to the revised tariff treatment; a distinct entry governs palm oil and its fractions when edible grade and meeting a free fatty acid threshold for Vanaspati manufacture. "Vegetable Oil" is defined for these entries as oil with free fatty acid content of at least 0.5%.

Exercise of Commissioner of Customs powers appointed to adjudicate DRI show cause notices against specified importers.
The Central Government appoints the Commissioner of Customs (ICD), New Delhi under section 4(1) of the Customs Act, 1962 to exercise the powers of the Commissioner of Customs, Chennai, and where applicable the Commissioner of Customs (Air Cargo), Mumbai, for the purpose of adjudicating show cause notices issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence dated 31st December 1999 relating to specified importers.

Rural area definition clarified - manufacturing in factories located in rural areas qualifies for specified Central Excise exemptions.
Amendments redefine "rural area" to mean the area comprised in a village as defined in land revenue records, excluding areas under municipal committees, municipal corporations, town area committees, cantonment boards, notified area committees, and any area notified as urban by the Central or a State Government. Several notifications are amended to condition specified tariff exemptions on the goods being manufactured in a factory located in such a rural area, and the third proviso of Notification 88/88-CE is omitted.

Excise duty exemption for defence programme supplies conditioned on pre clearance certification, but subject to an expiry cutoff.
An amendment inserts a new serial entry exempting all goods supplied to Programme SAMYUKTA under the Ministry of Defence from excise duty, provided a certificate from the Programme Director is produced to the proper officer before clearance; the exemption is expressly limited and ceases to have effect on or after 1st September 2000.

Re-appointment of SEBI Chairman under statutory authority extends the Chairman's term and confirms regulatory leadership.
The Central Government, invoking its statutory authority and applicable service rules, re-appoints Shri D.R. Mehta as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board for a specified fixed term commencing on the stated effective date; the notification records the statutory basis, the duration of the term, and the administrative origin of the appointment.

Registration as Debenture Trustee: revised application form requires comprehensive corporate, financial and experience disclosures for registration.
Amendment replaces Form A in Schedule I to prescribe a comprehensive application for registration as a Debenture Trustee, requiring applicant identity and contact details, organisational structure, directors, infrastructure, a three year business plan, detailed financial statements, past debenture trusteeship experience, investor grievance mechanisms, and disclosure of regulatory or criminal involvement, together with a signed declaration and an additional renewal information sheet covering compliance, audits, defaults and investigations.

Research institution approval under section 35(1)(ii) permits tax exempt research deductions subject to specified compliance and reporting.
Specified organisations are approved as Institutions under clause (ii) of sub section (1) of section 35, subject to maintenance of separate books for research, filing an annual scientific research return to the Secretary, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, and submission of audited annual accounts and audited income & expenditure accounts for research activities to the Director General of Income tax (Exemptions), the Secretary, DSIR, and the relevant Commissioner/Director of Income tax (Exemptions), in addition to the return of income to the Assessing Officer.

Section 35(1)(ii) approval requires institutions to maintain separate research accounts and file annual audited research returns.
Central Government approval under clause (ii) of subsection (1) of section 35 classifies the Indian Institute of Health Management Research, Jaipur as an Institution eligible for research-related tax recognition. Conditions require the Institution to maintain separate books for research activities, file an annual scientific research return to the Secretary, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research by 31 May, and submit audited annual accounts and an audited income-and-expenditure account for research to specified tax and departmental authorities by 31 October each year, alongside the return of income to the designated Assessing Officer.

Research institution tax exemption requires separate research accounts and annual audited filings to authorities by prescribed deadlines.
Approval is granted to the Institute of Economic Growth as an institution eligible for tax exemption for scientific research, subject to conditions: maintain separate books for research; file an annual return of scientific research activities to the Secretary, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research by 31 May; and submit audited annual accounts and an audited Income & Expenditure Account for research to the Director General of Income-tax (Exemptions), the Secretary, DSIR, and the Commissioner/Director of Income-tax by 31 October, in addition to filing the return of income to the designated Assessing Officer.

Collective investment scheme definition aligned with statutory meaning, replacing prior regulatory wording and effective on publication.
The amendment substitutes sub regulation (2) of regulation 2 of the 1999 Regulations by providing that the expression "collective investment scheme" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it under the Act, thereby aligning the regulatory definition with the statutory definition; the notification is made under the Act's rulemaking power and comes into force on publication in the Official Gazette.

Approval under section 35: associations must keep separate research accounts and file annual returns plus audited accounts.
Approval is granted to specified organisations as Associations under clause (ii) of sub section (1) of the Income tax Act read with rule 6, subject to conditions: maintain separate books for research activities; furnish an annual return of scientific research activities to the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research by 31 May; and submit audited annual accounts plus audited income and expenditure accounts for research activities to the Director General of Income tax (Exemptions), the Secretary, DSIR, and the relevant Commissioner/Director of Income tax (Exemptions) by 31 October, in addition to the return of income to the assessing officer.

Exemption under section 35AC extended for vocational training and rehabilitation project, preserving its tax exemption eligibility.
The Central Government, invoking sub section (1) read with clause (b) of the Explanation to section 35AC, specifies the Mata Lachmi Rotary Charitable Society project for construction, equipment purchase and running of a vocational training/rehabilitation school for hearing handicapped children at Adipur, Kutch as an eligible project for a further three years from assessment year 2001 2002 at an estimated cost of thirty eight lakhs eighty two thousand.