Government clarifies who needs a tax clearance certificate for overseas travel
Bengaluru: The Ministry of Finance has issued a clarification regarding the requirement of obtaining a tax clearance certificate (ITCC) for Indian nationals traveling abroad, addressing recent misinformation. Contrary to some reports, not all Indian citizens need to secure an ITCC before leaving the country, according to a press release from the Press Information Bureau dated August 20, 2024.
The clarification follows an amendment introduced in the Union Budget 2024 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, which requires individuals domiciled in India to clear all tax dues and obtain a "clearance certificate" before relocating abroad. However, the finance ministry has now clarified that this requirement does not apply universally to all individuals.
As per Section 230 of the Income-tax Act, only certain individuals must obtain an ITCC. Specifically, this applies to those involved in serious financial irregularities where their presence is necessary for investigations under the Income-tax Act or Wealth-tax Act, or if they have outstanding direct tax arrears exceeding Rs. 10 lakh that have not been stayed by any authority.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) emphasized that the requirement for an ITCC is triggered only in these specific circumstances and must be supported by recorded reasons and approval from the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax or the Chief Commissioner of Income-tax.
In summary, Indian residents are required to obtain an ITCC under Section 230(1A) of the Act only in rare situations, such as involvement in significant financial irregularities or having substantial unresolved tax demands.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
