To shore up its revenues in order to spend more, the government may increase service tax to 16 percent from the current 14 percent, a move that would make many services costlier, according to a report by business news channel CNBC-TV18.

“In addition to the Swachh Bharat Cess of 0.5 percent already levied, sources say the service tax rate is projected to rise by 2 percent to 16 percent,” the channel reported.

If the government does raise the service tax rate, one would have to pay higher for restaurant bills, air tickets, mobile phones, to name a few, as the tax is collected from the end user.

The Swachh Bharat cess of 0.5 percent was levied with effect from 15 November, 2015, on all services that attract service tax.

The government is hard pressed to shore up its revenues for a probable hike in social welfare spending in view of the upcoming state assembly polls in Kerala, Puducherry, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam, which are crucial for the ruling BJP at the Centre to increase its tally in the Rajya Sabha.

On Wednesday, the government estimated a shortfall of about Rs 40,000 crore in direct tax collections, though it said that the same would be managed by a rise in indirect tax collections. The total taxes collected stood at Rs 10.66 lakh crore, 73.5 percent of the budgeted estimates of Rs 14.49 lakh crore for FY2016, it said in a statement.

The government has utilised the fall in crude oil prices to raise excise duty on petrol and diesel during the past three months to mop up an additional Rs 17,000 crore during the current fiscal.

The Union Budget for FY2016-2017 will be presented by union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Feb. 29, 2016. The budget session of Parliament commences on Feb. 23, 2016.

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SWACHH BHARAT KOSH OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES
1. Short Title and Commencement:

These will be called Swachh Bharat Kosh Operational Guidelines, 2014 and will come into force with immediate effect.

2. Objective of Setting-up the Fund (Kosh):
Individuals and philanthropists have expressed interest in contributing to efforts to achieve the objective of Clean India (Swachh Bharat) by the year 2019. The Swachh Bharat Kosh has been set up to facilitate channelization of philanthropic contributions and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds towards this cause.

3. Governing Council:
The Swachh Bharat Kosh (henceforth called Kosh) would be administered by a Governing Council chaired by Secretary, Department of Expenditure. Other Permanent members will be Secretary (Planning), Secretary (Drinking Water and Sanitation), Secretary (Urban Development), Secretary (Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation), Secretary (Rural Development), Secretary (Panchayati Raj) and Secretary (School Education and Literacy). Departmental Secretaries from Tourism, Culture or any other department would be invited as and when their proposals are being deliberated.

4. Secretariat:
The Governing Council would be assisted by a division to be set up in the     Department of Expenditure, which will serve as its secretariat, headed by an
Administrator, at the Joint Secretary level.

5. Bank Account & Receipt of Contribution:

a) Contributions from companies and philanthropists shall be received in a single bank account opened in the State Bank of India, Central Secretariat Branch, North Block, New Delhi. The bank account will be operated jointly by the Administrator and the Chief Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Finance.
b) Donations into the Kosh may be made through online payments through net banking, or by debit and credit cards or Cheque/Demand Draft.
c) The donor would receive an automated, digitally signed receipt of the contributions. Besides, the following mode of acknowledgement with regard to receipt of donations will be adopted.

http://finmin.nic.in/the_ministry/dept_expenditure/swachhbharat/SWK_Operational_Guidelines2014.pdf

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Cabinet Secretary Ajith Seth has asked the Central Government employees to come to office on October 2, which happens to be the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, and a national holiday, and tidy up the office premises. A circular to this effect will be sent to all the Central Government offices soon.

As part of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Swachh Bharat’ (Clean India) mission, all Central Government employees have been asked to report on duty on October 2, and take a pledge of cleanliness. The circular has already been sent to the secretaries of various departments.

Cabinet Secretary Ajith Seth explained, “During his Independence Day speech on August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the ‘Swachh Bharat’ mission. He is all set to begin the campaign on October 2.

As part of the campaign, all Central Government employees are to attend the office on October 2 to take the pledge of cleanliness. Prior to the campaign, all concerned Central Government officials have been intimated to clean up the office premises.

Seth has said that all the Central Government departments will have to participate without fail in the ‘Swachh Bharat’ mission.

Source: CG Staff News

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