Amendment of section 17.
13. In section 17 of the Income-tax Act, in clause (2), for sub-clause (vii), the following sub-clauses shall be substituted with effect from the 1st day of April, 2021, namely:––
“(vii) the amount or the aggregate of amounts of any contribution made to the account of the assessee by the employer––
(a) in a recognised provident fund;
(b) in the scheme referred to in sub-section (1) of section 80CCD; and
(c) in an approved superannuation fund,
to the extent it exceeds seven lakh and fifty thousand rupees in a previous year;
(viia) the annual accretion by way of interest, dividend or any other amount of similar nature during the previous year to the balance at the credit of the fund or scheme referred to in sub-clause (vii) to the extent it relates to the contribution referred to in the said sub-clause which is included in total income under the said sub-clause in any previous year computed in such manner as may be prescribed; and”.
Notes on Clauses:
Clause 13 of the Bill seeks to amend section 17 of the Income-tax Act relating to “salary”, “perquisite” and “profits in lieu of salary” defined.
Sub-clause (vii) of clause (2) of the said section provides that the amount of any contribution to an approved superannuation fund by the employer in respect of the assessee, shall be treated as perquisite to the extent it exceeds one lakh and fifty thousand rupees.
It is proposed to amend the provisions of clause (2) of the said section so as to substitute sub-clause (vii) of the said clause to provide that the amount or the aggregate amounts of any contribution made by the employer in respect of the assessee, to the account of an assessee in a recognised provident fund; in the scheme referred to in subsection (1) of section 80CCD; and in an approved superannuation fund shall be treated as perquisite, to the extent it exceeds seven lakh and fifty thousand rupees in a previous year.
It is further proposed to insert a new sub-clause (viia) in the said clause (2) so as to provide that annual accretion by way of interest, dividend or any other amount of similar nature during the previous year to the balance at the credit of the fund or scheme referred to in sub-clause (vii) may also be treated as perquisite to the extent it relates to the contribution referred to in the said new sub-clause (vii), which is included in total income and shall be computed in the prescribed manner.
These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2021 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2021-2022 and subsequent assessment years.
