New Delhi, Aug 22: The government is set to ban cash transactions over Rs 3 lakh as it seeks to clamp down on black money in the economy following recommendations from the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team.
The government, however, is yet to decide on the SIT's other proposal to bar cash holdings over Rs 15 lakh due to opposition from trade and industry, sources said. "There are concerns that this will result in harassment by tax officials," an officer said.
The Rs 3 lakh-limit is aimed to ensure that transactions are made using credit or debit cards, cheques or drafts which can be easily tracked. Despite the crackdown on unaccounted money, authorities continue to unearth several transactions involving purchase of jewellery or even cars in all-cash deals.
The finance ministry is also trying to promote use of plastic money and recently did away with transaction charges+ for government services. In the past, businesses have cited payments to workers, especially smaller players, to justify large cash holdings. But the argument is seen to have become weak in the wake of a spurt in number of bank accounts, especially after Jan Dhan was launched two years ago.
The government has already initiated several steps, including banning cash advance of more than Rs 20,000 for property transactions. The move came after income tax raids revealed unaccounted cash was often attributed to "recently concluded property transactions". A similar limit has been placed on repayment of bank loans. The SIT had suggested the twin moves citing examples of countries such as France and Italy, that allow transactions up to a certain limit.
The panel argued that cash transactions of over Rs 20,000 were rampant and often tax was not being deducted at source as prescribed under the law. "Question of levying penalty will arise only when such transaction comes to knowledge of I-T department because it is difficult to find out or locate the same," the SIT said in its report.
The kidnapped schoolboy was rescued by the police and reunited with his parents. Son of a gift shop owner from Basavanagudi area in Bengaluru, Chirag has reportedly told police that decided to make some quick money to spend on cricket betting and gambling after learning kidnap tricks from the ‘Crime Patrol’. According to police, Chirag reached a private school around 3pm on Tuesday on a Bounce rental bike and zeroed in on a fourth standard student who was walking out of school. He told the boy he was his father's friend and that he required help to search for a relative who had gone missing. The boy believed Chirag and rode pillion on the bike. Chirag then engaged the boy in conversation and learnt about his father's business and got his mobile phone number. He then made a call to the boy's father, demanded Rs 5 lakh and warned him against approaching cops. However, the boy's father alerted Cottonpet police and special teams were formed to crack the case. While Cottonpet inspector Venkatesh TC's squad verified CCTV footage in and around the school, Chamarajpet inspector BG Kumaraswamy's team started tracking the suspect's mobile phone movements. An hour later, the suspect's location was traced to a hotel on the Lavelle Road-St Mark's Road stretch. Police rushed there, rescued the boy and arrested Chirag.
Comments
Arvind Delhi....well said... Even Santosh Hegde does not speak on such matters.... He closes his eyes on such issues.....
Good job! It can reduce cow trafficking by Sangh Pariwars in considerable amount....3 lakhs is too much, that should be reduced to Rs. 20,000
Only in media... cheddis never bring it. it will effect . Same stories like 15 lakhs?
why 3 laks.... make it 50,000.....It seems that sanghis have lot of black money and so they are giving more and more time to make it black.....
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