Deduction under section 80CCG (Investment in Rajiv Ghandi Equity saving scheme) to be discontinued From A.Y 2018-19 – Budget 2017

Under the existing provisions of section 80CCG, deduction for three consecutive assessment years is allowed upto Rs. 25,000 to a resident individual for investment made in listed equity shares or listed units of an equity oriented fund subject to fulfilment of certain conditions. This deduction was introduced vide Finance Act, 2012.

However considering the fact that limited number of individuals availed this deduction and also to rationalize the multiplicity of deductions available under Chapter VI-A of the Act, it is proposed to phase out this deduction by providing that no deduction under section 80CCG shall be allowed from assessment year 2018-19.

However, an assessee who has claimed deduction under this section for assessment year 2017-18 and earlier assessment years shall be allowed deduction under this section till the assessment year 2019-20 if he is otherwise eligible to claim the deduction as per the provisions of this section.

This amendment will apply from 1^st April 2017 and apply in relation to previous year 2017-18.