Case: Cit Vs. M/S Meghalaya Steels Ltd

3. This group of appeals arises from the State of Meghalaya and concerns deductions to be made under Sections 80-IB and 80-IC of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Civil Appeal No.7622 of 2014 has been treated as the lead matter in which a judgment of the Gauhati High Court dated 29.5.2013 has been delivered, which has been followed in all the other appeals.4. Civil Appeal No.7622 of 2014 concerns itself with two income tax appeals filed by the Revenue against the judgment of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, ITA No.7/2010 arising out of the applicability of Section 80-IB, and ITA No.16/2011 arising out of the applicability of Section 80-IC. For the purpose of these matters, the facts in ITA No.7/2010 are narrated hereinbelow.5. The respondent is engaged in the business of manufacture of Steel and Ferro Silicon. On 9.10.2014, the Respondent submitted its return of income for the year 2004-2005 disclosing an income of Rs.2,06,970/- after claiming deduction under Section 80-IB of the Income Tax Act on the profits and gains of business of the respondent?s industrial undertaking. The respondent had received the following amounts on account of subsidies:-Transport subsidyRs.2,64,94,817.00Interest subsidyRs.2,14,569.00Power subsidyRs.7,00,000.00TotalRs.2,74,09,386.006. The Assessing Officer, in the assessment order dated 7.12.2006, held that the amounts received by the assessee as subsidies were revenue receipts and did not qualify for deduction under Section 80-IB(4) of the Act and, accordingly, the respondent?s claim for deduction of an amount of Rs.2,74,09,386/- on account of the three subsidies aforementioned were disallowed. The respondent-assessee preferred an appeal before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), Guwahati, who, vide his order dated 8.3.2007, dismissed the appeal of the respondent. Aggrieved by the aforesaid order, the respondent preferred an appeal before the ITAT which, by its order dated 19.3.2010, allowed the appeal of the respondent. The Revenue carried the matter thereafter to the High Court, under Section 260A of the Act, which resulted in the impugned judgment dated 29.5.2013, which decided the matter against the Revenue. Revenue is therefore before us in appeal against this judgment.

Court's reasoning:
10. There is no dispute between the parties that the businesses referred to in Section 80-IB are businesses which are eligible businesses under both the aforesaid Sections. The parties have only locked horns on the meaning of the expression ?any profits and gains derived from any business?.We are of the view that the judgment in Merino Ply & Chemicals Ltd. and the recent judgment of the Calcutta High Court have correctly appreciated the legaljudgment in Jai Bhagwan case (supra) is helpful on the nature of a transport subsidy scheme, which is described asobject of the Transport Subsidy Scheme is not augmentation of revenue, by levy and collection of tax or duty. The object of the Scheme is to improve trade and commerce between the remote parts of the country with other parts, so as to bring about economic development of remote backward regions. This was sought to be achieved by the Scheme, by making it feasible and attractive to industrial entrepreneurs to start and run industries in remote parts, by giving them a level playing field so that they could compete with their counterparts in central (non-remote) areas.The huge transportation cost for getting the raw materials to the industrial unit and finished goods to the existing market outside the state, was making it unviable for industries in remote parts of the country to compete with industries in central areas. Therefore, industrial units in remote areas were extended the benefit of subsidized transportation. For industrial units in Assam and other northeastern States, the benefit was given in the form of a subsidy in respect of a percentage of the cost of transportation between a point in central area (Siliguri in West Bengal) and the actual location of the industrial unit in the remote area, so that the industry could become competitive and economically viable.? (Paras 14 andThe decision in Sahney Steel and Press Works Ltd. v. Commissioner of Income Tax, A.P. - I, Hyderabad (1997) 7 SCC 764 , dealt with subsidy received from the State Government in the form of refund of sales tax paid on raw materials, machinery, and finished goods; subsidy on power consumed by the industry; and exemption from water rate. It was held that such subsidies were treated as assistance given for the purpose of carrying on the business of the assessee.A Delhi High Court judgment was also cited before us being CIT v. Dharampal Premchand Ltd., 317 ITR 353 from which an SLP preferred in the Supreme Court was dismissed. This judgment also concerned itself with Section 80-IB of the Act, in which it was held that refund of excise duty should not be excluded in arriving at the profit derived from business for the purpose of claiming deduction under Section 80-IB of theRadhakrishnan is not correct in his submission that assistance by way of subsidies which are reimbursed on the incurring of costs relatable to a business, are under the head ?income from other sources?, which is a residuary head of income that can be availed only if income does not fall under any of the other four heads of income. Section 28(iii)(b) specifically states that income from cash assistance, by whatever name called, received or receivable by any person against exports under any scheme of the Government of India, will be income chargeable to income tax under the head ?profits and gains of business or profession?. If cash assistance received or receivable against exports schemes are included as being income under the head ?profits and gains of business or profession?, it is obvious that subsidies which go to reimbursement of cost in the production of goods of a particular business would also have to be included under the head ?profits and gains of business or profession?, and not under the head ?income from other sources?.29. For the reasons given by us, we are of the view that the Gauhati, Calcutta and Delhi High Courts have correctly construed Sections 80-IB and 80-IC. The Himachal Pradesh High Court, having wrongly interpreted the judgments in Sterling Foods and Liberty India to arrive at the opposite conclusion, is held to be wrongly decided for the reasons given by us