Capital Gain Bonds

Under Section 54 EC of Income Tax, 1961 an investor need not pay any tax on any long-term capital gains arising on sale of any asset, if the amounts of capital gains are invested in certain specified bonds. Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) & National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are permitted to issue capital gains bonds under Section 54 EC.

Some key features of Section 54 EC bonds are:

• AAA rated
• Interest is taxable although no TDS is deducted
• Lock-in of 5 years and non- transferable
• Minimum investment-1 Bond amounting to ` 10,000/- and maximum investment-500 Bonds amounting to ` 50 lakhs in a financial year
• Rate of Interest 5.75% p.a. payable annually
• Bonds can be held in Demat /Physical Form
• Facility of Payment of Interest and Redemption through NECS
• The Bonds will automatically redeem after expiry of three years

REC Capital Gains Bonds

• Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC), a NAVRATNA Central Public Sector Enterprise under Ministry of Power, was incorporated on July 25, 1969 under the Companies Act 1956
• REC a listed Public Sector Enterprise Government of India with a net worth of Rs. 17,454.38 Crore as on 31.03.13
• Its main objective is to finance and promote rural electrification projects all over the country. It provides financial assistance to State Electricity Boards, State Government Departments and Rural Electric Cooperatives for rural electrification projects as are sponsored by them
• REC provides loan assistance to SEBs/State Power Utilities for investments in rural electrification schemes through its Corporate Office located at New Delhi and 20 field units, which are located in most of the States
• The Project Offices in the States coordinate the programmes of REC’s financing with the concerned SEBs/State Power Utilities and facilitate in formulation of schemes, loan sanction and disbursement and implementation of schemes by the concerned SEBs/State Power Utilities

NHAI Capital Gain Bonds:

• The National Highways Authority of India was constituted by an act of Parliament, the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988
• It is responsible for the development, maintenance and management of National Highways entrusted to it and for matters connected or incidental thereto
• The Authority was operationalized in February, 1995 with the appointment of full time Chairman and other Members