The Income-Tax Act The Income tax Act 1961 is the charging statute of Income Tax in India. It provides for levy, administration, collection and recovery of Income Tax. The Government of India brought a draft statute called the "Direct Taxes Code" intended to replace the Income Tax Act,1961 and the Wealth Tax Act, 1957. However the bill was later scrapped. Income tax of India is governed by Entry 82 of the Union List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, empowering the central government to tax non-agricultural income; agricultural income is defined in Section 10(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961. Income-tax law consists of the 1961 act, Income Tax Rules 1962, Notifications and Circulars issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), annual Finance Acts, and judicial pronouncements by the Supreme and high courts. Tax Benefits Exemption: One need not pay any tax on such income. Interest income on PPF and REC tax-free bonds is fully exempt from tax. Deducti...