News Agencies to get service tax exemption

NEW DELHI - Union Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday announced news agencies, which fulfil certain criteria, are proposed to be exempted from payment of service tax.

“Accredited news agencies which provide news feed online attract service tax,” said Mukherjee while presenting the 2010-11 budget in the Lok Sabha today.

“Acknowledging the yeoman services of such news agencies in disseminating news, I propose to exempt such news agencies that meet certain criteria,” said Mukherjee.