Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS)

AIM: To encourage the savings of the small investors in domestic capital market.

Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS) is a new equity tax advantage savings scheme for equity investors in India. The scheme got it’s approval on September 21, 2012. It is exclusively for the first time retail investors in securities market.

The investors who invest up to Rs.50,000 in ‘Eligible Securities’ and have gross total annual income less than or equal to Rs.10 Lakhs will benefit from a new section 80CCG under the Income Tax Act, 1961 on ‘Deduction in respect of investment under an equity savings scheme’ has been introduced to give tax benefits.

Example:
Let us say, you invest Rs.50,000 under RGESS, the amount eligible for tax deduction from your income will be Rs.25,000. Alternatively, if you invest Rs.40,000 under RGESS, the amount eligible for tax deduction will be Rs.20,000. So you may save about Rs.2,575, Rs.5,150 for income tax slabs 10% and 20% respectively under this scheme.

Eligiblity Criteria

• Resident Individual
• Annual Income < =Rs. 10 lakh
• If Demat Account already Opened, No transactions in Equity or F&O
  

The tax deduction under RGESS shall be available to a new retail investor whose gross total income for the financial year (1 April to 31 March) in which the investment is made under the Scheme is less than or equal to 10 lakh rupees.

A new retail investor is defined as follows:

• Any resident Individual who has not opened a demat account and has not made any transactions in the equity or derivative segment as on the date of notification of the scheme i.e., November 23, 2012. OR
• Any resident Individual who has opened a demat account as a first holder, but has not transacted in the equity or derivate segment till November 23, 2012. OR
• Any resident Individual who has a demat account as a joint holder.

Lock In Period

The eligible securities brought into the demat account will be automatically locked-in from the date of investment till one year from the date of last purchase of RGESS eligible securities. This period is called ‘Fixed Lock-in’ during which you cannot pledge or sell these securities.

• Holding Period = 3 Years
• Fixed lock-in Period = 1 Year from the date of credit
• Flexible lock-in Period = 2 Years from the end of Fixed lock in period

During subsequent two years called as Flexible Lock-in, you can sell and buy RGESS securities. However, you will have to maintain the value of RGESS investment for cumulative period of 270 days during each of these two years.

Example:

Let us say, you have purchased eligible securities worth Rs. 50,000 in a RGESS designated demat account on December 31, 2012. The eligible securities will be in ‘Fixed lock-in’ till December 30, 2013 and for flexible lock-in till December 30, 2015.

In case you do not wish to claim tax deduction on a security, then a declaration in the prescribed format (Form B) should be submitted within one month from the date of credit to the DP.

Your demat account that was designated for RGESS will be converted into a regular or ordinary demat account at the end of the flexible lock-in period.

 Illustration of RGESS lock-in period if investments are brought in at once.

Maximum Investment Limit

There is no cap on the amount of investment in RGESS eligible securities. However, Income Tax Deduction benefits under the scheme will be available for a maximum investment amount of Rs.50000. This deduction benefit is available only in the year of investment.

Mode of Holding

RGESS eligible securities  must be held in dematerialised mode only.

The illustration for the Tax benefits is as below