From the Newsroom: Govt extends ITR filing deadline for third time; farmers' meet with Centre makes no headway

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, Govt extends the ITR filing deadline for the third time; the government-farmers’ meet makes no headway; The coronavirus-induced suspension of scheduled international passenger flights has been extended till January 31 and European Union and Chinese leaders meet to approve a major investment pact.

Here are the top news of December 30, 2020:

The government on Wednesday offered to set up a committee on better implementation of the MSP procurement system and also put on hold proposed laws on electricity charges and stubble burning penal provisions, but union leaders stuck to their main demand of the repeal of three contentious farm laws as their sixth round of negotiations continued for more than four hours.

The meeting between three union ministers and a 41-member representative group of thousands of farmers protesting against three farm laws on borders of the national capital saw the two sides breaking the bread, but not the ice.

While the ministers joined the farmer leaders to share their langar (community kitchen) food during the lunch break, the union representatives accepted the beverage offered by the government during the evening tea break.

Extending the deadline for the third time, the government on Wednesday allowed individuals to file income tax returns for the 2019-20 fiscal till January 10.

The deadline for companies and individuals who need to get their accounts audited too has been extended by 15 days till February 15, the finance ministry said in a statement.
The due date for filing income tax returns (ITR) by individuals and companies was December 31, 2020, and January 31, 2021, respectively.

The coronavirus-induced suspension of scheduled international passenger flights has been extended till January 31, aviation regulator DGCA said on Wednesday.
"However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation added.

European Union and Chinese leaders meet by videoconference Wednesday to approve a major investment pact that Brussels hopes will open up lucrative opportunities despite concerns about Beijing's rights record.

The EU said its chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel will talk with China's President Xi Jinping to "conclude in principle the negotiations" on the accord, after seven years of painstaking bargaining.