Section 35AC — Expenditure on eligible projects or schemes…

Function in the statutory architecture

Statutory text — Income-tax Act, 1961

Expenditure on eligible projects or schemes.

35AC. (1) Where an assessee incurs any expenditure by way of payment of any sum to a public sector

company or a local authority or to an association or institution approved by the National Committee for

carrying out any eligible project or scheme, the assessee shall, subject to the provisions of this section, be

allowed a deduction of the amount of such expenditure incurred during the previous year :

Provided that a company may, for claiming the deduction under this sub-section, incur expenditure either by

way of payment of any sum as aforesaid or directly on the eligible project or scheme.

(2) The deduction under sub-section (1) shall not be allowed unless the assessee furnishes along with his

return of income a certificate—

(a) where the payment is to a public sector company or a local authority or an association or institution

referred to in sub-section (1), from such public sector company or local authority or, as the case

may be, association or institution;

(b) in any other case, from an accountant, as defined in the Explanation below sub-section (2) of

section 288,

in such form, manner and containing such particulars (including particulars relating to the progress in the

work relating to the eligible project or scheme during the previous year) as may be prescribed.

Explanation.—The deduction, to which the assessee is entitled in respect of any sum paid to a public sector

company or a local authority or to an association or institution for carrying out the eligible project or scheme

referred to in this section applies, shall not be denied merely on the ground that subsequent to the payment

of such sum by the assessee,—

(a) the approval granted to such association or institution has been withdrawn; or

(b) the notification notifying the eligible project or scheme carried out by the public sector company or

local authority or association or institution has been withdrawn.

(3) Where a deduction under this section is claimed and allowed for any assessment year in respect of any

expenditure referred to in sub-section (1), deduction shall not be allowed in respect of such expenditure

under any other provision of this Act for the same or any other assessment year.

(4) Where an association or institution is approved by the National Committee under sub-section (1), and

subsequently—

(i) that the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax (Exemption) or the Chief Commissioner of

Income-tax (Exemption) is satisfied that the project or the scheme is not being carried on in

accordance with all or any of the conditions subject to which approval was granted; or

(ii) such association or institution, to which approval has been granted, has not furnished to the

Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax (Exemption) or the Chief Commissioner of

Income-tax (Exemption), after the end of each financial year, a report in such form and setting

forth such particulars and within such time as may be prescribed,

the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax (Exemption) or the Chief Commissioner of Income-tax

(Exemption) may, at any time, after giving a reasonable opportunity of showing cause against the proposed

withdrawal to the concerned association or institution, withdraw the approval:

Provided that a copy of the order withdrawing the approval shall be forwarded by the Principal Chief

Commissioner of Income-tax (Exemption) or the Chief Commissioner of Income-tax (Exemption) to the

Assessing Officer having jurisdiction over the concerned association or institution.

(5) Where any project or scheme has been notified as an eligible project or scheme under clause (b) of the

Explanation, and subsequently—

(i) the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax (Exemption) or the Chief Commissioner of

Income-tax (Exemption) is satisfied that the project or the scheme is not being carried on in

accordance with all or any of the conditions subject to which such project or scheme was notified;

(ii) a report in respect of such eligible project or scheme has not been furnished after the end of each

financial year, in such form and setting forth such particulars and within such time as may be

prescribed,

such notification may be withdrawn in the same manner in which it was issued:

Provided that a reasonable opportunity of showing cause against the proposed withdrawal shall be given by

the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax (Exemption) or the Chief Commissioner of Income-tax

(Exemption) to the concerned association, institution, public sector company or local authority, as the case

may be:

Provided further that a copy of the notification by which the notification of the eligible project or scheme

is withdrawn shall be forwarded to the Assessing Officer having jurisdiction over the concerned association,

institution, public sector company or local authority, as the case may be, carrying on such eligible project or

scheme.

(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provision of this Act, where—

(i) the approval of the National Committee, granted to an association or institution, is withdrawn

under sub-section (4) or the notification in respect of eligible project or scheme is withdrawn in the

case of a public sector company or local authority or an association or institution under sub-section

(5); or

(ii) a company has claimed deduction under the proviso to sub-section (1) in respect of any

expenditure incurred directly on the eligible project or scheme and the approval for such project or

scheme is withdrawn by the National Committee or the Principal Chief Commissioner of

Income-tax (Exemption) or the Chief Commissioner of Income-tax (Exemption), as the case may

be under sub-section (5),

the total amount of the payment received by the public sector company or the local authority or the

association or the institution, as the case may be, in respect of which such company or authority or

association or institution has furnished a certificate referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (2) or the

deduction claimed by a company under the proviso to sub-section (1) shall be deemed to be the income of

such company or authority or association or institution, as the case may be, for the previous year in which

such approval or notification is withdrawn and tax shall be charged on such income at the maximum

marginal rate in force for that year.

(7) No deduction under this section shall be allowed in respect of any assessment year commencing on or

after the 1st day of April, 2018.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section,—

(a) "National Committee" means the Committee constituted by the Central Government, from amongst

persons of eminence in public life, in accordance with the rules made under this Act;

(b) "eligible project or scheme" means such project or scheme for promoting the social and economic

welfare of, or the uplift of, the public as the Central Government may, by notification in the

Official Gazette, specify in this behalf on the recommendations of the National Committee.

Function in the statutory architecture

Expenditure on eligible projects approved by National Committee (sunset by FA 2017).

Historical context / FA amendment trail

Substantively stable / sunset by Finance Act; see source-block FA-amendment trail (where applicable).

Operative consequences

• Operates within the Chapter IV-D PGBP computational framework.

• Cross-references operative companion sections.

← ITA 1961 hub

Income-tax Act, 1961	Income-tax Act, 2025 / Allied Sources
s. 35AC — Expenditure on eligible projects approved by National Committee (sunset by FA 2017).	Corresponding provision in the 2025 Act preserves the same framework where the section remains operative; superseded for omitted sections.