Income-tax Act, 1961 | Infrastructure tax incentives
Section 80-IA: Deduction for Infrastructure, Power and Other Eligible Businesses
Section 80-IA of the Income-tax Act, 1961 provided profit-linked deductions for specified infrastructure enterprises and undertakings, including certain roads, ports, water systems, power projects, telecommunications services and industrial parks. Its benefit depended on the precise category, commencement date, ownership and contractual conditions, as well as audit and profit-computation rules.
What is Section 80-IA?
Under Section 80-IA(1), where gross total income included profits and gains derived from a business covered by subsection (4), an eligible assessee could deduct 100% of the qualifying profits for ten consecutive assessment years, subject to the specific rules for telecommunications and other conditions. The deduction was based on eligible business profits, not capital invested or gross turnover. Section 80-IA has a different scope from Section 80-I and Section 80-IAB.
Businesses historically covered under Section 80-IA(4)
Infrastructure facilities - Section 80-IA(4)(i)
Qualifying infrastructure included roads (including toll roads), bridges, rail systems, highway projects with integral housing or other activities, water supply and treatment, irrigation, sanitation, sewerage, solid waste management, ports, airports, inland waterways, inland ports and navigational channels in the sea. The enterprise generally needed the specified Indian ownership or statutory-body status, a qualifying agreement with a government, local authority or statutory body, and satisfaction of the commencement and operating conditions.
Important cut-off: The uploaded statutory provision expressly excludes an enterprise that starts development or operation and maintenance of an infrastructure facility on or after 1 April 2017. This does not automatically terminate an otherwise valid deduction period of a project that qualified under the earlier commencement rules.
Telecommunications - Section 80-IA(4)(ii)
The provision covered specified basic and cellular telecommunications, radio paging, domestic satellite, trunking, broadband and internet services where services commenced from 1 April 1995 through 31 March 2005. The historical special rate was 100% for the first five qualifying assessment years and 30% for the next five.
Industrial parks and special economic zones - Section 80-IA(4)(iii)
Notified industrial parks and certain special economic zones were covered subject to the notified scheme, applicable commencement windows and transfer conditions. For industrial parks, the historical commencement window was extended to 31 March 2011. Section 80-IA(13) excluded special economic zones notified on or after 1 April 2005 under the specified scheme. Separate provisions, including Section 80-IAB, may be relevant to other SEZ development claims.
Power generation, transmission and distribution - Section 80-IA(4)(iv)
Specified power undertakings were covered for generation, generation and distribution, new transmission or distribution networks, and substantial renovation and modernisation of existing networks, within the respective statutory windows. The uploaded provision identifies 31 March 2017 as the end of the relevant commencement windows. For substantial renovation and modernisation, the historical definition required an increase of at least 50% of the 1 April 2004 book value of plant and machinery in the network.
Revival of power generating plants - Section 80-IA(4)(v)
A narrowly defined category concerned an Indian company formed with majority public-sector equity participation for lender-enforcement purposes, subject to notification and specified dates. This was not a general deduction for any power-plant renovation.
Deduction rate and period
| Eligible business | Historical deduction | Timing framework |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying infrastructure, power and industrial parks | 100% of eligible profits for 10 consecutive assessment years | Generally a chosen 10-year period within 15 years; certain infrastructure facilities had a 20-year option window |
| Qualifying telecommunications | 100% for first 5 years, then 30% for next 5 years | Subject to the election window and commencement restrictions |
| New infrastructure commencing on or after 1 April 2017 | No Section 80-IA benefit under the quoted infrastructure commencement exclusion | Earlier qualifying projects require year-specific examination |
The assessee's election of the initial assessment year was governed by subsection (2), and the eligibility period cannot be restarted merely by reorganising a business. Always apply the version of the statute and relevant notifications for the assessment year in dispute.
Major eligibility and compliance conditions
- Qualifying business: The profits must be derived from a category specified in subsection (4), not merely from an associated or incidental activity.
- Formation and machinery: Specified undertakings were restricted from being formed by splitting up or reconstruction of an existing business or transferring previously used plant and machinery, subject to statutory exceptions.
- 20% used-machinery tolerance: The statutory explanation treated the machinery condition as met where transferred used machinery did not exceed 20% of total plant and machinery value.
- Separate profit computation: Under subsection (5), the eligible business was treated as the only source of income for the specified computation period.
- Audit: Subsection (7) required an accountant's audit of eligible undertaking accounts and the prescribed audit report in the manner applicable to the relevant year.
- Inter-unit transfers: Subsection (8) required goods and services transferred between eligible and other businesses to be valued at market value, with arm's-length rules where applicable.
- Related-party arrangements: Subsection (10) empowered adjustment where close connections or arrangements produced more than ordinary profits.
- No double deduction: Subsection (9) restricted deductions for the same profits under other income-linked Chapter VI-A provisions.
- Works contracts: The statutory Explanation excluded a business in the nature of a works contract awarded by another person and executed by the undertaking or enterprise.
Infrastructure developer versus works contractor
One of the most significant distinctions is whether the enterprise undertook qualifying infrastructure development or merely executed a works contract awarded by another party. The label in a contract alone is not decisive: the underlying rights, obligations, risks, project agreements and applicable judicial interpretations matter. The statutory works-contract exclusion must be considered for the relevant assessment year.
Example of Section 80-IA deduction calculation
Suppose a historically eligible power undertaking has Rs. 1.8 crore in profits after the required eligible-business adjustments for an assessment year within its valid ten-year deduction period. At a 100% rate, the preliminary Section 80-IA deduction would be Rs. 1.8 crore, subject to gross total income, loss computation, audit compliance, other restrictions and the law applicable to that year. A receipt from a non-eligible activity cannot simply be added to eligible profits.
Amalgamation, demerger and older assessments
Subsections (12) and (12A) addressed deductions following transfers under amalgamation or demerger, including a restriction for transfers on or after 1 April 2007. A claim involving corporate restructuring requires careful review of the transaction date, applicable law and judicial decisions. Earlier deductions can also be affected by related-party adjustments and restrictions on overlapping deductions.
Section 80-IA and the Income-tax Act, 2025
For tax years governed by the Income-tax Act, 2025, consult that Act and its schedules and transitional provisions rather than assuming that Section 80-IA of the repealed 1961 framework can be claimed unchanged. The earlier law remains relevant when examining historic assessments, notices, appeals, deductions already claimed and saving provisions. This article does not assert an unverified new section number or an automatic continuation of the incentive.
Original Section 80-IA text and legislative amendment notes
The following reproduces the statutory text and legislative notes from the original webpage as historical source material. It is not certified as the latest consolidated law. Footnote numbering and drafting irregularities in the uploaded source have been retained for traceability; consult authoritative legislation for exact wording.
Read original statutory provisions and amendment notes
1 ,2 (1) Where the gross total income of an assessee includes any profits and gains derived by an undertaking or an enterprise from any business referred to in sub-section (4) (such business being hereinafter referred to as the eligible business), there shall, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this section, be allowed, in computing the total income of the assessee, a deduction of an amount equal to hundred per cent. of the profits and gains derived from such business for ten consecutive assessment years.
(2) The deduction specified in sub-section (1) may, at the option of the assessee, be claimed by him for any ten consecutive assessment years out of fifteen years beginning from the year in which the undertaking or the enterprise develops and begins to operate any infrastructure facility or starts providing telecommunication service or develops an industrial park 3 4 or develops a special economic zone referred to in clause (iii) of sub-section (4) or generates power or commences transmission or distribution of power 5 or undertakes substantial renovation and modernisation of the existing transmission or distribution lines 6 ***:
7 Provided that where the assessee develops or operates and maintains or develops, operates and maintains any infrastructure facility referred to in clause (a) or clause (b) or clause (c) of the Explanation to clause (i) of sub-section (4), the provisions of this sub-section shall have effect as if for the words fifteen years, the words twenty years had been substituted.
8 (2A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the deduction in computing the total income of an undertaking providing telecommunication services, specified in clause (ii) of sub-section (4), shall be hundred per cent of the profits and gains of the eligible business for the first five assessment years commencing at any time during the periods as specified in sub-section (2) and thereafter, thirty per cent of such profits and gains for further five assessment years.
(3) This section applies to 9 an 10 11undertaking referred to in clause (ii) 12or clause (iv) 13*** of sub-section (4) which fulfils all the following conditions, namely:
(i) it is not formed by splitting up, or the reconstruction, of a business already in existence:
Provided that this condition shall not apply in respect of an 10undertaking which is formed as a result of the re-establishment, reconstruction or revival by the assessee of the business of any such 10undertaking as is referred to in section 33B, in the circumstances and within the period specified in that section;
(ii) it is not formed by the transfer to a new business of machinery or plant previously used for any purpose:
14 Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall apply in the case of transfer, either in whole or in part, of machinery or plant previously used by a State Electricity Board referred to in clause (7) of section 2 of the Electricity Act, 2003 (36 of 2003), whether or not such transfer is in pursuance of the splitting up or reconstruction or reorganisation of the Board under Part XIII of that Act.
Explanation 1.For the purposes of clause (ii), any machinery or plant which was used outside India by any person other than the assessee shall not be regarded as machinery or plant previously used for any purpose, if the following conditions are fulfilled, namely :
(a) such machinery or plant was not, at any time previous to the date of the installation by the assessee, used in India;
(b) such machinery or plant is imported into India from any country outside
India; and
(c) no deduction on account of depreciation in respect of such machinery or
plant has been allowed or is allowable under the provisions of this Act in
computing the total income of any person for any period prior to the date of the
installation of machinery or plant by the assessee.
Explanation 2.Where in the case of an 15 undertaking, any machinery or plant or any part thereof previously used for any purpose is transferred to a new business and the total value of the machinery or plant or part so transferred does not exceed twenty per cent of the total value of the machinery or plant used in the business, then, for the purposes of clause (ii) of this sub-section, the condition specified therein shall be deemed to have been complied with.
(4) This section applies to
(i) any enterprise carrying on the business 16 of (i) developing or (ii)
operating and maintaining or (iii) developing, operating and maintaining any
infrastructure facility which fulfils all the following conditions, namely :
(a) it is owned by a company registered in India or by a consortium of such companies 17 or by an authority or a board or a corporation or any other body established or constituted under any Central or State Act:
18 (b) it has entered into an agreement with the Central Government or a State Government or a local authority or any other statutory body for (i) developing or (ii) operating and maintaining or (iii) developing, operating and maintaining a new infrastructure facility;
(c) it has started or starts operating and maintaining the infrastructure facility on or after the 1st day of April, 1995:
Provided that where an infrastructure facility is transferred on or after the 1st day of April, 1999 by an enterprise which developed such infrastructure facility (hereafter referred to in this section as the transferor enterprise) to another enterprise (hereafter in this section referred to as the transferee enterprise) for the purpose of operating and maintaining the infrastructure facility on its behalf in accordance with the agreement with the Central Government, State Government, local authority or statutory body, the provisions of this section shall apply to the transferee enterprise as if it were the enterprise to which this clause applies and the deduction from profits and gains would be available to such transferee enterprise for the unexpired period during which the transferor enterprise would have been entitled to the deduction, if the transfer had not taken place:
19 Provided further that nothing contained in this section shall apply to any enterprise which starts the development or operation and maintenance of the infrastructure facility on or after the 1st day of April, 2017.
20 Explanation. For the purposes of this clause, infrastructure facility means
(a) a road including toll road, a bridge or a rail system;
(b) a highway project including housing or other activities being an integral part of the highway project;
(c) a water supply project, water treatment system, irrigation project, sanitation and sewerage system or solid waste management system;
(d) a port, airport, inland waterway 21 , inland port or navigational channel
in the sea;
22 (ii) any undertaking which has started or starts providing telecommunication
services, whether basic or cellular, including radio paging, domestic satellite
service, network of trunking, broadband network and internet services on or
after the 1st day of April, 1995, but on or before the 23 31st day of March,
2005.
Explanation. For the purposes of this clause, domestic satellite means a satellite owned and operated by an Indian company for providing telecommunication service;
(iii) any undertaking which develops, develops and operates or maintains and
operates an industrial park 24 or special economic zone notified by the Central
Government in accordance with the scheme framed and notified by that Government
for the period beginning on the 1st day of April, 1997 and ending on 25 the 31st
day of March, 2006:
26 Provided that in a case where an undertaking develops an industrial park on
or after the 1st day of April, 1999 or a special economic zone on or after the
1st day of April, 2001 and transfers the operation and maintenance of such
industrial park or such special economic zone, as the case may be, to another
undertaking (hereafter in this section referred to as the transferee
undertaking), the deduction under sub-section (1) shall be allowed to such
transferee undertaking for the remaining period in the ten consecutive
assessment years as if the operation and maintenance were not so transferred to
the transferee undertaking:
27 Provided further that in the case of any undertaking which develops,
develops and operates or maintains and operates an industrial park, the
provisions of this clause shall have effect as if for the figures, letters and
words "31st day of March, 2006", the figures, letters and words 28 31st day of
March, 2011 had been substituted;
(iv) an 29 undertaking which,-
(a) is set up in any part of India for the generation or generation and distribution of power if it begins to generate power at any time during the period beginning on the 1st day of April, 1993 and ending on 30 the 31st day of March, 2017; (b) starts transmission or distribution by laying a network of new transmission or distribution lines at any time during the period beginning on the 1st day of April, 1999 and ending on 3 the 31st day of March, 2017:
Provided that the deduction under this section to an 29 undertaking under sub-clause (b) shall be allowed only in relation to the profits derived from laying of such network of new lines for transmission or distribution;
31 (c) undertakes substantial renovation and modernisation of the existing network of transmission or distribution lines at any time during the period beginning on the 1st day of April, 2004 and ending on 30 the 31st day of March, 2017.
Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-clause, "substantial renovation and modernisation" means an increase in the plant and machinery in the network of transmission or distribution lines by at least fifty per cent of the book value of such plant and machinery as on the 1st day of April, 2004;
32 (v) an undertaking owned by an Indian company and set up for reconstruction or revival of a power generating plant, if-
(a) such Indian company is formed before the 30th day of November, 2005 with majority equity participation by public sector companies for the purposes of enforcing the security interest of the lenders to the company owning the power generating plant and such Indian company is notified before the 31st day of December, 2005 by the Central Government for the purposes of this clause;
(b) such undertaking begins to generate or transmit or distribute power before 33 the 31st day of March, 2011;
34 * * * * *
(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provision of this Act, the profits and gains of an eligible business to which the provisions of sub-section (1) apply shall, for the purposes of determining the quantum of deduction under that sub-section for the assessment year immediately succeeding the initial assessment year or any subsequent assessment year, be computed as if such eligible business were the only source of income of the assessee during the previous year relevant to the initial assessment year and to every subsequent assessment year up to and including the assessment year for which the determination is to be made.
(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (4), where housing or other activities are an integral part of the highway project and the profits of which are computed on such basis and manner as may be prescribed, such profit shall not be liable to tax where the profit has been transferred to a special reserve account and the same is actually utilised for the highway project excluding housing and other activities before the expiry of three years following the year in which such amount was transferred to the reserve account; and the amount remaining unutilised shall be chargeable to tax as income of the year in which such transfer to reserve account took place.
(7) 35 The deduction under sub-section (1) from profits and gains derived from an 36 undertaking shall not be admissible unless the accounts of the 36 undertaking for the previous year relevant to the assessment year for which the deduction is claimed have been audited by an accountant, as defined in the Explanation below sub-section (2) of section 288, and the assessee furnishes, along with his return of income, the report of such audit in the prescribed form duly signed and verified by such accountant.
(8) Where any 37 goods or services held for the purposes of the eligible business are transferred to any other business carried on by the assessee, or where any 37 goods or services held for the purposes of any other business carried on by the assessee are transferred to the eligible business and, in either case, the consideration, if any, for such transfer as recorded in the accounts of the eligible business does not correspond to the market value of such 37 goods or services as on the date of the transfer, then, for the purposes of the deduction under this section, the profits and gains of such eligible business shall be computed as if the transfer, in either case, had been made at the market value of such 3 goods or services as on that date:
Provided that where, in the opinion of the Assessing Officer, the computation of the profits and gains of the eligible business in the manner hereinbefore specified presents exceptional difficulties, the Assessing Officer may compute such profits and gains on such reasonable basis as he may deem fit.
38 Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, "market value", in relation to any goods or services, means-
(i) the price that such goods or services would ordinarily fetch in the open market; or
(ii) the arm’s length price as defined in clause (ii) of section 92F, where the transfer of such goods or services is a specified domestic transaction referred to in section 92BA.
(9) Where any amount of profits and gains of an 37 undertaking or of an enterprise in the case of an assessee is claimed and allowed under this section for any assessment year, deduction to the extent of such profits and gains shall not be allowed under any other provisions of this Chapter under the heading" C.-Deductions in respect of certain incomes", and shall in no case exceed the profits and gains of such eligible business of 36 undertaking or enterprise, as the case may be.
(10) Where it appears to the Assessing Officer that, owing to the close connection between the assessee carrying on the eligible business to which this section applies and any other person, or for any other reason, the course of business between them is so arranged that the business transacted between them produces to the assessee more than the ordinary profits which might be expected to arise in such eligible business, the Assessing Officer shall, in computing the profits and gains of such eligible business for the purposes of the deduction under this section, take the amount of profits as may be reasonably deemed to have been derived therefrom:
39 Provided that in case the aforesaid arrangement involves a specified domestic transaction referred to in section 92BA, the amount of profits from such transaction shall be determined having regard to arm’s length price as defined in clause (ii) of section 92F.
(11) The Central Government may, after making such inquiry as it may think fit, direct, by notification in the Official Gazette, that the exemption conferred by this section shall not apply to any class of industrial undertaking or enterprise with effect from such date as it may specify in the notification.
(12) Where any undertaking of an Indian company which is entitled to the deduction under this section is transferred, before the expiry of the period specified in this section, to another Indian company in a scheme of amalgamation or demerger-
(a) no deduction shall be admissible under this section to the amalgamating or the demerged company for the previous year in which the amalgamation or the demerger takes place; and
(b) the provisions of this section shall, as far as may be, apply to the amalgamated or the resulting company as they would have applied to the amalgamating or the demerged company if the amalgamation or demerger had not taken place.
40 (12A) Nothing contained in sub-section (12) shall apply to any enterprise or undertaking which is transferred in a scheme of amalgamation or demerger on or after the 1st day of April, 2007.
41 (13) Nothing contained in this section shall apply to any Special Economic Zones notified on or after the 1st day of April, 2005 in accordance with the scheme referred to in sub-clause (iii) of clause (c) of sub-section (4).
42 Explanation.-For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that nothing contained in this section shall apply in relation to a business referred to in sub-section (4) which is in the nature of a works contract awarded by any person (including the Central or State Government) and executed by the undertaking or enterprise referred to in sub-section (1).
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1. Subs. by Act 27 of 1999, s. 50, for section 80-IA
(w.e.f. 1-4-2000), earlier inserted by Act 49 of 1991, s. 32 (w.e.f. 1-4-1991),
and later on amended by Act 18 of 1992, s. 47 (w.e.f. 1-4-1993), which was
earlier amended by Act 38 of 1993, s. 15 (w.e.f. 1-4-1994), earlier amended by
Act 32 of 1994, s. 27 (w.e.f. 1-4-1994), earlier amended by Act 22 of 1995, s.
19 (w.e.f. 1-4-1996), amended by Act 38 of 1996, s. 15 (w.e.f. 1-4-1997),
amended by Act 26 of 1997, s. 26 (w.e.f. 1-4-1996), as so amended by Act 7 of
1998, s. 3 (w.e.f. 1-4-1998), amended by Act 21 of 1998, s. 34 (w.e.f.
1-4-1998).
2. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for sub-section (1) (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
3. Ins. by Act 20 of 2002, s. 33 (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
4. Subs. by Act 32 of 2003, s. 38 for or develops or develops and operates or
maintains and operates a special economic zone (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
5. Ins. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 17 (w.e.f. 1-4-2005).
6. The words or lays and begins to operate a cross-country natural gas
distribution network omitted by Act 33 of 2009, s. 36 (w.e.f. 1-4-2010).
7. The proviso substituted by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44 (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
8. Ins. by s. 44, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-4-2001).
9. Subs. by Act 10 of 2000, s. 38, for any industrial undertaking (w.e.f.
1-4-2000).
10. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for industrial undertaking (w.e.f.
1-4-2002).
11. Subs. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 17, for undertaking referred to in clause (iv) (w.e.f.
1-4-2005).
12. Subs. by Act 22 of 2007, s. 28, for clause (iv) (w.e.f. 1-4-2008).
13 The words, brackets and figures or clause (vi) omitted by Act 33 of 2009, s.
36 (w.e.f. 1-4-2010).
14. Ins. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 17 (w.e.f. 1-4-2005).
15. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for industrial undertaking (w.e.f.
1-4-2002). 16. Subs. by s. 44, ibid., for of (i) developing, (ii) maintaining
and operating or (iii) developing, maintaining and operating (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
17. Ins. by Act 18 of 2005, s. 26 (w.e.f. 1-4-2006).
18. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for clause (b) (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
19. Ins. by Act 28 of 2016, s. 4 (w.e.f. 1-4-2017).
20. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for Explanation (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
21. Subs. by Act 22 of 2007, s. 28, for inland port (w.e.f. 1-4-2008).
22. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for clause (ii) (w.e.f. 1-4-2001).
23. Subs. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 17, for 31st March, 2004 (w.e.f. 1-4-2005).
24. Ins. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
25. Subs. by s. 44, ibid., for the 31st March, 2002 (w.e.f. 1-4-2001).
26. Subs. by Act 32 of 2003, s. 38, for the proviso (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
27. Subs. by Act 21 of 2006, s. 18, for the proviso (w.e.f. 1-4-2007).
28. Subs. by Act 33 of 2009, s. 36, for "31st day of March, 2009" (w.e.f.
1-4-2009).
29. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for "industrial undertaking" (w.e.f.
1-4-2002).
30. Subs. by Act 25 of 2014, s. 30, for "the 31st day of March, 2014" (w.e.f.
1-4-2015).
31. Ins. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 17 (w.e.f 1-4-2005).
32. Ins. by Act 55 of 2005, s. 5 (w.e.f. 1-4-2006).
33. Subs. by Act 33 of 2009, s. 36, for "the 31st day of March, 2008" (w.e.f.
1-4-2008).
34. Clause (vi) omitted by Act 33 of 2009, s. 36 (w.e.f. 1-4-2010).
35. Subs. by Act 20 of 2002, s. 33, for "Where the assessee is a person other
than a company or a co-operative society, the deduction" (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
36. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for "industrial undertaking" (w.e.f.
1-4-2002).
37. Subs. by s. 44, ibid., for "goods" (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
38. Subs. by Act 23 of 2012, s. 30, for the Explanation (w.e.f. 1-4-2013).
39. Ins. by Act 23 of 2012, s. 30 (w.e.f. 1-4-2013).
40. Ins. by Act 22 of 2007, s. 28 (w.e.f. 1-4-2008).
41. Ins. by Act 28 of 2005, s. 27 and the Second Schedule (w.e.f. 10-2-2006).
42. Ins. by Act 33 of 2009, s. 36 (w.e.f. 1-4-2000).
1. Subs. by Act 27 of 1999, s. 50, for section 80-IA
(w.e.f. 1-4-2000), earlier inserted by Act 49 of 1991, s. 32 (w.e.f. 1-4-1991),
and later on amended by Act 18 of 1992, s. 47 (w.e.f. 1-4-1993), which was
earlier amended by Act 38 of 1993, s. 15 (w.e.f. 1-4-1994), earlier amended by
Act 32 of 1994, s. 27 (w.e.f. 1-4-1994), earlier amended by Act 22 of 1995, s.
19 (w.e.f. 1-4-1996), amended by Act 38 of 1996, s. 15 (w.e.f. 1-4-1997),
amended by Act 26 of 1997, s. 26 (w.e.f. 1-4-1996), as so amended by Act 7 of
1998, s. 3 (w.e.f. 1-4-1998), amended by Act 21 of 1998, s. 34 (w.e.f.
1-4-1998).
2. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for sub-section (1) (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
3. Ins. by Act 20 of 2002, s. 33 (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
4. Subs. by Act 32 of 2003, s. 38 for or develops or develops and operates or
maintains and operates a special economic zone (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
5. Ins. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 17 (w.e.f. 1-4-2005).
6. The words or lays and begins to operate a cross-country natural gas
distribution network omitted by Act 33 of 2009, s. 36 (w.e.f. 1-4-2010).
7. The proviso substituted by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44 (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
8. Ins. by s. 44, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-4-2001).
9. Subs. by Act 10 of 2000, s. 38, for any industrial undertaking (w.e.f.
1-4-2000).
10. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for industrial undertaking (w.e.f.
1-4-2002).
11. Subs. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 17, for undertaking referred to in clause (iv) (w.e.f.
1-4-2005).
12. Subs. by Act 22 of 2007, s. 28, for clause (iv) (w.e.f. 1-4-2008).
13 The words, brackets and figures or clause (vi) omitted by Act 33 of 2009, s.
36 (w.e.f. 1-4-2010).
14. Ins. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 17 (w.e.f. 1-4-2005).
15. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for industrial undertaking (w.e.f.
1-4-2002). 16. Subs. by s. 44, ibid., for of (i) developing, (ii) maintaining
and operating or (iii) developing, maintaining and operating (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
17. Ins. by Act 18 of 2005, s. 26 (w.e.f. 1-4-2006).
18. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for clause (b) (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
19. Ins. by Act 28 of 2016, s. 4 (w.e.f. 1-4-2017).
20. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for Explanation (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
21. Subs. by Act 22 of 2007, s. 28, for inland port (w.e.f. 1-4-2008).
22. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for clause (ii) (w.e.f. 1-4-2001).
23. Subs. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 17, for 31st March, 2004 (w.e.f. 1-4-2005).
24. Ins. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
25. Subs. by s. 44, ibid., for the 31st March, 2002 (w.e.f. 1-4-2001).
26. Subs. by Act 32 of 2003, s. 38, for the proviso (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
27. Subs. by Act 21 of 2006, s. 18, for the proviso (w.e.f. 1-4-2007).
28. Subs. by Act 33 of 2009, s. 36, for "31st day of March, 2009" (w.e.f.
1-4-2009).
29. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for "industrial undertaking" (w.e.f.
1-4-2002).
30. Subs. by Act 25 of 2014, s. 30, for "the 31st day of March, 2014" (w.e.f.
1-4-2015).
31. Ins. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 17 (w.e.f 1-4-2005).
32. Ins. by Act 55 of 2005, s. 5 (w.e.f. 1-4-2006).
33. Subs. by Act 33 of 2009, s. 36, for "the 31st day of March, 2008" (w.e.f.
1-4-2008).
34. Clause (vi) omitted by Act 33 of 2009, s. 36 (w.e.f. 1-4-2010).
35. Subs. by Act 20 of 2002, s. 33, for "Where the assessee is a person other
than a company or a co-operative society, the deduction" (w.e.f. 1-4-2003).
36. Subs. by Act 14 of 2001, s. 44, for "industrial undertaking" (w.e.f.
1-4-2002).
37. Subs. by s. 44, ibid., for "goods" (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
38. Subs. by Act 23 of 2012, s. 30, for the Explanation (w.e.f. 1-4-2013).
39. Ins. by Act 23 of 2012, s. 30 (w.e.f. 1-4-2013).
40. Ins. by Act 22 of 2007, s. 28 (w.e.f. 1-4-2008).
41. Ins. by Act 28 of 2005, s. 27 and the Second Schedule (w.e.f. 10-2-2006).
42. Ins. by Act 33 of 2009, s. 36 (w.e.f. 1-4-2000).
Frequently asked questions
Is Section 80-IA a deduction on infrastructure project turnover?
No. It is based on qualifying profits and gains after the required computation adjustments.
Is the Section 80-IA deduction always 100% for ten years?
No. Telecommunications had a separate 100% and 30% split, and every claim depended on category-specific eligibility and time limits.
Can a new infrastructure project started in 2026 claim the old Section 80-IA deduction?
The uploaded 1961 Act text excludes infrastructure facilities commencing development or operation and maintenance on or after 1 April 2017. Any current-year incentive must be independently verified under the legislation applicable to that tax year.
Do ordinary construction contractors qualify?
Not merely because they construct infrastructure. The works-contract exclusion and the enterprise's actual role must be examined.
What is the deduction window?
Generally ten consecutive years selected within fifteen years, with a twenty-year option window for specified infrastructure facilities, subject to statutory conditions.
Does Section 80-IA cover power generation?
Historically, yes, for undertakings satisfying the statutory commencement dates and other requirements, including the relevant 31 March 2017 deadline.
Official law and guidance
Verify the applicable statutory text and amendments using India Code, the Income Tax Department, the Gazette of India and the Income Tax e-Filing Portal. For relevant judgments consult the Supreme Court of India. These external references are in the article body only, not in the sidebar.
General information only. Eligibility and legal effect depend on the assessment year, statutory amendments and project facts.
