The implications
Now as things are unfolding, only the added services at ATMs will be taxed. I simply hope netbanking is spared. Credit cards find mention in viewer comments but I did not find it in the budget speech, maybe I missed that. I am ready to surrender my credit cards if retail transaction is to be taxed, but I think it wont be. If so, the banks will haunt him I think. Lets see what effect the LPG being included in "declared goods" under CST does!!This is worrying for the housewife, kitchenware, glassware getting expensive. I shouldnt have waited so long to buy that glass set eyeing me everytime I visited the crockery shop!! :-( Ya now I can buy loads of footwear since it just got cheaper. Biscuits, o God, my son, they just got costlier, so please dont waste any bits anymore!Life is a never-balancing act, pressures from every end. Keeping afloat is quite a achievement.Hoping for the best....God bless.
The union budget 2006-07
This is a pukka pro businessman budget. Introducing ATM transcation under service tax is just so bad. Rich people have a lot of security at home, so they can keep money at home and even the IT sleuths can't find! but the aam admi cannot keep money at home safely so they put money in bank and use ATM as and when they need money. Nowadays people don't even travel with money take it out when it is needed. So now aam admi public will have to shell out more money out of they hard earned money after honestly paying income tax!! ATM is not a luxury as was in the past, it is a hard fact and a necessity in today's times.
Netbanking is also likely to go under the service tax net. Will it?? Mr. FM do you know, our hectic jobs don't leave us with any time to even spend with our family. So netbanking was a boon for us to pay our LIC premiums, phone bills, electricity bills, etc. Why are you taxing the taxed more and more!!Next is the increase of service tax to 12%, and so many more things brought under the service tax net. It quite beats me why the FM is not going after affluent rich and corporates. The goods like soaps, detergents and shampoos at priced so high but the actual cost of manufacturing in not even half of that. Go after them.
The general public trusts the govt to give them a fairdeal. If the govt too dances in the corporate courts, who is there for the aam admi!!??Read these links, the fine print is depressing!!http://www.ibnlive.com/article.php?id=6099§ion_id=7http://www.ibnlive.com/article.php?id=6093§ion_id=7http://www.ndtvprofit.com/budget/budgetdefault.aspThere is everything for the business class. Biscuits costlier, for God's sake! I am screaming, FM tell our employers to increase our salaries please.Aerated drinks are poisons, why have you reduced excise duties on them. Does the aad admi consume aerated drinks instead of water. It is the well off who do so.
Public trial so says supreme court!!
It quite beats me how discussion and counter discussion in public domain, print, visual, and cyber can be bad. I wish to infer that the supreme court was refering to the appeal against Bayana's appointment to HC and not to the discussions as such. It is the essential spirit of a democracy to discuss and be able to discuss issues of public interest openly and not put a blanket on it. Even on the Clemenceau issue, supreme court put down such guidelines. Is the supreme court trying to gag the public and the media. Dont the citizens have a right to discuss issues of public interest. Will the justices please clarify?
Personal tax
The cost of living in going higher and higher but the proportionate increase in salary is not seen. MPs give themselves a salary hike without any hassles, govt employees get after strike, but the salaried people in the private sector don't get the hikes easy at all. I think the finance minister should this time widen the slabs and more importantly get the tax evaders to pay their taxes. This is very important. A large population in our country consisting of the rich and affluent including politicians get away without paying income tax. The FM should try to look into that aspect. I don't think it is problem that cannot be tackled, but it is more a lack of will I think. Think about it.The petrol and diesel prices are to be increased. It is already been announced so when actually it comes in print, the people would have already been through over the additional burden mentally, so jor ka jatka dhire se lage, but life will be difficult. LPG is set to increase Rs 75 till they totally phase out the subsidy. There is talk on TV that the FM taxes the honestly paying public more, so true. Mr. FM, think about the honestly tax paying public a little more humanely if you can. Thank you.
A review attempt
The Jessical Lal murder case after seven years came to verdict 2 days ago, acquited for lack of evidence. Phew! High profile suspects, witnesses turned hostile. Understandable. Now CNN-IBN and NDTV are getting sms and online petitions signed to get the case reviewed. Hmmm. Good work. Just one question, why this case alone. There are number of cases which also could do with a little bit of nudge. Thought of them?
Anyways this could be a good example and a new start of times changing.
Clemenceau going back
Ultimately Clemenceau is going back, rather called back. It is not going back because India put up a stiff resistance but the president of France decided to call it back. The supreme court had earlier ruled for it to stay out till Feb 17th and constituted another panel of experts, rejecting the existent panel's view of allowing the ship to enter Indian waters. It really beats me on what grounds the panel members advised that the ship may come to India?? :-(
keep your hands off revisited - saner voice
The GOI has confirmed that they are doing the survey in all govt departments. This is what my dad had to say to the issue. "I saw your concern about the census of muslims. It has been confirmed since that this not exclusive to army but for whole country. Without finding out the details people like George Fernades overreacts with political motives. Even earlier also, this is part of a standing requirement of compiling the details of all religious communities. Based on these details only, the authorisation of religious teachers are made. Not only that, statewise details are also taken. There are so many requirements for these datas such as asking for postal ballots at the time of election, granting of religious holidays, etc. These are routine things."
Keep your hands off
The govt of India has proposed to identify the number of Muslims in the armed services!! What is the govt of India upto? Now they are raking up religious sentiments and thoughts (in the wrong manner) in the Army/forces. This is downright pathetic. I was born in the Army circle and though now I am out of it, I love the Army and I think the politicians should not make the forces another estalbishment like their own by raking up and bringing in unwanted elements. The forces are still looked up to and have that pedestal because of the secular value it has. I have been in the Army for 26 years as a daughter of an Army Officer and I have never once seen anyone regard another person by his religious orientation. The forces are a different world and it has certain character and I would very humbly request the politicians to restrain themselves from destroying the magical fabric of the forces.
Supreme Court order
Supreme court on Feb 13th ruled that toxic ship will stay out of Indian waters till it says. Good. But I know eventually it will come in, reasons so obvious. But what irked me really was the ruling that this issue will not be discussed or debated in the media and no articles print on it. Isn't this against basic right of freedom of expression. What is the supreme court afraid of? That the public will be more aware by the sweet time it takes to rule for the toxic ship to come in? The ruling was unfortunate!
Rallying against coke
It is a known fact that the Coke manufactuers have created havoc with the groundwater resources in the area of Plachimada in Palakad distt. of Kerala in India. But the rally against Coke came from the most unexpected quarter, some colleges in the US. It seems students in some university campuses in the US have banned use of Coke, which itself came into effect after two years of rallying. They did so to protest against the environmental degradation in Plachimada and human rights violation in Columbia by the Coke company.
http://www.ndtvprofit.com/homepage/storybusiness.asp?slug=NYU+students+say+no+to+Coke&id=29727How come there was no action seen in India, I mean in the other parts of India other than Plachimada? Was there? There are no organised, nonviolent rallies by citizens in India. Most rallies seen are by the trade unionists or political parties. Not much seen organised by citizens. There is some seen in Delhi of late. Maybe few years down the line, we may see it in other parts of the country too.
Change in news bulletins - now and then
10-15 years ago, DD was the primary and only channel in our country. Then some channels came up. Back then, the news items used to be a small, comprehensive, paragraphs with maybe some pictoral inputs. But I feel more news items were covered back then, like a quick overview all over.
Today, looking at CNN-IBN and NDTV, the difference that I feel is that they do just few stories. At a time, they dont have more than 10 headlines. They do in-depth and live coverage and all that agreed, but mostly showing the same stories every hour with or without additional inputs. Then discussions and forums on those stories. Headlines today does a better job at it. One will feel the difference if one sees DD news. It still covers all of India with much more news items. Even if it is a small item, it is mentioned. I am in no way saying that DD is better or worse or that the others should'nt be there. No way! This is just an observation with regards to the number of news items. This is my feeling. What says you?
Maneka Gandhi and stray dogs
Referring to the news article by R. Madhavan Nair in The Hindu dated Feb 10th, page 16, it is reported that Maneka Gandhi is against killing of stray dogs and instead sterilising and vaccinating them. I would like to ask, will sterilising and vaccinating stray dogs keep them away from roads. In January, I and my 4-year-old son suffered a scooter accident because the dog hit us on the front mud guard of my nova. The dog had crossed our side, which we saw from far, but it saw a jeep coming from opposite direction and decided to run back to our side. But by that time we had travelled to that spot and dog came right at us and I did not get any space to maneuver my nova in any way. By the Grace of God, we did not get a single stitch or fracture but we both got deep skin bruises and scratches. My son's face was completely bruised. I am still limping. The accident happened for no fault of mine or my son but only because the dog decided not to cross the road the full extend. Does my son who is just starting to live his life deserve this? What if we had got major head injuries or got run over my another vehicle? Would Maneka Gandhi kindly answer my query?
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the public who gathered at the spot within seconds and picked me and my son and put us in an auto and got us to the nearby hospital. I would also like to thank the auto driver who delivered us to the hospital, faceless people but without whom I and my son would not have got quick medical attention and perhaps aided us in escaping without grave injuries.
seat sharing in elections
Does'st seat sharing in elections, which is such a visible thing in elections in India now, defy the very logic of having elections. Any any cost the political parties want to power. I personally think India should have 5 years of presidential rule, and Dr. Abdul Kalam is the best president to lead the country during that time.
double standards
Recently the provident fund interest rate was reduced by the govt of India. As it is the salaried class is under much pressure with rising prices and cost of living, now this too!! The only thing that the govt and the parliament seems to be happy in increasing is their own salaries, by unanimous votes mind you, and their own comfort facilities. They bring in schemes like MPLAD funds to be able to use it as a personal bank account!!
The hands-tied citizens, having done the criminal act of voting you to parliament can't do anything till the next election, (as if it is going to make any difference at all) have to watch you, MPs and ministers, indulging in balant corruption. At least don't pressurise the salaried class more than what they already are.
The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer indeed!!
toxic ship coming
The french warship is coming to India for breaking. War is bad, and this warship has created a war of sorts in India. But who will prevail?? The supreme court monitoring committee has taken a good stand and I hope it will deliver according to the aspirations of the public. After all this passing of ball between courts, the contaminated ship may ultimately come to india coz the money that will be earned from its breaking will be huge. Money reigns supreme!! Environment and public health is of not much concern to the buyers and other involved parties. I wonder what their stand would have been if they themselves and their family members were breaking the ship. I hope in this case, environment, public health, and national pride in nation first reigns supreme. Hopefully.....
I also wonder if the actual workers at the Alang shipyard are aware of the issues currently going on. I would definitely like to know their opinion on this issue and whether they are willing to break the ship with all the abestos in it in spite of being aware of the dangers involved.
Service tax ad
Hello everybody ..I am starting this blog to put my feelings about my country India online and get inputs from others. Let me start with this...
There is a service tax ad doing rounds on TV currently which says service tax money is used to build flyovers etc... My husband does not get to see TV much, being busy in job. One day he saw that ad and said, those who give service tax go on scooters on that flyover and those who don't give service tax, go in cars on that flyover. I had seen that ad many times and I never thought about it but when he said that I wondered...
