 |
|
Now, govt moots tax on PF withdrawal
Slow pace of trial upsets Uphaar victims’ kin
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Global benchmarks for docs
Rift in Assam Opposition
BJP up in arms over shifting of statue
Sena men rounded up for attack on missionaries
HP to produce more witnesses
W. Bengal children work as bonded
labour in Jaipur
Guidelines ‘not applicable’ to Indira Sagar oustees
Naxalites blast MP’s house
No objection to Telgi’s treatment at pvt hospital: CBI
Governors’ conference begins today
Cong men court arrest against
power tariff hike
Air chief leaves for France today
15 tigers sighted in two reserves
Actress Rama Devi passes away
|
|
Now, govt moots tax on PF withdrawal
New Delhi, June 13 A committee is expected to be set up shortly to prepare a roadmap for fully migrating into a comprehensive EET (Exempt Exempt Tax) system. The EET system of savings schemes provides for tax exemption at the first two stages (contribution and accumulation) of savings but is taxable at the withdrawal stage. For instance, if a subscriber is contributing money to a provident fund, under the EET system, his contribution and the interest accumulation thereto will not be taxed, but the withdrawal of money from the fund will be taxed. Migration to a complete EET system may raise a political storm, similar to the one witnessed in the banking cash transaction tax. In this year’s Budget, the Finance Minister had originally proposed to impose a 0.1 per cent tax on cash withdrawals. This was later modified to be applicable only for current account holders. Under the amendments introduced in the Finance Bill — 2005, which has come into force from June 1, the tax on cash withdrawal will be applicable only to current account holders while the threshold limit has been raised to Rs 25,000 from the earlier proposed Rs 10,000 for individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs). In case of companies, the threshold limit shall be Rs 1 lakh. Effectively, this means that business firms and institutions will have to pay a 0.1 per cent tax only if they withdraw Rs 1 lakh or more in a single day from their current accounts. Similar threshold limits have been fixed for term deposits as well. In other words, an individual or a HUF will be liable to pay a tax of 0.1 per cent only if the value of the fixed deposit which is redeemed is more than Rs 25,000 while for companies it will be Rs 1 lakh or more. However, no tax will be levied if the amount after maturity of term deposits is transferred to the account holders in the same bank. The government has already introduced the EET-based taxation in the defined contribution pension scheme, which is applicable to newly recruited government servants. The committee will go into the whole gamut of issues pertaining to tax and its correlation with tax-exempted savings instruments. Under the existing treatment, most of the small savings instruments come under the EEE (Exempt Exempt Exempt) category, where the contribution, interest accruals and withdrawal are exempted from tax. These include instruments such as deferred annuity plans, provident funds, superannuation funds, post office savings bank deposits, securities of the Central Government, national savings certificates, equity and debentures of infrastructure companies and certain pension funds of the LIC. The committee will go into the details of the existing schemes and recommend a possible mix of financial instruments that will be eligible for the EET system. It will also look into a plethora of administrative issues and examine the need for “grandfathering” of the existing scheme as suggested by the Kelkar Task Force. “Grandfathering” means an alteration of the rules that apply to certain investment or investment techniques while stipulating that investment actions taken before a certain date remain subject to the old rules. For example, the law may be changed by stipulating that certain types of bonds no longer pay tax-free interest, while at the same time the bonds issued before the date on which the new law is to take effect continues to be governed by the existing rules.
|
|
Slow pace of trial upsets Uphaar victims’ kin
New Delhi, June 13 They performed a special fire ritual at the memorial set up near the cinema hall. Fiftynine persons, including 25 women and 26 children, were choked to death after the Uphaar cinema caught fire leading to a stampede on this day in 1997. One hundred three people sustained injuries. The cinema hall was engulfed when a generator got overheated, bursting in the basement of the building. The audience who was watching the movie “Border” apparently thought the smoke was part of the movie’s special effects. But it was coming from a generator. A majority of those killed were trapped inside the hall and died in the stampede or due to asphyxiation, Ms Neelam Krishnamoorthy, president of association of victims of the tragedy said. Men, women and children all scampered to rush out of the cramped hall with only four exits for an audience of over 500. Expressing regret she said the victims could not see any hope for justice in the near future. “Our case has been going on for the past eight years because the people we are fighting against are very rich and influential people who can hire affluent lawyers. It has been eight years. We believe that 59 people have died, so will it take 59 years?” asked Ms Krishnamoorthy. In 2003, the Delhi High Court ordered a payment of Rs 1.5 million each to relatives of the victims who were less than 20 years at the time of tragedy and Rs 1.8 million to those who were above 20 years. The relatives of the victims, however, have not received the compensation ordered by the court due to a legal wrangle over the responsibility of various civic bodies indicted by the court. The money will go for the construction of a centralised accident trauma centre in the Capital’s main hospital, All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, just 100 metres away from the now defunct Uphaar cinema hall.
|
|
|
Global benchmarks for docs
New Delhi, June 13 A New York -based non -profit organisation, GAME, is dedicated to the advancement of innovation in medical education across the world. Dr Malik has been invited to speak on the CME scenario in India at the 10th annual meeting of GAME in New York beginning on June 19. The theme of the meeting is “Finally Globalisation of CME”. India’s representation at the meeting assumes significance in the light of the Union Health Minister, Mr Anbhumani Ramadoss’ announcement of introducing a five -year revalidation and re-registration
programme for doctors working in government institutions in the country following a CME patterned on the lines of the CME in the USA. Dr Malik contributed to the draft of the Medical Council of India
Re-accreditation Bill in 2003 aimed at making 150 hours of the CME in five years mandatory for doctors for the renewal of the
practising licence. The Bill never saw the light of the day. The CME system in India has been developed by various medical colleges, hospitals and the Indian Medical Association minus the involvement of the government.” He said although the CME is being offered in India for 75 years, it is not a pre requisite for the renewal of
practising licence as in other countries. With the exception of Delhi, doctors in India are not even required to register themselves every five years. Registration of doctors in the National Capital is not subject to CME. “It is not binding on Indian doctors to take 100 to 150 hours of the CME over a period of five years to get their medical licence renewed. The CME provided to doctors in India is unstructured and does not follow Standard Operative Procedures. In the USA, all CME activities have to be approved by the Accrediation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). They also have standards for commercial support for the CME activity,” said Dr Malik. He said most Indian doctors today are not even aware of the global procedures for standardisation of the
CME.
|
|
|
Rift in Assam Opposition
Guwahati, June 13 The AGP’s decision to serve the notice on Mr Mahanta asking him to explain within 10 days why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for alleged anti-party activities, only confirmed a growing rift within the AGP. So far Mr Mahanta is concerned, it was the second show-cause notice served on him ever since he was voted out of power in 2001 Assembly elections. The first one was in connection with his alleged extra-marital relations. It was only a month ago the AGP president Brindaban Goswami absolved Mr Mahanta of the charges and reinstated him in the party. But the AGP leadership did not include him as a member of the central secretariat. For a high-profile
leader like Mr Mahanta, it was not possible to digest the humiliation and of late he started making remarks against the party leadership. He also questioned the element of democracy within the AGP and doubted the capability of the existing leadership. This enraged steering committee of the AGP, headed by Brindaban Goswami, which decided to serve the notice on him. With decks now almost cleared either to suspend or expel Mr Mahanta from the party, the development is pregnant to split the AGP. He has called a youth convention for June 27 that is expected to give a new twist to the state political scenario. There are two options left before him now. Firstly to directly develop some understanding with the BJP, which cannot be ruled out in view of a recent meeting between the NDA convener George Fernandes and Mahanta’s trusted aide Bhrigu Phukun. The second option is to float a party on his own and work out electoral alliances with the CPI, the CPM, the UMF and other anti-BJP forces. While the picture is expected to be clear by a fortnight, the development has indeed put the ruling Congress on an upbeat mood in view of a possible three-cornered contest by splitting the opposition votes to its advantage.
|
|
BJP up in arms over shifting of statue
Lucknow, June 13 Addressing a hurriedly called press conference, senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition Lalji Tandon alleged that the statue of Deen Dayal Upadhyay in Rampur had been damaged beyond repair. The statue had been installed in Rampur with much fanfare in 1996 by the then Rampur MP, Mr Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Charging the state government with carrying out the shifting operation in the dead of the night without taking the party or the administration into confidence, Mr Tandon said this was an attack on the dignity of a senior leader for which the party would launch a protest. Speaking to The Tribune, former BJP state chief Vinay Katiyar declared that the party would not take such treatment lying down. “I will personally go to Rampur the day after tomorrow. This is no small matter. The party will reinstall the statue to its former glory”. Rampur BJP president Surya Prakash Pal held city MLA and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Azam Khan responsible for the incident. According to Mr Pal, his party has already lodged an FIR in the Rampur Civil Lines police station charging Mr Khan with disrupting the peaceful atmosphere of the city by shifting the statue. Mr Pal accused the senior SP minister of ordering the operation late last night when no senior administration or police representative was present on the spot. While admitting that no damage had been done to the statute and it had been re-installed nearby, the BJP city president maintained that it was reinstalled only after a protest by his party men. Speaking to The Tribune from Rampur, Mohammad Azam Khan said the statue had been reinstalled at a better place in a park on a high pedestal with proper lights and a fountain. “Let Mr Tandon tell me that he is not happy with this new arrangement. I will get it installed whereever he demands”. Mr Khan said the approximately Rs 5 crore road-widening project for Rampur city had been sanctioned by Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and work was going on as per schedule. Mr Khan declared that the spot where the statue had been installed nine years ago had become a traffic hazard and had caused many deaths. Meanwhile, Home Secretary Alok Sinha said the government was monitoring the situation and had asked the district administration to furnish a report regarding the incident.
|
|
Sena men rounded up for attack on missionaries
Mumbai, June 13 The police suspects that local Shiv Sena activists may have instigated the Koli community in the tiny fishing suburb to attack the missionaries. Kolis, who are traditionally engaged in fishing, are being wooed by the Shiv Sena for grassroots work. Hindus and Catholic Kolis are part of the Shiv Sena in this area and both communities are known to be against the American Protestant churches. The Shiv Sena is using the Maharashtrian Catholics’ aversion to the evangelisation efforts of the new churches to expand their base among the community, sources said. In suburban Mumbai, the Shiv Sena lobbied for the re-construction of a Catholic church in the Santa Cruz Export Processing Zone dating back to ancient times. Last year’s Assembly elections also saw a section of the Catholic community come out in support of the regional party. According to the police, about 30 or 40 men attacked the missionaries, who were holding a gathering. Three of the missionaries, who were from the US, received injuries and were rushed to hospital. Five other missionaries escaped unhurt. The police said earlier reports of one missionary being kidnapped was not true. He was said to have taken advantage of the confusion and escaped from the spot, the police said. |
|
LJP for non-RJD secular front in Bihar
New Delhi, June 13 Talking to reporters after a meeting of the party’s national executive, Mr Paswan said the LJP would not compromise with the NDA or the RJD in the coming Bihar elections. The party was in favour of electoral alliances with all secular forces other than the RJD, he said. Rejecting suggestions by some Bihar RJD leaders for a tie-up with his party in the Assembly poll, Mr Paswan said the LJP was prepared to go with the Congress, CPI, CPM and the CPI-ML. He favoured a non-RJD secular front in the state. Mr Paswan said he had met CPI General Secretary A.B. Bardhan and veteran CPM leader Harkishen Singh Surjeet recently but the meetings were personal in nature. He criticised both the RJD and the JD (U) for not supporting his efforts to form a government in the state headed by a Muslim chief minister. He accused the JD (U) of “double face” on the issue of L.K. Advani’s resignation and subsequent withdrawal. “The JD (U) supported Mr Advani on his remarks on Jinnah but when he took back his resignation under RSS pressure, the JD (U) did not show courage to come out of the NDA,” he said. Before Bihar want to the polls, there would be one more national executive meeting to finalise tie-ups. Mr Paswan demanded an increase in the grants to the Maulana Azad Foundation and Minority Financial Development Corporation. Demanding 10 per cent reservation for the minorities in government jobs, he sought universities for minorities in all states of the country.
|
|
HP to produce more witnesses
New Delhi, June 13 The apex court has so far recorded the evidence of former Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary A. K. Goswamy and former Secretary, Power, Y. K. Murthy stretching to various sittings. They were extensively cross-examined by the lawyers of the Centre, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Union Territory of Chandigarh. Recording of the evidence of another key witness — present Himachal Government Home Secretary Prabodh Saxena — was in the midway stage as he has yet to be cross-examined by Haryana and Rajasthan Since the task to record the evidence, had been assigned by the court to Registrar Judicial considering it to be a time-consuming exercise, Saxena’s further examination would be taken up on July 15 and 18, Himachal Pradesh Additional Advocate-General (AAG) J. S. Attri told The Tribune here today. While Goswamy was the Chief Secretary when the suit was filed in June, 1996, Mr Murthy was then holding the charge of Power Secretary and Saxena was the Deputy Commissioner of Kangra. Saxena’s evidence was also considered crucial as the suit had some bearing on the Pong Dam oustees’ settlement claims as most of them belonged to Kangra district though a separate suit had been filed by them in the Himachal Pradesh High Court, Mr Attri said. Though the Himachal Government had cited a total of 12 officers and engineers, including a former Chief Engineer as its key witnesses, its counsel were now considering whether to produce all of them or drop a few less-important ones in a bid to ensure early disposal of the matter. On the other hand, Punjab had cited two of its former senior officers as key witnesses, while Haryana and Rajasthan had sought to present three and four officers, respectively, as their witnesses to challenge the claim of the Himachal Pradesh Government. After the Registrar-General completes the recording of evidence, the case will go back for arguments before the Bench, designated by the Supreme Court. In its recovery suit, Himachal Pradesh has alleged that its “full partnership share of 7.19 per cent” power from Bhakra and Beas projects and its 12 per cent share as “free electricity” from central projects as per the 1990 decision of the Union Government as the right of “mother state” in the projects located in the state were not being given to it as per the law. It had claimed that in lieu of its rightful share of power, Rs 2,199.77 crore had been accumulated with the Centre, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Chandigarh as arrears for their joint consumption of its share till the filing of the suit in 1996. The hill state has further stated that under the partnership share, it was only getting 2.5 per cent electricity as an “ad hoc” arrangement from Bhakra and Beas projects against its legitimate share of 7.19 per cent as provided under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. It had also stated that the 12 per cent “rightful” share from 1990 onwards from these projects as “mother state’s share” had also been denied to it.
|
|
|
W. Bengal children work as bonded
labour in Jaipur
Jaipur, June 13 According to a rough estimate, the state capital has around 10,000 such units being run in the dingy and dark rooms where children in the age group ranging from 7 to 14 years after rigorous training, remain engaged in cutting, chiselling and polishing of the ornaments from morning till evening. Belonging to economically very poor sections of society, these children are brought to the pink city through brokers from different parts of West Bengal. Reliable sources say, the brokers make a payment of Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 in advance to the parents of each child assuring them to train the children in the craft of ornament making. The craftsmen, who largely hail from Bengal, mostly play this criminal role. Once the children are put on the job, the unit owner sends Rs 500 to Rs 600 to the parents every month to keep their mouth shut. The children who have to work under great unhygienic conditions are exposed to various poisonous chemicals which are considered great health hazards. There are no definite hours of working for this juvenile labour. What a child labour gets in turn is malnutrition, maltreatment and some times even beating by the bosses. Whenever someone sets up an ornament-making unit, he either purchases or hires some space at a minimal price in some street of the old city and starts his business with the help of Bengali craftsmen and small children brought by the brokers for the purpose. The child labour brought from Bengal is kept in such an unhealthy environment that they are hardly allowed to develop any outside contacts or have any free communication with the local people.
|
|
|
Guidelines ‘not applicable’ to Indira Sagar oustees
Bhopal, June 13 He was asked at his press conference about the plight of the oustees. At least 3,000 affected families, by Mr Dodeja’s own admission, were yet to be rehabilitated whereas the houses and lands of these families are due to submerge any time this monsoon. The project is being constructed by the NHDC, which is a joint venture of the Madhya Pradesh Government and the National Hydro Power Corporation. A Narmada Bachao Andolan spokesperson, however, refuted Mr Dodeja’s assertion and claimed that the NHDC was guilty of criminal negligence in the matter of providing relief and rehabilitation of the oustees who were about to lose everything they had. The spokesperson pointed out that the memorandum of understanding signed by the government and the National Hydro Power Corporation for forming the NHDC clearly stipulates that the NHDC would follow all guidelines contained in the NWDTA and issued by various authorities for the rehabilitation of the
oustees.
|
|
Naxalites blast MP’s house
Hyderabad, June 13 It is totally unacceptable in a democracy. How can the Naxalites threaten the TRS or any party to toe their line? he questioned. Mr Reddy was reacting to the June-15 deadline imposed by the CPI (Maoist) Party for the TRS to sever ties with the Congress and give up ministries in the coalition government. The TRS should withdraw from the Congress government as the latter is working against the formation of a separate Telangana state, a letter written purportedly by Prakash, politburo member of the militant group, said. The revolutionary party had thrown its weight behind the separatists before the last Assembly elections and was believed to have actively worked to ensure victory of the TRS, whose chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao publicly stated that his party’s agenda was that of the Naxalites. The TRS leadership, however, has not reacted to the latest Naxal ultimatum. In private talks, they heaved a sigh of relief that the Naxal leader made it clear that they would not physically harm the TRS cadre in case of their failure to pull out of the government. Meanwhile, the house belonging to the ruling Congress MP from Tenali, Mr V. Balashouri, at Morjampadu village in Guntur district was today blasted by a Naxal squad in protest against the commencement of work on the Pulichintala irrigation project, which has become a bone of contention between pro and anti-separatists. Telangana leaders, including those from the TRS, opposed the project in its present shape as being against the interests of Telangana districts. The Naxalites have been warning the government that they would not allow the construction on the project. The work on the project was kicked off amid police security on Saturday after environmental clearance had been obtained.
|
|
|
No objection to Telgi’s treatment at pvt hospital: CBI
Pune, June 13 Public Prosecutor Raja Thackeray said the CBI, in its say to Telgi’s application seeking treatment at a private hospital last month, stated that it had no objection to Telgi, reportedly suffering from HIV and diabetes, to be treated at a private hospital in the city but it should be under high security cover and had asked the jail authorities to ensure the same. Mr Thackeray today filed an application asking for health reports of suspended IGP Shridhar Vagal and suspended ACP M.C. Mulani. “The two are in hospital since quite some time and we need to know whether they really need to continue there,” he said. He said the prosecution had sought details of whether former Samajwadi Janata Party MLA Anil Gote really needed to undergo treatment at a private nature cure centre . “We have asked for reports whether Gote really needs naturopathy,” he said.
— UNI
|
|
Governors’ conference begins today
New Delhi, June 13 The conference, to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, will be attended by 28 Governors and three Lieut-Governors of the states and Union Territories. Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh and Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia will also participate, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson told The Tribune here. The conference would also deliberate on effective disaster management strategies, particularly tsunami. |
|
|
Cong men court arrest against
power tariff hike
Jaipur, June 13 “About 500 Congress workers forcibly courted arrest outside the collectorate after a day-long sit in,” the Superintendent of Police (North) Anand Srivastava told PTI here. Earlier, addressing the party workers during the protest, Mr Kalla alleged that the Raje government was “hostile” towards power consumers and had not even “spared farmers”. “The saffron party had assured in its manifesto that it will not raise power bills but it has hit the consumers all of a sudden,” Mr Kalla said. The domestic consumer will have to pay more than a rupee per unit, while the farmers buying electricity on flat rate will have to pay Rs 35 Per hp, he said. In a memorandum submitted to the collector, the PCC demanded withdrawal of the tariff hike along with subsidy for consumers.
— PTI
|
|
Air chief leaves for France today
New Delhi, June 13 Although the Air chief would be in Paris to witness the air show and meet the IAF personnel participating in the Indo-French exercise “Garuda-II”, but he would also be holding talks with his French counterpart. He would also visit the Istres air base, where the IAF contingent is participating in the military exercise with Sukhoi-30 aircraft. |
|
15 tigers sighted in two reserves
New Delhi, June 13 The task force, headed by Ms Sunita Narain along with members Prof Madhav Gadgil and Mr H.S. Panwar, visited Kanha in Maharashtra and Pench in Madhya Pradesh during the period. It made an appraisal of field implementation, protection initiatives and involvement of local communities, apart from relocation done in tiger reserves. Detailed interactions with field officers took place, apart from village visits and discussion with local fringe dwelling people. As many as 15 tigers were seen during the field excursions, an official release said here today.
— UNI |
|
|
Actress Rama Devi passes away
Kolkata, June 13 She was 80. Rama Devi, who acted in several films in the thirties and forties, lived in extreme poverty in a hut at Bagbazar in north Kolkata with aid from the Bagbazar Swimming Club. Several actors came to her aid when, driven by penury, she used to beg on the banks of the Ganga. A noted beauty of her time, Rama Devi played two small roles with matinee idol Uttam Kumar in films like “Bau Thakuranir Hat” and “Raj Drohi”.
— UNI
|
|
Stamp on Kairon
New Delhi, June 13 In a press statement issued here today, Mr Tarlochan Singh, Chairman, National Commission for Minorities, said,” The birth centenary of Partap Singh Kairon was celebrated on October 1 2001. I had sent a proposal to the department in September 2000, that has now been finally accepted.” |
|
|
Veerappan’s daughters get admission
Salem, June 13 Muthulakshmi said she had tried to get admission for her eldest daughter Vidya Rani (15) and Prabha (13) at various places, including at Tiruchirapalli, Salem, Madurai, Udhagamandalam (Nilgiris) and Namakkal, but in vain. Finally, through a Christian institution, she had managed to get admission for Vidya Rani in Class IX and for Prabha, in Class VIII.
— PTI
|
|
|
Death threats to ‘rapist’ cop
Mumbai, June 13 The Additional Metropolitan Magistrate’s court extended the judicial custody of the former constable Sunil More till June 24 after he was examined via video conferencing. Sunil is accused of raping a teenager at a police chowki at Marine Drive on April 21.
— TNS
|
|
Patil reviews J&K security
New Delhi, June 13 He said the government would continue its efforts to establish normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir despite provocations. Mr Patil held a meeting to review the security situation in the state. |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
In
video (
