RTI AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR TRADE UNIONS

It is seen that many issues relating to service matters are not put forward / resolved before the authorities alongwith the required "information". In most of the decisions taken by the executive, 'transparency' is the main casuality. The basis and also the level at which decisions affecting employees is taken is always shrouded in great mystery. This leads to distrust and discontentment among work force. If they can be taken into confidence and given proper basis / information which lead to a certain decision, they would really appreciate and accept the decisions whole heartedly.

The Right to Information Act, 2005, is a great tool to achieve transparency in administration and also to fix accountability among public authorities. In view of the above, it may be desirable that the trade unions should seek information under RTI on behalf of the members. Many issues required to be addressed in the larger interest of work force and if the individual members seek help under RTI, it is possible that they are victimized. Thus, in the collective interest of the organization, the Unions should take pro active steps and seek information objectively so that it can be effectively used in furtherance of the interest of members as well as organization as a whole.

CHILD CARE LEAVE FOR FEMALE EMPLOYEES

On similar grounds, the paternity leave should have been increased. Are we not taking up the responsibility / work relating to children. By denying any such concessional leave for male members, don”t you think that their spouses will also suffer. They may be either employed / house wives. The housewives are discriminated vis a vis working women, in this way.

The husbands if they are given proper leave facility, can be of great help to women who are working at home. The working woman need not always mean that they are working for salary outside home. Somebody who is slogging for the entire day without break and leave should be considered in the right perspective.

To stretch the same logic, even the grand parents who are still working need to be rewarded with leave facility so that they can contribute their experience in upbringing of young lads.

Let the Employees Association think seriously on these topics.

TAXATION OF ARREARS (PAY COMMISSION OR OTHERWISE
The taxation of salaries (including arrears) requires clear understanding from legal angle. As per section 15 of the IT ACT, the salary due to be received, allowed to the employee, whether received or not is taxable in the year in which it is due. Accordingly, the employee is required to offer the same on accrual basis whether he likes it or not. However, as far as TDS is concerned, the deductor is bound to deduct tax only at the time of making actual payment of arrears. This dichotomy in law, apparently looks like a mistake. However, it is not so. The deductor is expected to make TDS only at the time of actual payment of salary / arrears. The employee is required to calculate taxes on accrued salary and make good the tax short fall by way of either Advance tax or TDS itself. All employees of Central government should take care of this situation. Only hope is that the CBDT gives clarification / guidelines to the Assessing Officers, so that taxation of arrears can be done on actual receipt basis. At present this is not provided in law

RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT -PROCEDURE FOR FILING APPLICATION

FILE AN APPLICATION U/S 6 OF THE RTI ACT. THERE IS NO PRESCRIBED FORMAT. YOU HAVE TO FRAME QUESTIONS PROPERLY AND SEEK SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT A POLICY,ISSUE. THERE WILL BE A SPECIFIED CPIO IN EACH DEPARTMENT AND THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE SENT TO HIM WITH A POSTAL ORDER/DD FOR RS.10 (COST OF APPLICATION) AND FURTHER AMOUNT, DEPENDING ON THE COST OF INFORMATION, WHICH IS REQUIRED TO BEINFORMED TO YOU BY THE CPIO. YOU SHOULD GET REPLY WITHIN 30 DAYS / IF THEINFORMATION IS WITH SOME OTHER AUTHORITY, THE APPLICATION IS REQUIRED TO BE SENTTO SUCH AUTHORITY WITHIN 5 DAYS OF RECEIPT.
REST ASSURED THAT THE APPLICATION WILL GO TO THE CONCERNED AUTHORITY. KEEP THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR HAVING SENTAPPLICATION AND FILE A REMINDER AFTER 30 DAYS (NOT MANDATORY). YOU MAY STRAIGHT AWAY FILE APPEAL AFTER 30 DAYS IF INFORMATION IS NOT GIVEN/REFUSED TO BE GIVEN/INSUFFICIENT/INADEQUATE AS PER APPLICATIONTHERE IS APPEAL AGAINST THE ORDER OF CPIO. THERE IS ALSO A PENALTY UPTO 25000/-FOR NOT GIVING INFORMATION AS PER RTI. FURTHER APPEAL LIE WITH INFORMATIONCOMMISSION AND AS I KNOW, THERE IS NO FURTHER APPEAL AGAINST THE ORDER OFINFORMATION COMMISSION. YOU MAY HAVE TO FILE WRIT PETITION BEFORE THE COURT.(HC/SC.
CHECK WEB SITES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION)

http://rti.india.gov.in/
http://cic.gov.in/

THINK OBJECTIVELY ABOUT INCOME TAX DEPARTMENT

CERTAIN MIS INFORMATION / MISGIVINGS TRIED TO BE CORRECTED. IT IS FOR YOU TO DECIDE
1.It is said that 48% of tax collected goes for tax administration. In which world are you living ? If Rs.3.50 lakh crores is collected by IT department in a year, do you mean to say that 1.8 lakh crores is spent by IT department. For your kind information, 0.54% (little more than half percent) is the cost of collection of taxes by IT department. Check the official figures before giving such a blatantly false information.
2.Regarding lowering of tax rates, please compare the rates in developed countries. Now, we can boast of nearly competing with them and the rates are far more reasonable than in some countries. Do you think that 33% of taxes (on the net income after expenses) is very high, when we have a strong parallel economy and plenty of sound tax planning devices.
3.The steep increase in tax collections should be kept in mind which sufficiently indicate that the lowering of tax rates has really yielded results.
3. Also check out as to how much you would have paid as taxes, if the rates applicable 5 years ago is to be applied now.
4.There was never a necessity of proving existence for the dept. The dept is there as a deterrent only. As regards pruning the size - the work force to tackle the large number of tax payers is grossly inadequate. The increase in the number of tax payers is about five fold and the present staff strength is nearly remained 80% of the orginal strength. In spite of huge computerisation, the need for technically sound and young officials is always felt very badly.
6.The department is one of the most efficiently managed among CG departments and in fact, it is many a times, "neighbours envy" for the kind of technical infrastructure provided to its staff. I dont think any thing is spent on decorative/unrelated activities.
You can think objectively, only IF YOU ARE NOT HAVING A PREJUDICED / BIASSED MIND.

Britannia Ad - Conveying a wrong Impression

If you are a TV buff and that too cartoon network/pogo/nick etc., you might have observed that certain advertisements are really cute and touching. The advertiser really knows the pulse of parents / children and get his product moving in the market very swiftly. However, some of the advertisements are disturbing. For eg. Britannia cakes advertisement wherein the mother and also IDLIES (Most favorite south Indian breakfast) are depicted in bad shape. I tried to send e mail to BRITANNIA INDUSTRIES as below. You may also watch advertisement and send similar comment.

" YOUR ADVERTISEMENT IN TV APPEARS TO BE CONVEYING VERY WRONG IMPRESSION ON THE YOUNG MINDS. AD WHEREIN THE MOTHER DENIES CHACOLATES AND GIVES IDLIES TO THE SON LOOKS LIKE A DEMON'. NEITHER THE MOTHER SHOULD BE DEPICTED IN SUCH A HORRIBLE MANNER NOR THE IDLIES SHOWN AS A VERY BAD FOOD. IT DOES NOT AUGUR WELL WITH OUR CULTURE TO SHOW MOTHER IN BAD SHAPE AND TRADITIONAL FOOD IN A POOR PERSPECTIVE. WHY DON'T YOU THINK POSITIVELY ABOUT BOTH"

RIGHT TO INFORMATION

I keep wondering as to how many of us know about RTI Act and its advantages to a common man. In this so called democratic set up, the commoner has very little voice to fight injustice since the bureaucracy is not easily approachable and legal remedy is costly and time consuming. You can hardly wait for the legislature to take cognisance of the problem and enact law for the common good. Somewhere, somehow, the common man is waiting to put his foot down and ask / demand for a remedy. Most of the problems related to corruption, red tapism, general welfare are not solved due to the inability on the part of the common man. His enemy number one is "LACK OF KNOWLEDGE". Even if somebody wants to set right the things, he may not have required information / authentic information as to what is the reason for his plight. The babudom is also having limitations in serving general public due to age old rules and regulations.

A very effective tool which is made available during 2005 by virtue of RTI Act, 2005. How to use it. First of all identify your problem and analyse from all angles. Be it legal, social or economical. Find out the government agency/body which is responsible for redressal. Ascertain the impediments, problems and the cause for the same in a very general sense. After doing this exercise, frame questions eliciting the reasons leading to a situation wherein the problem is not solved. Send application u/s 6 of the RTI Act to the concerned authority/public body having information / reasons for unresolved problems. Cost of application Rs.10 and cost of supply of information should be intimated by the concerned authority. Duration for furnishing information 30 days. If no information received within the said time, approach the appellate authority for redressal.

Believe it or not. You will get answers rightly or wrongly within the due date. Not only that the concerned authority / person will think ten times before doing anything irresponsibly. This will inculcate a proper discipline among the executive in responding to problems relating to general public welfare.

"Buyer be aware" is the principle in Commercial transactions. "Commonner know your rights and exercise them diligently" is the key word in DEMOCRACY. Make it happen and be part of a vibrant Indian polity.

HOMEOPATHY

I got interested in Homeopathy due to my disbelief / allergy to allopathic remedies. Since a long time I have been trying to understand alternative systems of medicine including, yoga, naturopathy, meditation as curative technique. Particularly, after my first son was born in 2001, I seriously got myself engaged in study of homeo remedies. 

I could attend a year long programme on basics of Homeopathy conducted by "World Teachers Trust' (Organisation based at Vizag, Andhrapradesh) when I was posted to Mysore. My belief got confirmed / authenticated by personal experiences shared by several traditional homeopathic practictioners. 

I could make out that Homeo works wonderfully with kids and those who are not using heavy drugs. Even for the adults/heavily drug dependent persons, a good homeopath can make it effective by removing all the toxins, negative substances in the body and prepare you to receive the energy/trigger stamina within you (we call it vital force) so that homeo works effectively. 

Requires patience, perseverence and strong belief in the beginning and thereafter, your symptoms told correctly and completely to the homeopath, will take care. 

In homeo world, you yourself seek remedy by properly and objectively observing the symptoms in its various forms and revealing them honestly/without any bias, to the doc.