Higher TDS rate if PAN not disclosed

 

Higher TDS rate if PAN not disclosed

 

The move is being viewed as an effort by the government to expand the taxpayer base. Companies and individuals who do not reveal their Permanent Account Number (PAN) while receiving income from any source will be liable to pay tax deducted at source (TDS) at the maximum marginal rate of 30 per cent (plus surcharge and education cess). Under the Income Tax Act, 1961, any income payable to the assessee is liable for TDS by the person or entity making the payment. TDS rate ranges from 1 per cent to 30 per cent depending on the nature of income. The Central Board of Direct Taxes is considering changes to the Act to this effect.

For example, if a payment is made to a professional like an engineer or a doctor, TDS is deducted at a rate of 10 per cent. If the engineer or doctor fails to provide PAN number, tax will be deducted at the rate of 30 per cent.

Similarly, if a contractor does not provide PAN, he will suffer a TDS at the higher rate of 30 per cent instead of 2 per cent now. "In many situations, contractors or sub-contractors pay the normal TDS but still do not file return of income. By taxing at maximum marginal rate, they will be induced to disclose PAN and file tax return also," said Amitabh Singh, partner, Ernst & Young. The move is being viewed as an effort by the government to expand the taxpayer base and ramp up revenue collections in view of the huge resource requirement to fund subsidies. Many assessees do not reveal their PAN to evade taxes and get away with the normal TDS payment. Due to lack of PAN, taxes were often pocketed by deductors also. This creates difficulty in processing tax refunds as well. PAN quoting has been made mandatory in the e-TDS returns being filed by firms and companies from last year. The tax deductors were facing some difficulty due to reluctant of assessees to prove PAN. The higher TDS rate will force the assessees to reveal the number. Near 100 per cent PAN quoting in TDS returns is important for moving towards dematerialisation of TDS certificates by 2010, the revised deadline set in Budget 2008. The move is aimed at increasing the effectiveness of TDS provisions to expand the taxpayer base and improve collections. TDS collections constituted 34 per cent of the total Rs 3,14,000 crore direct tax collected in 2007-08. TDS collections are expected to grow by 55 per cent to Rs 1,65,385 crore in 2008-09, or 45 per cent of the Budget estimate of Rs 3,65,000 crore for 2008-09
 

Enable HIBERNATE on ur PC...

 

Regarding the below information no need to shutdown ur PC, just HIBERNATE it. With HIBERNATE the current STATE of your Operating System is stored along with your applications which are opened and being executed. If u click START->SHUTDOWN->HIBERNATE the system will automatically shutsdown. When u power on the system the previous STATE is restored. With this HIBERNATE u can save power and even ur time.

 

For enabling HIBERNATE on ur PC:

 

CONTROL PANEL -> PERFORMANCE & MAINTENANCE -> POWER OPTIONS -> HIBERNATE(TAB) -> Click the ENABLE HIBERNATION check box.

 

Or

 

CONTROL PANEL -> POWER OPTIONS -> HIBERNATE(TAB) -> Click the ENABLE HIBERNATION check box.

 

 

Now just click shutdown and check the list, u will get a new option HIBERNATE.

 

Just do a trail and see the advantage.

 

Atleast try to HIBERNATE your system on FRIDAY while leaving the office, DO NOT FORGET it. J

 

IT-Returns : E-Filing ( very useful information)

You can submit
your IT return on-line by following process.

1. GO TO http://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/index.jsp
2. REGISTER AND CREATE USER (USERNAME AS YOUR PAN NO)
3. GO TO http://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/html/downloads.jsp
4. DOWNLOAD ITR-1
5. FILL THE FORM
6. CHECK THE FORM
7. GENERATE BARCODE
8. GENERATE XML AND SAVE ON YOUR SYSTEM
9. GO TO http://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/login.jsp AND LOGIN
AGAIN
10. CLICK ON SUBMIT RETURN.
11. UPLOAD XML FILE.
12. CLICK ON UPLOAD.

THAT?S ALL.YOU HAVE SUBMITTED YOUR RETURN.

YOU CAN ALSO CHECK YOUR REFUND STATUS IF ANY.

Useful URLS in PERL

http://www.tizag.com/perlT/index.php

 

http://www.perl.com/

 

http://www.tjhsst.edu/~dhyatt/perl/

 

http://www.perl.com/doc/manual/html/pod/perlre.html

 

http://hell.org.ua/Docs/oreilly/perl2/cookbook/index.htm

 

http://hell.org.ua/Docs/oreilly/perl2/perlnut/index.htm

 

http://hell.org.ua/Docs/oreilly/perl2/prog/index.htm

 

http://hell.org.ua/Docs/oreilly/perl2/advprog/index.htm

 

http://hell.org.ua/Docs/oreilly/perl2/sysadmin/index.htm

 

TASK MANAGER ENABLE

 

There is a registry hack to enable or disable Windows NT TaskManager. The same registry hack applies to Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER

Key: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Name: DisableTaskMgr

Type: REG_DWORD

Value: 1=Enablethis key, that is DISABLE TaskManager

Value: 0=Disablethis key, that is Don't Disable, Enable TaskManager

 

 

As part of the enhanced management available in Windows 2000 and Windows XP, rather than risking a registry change, as an administrator you can enable or disable Windows 2000 Pro or Windows XP Pro's TaskManager using Group Policy Editor. This can be applied to the local policy. Note: if you are trying to override your organizations group policy, you can't. As soon as you re-authenticate to the domain, the domain or OU Group Policy will rewrite the registry setting. But if the TaskManager was accidently disabled or you need to control this item for a set of standalone boxes this is for you:

 

Click Start

Click Run

Enter gpedit.msc in the Open box and click OK

In the Group Policy settings window

Select User Configuration

Select Administrative Templates

Select System

Select Ctrl+Alt+Delete options

Select Remove Task Manager

Double-click the Remove Task Manager option

 

What is 123 Agreement?

 

Nuclear Agreement between India - USA :MUST READ BY EVERY INDIAN

There are lot of talks about 1 2 3 Agreement between India & USA and it
almost led to the topple of Central Government. In this mail I am trying
to explain the commercial & technical aspects relating to this Agreement
which I have read and sharing with you.

What is 123 Agreement?

This is called 123 Agreement because this comes under USA's Atomic Power
Act Section 123.
Let's see how India's (Indians?) Sovereinty & Independence are
pledged...

(1) After this Agreement USA will supply all fuel, machinery / equipment
& technology to India for producing Nuclear Power.

(2) All these days from about 22 Nuclear Power Plants, India is
producing power as well as Atom.  It's a high security / secret that
from where which is produced, how much is produced, where it is
supplied, what research is being done with that, etc. to anybody.  But
if we sign this Agreement, we have to disclose these secrets and also
agree to 14 of our Nuclear Power Plants to be under the scanner of
International Atomic Power Organisation.

(3) The fuel utilised to produce Atomic Power can be recycled for reuse
and this plant will be under direct supervision of IAPO.

If India does nuclear test, this agreement gets cancelled.  But

(1) USA will take back all the machinery / equipments / technology
supplied to India thus far.

(2) Those 14 plants will continue to be under scanner irrespective of
the status of the agreement.

On the other hand, if any of the commitments given by USA is breached by
them, then there is no clause for cancelling this agreement.

The agreement is apparently like this... USA can either hug India or
slap India.  India will not ask why are we hugged or why are we slapped.
On the other hand, India cannot hug or slap USA for breach of agreement.

This is only capsule so that easy to read and digest.

Subject: India Pledged.... Part 2

Requirement of Power

The most important requirement for India's Economic Growth in the coming
years will be the power & infrastructure. The argument put forth
favouring the 123 Agreement says that we need Nuclear Power Production
to be increased to meet the demand.

Power Production in India

Presently following are the figures:

Thermal Power        66%

Hydel Power           26%

Solar & Wind Power  5% - Presently Rs.600 Crores are spent for producing
this power.

Nuclear Power           3% - If this is to be increased to 6%, it
requires additional Rs.50,000 Crores.

Naturally it will be wise to increase other 3 modes of power production
rather than the expensive & dangerous Nuclear Power. Isn't??

URANIUM

We used to import Uranium from various other countries.  After the
Pokran Test, we are not getting it. To augment the supply, we need to
sign the 123 Agreement to get Uranium from USA.  But we will have to
declare to USA from which power plant India takes raw material for
producing Atom Bomb.  Why should we disclose our internal secrets to
those  rascals  ? Will any one allow an outsider to continuously monitor
what's happening in your Hall & Kitchen of your house?   Other study
reveals that Uranium is available in India aplenty. Only hurdle is the
acquisition of land. To produce Atomic Power & Bomb in the next 40
years, the requirement of Uranium is 25,000 MT whereas the availability
is 78,000 MT across India.

PLUTONIUM

Presently 35% of Plutonium is used to produce Atomic Bombs. After
signing the Agreement, we will be allowed to use only 10%. Who are those
rascals to restrict the usage of our natural resource ?  That is though
you are capable of cooking & eating 10 idlis as your breakfast, you are
allowed only 3 idlis henceforth. How can it be?  Why should we accept
this?

THORIUM

As told by Dr.APJ, we have abundant Thorium. In fact we are the 2nd
largest producer of Thorium next only to Australia.  India has to
explore this further for producing power.  For your information, in
South India - particularly around Kanyakumari, the availability of
Thorium is abundant.

INDIA-IRAN-CHINA

USA does not like the amicable relationship between India-Iran and also
India-China.  If India-China relationship gets stronger, then both these
can rule the Eastern Part of the Globe which USA wants to break as per
their divide & rule.

By signing this agreement, USA wants India to depend on it for producing
power which is going to be a crucial factor in future. There is a talk
of bringing Natural Gas from Iran to India with a big pipeline project.
USA doesn't like this proposal.

Atomic Power Technology

Whether power is produced or Bomb is produced, using Atomic power
without spoiling the infrastructure and without allowing the radiation
is always under threat. Moreover preserving the wastes coming out of
Atomic Power Plants is expensive & unsafe.

There was an accident in Three Miles Island in USA. To close this plant
nearly USD 200 Crores spent with tons & tons of concrete but yet to be
fully closed.

In an another accident at Soviet Union's Serbia Plant, even the next
generation child are affected due to the radiation.

It will be very very expensive to defuse & close down an Atomic Power
Plant than its construction cost.

France

France has got 56 Nuclear Power stations producing 73% of the country's
total power requirement.  They are catching up the problem of
eliminating the wastes / emissions from out of those plants at the same
time increase the power production capacity.  Government of France is
now thinking how to reduce the power consumption in the country.

Conclusion

In view of the above danger, rather than signing the agreement and
pledging India to USA, it will be prudent to increase the Solar & Wind
Energy and more importantly Hyder Power Production can be increased by
linking all rivers across India and by constructing DAMS. (Ofcourse Dam
construction projects can be given to L&T's B&F Sector:-)

The whole process of this Agreement started in the year 2005 when
Manmohan visited USA. In a span of just 2 years a major decision of
signing this agreement has taken place with political motive.  On the
contrary, neither this Government nor any other earlier Central
Government could not amend the Constitution thereby nationalise the
rivers across the country thereby effectively utilise the water
resources for both Agriculture purpose and producing Hydel Power. What
an irony?

Whenever someone is helping the needy, you can't expect the TERMS AND
CONDITIONS BETWEEN THE needy and the helper to be EQUAL???  BUT

(1) the helper's ulterior motive should be seen with broad eye because
he is capable of digging a grave behind you and

(2) better to be self-sufficient and explore new avenues with available
resources.

INDIA-CHINA-USA

India is very rich in Culture, follow Religions, Value Ethics, Level of
Education is Very Good.

China is also rich in Culture, follow Religion, better disciplined.

USA does not have Culture, does not have Ethics, only want power over
others.  Particularly wants a firm footing in South Asia.  Remember the
introduction EURO by European Countries and it is stronger than Dollar?
So their "DAL" cannot be boiled at "EUROPE".  They are trying in India
as already Pakistan is in their clutches.

Feedback

Above is only a capsule of information .

 

 

Warn if not Subject in outlook mail

 

This is really useful……… 

 

Forgot to mention subject, while writing an official mail and feel bad later???????

 

Yes…. It’s a concern for all…. A mail without a subject brings a bad impression on us.

 

To avoid this, Just follow the simple steps mentioned below and see the result.

 

 Here below are the steps: -

1. Open your outlook

2. Press Alt+F11. This opens the Visual Basic editor

3. On the Left Pane, one can see "Microsoft Outlook Objects" or "Project1", expand this. Now one can see the "ThisOutLookSession".

4. Double click on "ThisOutLookSession". It will open up a code pane.

5. Copy and Paste the following code in the right pane. (Code Pane)

 

‘=============================================================================================

Private Sub Application_ItemSend(ByVal Item As Object, Cancel As Boolean)

    Dim strSubject As String

    strSubject = Item.Subject

    If Len(Trim(strSubject)) = 0 Then

        Prompt$ = "Subject is Empty. Are you sure you want to send the Mail?"

        If MsgBox(Prompt$, vbYesNo + vbQuestion + vbMsgBoxSetForeground, "Check for Subject") = vbNo Then

                Cancel = True

        End If

    End If

 End Sub

‘=============================================================================================

 

6. Save this and now close the VB Code editor.

 

From now on, this macro will make sure you do not make the mistake of sending a mail without a subject. 

 

Eight Ways to Be a Superstar at Work

 

Making the corporate climb hinges on observing common do's and don'ts, says Cathie Black, publisher of Hearst Magazines and author of the book "Basic Black." She and others share tips for hurdling land mines -- and landing higher on the org chart.

 

Decline the Oscar. "It's always tempting to be sucked into the whirlwind of office drama," but it's not worth the wounds backstage, Black said.

Next time you see a melodrama unfolding, exit stage left. Take a coffee break or "a long lunch," she said.

Handle it. "A crisis for you may not be one for your boss," so don't make it one, she wrote.

Announce the news with an end run. Problems have more receptive audiences when they're solved.

Go deep. When hiring, "look for a track record of success, not just the most recent" hits, said Black. Listing a few wins could mask a string of losses.

To check the candidate's home-run capacity, throw a curveball during the interview. Present challenges you face and ask how he'd handle them.

Also focus on balance. "If your current team is strong in analytical thinkers, perhaps adding a more creative thinker to the mix will juice things up," said Black, former president and publisher of USA Today.

Know what counts. There's a crucial difference between "being respected and being liked. One is in your control, and the other is not," she wrote. "Some people won't like you no matter how much you try to win them over. It's just a matter of personal chemistry. But if you conduct yourself in a way that commands respect, people will respond to it, even grudgingly."

Take the high road, and even critics will "tend to like you more."

Don't stop at no. "Very often, people can be -- and even want to be -- convinced," Black wrote. To sell an idea, hone your pitch.

The difference between no and yes often lies in the information you provide, the way you package it -- and your timing, says performance coach Jack Griffin.

Know whom to call. "If you want something done, give it to a busy person," Black said. "The ones who appear the busiest are (usually) the most reliable."

Forget the laggards with empty plates. They're busy staring at their reflections.

Do it later. If possible, avoid checking e-mails first thing in the morning. It puts you in grunt-work mode, says management expert Julie Morgenstern.

At most, spot-check mail for critical messages, then return an hour or two later.

In the meantime, do a task that fires you up.

Scope the big picture. "The first half of your life is spent chasing success," Black said. "The second half is spent chasing significance."

At some point, all leaders begin thinking about their legacies. It's not what you bring to the table; it's what you leave there.

"The energy spent trying to advance (seems) less important than the larger meaning behind your work," she wrote.

"Start thinking in those terms now. You'll accomplish more, with greater satisfaction, than you thought possible."

Heads Up-------------> Health - Important Notice ... TIPS

Health - Important Notice

Reduce the amount of TEA you consume 

Do not eat bread which has only JUST been toasted  

Keep your distance from hand phone CHARGERS 

Drink more WATER in the morning, less at night 

Do not drink coffee TWICE a day 

Reduce the amount of OILY food you consume 

Best sleeping time is from 10pm at night to 6am in the morning  

Do not have HUGE meals after 5pm 

Do not take alcohol more than one glass/cup/serving a day 

Do not take pills with COOL water 

Do not lie down immediately after taking medicine before sleeping 

 

Getting LESS than 8 hours of sleep affects your health  

People used to napping will not get old easily 

 

When battery is down to the LAST grid/bar, do not answer the phone 
 

 The radiation is 1000 times 

 

Answer the phone by LEFT ear 

It'll spoil your brain directly by using right ear 

 

Do not use headphones/earphone for LONG period of time 

Rest your ear awhile after 1 hour  

 

 

Forward this to friends whom you CARE about 

 

INDIAN Budget 2008-09

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram presented his fifth Budget in Parliament on Friday. 

 

            I hope, I may be giving you the first update of the Budget!

 

            I. Well for the Salaries now the IT (Income Tax) limits have been increased!

 

            1. Upto 1.5 lakh taxable income  - Rs. 0 tax (for women this limit is 1.80 lakh)

            2. 1.5 lakh         - 3.0 lakh           - 10%

            3. 3.0 lakh         - 5.0 lakh           - 20%

            4. 5.0 lakh         and above          - 30%

 

            II. Electronics

 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.       <!--[endif]-->Set top box prices to come down

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.       <!--[endif]-->Reduction in taxes on TV and allied broadcasting equipments

<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.       <!--[endif]-->Reduction in taxes of Refrigeration components

 

III. Education

           

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.       <!--[endif]-->New IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.       <!--[endif]-->6000 High quality schools

<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.       <!--[endif]-->16 states to get Central universities

<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.       <!--[endif]-->IIST’s in Bhopal and Trivandrum

 

IV. Banking

 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.       <!--[endif]-->Banking transactions tax removed

 

V. Agriculture

 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.       <!--[endif]-->Full waiver of Farm loans for farmers with less than 5 acres of land.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.       <!--[endif]-->Crop insurance – unchanged

<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.       <!--[endif]-->Insurance to all crops including Chillis

 

VI. Health

 

1.  Tax waiver for Clinics in rural areas for five years

 

Following are the highlights:

• Changes in IT slab. Threshold of exemption for all Income Tax assesses raised from from 1,10,000 to 1,50,000.
• Every income tax assessees to get relief of minimum of Rs 4,000.
• No change in rate of surcharge.
• New tax slabs will be: 10 per cent for 150,000 to 300,000, 20 per cent for 300,000 to 500,000 and 30 per cent above 500,000.
• For women, the income tax limit goes up from Rs 1.45 lakh to Rs 1.80 lakh. In case of senior women citizens, it increases from Rs 1.95 lakh to Rs 2.25 lakh.
• Fresh facilities, encouragement to sports and guest houses exempted from Fringe Benefit Tax.
• Five year tax holiday for setting up hospitals in tier II and tier III regions for providing healthcare in rural areas from April 1, 2008.
• Five year tax holiday for promoting cultural tourism.
• Short-term capital gains increases to 15 per cent.
• Commodities Transaction Tax to be introduced on the lines of Securities Transaction Tax.
• Banking cash transaction tax withdrawn from April one, 2009.
• Direct tax proposals to be revenue neutral. Indirect tax proposals to result in loss of Rs 5,000 crore.
• Rs 500 crore for corpus fund to subsidise all women Self Help Groups for LIC [Get Quote] cover for permanent disability.
• Agricultural loans given by scheduled commercial banks, regional rural banks and cooperative credit institutions up to March 31, 2007 and due for December 31 that year will be covered under the waiver scheme to address the problem of indebtedness.
• No change in corporate income tax.
• To protect tigers, Rs 50 crore for National Tiger Conservation Programme. Bulk of it to be used to raise Tiger Protection Force.
• Plan expenditure fixed at Rs 2,43,000 crore and non plan expenditure at 5,74,000 crore.
• Fiscal deficit pegged at 3.1 per cent and revenue deficit at 1.4 per cent.
• Tax to GDP ratio increased from 9.2 per cent in 2004-05 to 12.5 per cent 2007-08.
• No change in peak rate of customs duty for non
• Customs duty on specified life saving drugs reduced from ten per cent to five per cent.
• Special Countervailing Duty on power imports.
• Customs duty on specified sports goods machinery down from 7.5 per cent to five per cent.
• Duty withdrawn on naptha for production of polymers.
• Duty on crude and unrefined sulphur reduced from five to 2 per cent to help raise domestic fertiliser production.
• General Centvat on all goods to be reduced from 16 per cent to 14 per cent. Excise duty reduced from 16 per cent to eight per cent on all pharmaceutical goods manufacture.
• Excise duty on small cars reduced to 12 per cent from 16 per cent and hybrid cars to 14 per cent.
• Excise duty reduced from 16 to 8 per cent on water purification items.
• Duty on non filter cigarettes to be raised.
• Asset management service under mutual funds, services by stock exchanges to be brought under Services Tax net.
• Threshold for small service providers raised from Rs eight lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
• Allocation for defence to be increased by 10 per cent from Rs 96,000 crore to Rs 1,05,600 crore.
• 75 lakh people to be covered by health insurance scheme.
• Allocation for Textile Upgradation Fund to be more than doubled.
• Micro, small and medium enterprises to continue to get special attention.
• Risk Capital Fund to be set up in SIDBI.
• PAN requirement to be extended to all transactions in capital market subject to a threshold.
• Rs 750 crore for upgradation of 300 ITIs in 25 districts.
• Rs 32,676 crore as subsidy to Public Distribution System.
• PDS through smart cards in Haryana and Chandigarh on pilot basis.
• Three schemes to be introduced for providing social security to unorganised sector workers.
• Sixth central pay commission to submit report by March 31, 2008.
• Rs 624 crore allocated for Commonwealth Games
• Farmers' debt to be waived
• Complete waiver of loans for marginal farmers owning land up to one hectare and small farmers owning land up to 1 and 2 hectares.
• Agricultural loans given by scheduled commericial banks, regional rural banks and cooperative credit institutions up to March 31, 2007 and due for December 31 that year will be covered under the waiver scheme to address the problem of indebtedness.
• One time settlement of loans for other farmers.
• Agriculture loans restructured and rescheduled by banks from 2004-06 and other loans normally rescheduled under RBI guidelines will also be eligible under the waiver scheme.
• Implementation of debt waiver and debt relief will be completed by June 30 this year.
• Loan waiver scheme to involve loans liability of Rs 60,000 crore and to benefit four crore farmers.
• By loan waiver scheme, the country is discharging a deep debt and sense of gratitude to farmers, says Chidambaram.
• The corpus of rural infrastructure development fund to be raised to Rs 14,000 crore.
• More reforms needed in coal and electricity sectors to ensure double digit growth in manufacturing sector.
• Rs 800 crore for accelerated power reforms programme.
• National Fund for Transmission and Distribution Reforms to be launched.
• The loan waiver scheme will benefit three crore small and medium farmers and cover loans totalling Rs 50,000 crore.
• One crore other farmers will benefit to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore in the waiver.
• Foreign investment of 3.5 to 8 billion dollars expected for exploration and development of new oil blocks.
• Rs 7,200 crore to be allocated to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, marking an increase of 24 per cent.
• Rs 500 crore for corpus fund to subsidise all women Self Helf Groups for LIC cover for permanent disability.
• A target of Rs 2.80 lakh crore for agriculture credit set for the coming year.
• Rs 20,000 crore for irrigation projects under AIPB, showing an increase of Rs 9,000 crore over last year.
• National Horticulture Mission to be given Rs 1,100 crore in 2008-09 with special focus on coconut cultivation.
• Rs 75 crore to be given to Agriculture Ministry for providing mobile soil testing laboratories in 250 districts.
• Rs 644 crore for National Agriculture Insurance Scheme, which will be continued pending evolving an alternative crop insurance scheme.
• National Plant Protection Training Institute at Hyderabad to be made autonomous body and Rs.29 crore will be allocated to it.
• A scheme of debt waiver and relief for small and marginal farmers announced.
• NREGA scheme to be rolled out in all the 596 rural districts in the country in 2008-09.
• Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission to get Rs 6,865 crore this year against Rs 5,482 crore past year.
• Allocation for Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water Mission to be increased to Rs 7,300 crore. Rs 200 crore for potable water in schools.
• Rs 300 crore to be set aside for desalination plant in Chennai for drinking water.
• Rs 500 crore for identifying urgent needs of development programmes of border areas like Arunachal Pradesh.
• SC, ST and minority students to continue to get special attention.
• Allocation for several schemes in North East raised from Rs 14,365 crore to Rs 16,400 crore.
• Rs 75 crore sanctioned for Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship Programme for SC/ST students pursuing M.Phil.
• Rs 230 crore will be extended as additional equity to developmental organisations looking after the welfare of SC,
• ST, socially and economically backward classes and minorities.
• Allocation for Minority Affairs Ministry to be doubled from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,000 crore.
• Rs 540 crore for multi-sectoral development plan for minority concentration districts.
• 288 public sector bank branches to be opened in districts having minority community concentration.
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan will be provided Rs 13,100 crore, Mid Day Meal scheme Rs 8,000 crore, Secondary education Scheme Rs 4,554 crore.
• 410 additional Kasturba Gandhi Vidyalaya to be set up in backward blocks.
• Navodaya Vidyalayas to be opened in 20 districts with special focus on regions having SC/ST concentration.
• Allocation of Rs 130 crore for this purpose. Rs.750 crore more to be given for merit scholarship to students up to 10th and 12th class.
• Mid day Meal scheme extended to upper primary level in 3479 schools. 16 central universities to be opened in 2008-09.
• Three IITs to be set up in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.
• Schools of architecture and planning in Bhopal and Vijaywada. More institutes of higher education to be opened.
• Rs 100 crore to be given to Information Technology Ministry to set up national knowledge centres.
• Allocation for NRHM increased to Rs 12,050 crore
• Rs 992 crore for national AIDS programme.
• A national programme for the elderly to be started at a cost of Rs. 400 crore.
• Rashtra Swasthya Beema Yojana to start from April one in Delhi and Haryana. Rs 30,000 for each family belonging to unorganised sector.
• Allocation for ICDS increased to Rs 6300 crore.
• Rs 85 crore sanctioned for scholarships to students pursuing science education.
• Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research to be set up at Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram.
• Agriculture credit doubled in the first two years of the government to reach Rs.2.40 lakh crore by March 2008.
• Eleventh Plan started on a robust growth.
• Gross budgetary support to be raised to Rs 2,43,386 crore, an increase of more than Rs 38,000 crore from the current level.
• Allocation for Bharat Nirman to be raised to Rs 31,280 crore.
• Twenty per cent hike in education budget this year from Rs 28,674 crore to Rs 34,400 crore.
• GDP growth slows down to 8.4 per cent during quarter ended December 31, 2007 as compared to 9.1 per cent a year ago.
• Economy grew over eight per cent over 12 successive quarters since 2005, says Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
• Growth rate of agricultre extimated at 2.6 per cent during the current year.
• Services and manufacturing sectors expected to grow by 10.7 per cent and 9.4 per cent, says Chidambaram.
• Keeping inflation under check is one of the cornerstones of the Government's policy.
• Rice production estimiated at 94.08 million tonnes, maize 16.78 mt, soyabean 9.45 mt and cotton 23.38 million bales.