It's time to give women more tax sops
Friday, 22 February 2013 07:43
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The Times of India 22.02.2013
It's time to give women more tax sops NEW DELHI: It isn't just foreign investors who would have remembered the last Budget as a tough one. Even women lost out as the government withdrew tax benefits that were introduced in the form of higher tax exemption limit in 2000-2001.
In 2000-01, Yashwant Sinha, the then finance minister,
had introduced a special provision under which the basic tax exemption
limit for women was pegged higher than that for men. This resulted in
lower tax liability of up to Rs 5,000.
While P Chidambaram
retained the provision in 2004-05, his first budget of his second term
in North Block, in 2005-06, he reduced the benefit to a maximum of Rs
3,927, including surcharge and cess. Chidambaram reduced the
differential benefit further before Pranab Mukherjee finally withdrew it.
While introducing the provision, Sinha had said that the additional
rebate of Rs 5,000 for women tax-payers "is equivalent to increase in
the exemption limit by Rs 50,000 over that of men". However, tax experts
say that a preferential treatment for women is needed to encourage
them.
Kuldeep Kumar, executive director (tax and regulatory
practices) PWC India, said a preferential tax treatment to women is
highly desirable as it helps in empowering them. At a time when
government is giving financial help to girl child, a preferential tax
treatment to them will not be off the mark. When the government has
given reservations to women in Panchayats and is trying to extend the
same in Parliament, why is it shying away in giving special treatment in
taxes to them, he added. In fact, the government should increase the
exemption limit for women. This will certainly help women in acquiring
productive assets. In fact, if the differential tax benefit is increased
substantially, say up to Rs 20,000, a number of families will like to
transfer fixed assets on their women members' name to bring down their
tax liability on their income.
A senior tax consultant, who do
not wanted to be quoted, said even if such provision might lead to
misuse to save taxes, it's worth trying. She said in the short term, the
misuse of the provision would be more pronounced than its benefit, but
in the long term it will certainly help women empowerment. Another tax
consultant said any move to give special treatment to women in taxing
their income would be welcomed as it will ultimately help society. Kumar
pointed out that such special treatment should be increased for single
woman parent as a separate category. As it has become an accepted norms
in cities, the government must give them concession to enable them to
meet various challenges which they face as single parent.
Last Updated on Friday, 22 February 2013 07:52
69% women feel unsafe in city, finds survey
Wednesday, 13 February 2013 11:39
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The Hindu 13.02.2013 69% women feel unsafe in city, finds surveyStaff Reporter Even as demonstrations and discussions on women’s safety
do the rounds triggered by the gang-rape and death of a 23-year-old
girl in Delhi, a recent survey conducted in the city reveals that 69 per
cent of the women feel unsafe here. The respondents
to a survey on urban problems conducted by students of the sociology
department of St. Teresa’s College cited increasing incidents of eve
teasing and abuse in public transport among the major problems faced by
women. This was a regular feature in the lives of school and college
students, the survey revealed. The survey threw up a
surprise with 51 per cent of the respondents preferring a flyover to the
proposed Metro Rail as a solution to the city’s traffic problems. The
survey had a sample size of 200 respondents. Sixty-five
per cent of the respondents found city roads highly unsatisfactory,
especially those in West Kochi. Eighty per cent were not happy with
traffic control measures citing absence of traffic signals, footpaths,
and parking space. Though 85 per cent of respondents reported
availability of corporation water and vouched for its quality, 56 per
cent complained of ‘impure water’. Interestingly, 43
per cent said they managed waste on their own compared to 46 per cent
who were dependent on facilities offered by the Corporation and another
13.25 per cent on Kudumbasree. Among the respondents, 8.4 per cent have
biogas plants at home. Sixty-nine per cent desired to set up a biogas
plant while 31 per cent were opposed to it on account of space
constraints. More than 90 per cent complained of
pollution of some kind with 65.5 per cent complaining of air pollution,
35 per cent of water pollution, and 20.4 per cent of noise pollution.
The city’s recreational facilities drew flak from the respondents as 65
per cent of them expressing dissatisfaction with parks, gardens, and
stadiums. They felt the Corporation had failed to maintain the parks,
which had become a safe haven for anti-social elements. Later,
talking at a colloquium on urban planning organised by the college,
City Police Commissioner said the police had initiated programmes to
ensure the safety of women. K.J. Sohan, chairman of town planning
standing committee of the Corporation, said development of suburban
areas should be given due importance in urban planning.Rajan Chedambath,
director, Centre for Heritage Environment and Development called for
the preservation of the city’s history while planning its future.
Last Updated on Thursday, 14 February 2013 09:59
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Women self-help groups to manage half of civic-run parking lots
Friday, 31 August 2012 11:18
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The Indian Express 31.08.2012 Women self-help groups to manage half of civic-run parking lotsImprovements panel passes proposal first made in 2010
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Improvements Committee
on Thursday passed a contentious proposal to reserve the management of
50 per cent of the civic body’s parking spaces in the city for women
self-help groups.
According to the proposal, first put forward in 2010, another 25
per cent will be reserved for Mumbai’s educated and unemployed and the
remaining 25 per cent will be open to contractors from the general
public.
Following a petition by former councillor Hamida Mistry and
social worker Aslam Qureishi against the reservation of 25 per cent for
the open category, the High Court had passed an interim order on
November 15, restraining the BMC from finalizing the tender. On March
15, the High Court referred the matter to a competent authority of the
BMC asking the civic body to reconsider the reservation.
“We passed the proposal since it is a positive step towards
helping women and the unemployed. The groups that get the contracts are
supposed to run parking lots, and after paying the BMC, make a profit,”
said Improvements Committee member and BJP corporator Dnyanmurthi
Sharma. Committee member and Shiv Sena corporator Ramakant Rahate said,
“The rate for pay-and-park will be decided once tendering process begins
after the proposal is approved in the general body meeting. Contractors
will have to make a monthly payment based on this and will have to
maintain a three-month payment deposit with BMC,” he said.
To minimize traffic congestion aggravated by illegal parking in
non-earmarked zones, the BMC will implement the scheme at 92 locations
identified in 15 of the 24 wards. It expects to earn a revenue of Rs
11.13 crore from licence fee for 24 months. According to officials of
the Development Plan Department, a total area of 11,0466 square metres
has been reserved for approximately 8,400 cars, 3,954 square metre. for
about 160 buses and 4,109 square metres for around 1,400 two-wheelers.
At a meeting in July, committee member and Samajwadi Party leader
Raees Sheikh had raised the issue of a few contractors using women
self-help groups as a front for managing more parking spaces.
“There are no checks to see these will actually be run by women
self-help groups. The women may simply be used as a cover-up for the
parking mafia,” he said.
Last Updated on Friday, 31 August 2012 11:24
Cash-for-pregnancy scheme extended to urban areas
Friday, 17 August 2012 08:43
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The Times of India 17.08.2012
Cash-for-pregnancy scheme extended to urban areas
BHUBANESWAR: The state government has extended 'Mamata' cash-for-pregnancy scheme to urban areas. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik made the announcement here on Wednesday.
The government had launched the scheme for rural women ahead of
panchayat elections in 2011. "The scheme will immensely benefit pregnant women in towns, especially those from the economically-weaker sections," Naveen said.
Women in the 103 ULBs, including municipal corporations, municipalities
and notified area councils, above 19 years of age will get Rs 5,000 in
four installments during and after pregnancy. These are Rs 1,500 after
six months of pregnancy, Rs 1,500 after their child becomes three
months, Rs 1,000 when the child is six months and another Rs 1,000 when
the child attains nine months. All women registered with the
anganwadis except family members of government and public sector
employees irrespective of their financial status are eligible to avail
the benefit for the first two pregnancies.
Last Updated on Friday, 17 August 2012 08:44
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