IIPM can’t call itself a management school, rules Delhi High Court

September 27, 2014 yazdi1 Comment

The institute’s claims are false and misleading, the court has said.

The Indian Institute of Planning and Management has been barred by the Delhi High Court from using the words “MBA, BBA, Management Course, Management School, Business School or B-School” in its advertisements.

“In the face of the admission of the senior counsel for… IIPM today that IIPM is not entitled to confer any Degree, the prospectus issued by IIPM showing itself as conferring a Degree, is evidently false and misleading,” the court has remarked in its judgement.

The court has ordered IIPM to immediately remove from its website references to words that suggest it confers a degree recognised by the Indian educational system.

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Changes in Provident Fund rules: 7 things to know

September 25, 2014 yazdiLeave a comment

Planning for retirement is as important as planning for one’s career and marriage. Everybody wishes to have a secure, independent retirement life, where you would not depend on others for your needs. Investments and allocations are accordingly channelized in this direction to achieve the desired goals. The Employee Provident Fund (EPF), Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) and Public Provident Fund (PPF) are some of the popular products to invest for the retirement years.

In the past few months, radical changes have been introduced in these schemes. Let us have a look at them.

1) PF portability

2) Bank account and PF portability

3) Higher PF wage ceiling

4) Minimum monthly pension

5) Insurance limit hiked

6) PF interest rate

7) Tax on PF withdrawal

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Defaulters will not be allowed to vote or contest Society Polls

September 18, 2014September 18, 2014 yazdi1 Comment

In the upcoming cooperative housing society polls, residents who have defaulted in the payment of maintenance charges of their respective societies will be debarred from voting or contesting elections. Vinayak Kokare, Deputy Registrar of housing societies, said the elections, which have not been held for the past five years, will be conducted in November or December.

As per the new amendments of Cooperative Act and directions by the Bombay High Court, the state government has been appointed as the designated authority to conduct elections in cooperative bodies. Apart from housing societies, elections are also likely to be held in credit societies and banks. However, the court had specifically asked the state government to conduct cooperative bodies’ elections, following which the state government filed an affidavit before the court, stating its intention to conduct the elections before December 31.

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No excuse for not checking your name on the electoral rolls

September 17, 2014 yazdiLeave a comment

Better hurry, only a day left to register!

How to Check if Your Name is on the Electoral Rolls? – VCAN

To check if your name is on the Electoral Rolls, follow our easy step by step guide.

TOGETHERVCAN.IN

Ranjit Sinha Is the Symptom

September 15, 2014 yazdiLeave a comment

The malaise of corruption and influence-buying is deeply ingrained in the system

Activist and advocate Prashant Bhushan has rendered yeoman service by informing the Supreme Court of India about the goings-on at the residence of the Central Bureau ofInvestigation (CBI) director Ranjit Sinha. He added substance to his allegation that CBI’s Mr Sinha was going slow on various mega scam investigations by revealing the list of visitors to Mr Sinha’s home; and the list is truly startling.

A slow judicial system with its propensity to remain silent about judicial corruption, as has been revealed by Justice Makrandey Katju on his blog, dissuades people from fighting back. The few, who do, often end up broken and frustrated by the system at every turn.

Can we expect this to change? Prime minister Narendra Modi has made several clear commitments to the people of India. “We have to create systems where there is no injustice against anybody,” he tweeted. More specifically, he promised to act as a ‘chowkidar’ (guard) who would prevent the plunder of national wealth. “I will neither take a bribe not allow anyone else to accept one,” he has said.

We know this is easier said than done. Other than a rumour about the PM having actually asked the son of a senior leader to return a bribe, we have yet to see any change down the line, especially in regulatory and investigation agencies.

Conflict of interest often breeds corruption. The government is working on the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013, but who really believes it will make a difference? Then there is the lapsed private member’s Bill on conflict of interest introduced in the Rajya Sabha by Dr EMS Natchiappan.

A multi-disciplinary group of NGOs called the Alliance against Conflict of Interest (AACI) is working to resurrect and improve on it by putting together a detailed note with documented cases of how conflict breeds corruption and skews policy-making and regulation in diverse areas—from education to public health, food, safety, environment or finance.

Click Here for the full article by SUCHETA DALAL

10 Minutes to a Healthier Heart—and Longer Life

September 9, 2014 yazdiLeave a comment

It doesn’t matter how busy you are. Everyone can spare 10 minutes of their day…especially if it may help you live longer. And that’s just what this natural solution may help you do.

D.C. Lee is an assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State. He led a team of researchers that looked at data from over 55,000 adults. And it was a diverse group to say the least. Subjects were between 18 and 100 years-old.

Mr. Lee and his team found that people in one subgroup were 45% less likely to die from heart complications. In fact, they were 30% less likely to die in general.1 And they all had one thing in common…

They were all runners.

On average they lived three years longer than non-runners. But that’s not the only good news researchers revealed. They also found that the benefits were the same regardless of how many hours subjects ran in a week.2

People who ran for just 10 minutes a day—even at slower speeds—reduced their risk of death from heart complications by 50% compared to non-runners.3 That’s an extra 5% higher than the average for all runners. And some subjects ran for three hours—or more—a week.

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Claim that a file is missing or is not traceable has no legality under RTI

September 9, 2014 yazdiLeave a comment

In a significant decision Central Information Commission (CIC) has ruled that unless proved that record was destroyed as per the prescribed rules of destruction/ retention policy, it is deemed that record continues to be held by public authority. The decision has been posted at out wiki Segment, for those who want to use it as a reference. You can visit out wiki article here: Missing Files under RTI Act.

Claim of file missing or not traceable has no legality as it is not recognized as exception by RTI Act. By practice ‘missing file’ cannot be read into as exception in addition to exceptions prescribed by RTI Act. It amounts to breach of Public Records Act, 1993 and punishable with imprisonment up to a term of five years or with fine or both.

Public Authority has a duty to initiate action for this kind of loss of public record, in the form of ‘not traceable’ or ‘missing’. The Public Authority also has a duty to designate an officer as Records Officer and protect the records. A thorough search for the file, inquiry to find out public servant responsible, disciplinary action and action under Public Records Act, reconstruction of alternative file, relief to the person affected by the loss of file are the basic actions the Public Authority is legitimately expected to perform.

After all, it is quite possible that the required information may be located if a thorough search is made in which event, it could be possible to supply it to the applicant.

Fear of disciplinary action, against the person responsible for loss of the information, will also work as a deterrence against the willful suppression of the information, by vested interests. It would also be open to the Commission, to make an inquiry itself instead of directing an inquiry by the department/office concerned.

The decision is available in the CIC website here: Sh.Om Prakash Vs. Land & Building Dept, GNCTD

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Consumer Alert – No.12

September 5, 2014 yazdiLeave a comment

September 2014 No. 12

How healthy are malt-based beverages?
Read more

Educational institutes excel in exaggeration!

The competition among educational and coaching institutes is stiff. But that’s no reason for making false and misleading claims.

Stay safe online

The internet offers many opportunities and useful information at our fingertips. We download content, make online transactions and use social networking sites. While doing all this we are revealing personal information. Find out how to keep personal data secure online. Read more

CERS MEDIATES

Canara Bank reverses charges for cheque book delivery

HDFC loses share certificate of flat, arranges for copy

What your gas agency didn’t tell you

Are you aware that you are entitled to up to Rs. 40 lakh risk cover in case of loss of life, injury or damage to property due to LPG cylinder explosions?

New ad norms for fairness creams

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), a
self-regulatory body, has released a set of guidelines for advertising skin lightening and fairness products in India.

CERS SETTLES IN COURT

Exchange offer turns sour, garage owner told to refund money

Postal authorities made to cough up PPF deposit interest

Can an appellate authority grant conditional stay?

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 requires a party challenging an order in appeal to deposit a prescribed amount at the time of lodging the appeal. Can the appellate authority direct the appellant to deposit further money to grant conditional stay?
Read more

Have a complaint? Go on Twitter

Tired of your consumer complaints going nowhere, despite making numerous phone calls and sending emails? Take your complaints to Twitter. The company concerned is likely to act immediately and take damage control measures. Read more

NEWS FLASH

Tax on sugary drinks in latest Budget

Prices of fizzy sugary drinks will increase with the Government levying an excise hike in an attempt to curb consumption.

Insurance buyers don’t need to reveal lifestyle diseases

Sold goods can always be returned

Make doctors write prescriptions in capital letters: MP

Rajendra Agrawal, MP from Meerut, feels doctors often write illegible prescriptions putting patients at risk.

Stricter labelling norms for packaged food

New Bill limits Rlys’ liability in case of accidents

The cancer tests you really need—and those you don’t

Based on talks with experts and review of current research,Consumer Reports Health gives you useful advice on when you should go in for cancer screening. Read more

IN A CAPSULE

Mobile phone use linked to skin allergy

Two meals better than six for some diabetics

Beat those hunger pangs with pulses

CERC NEWSLINE

CP Act Amendments

CERC has sent detailed comments on the Draft proposed by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs for amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 making nearly 40 suggestions.

CERC’s City Centre

Renewable Purchase Obligation

Roundtable on Counterfeit Food Products

Hotelier-philanthropist and CERS Trustee Jehangir Cama passes away

Ahmedabad-based hotelier and philanthropist who started the Cama Hotel, one of the first luxury cum business hotels in the city in 1960, Mr Jehangir R.J. Cama, passed away on 25 August 2014. Obituary

Women Empowerment

September 2, 2014September 2, 2014 yazdiLeave a comment

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013

Employer Responsibility

To provide a Sexual Harassment free work environment.
Every workplace having 10 or more employees is required to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee -ICC.
The details of the ICC should be put on the notice board of the office.
To conduct Workshops and Seminars to Sensitize Employees

Employee Duties

Check if your office has an ICC
Complain if you face any kind of Sexual Harassment ( Mental, Verbal or Physical) to ICC

Penalties

For Non Compliance the employer would be liable to be punished with a fine up to Rs. 50,000 and thereafter double penalty and cancellation of his license to conduct business.

www.womanempowerment.in

Courtesy : Ruzan Khambatta