Author: yazdi

Save your food – email Jaipal Reddy

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The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) bill has been introduced in Parliament again.[1] This dangerous bill will create a body that will single-handedly allow the entry of genetically modified (GM) crops into our country.

We’ve stopped this bill for three years, and now the government has introduced it on the sly. Our demand is the same. Minister of Science and Technology, Jaipal Reddy, who introduced this bill, needs to drop this bill right now.

You should ask Jaipal Reddy to drop the BRAI bill because it poses a threat to our food safety.

 

CLICK HERE

 

Farmers, scientists and over four lakh people have been opposing the BRAI bill. Opposition was seen inside Parliament as well. Minister Jaipal Reddy is receiving fax messages already and soon he’ll start getting your emails with the same demand. All this will encourage him to act.

The BRAI bill is riddled with faults.[2] There is no provision for proper a safety assessment of GM crops. It overrides the Right to Information Act and does not allow people to question its decision. It looks like BRAI is being created to shove GM food onto our plates.

This fight to keep our food safe has been won by us before. We’ve been successful in keeping away GM food from our country for ten years! Our massive opposition resulted in a moratorium on Bt brinjal.[3]We even stalled BRAI for three years. So let’s do this once again.

Ask Minister Jaipal Reddy to drop the BRAI bill now!

 

CLICK HERE

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

Picture of Neha Saigal

Neha Saigal
Greenpeace India

 

 

 

 

Certain provisions of 97th amendment unconstitutional

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Gujarat High Court on Monday declared certain provisions of the 97th amendment to the Constitution of India, dealing with cooperative societies, as unconstitutional and ordered them to be quashed.
The judgement was passed by Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala acting on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Rajendra Shah of Consumer Protection Analytic Committee (CPAC ), claiming that Union of India has no legislative competence to enact Law for co-operative society which is exclusively a state subject under the Constitution of India.

Click Here for the report

Click Here for the judgement

Click Here for some insights and considered views

Training seminar for Co-operative Housing Societies on 28th April

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A new era of co-operation has begun, with professionalism and law-abiding functioning, from Accounting Year 2013-14. It is upto us to take study and understand, and adapt to the new legal changes brought into the co-operative sector by the recently enacted 97th Constitutional Amendment. If we do so, we will reap many benefits in the form of harmonious living and orderly functioning. However, if we neglect to understand the new laws and rules, the consequences can be painful.

Remember, knowledge is power. Also remember, ignorance may be bliss, but when the time comes for punishment, ignorance of the law is not an excuse!

Some changes may still be expected in the amended Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, as it is now before a select committee of the State Legislature, to be tabled before legislature in the monsoon session. But as it is, MCS Act stands amended already, and we broadly know the shape of things to come. Therefore, it is crucial to understand and prepare for the changed scenario.

MAHARASHTRA SOCIETIES WELFARE ASSOCIATION (MSWA) HAS ORGANIZED A FULL-DAY BASIC TRAINING PROGRAM IN CHS LAWS i.e. Various implications of 97th Constitutional Amendment, Amended Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, and Model Bye-laws

DATE & TIME: Sunday, 28th April, 9.30 am To 6.15 pm.

VENUE: MSWA, A-2/302, Laram Centre, Opp. Platform 6, Andheri West, Mumbai.

WHO MUST ATTEND?

  • Managing committee members of Housing Societies, as they will have to make many adjustments in their style of working due to sweeping changes in the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (MCS) Act, 1960 and New Model Bye-laws. Henceforth, elections must be held under supervision of the State Co-operatives Election Authority, and statutory returns need to be filed to the Registrar, failing which the managing committee will be disqualified and debarred.
  • Society members with grievances, as they can get speedy relief owing to extension of Right to Information to co-operative societies, and also Grievance Redressal and Dispute Resolution Committee to be appointed. But first, they will have to understand their new rights and duties!
  • Ordinary members & associate members, who are required to actively participate in the society’s affairs, failing which they may forfeit various rights and privileges.
  • Women, who will enjoy two reserved seats on the managing committees, as against one formerly. But they must earn the respect of the men on the managing committee by getting thorough knowledge of the various aspects of running a housing society.
  • Members of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, etc., who will get three reserved seats – enabling active participation in their society’s governance.
  • Chartered Accountants, Advocates, Tax Practitioners, Society Managers and other professionals, who will play an expanded role in housing societies. They will have fresh avenues for earning by rendering new service, but they must understand their statutory responsibilities and legal liabilities, and also guide the office-bearers. Professionals must have a thorough grip of new laws and rules.

REGISTRATION FEES – Rs 1,900/-per head.

DISCOUNTS:

(i) Two or more members attending from the same society – Rs 1,500/- per head
(ii) Housewives and Retired Persons — Rs 1,300/- per head

(iii) PLUS EARLY-BIRD DISCOUNT: 10% discount on applicable fees for above-mentioned fees if you register on or before 21st April.

Fees are inclusive of lunch, tea and snacks & printed notes i.e. gist of MCS Act & Bye-laws, plus copy of Amended MCS Act & Bye-laws on CD.

FACULTY: Well-known experts & activists on co-operative housing societies, retired officers of co-operation department, etc.

To register, contact Mr Vishal Bamne on 9823911027 or 42551414, or email on mswa.hsg@gmail.com.

TOPICS TO BE COVERED:

  • Historical background of co-operative movement, land owners’ societies & housing societies
  • Objectives & scope of 97th Constitutional Amendment
  • MCS (Amendment) Ordinance 2013
  • New features of amended MCS Act 1960, their Impacts on co-operative enterprises and on housing societies
  • New model bye-laws for CHS, highlights & impacts
  • Positive & negative effects of the recent amendments on various stakeholders
  • Further changes in MCS Act in near future — What is needed, what is likely scenario
  • Members’ rights & responsibilities — active members, associate members, nominal members, etc.
  • Managing committee & office-bearers duties & responsibilities
  • Audit, AGM, Election Authority& Election Rules, filing of Annual Returns & consequences of non-compliance
  • Seat Reservations for Women, SC/ST/OBC etc. – how to implement
  • How to set up Grievance Redressal & Dispute Resolution Committee, and how it will function
  • Forums of redressal for various disputes & grievances outlined in Model Bye-laws e.g. police, consumer court, co-operative court, civil court, office of dy. Registrar – Theory & Practical Realities
  • Importance of people’s participation, how & where to make representations, how to create a public campaign to inform, educate & participate

Warm Regards,

Krish

9821588114

Mis-selling by banks

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Will this 79-year old’s protest move the government and the RBI to stop mis-selling by banks?

When a banker comes to your home, exploits your trust and dupes you, he is called a bankster. Why doesn’t such systematic criminal exploitation of hapless depositors move the government and the banking regulator? This 79-year old has resorted to Gandhigiri to get justice

In the past couple of days 79-year old Mangelal Sharma goes to his bank (IndusInd Bank, Preet Vihar Branch, New Delhi) wearing a specially made T-shirt. It carries his photograph and says “BEWARE IndusInd Bank is a cheat. It has cheated me and may cheat you”. He says there was a lot of commotion when he first walked in and some said that they too had been cheated by the bank. On Saturday he wore the T-shirt and danced at the branch singing “Kya mil gaya sirkar toomhen meri FD (fixed deposit) toodake, mujhe mutual fund mein fansa ke, mujhe choona lagakey”. This parody of this song from the film Kissa Kursi Ka has Mr Sharma asking the bank what it achieved by entrapping him to invest in a mutual fund.

The story behind this protest will make you furious. It is about how banks have turned into banksters and send out armies of managers to entrap, con and lure trusting account holders to invest their saving in instruments that earn them a high return.

 Click Here for this scary story of scamster banks cheating senior citizens

Understanding Educational Loans

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Education is expensive and Higher education is all the more expensive especially foreign education. Hence the need for education loan, which is a  financial aid given to meritorious but needy students for meeting the expenses of their higher education in India or abroad. In this article we shall explain education loan, what it is, process of getting education loan, repayment, tax benefits under section 80E.

Here is a good article which answers the following questions :

What is education loan?

Who gives out education loans?

What is covered under the loan?

What is eligibility criteria for an educational loan ?

What is the maximum amount lent by the bank?

What is the interest applicable on Educational loans?

Where can the loan be availed from ?

Does one need to provide a guarantor or any other kind of security?

Are there any other fees applicable while taking this loan?

What are the documents required while applying for the loan?

How much time does it take for education loan to be sanctioned?

How is the loan amount disbursed?

When does the repayment of the loan starts?

Are there any tax benefits for educational loans?

What is education loan subsidy scheme?

Is there a penalty for pre-payment?

Is there any documentation required post the sanction of the loan ?

If one is unable to pay loan?

What happens if one takes a break from studies?

What if one doesn’t get a job?

Click Here for this interesting and useful article

Making the Right to Information a Reality

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More than 90 countries around the world have laws guaranteeing the right to information. But getting an information law on the books is only the beginning. Making sure that public information actually reaches ordinary citizens is a challenge of its own.

In the first three years after India passed its 2005 Right to Information Act, there were over two million requests. Even with a network of information commissioners in place to facilitate applications, the system was facing crushing backlogs. Shailesh Gandhi, a Central Information Commissioner in New Delhi, set out to create a new approach to keep cases moving.

Learn more about Open Society’s work on freedom of information at http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org

How to get a Senior citizen’s card?

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For all those over 60

Benefits of having a senior citizen’s card:

  • Railway concession – 30% (60 years).
  • Maharashtra state transport concession- 50% (65 years).
  • Air travel concession – 50% on basic fare only (65 years).
  • Some private hospitals discount – 30% (60 years).
  • Govt. Hospitals treatment free of cost – (60 years).
  • Banks give extra interest – 1/2% (60 years).
  • Post office investment upto Rs.15 lakh gives higher interest (60 years).
  • High court will give priority in hearing – (65 years).
  • Maharashtra professional tax – 100% exemption (65 years).
  • MTNL – 25% discount on monthly rent – (65 years).
  • Railway have separate queue for senior citizens.
  • Local trains/ best buses have reserved sitting.
  • Income tax relief.
  • Old age home admission free or at nominal cost.

Click Here for details and procedure

100 Subscribers

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Hello Friends,

Today we reach a small milestone – we have more than 100 online subscribers to www.ConsumerResources.in  Moreover, on an average, we get more than 750 hits per day, and growing. Thank you so much for your continuous support and encouragement.

Over the past few months, we have tried to cover a variety of topics which may be of use to the consumer, which are not easily available under one roof. We would love to hear from you about the topics covered, what you like and what you don’t and what more you would like to see on a growing basis.  Please do send in your comments and bouquets and brickbats – All are welcome !

If you like the quality, the topics and the frequency of the posts, please do refer us to  your friends and family. As you are aware, subscriptions are easy and free. Also, if you like a particular post and feel that others should also know about it, you have to option to post the same on Facebook and Twitter.

Best Wishes for the new financial year

Yazdi Tantra