thought these were food for thought. i am not paying a whole lot of attention to the budget yet because it is obviously intended to get the kkkangress into power again in 2009.
From: Swami
Equal taxation for men & women
In today's society, if you ask for equality, it is branded unfair & communal. Check out this link: http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/feb/29budget48.htm
Women have exemption upto Rs.1,80,000 while men upto Rs.1,50,000. Why the discrepancy?
Wouldn't men in a lower income in today's Indian society have much greater responsibilities to fulfill in terms of raising a family.
Equality please, for men & women everywhere... Even in taxes...
Jizya tax again
We Indians/Hindus have payed Jizya tax for a long time under the Mughals & the Deccan Sultanate. For the uninitiated, the Jizya tax is money paid by non-Muslims to Muslims under the Shariat.
Jalauddin Akbar briefly abolished the tax in his later years, but his son, Jehangir alias Salim prompty reinstated it when he came to power.
http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/feb/29budget38.htm
Details of 'communal' budgeting and the Jizya tax in doublespeak below, from the above link:
SC, ST, OBC and Minorities
42. Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, socially and educationally backward classes, and minorities will continue to receive special attention.
Development and Finance Corporations
43. Development and Finance Corporations have been set up for certain disadvantaged groups. I propose to contribute additional equity to these corporations in the following manner:
Rs. Crore1
National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation 75.00
2
Three National Finance and Development Corporations for Weaker Sections comprising
(i) Safai Karamcharis
(ii) Scheduled Castes
(iii) Backward Classes 106.50
3
National/State Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporations 50.00
4
National Handicapped Development Corporation 9.00
Scholarships
44. In previous Budgets, we had announced a slew of pre- and post-matric scholarship programmes for SC, ST, OBC and minorities. All of them will be continued in 2008-09 with adequate funds as summarised below:
Scheduled Castes Rs.804 crore
Scheduled Tribes Rs.195 crore
Other Backward Classes Rs.164 crore
Minorities (post-matric) Rs.100 crore
45. I propose to allocate a sum of Rs.75 crore in 2008-09 to the Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship Programme. As Honourable Members are aware, this programme supports SC and ST students pursuing M.Phil and PhD courses.
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
46. Following the practice initiated in 2005-06, I have included in the Budget documents a statement on the schemes for the welfare of SCs and STs. I have provided Rs.3,966 crore for schemes benefiting SCs and STs exclusively and Rs.18,983 crore for schemes where at least 20 per cent of the benefits are earmarked for SCs and STs.
Minorities
47. The allocation to the Ministry of Minority Affairs will be increased from Rs.500 crore in 2007-08 to Rs.1,000 crore in 2008-09. Government has taken up the report of the Justice Rajindar Sachar Committee for speedy implementation. Apart from the schemes commenced in 2007-08, it is proposed to implement the following schemes/measures in 2008-09:
� a multi-sectoral development plan for each of the 90 minority concentration districts will be drawn up at a cost of Rs.3,780 crore. The allocation in 2008-09 will be Rs.540 crore;
� a pre-matric scholarship scheme with an allocation of Rs.80 crore next year;
� a scheme for modernising Madrassa education for which a provision of Rs.45.45 crore has been made in 2008-09;
� 256 branches of public sector banks have been opened this year until December 2007 in districts with substantial minority population. 288 more will be opened by March 2008 and many more in
2008-09; and
� continuing the exercise started this year, more candidates belonging to the minority communities will be recruited to the Central Para-Military Forces.
48. I also propose to provide Rs.60 crore to enhance the corpus fund of the Maulana Azad Education Foundation.
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