Union Budget 2017-18 ::

All taxpayers above 5 lakh rupees to get benefit of 12,500 rupees across the board: FM
2.10% Surcharge on individuals with income between 50 lakh to 1 Crore: FM
3.Surcharge of 10% for individuals earning between Rs 50 lakh- 1 crore; Surcharge for incomes > Rs 1 crore at 15% to continue: FM
4.A single one-page form for filing IT returns for taxable income up to 5 lakh rupees: FM
5.Tax on income from 2.5 lakh to 5 lakh reduced from 10 per cent to 5 per cent: FM
6.Time period of revising tax return to be reduced to 12 months: FM
7.Amendment to RBI Act proposed to enable electoral bonds: FM
8.Political parties will be entitled to receive donations in cheque or digital payment, every political party to file IT returns: FM
9.Long-term capital gains tax on immovable property to apply after 2 years, instead of 3 years now: FM
10.Maximum amount of cash donation a political party can receive to be 2000 rupees from any one source: FM
11.Computer emergency response team to be established Cyber security: FM
12.Rate of growth in advance tax in personal income tax in last 3 quarters of this financial year is as high as 34.8%: FM
13.Basic customs duty on LNG to be reduced from 5% to 2.5%: FM
14.Tax rate for companies with an annual turnover up to 50 crores to be reduced to 25%, to strengthen MSME sector: FM
15.To make MSMEs more viable, income tax for smaller companies to be reduced: FM
16.Profit linked deduction available to Startups for 3 years out of 5 years will be available for 3 years out of 7 years
17.Capital gains tax to be exempted,for persons holding land from which land was pooled for creation of state capital of Telangana: FM
18.Thrust in budget are affordable housing, promote digital economy, bringing transparency in political funding: FM
19.We are committed to make our taxation rate reasonable,our tax admin more fair & expand the tax base of the country: FM
20.Only 1.72 lakh people show income above Rs 50 lakh: FM
21.1.5 crore people show income between Rs 2.5-5 lakh; 52 lakh people between between Rs 5-10 lakh; 24 lakh above Rs 10 lakh: FM
22.5 special tourism zones,anchored on SPV, to be set up; Incredible India II campaign to be launched across the world: FM
23.Revenue Deficit target at 1.9% of GDP: FM
24.Govt to commemorate Champaran Satyagraha centenary: FM
25.Fiscal deficit pegged at 3.2 percent of GDP: FM
26.Aadhar-enabled payment system AadharPay to be launched: FM
27.Defence allocation of Rs 2.74 lakh crore: FM
28.Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras to be extended to more than 600 districts across the country: FM
29.Total allocation for infrastructure in Budget for Better India stands at a record level Rs 3,96,135 crore in 2017-18: FM
30.State run companies like IRCON and IRCTC to be listed in markets: FM

1.Total resource transfer to States and UTs with legislature at Rs 4.11 lakh crore up from Rs 3.6 lakh crore in BE 16-17: FM
2.Total allocation for rural, agricultural & allied sectors for 2017-18 a record 1,87,223 cr, up by 24%: FM
3.Total expenditure of this year’s budget is 21 lakh 47 thousand crore rupees: FM
4.Innovation Fund for secondary education to be created: FM
5.Introduction of a new law for Economic offenders fleeing the country by confiscating their properties: FM
6.Web based pension distribution system for defense pensioners: FM
7.Road sector budget increased from 57,676 cr rupees in 2016-17 to 64,900 crore rupees in 2017-18: FM
8.Centralised Defense Travel System has been designed to allow defense personnel to book tickets online: FM
9.Sanitation coverage in rural areas has gone up to 60% now: FM
10.3,500 km Railway lines to be commissioned in 2017-18: FM
11.Aadhar based smart cards for senior citizens: FM
12.Proposal to step up allocation for PMAY Gramin from 15,000 crore to 23,000 crore in next year: FM
13.Rs 2000 Cr announced for coastal road connectivity; essentially to enhance connectivity to ports & coastal villages: FM
14.By 2019, All Railway Coaches to be fitted with Bio toilets: FM
15.19,000 crore in 2017-18 for PMGSY; together with contribution from states, 27,000 crore to be spent: FM
16.20,000 MW solar power plants to be set up: FM
17.Improvement in working of CPSEs through consolidation, merger and acquisition: FM
18.2.44 lakh crore rupees for Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojan: FM
19.A revised mechanism of listing of Public Sector Enterprises: FM
20.During 2017-18, another 5 lakh ponds to be constructed, for drought-proofing: FM
21.Rs 10,000 crore for recapitalisation of banks: FM
22.3.5 Crore youth will be trained under Sankalp program launched by the government: FM
23.A new metro rail policy will be announced with focus on innovative models of implementation and finance: FM
24.FM proposes further liberalisation of FDI policy
25.Mission Antyodaya to bring 1 crore households out of poverty, & to make 50,000 Gram Panchayats poverty-free: FM
26.2 new Strategic Oil Reserves to be set up in Odisha and Rajasthan: FM
27.Expert committee will be formed to study Commodity Market: FM
28.DigiGaon initiative will be launched to provide tele-medicine, education & skills through digital technology: FM
29.Foreign Investment Promotion Board to be abolished: FM
30.By end of FY 2017-18 high speed broadband connectivity on optic fibres will be available in more than 1,50,000 gram panchayats: FM
1.Total allocation for infrastructure 3 lakh 96 thousand 135 crore rupees for 17-18: FM
2.Coverage of eNAM to be expanded from 250 to 585 APMCs: FM
3.Railways will offer competitive ticket booking facility to public at large: FM
4.2,41,387 crore rupees allotted for the transportation sector in 2017-18: FM
5.Dedicated Micro-irrigation fund to be set up by NABARD to achieve mission of Per Drop More Crop: FM
6.Service Tax on E-tickets through IRCTC withdrawn: FM
7.500 railway stations to be differently abled friendly, selected airport in tier two cities will be in PPP mode: FM
8.Mini Soil Testing Lab in Krishi Vigyan Kendras to ensure 100% coverage: FM
9.Railways will integrate end to end transport solutions for selected commodities through partnership: FM
10.Coverage of Fasal Bima Yojana to go up from 30% of cropped area, to 40% in 2017-18 & 50% in 2018-19: FM
11.Target for agricultural credit in 2017-18 has been fixed at a record level of 10 lakh crore rupees: FM
12.Rail Sanraksha Kosh to be set up with corpus of one lakh crore rupees: FM
13.Women, child, welfare allocation upped to Rs 1,84,362 crore: FM
14.Total capital for Railways is pegged at 1 lakh 31 thousand crores Rs: FM
15.Two new AIIMS to be set up in Jharkhand and Gujarat: FM
16.Speed of construction of roads has increased to 133 km per day: FM
17.PM Awas Yojna – Gramin allocation raised to 23000 crore: FM
18.Speed of construction of roads per day has increased to 133 km per day: FM
19.Incredible India second campaign to be launched world over: FM
20.Good institutions to have greater administration & academic autonomy: FM
21.Safe drinking water to cover 28,000 arsenic & Fluoride effected habitations in the next four years: FM
22.Special scheme for leather and footwear sector: FM
23.Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra to be extended to 600 districts: FM
24.Open defecation free villages are now being given priority for Pipe to water supply: FM
25.National testing agency to conduct all entrance examinations across the country: FM
26.Merger of Railway Budget with Budget 2017 a historic step: FM
27.Advancement of Budget2017 will enable all Ministries,Departments to operationalize all schemes right from beginning of next FY: FM
28.Total allocation for rural & agriculture sectors – 1lakh 87 thousand 223 crore rupees: FM
29.100% village electrification will be achieved by May 1,2018 : FM
30.Sanitation coverage in rural areas have gone up from 42% in Oct 2014 to about 60% now: FM
1.To complete 1,00,00,000 houses by 2019 for houseless and those living in kaccha houses: FM
2.Highest allocation in MGNREGA, up from 38,500 crore rupees to 48,000 crore rupees for 2017-18: FM
3.Participation of women in MNREGA has increased to 55%: FM
4.Effects of demonetisation not expected to spill over to next year: FM
5.Overall approach behind budget 2017 is to spend more in rural areas: FM
6.Firmly believe that GST, Demonetisation, built on JAM, will have an epoch-making impact on the lives of our people: FM
7.3 challenges in current global scenario: Monetary stance of US FED Reserve, Commodity prices specially crude oil & retreat from globalisation: FM
8.Committed to increase the income of farmers in 5 years: FM
9.Demonetisation aims to create a new normal, where the GDP would be bigger, cleaner and real: FM
10.Target of Rs 10 lakh crore credit to farmers: FM
11.GST and Demonetisation two tectonic policy initiatives: FM
12.Dedicated micro irrigation fund will be set up by NABARD with initial 5000 crore rupees: FM
13.We will take special efforts to ensure adequate flow of credit to under served areas, Eastern states and J&K: FM
14.Government has continued with a steady path of fiscal consolidation: FM
15.Transform, energise & clean India are Govt’s agenda: FM
16.Favourable price developments reflect prudent macroeconomic management: FM
17.Agriculture expected to grow 4.1% this year: FM
18.India continues to stand as a bright spot in the world economic landscape: FM
19.Uncertainty around commodity prices, esp. around crude oil, second major challenge: FM
20.Current monetary plans of the US Federal reserve one of 3 challenges: FM
21.FDI rises to 1,45,000 crore rupees in first half of 2016-17: FM
22.Surplus liquidity in the banking system due to demonetisation will boost economic activity: FM
23.There are positive signs, that point to a positive outlook for the next year: FM
24.India’s Current Account Deficit decreased frm about 1% of GDP last yr to 0.3% of GDP in 1st half of 216-17:FM
25.Country’s Current Account Deficit declined to 0.3% from 1% of GDP: FM
26.IMF estimates world GDP to grow at 3.1% in 2016 and 3.4% in 2017: FM
27.India’s macro economic stabiliity continue to be foundation of economic success: FM
28.Government is now seen as a trusted custodian of public money: FM
29.Finance Minister Arun Jaitley thanks the people for support to the Government, assures of more measures for people’s welfare.
30.Union Finance Minister Sh. Arun Jaitley presents Union Budget 2017-18 in Parliament on 1st Feb 2017.
1.To complete 1,00,00,000 houses by 2019 for houseless and those living in kaccha houses: FM
2.Highest allocation in MGNREGA, up from 38,500 crore rupees to 48,000 crore rupees for 2017-18: FM
3.Participation of women in MNREGA has increased to 55%: FM
4.Effects of demonetisation not expected to spill over to next year: FM
5.Overall approach behind budget 2017 is to spend more in rural areas: FM
6.Firmly believe that GST, Demonetisation, built on JAM, will have an epoch-making impact on the lives of our people: FM
7.3 challenges in current global scenario: Monetary stance of US FED Reserve, Commodity prices specially crude oil & retreat from globalisation: FM
8.Committed to increase the income of farmers in 5 years: FM
9.Demonetisation aims to create a new normal, where the GDP would be bigger, cleaner and real: FM
10.Target of Rs 10 lakh crore credit to farmers: FM
11.GST and Demonetisation two tectonic policy initiatives: FM
12.Dedicated micro irrigation fund will be set up by NABARD with initial 5000 crore rupees: FM
13.We will take special efforts to ensure adequate flow of credit to under served areas, Eastern states and J&K: FM
14.Government has continued with a steady path of fiscal consolidation: FM
15.Transform, energise & clean India are Govt’s agenda: FM
16.Favourable price developments reflect prudent macroeconomic management: FM
17.Agriculture expected to grow 4.1% this year: FM
18.India continues to stand as a bright spot in the world economic landscape: FM
19.Uncertainty around commodity prices, esp. around crude oil, second major challenge: FM
20.Current monetary plans of the US Federal reserve one of 3 challenges: FM
21.FDI rises to 1,45,000 crore rupees in first half of 2016-17: FM
22.Surplus liquidity in the banking system due to demonetisation will boost economic activity: FM
23.There are positive signs, that point to a positive outlook for the next year: FM
24.India’s Current Account Deficit decreased frm about 1% of GDP last yr to 0.3% of GDP in 1st half of 216-17:FM
25.Country’s Current Account Deficit declined to 0.3% from 1% of GDP: FM
26.IMF estimates world GDP to grow at 3.1% in 2016 and 3.4% in 2017: FM
27.India’s macro economic stabiliity continue to be foundation of economic success: FM
28.Government is now seen as a trusted custodian of public money: FM
29.Finance Minister Arun Jaitley thanks the people for support to the Government, assures of more measures for people’s welfare.
30.Union Finance Minister Sh. Arun Jaitley presents Union Budget 2017-18 in Parliament on 1st Feb 2017.

Talks, Events and TV ShowTalks, Evs

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“I work hard, want quick results and deserve success” says 35 year old entrepreneur Alicia…. But her customers don’t bother to see her brand the way she sees it. They don’t seem to agree that her brand message is worth their time. The result is an obvious downward spiral for Alicia and many like her in varied professions.
Ever wondered why some brands make it big and some fail miserably?
Is it always about the product/ service or is there something more to it ?
Are marketing techniques of the yesterday any bit relevant today ?
Glaring, in-your-face messages are passé …. even offensive to your clients/customers.
‘Conventional ways are dead’. An innovative way out is using ‘stories’ to inflate your brand.  Stories are the power that have changed fortunes of many a politician and country. Stories are the magic that have helped small brands take over giants. Stories are the phenomena that work for ailing, moderate and soaring businesses.
Kahani (story) is a subtle yet aggressively impactful marketing tool that has game changing potential for your brand. It focuses on creating authentic stories (brand or personal); stories that can be embedded in business presentations, marketing collateral, client meetings, VC pitches 
You do know that the ability to create demand for your product/service is a as important as having a product/service. If you want quick results and are ambitious about your goals, Kahani is for you,
It is an interactive talk in workshop format. When you walk out of the session, you will have an incredibly effective tool for direct application to your business/profession. You will know how to stand out of the clutter and influence your consumer through the world of stories. Are you game ?
PS: Kahani is not a session on ‘storytelling’. 
Key Inclusions
S-I-F-T
The Art and Science of Stories
Contrasting Impact 
The DIY process
Pitfalls and Errors
Neuro Story
Kahani has been a raging hit in MNC’s at pan India locations

UNICEF statement on child refugees



NEW YORK, 30 January 2017 – “The needs of refugees have never been greater. Worldwide 28 million children have been uprooted by conflict, driven from their homes by violence and terror. They need our help.

“UNICEF is committed to continuing our work with governments and other partners around the world to help some of the most vulnerable children everywhere, from Syria to Yemen to South Sudan.

“The United States has a long and proud tradition of protecting children fleeing war and persecution. We trust that this support will continue and that the recent measures will prove to be temporary. All refugee children need our support.”

About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Does the nation not reflect the sentiments of the Republic? 


BY NAMITA WAHI | ET
 

    Sixty seven years ago, “We the People” constituted India into a sovereign democratic republic by adopting the longest written Constitution in the world. The creation of the republic represented our commitment to being governed by our elected representatives according to the rule of law.
    The length of the Constitution was a testimony to the drafters’ effort in bridging India’s colonial past with her democratic future; retaining some colonial institutions and laws that would provide stability to the fledgling nation, while creating rights and institutions that would enable us to experience freedoms we had only dreamt of during colonial rule. The bureaucracy, police, and the RBI were colonial retentions; the Parliament and the Supreme Court were constitutional creations.

The executive composed of the President and the Governors, the Prime Minister and his cabinet were constitutional creations with colonial features. But the most significant constitutional creation was the chapter on “Fundamental rights”.
Part III of the Constitution guarantees to all nationals, and in certain cases only to citizens, rights to life, liberty, equality and property. The Constitution imposed a duty on Parliament, executive and the SC to ensure respect for our fundamental rights. But since its adoption, the constitutional commitments of Parliament, executive and the judiciary have been severely tested. Never more so than during the emergency, when Parliament was suspended, the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government violated our fundamental rights with impunity and in the infamous ADM Jabalpur case, the SC failed to protect them.
In 2015, on the 40th anniversary of the emergency, the NDA government commemorated the Jana Sangh and Janata Party’s resistance to the emergency and articulated its commitment to our fundamental rights. However, today, we find the NDA government too subverting the rule of law and infringing our fundamental rights, and both Parliament and the SC inconsistent, and therefore ineffective, in holding the government accountable for violating our rights.
Constitutional Subversion
The first instance of constitutional subversion is misusing the government’s ordinance power, which is a legislative power, to be exceptionally exercised by the President as the executive head, only in situations of “immediate necessity”. 
 
In 2015, through the thrice promulgated Land Acquisition Ordinance, 2014, the central government sought to eviscerate protections with respect to consent and social impact assessment enshrined in the democratically negotiated and legislated Land Acquisition Act, 2013. 
 
This was in clear opposition to parliamentary will as Parliament had refused to pass the ordinance into law in two successive sessions, which had necessitated the repromulgation. Eventually, the NDA government abandoned its attempt to pass the ordinance into law. Only this month, a seven judge bench of the SC has reaffirmed that repromulgation of an ordinance is a “fraud on the Constitution” and subversion of the democratic legislative process.
The second instance is pursuit of executive actions without any legislative backing in violation of the Constitution. The NDA government has continued the UPA government’s Aadhaar project, the world’s largest national identification project, which was started in 2009 without any legislative backing in subversion of the rule of law. This project involves the collection of our biometric and demographic data in prima facie violation of our fundamental right to privacy as articulated by the SC. 
 
In 2011, the Parliamentary Standing Committee rejected the Aadhaar bill, and in 2013, the SC ordered that the government could not make Aadhaar mandatory for availing any government service, whilst referring the constitutional validity question to a constitution bench. Nevertheless, in February 2016, the NDA government, in a tortuous twist to the meaning of a “money” bill, gave legislative sanction to the Aadhaar project, bypassing the Rajya Sabha where it did not have a majority.
Subsequently, in May 2016, the SC referred petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar law to a constitution bench but has not pronounced a verdict in that case. Meantime, a few central and state government institutions continue to implement Aadhaar in contempt of the Court’s orders. The SC has admitted the contempt petitions but has again failed to pronounce a verdict or stay the implementation of Aadhaar encouraging the culture of government impunity.
The third instance of subversion of the Constitution is through a combination of the first two, that is, misuse of the ordinance power, and pursuing through executive action what can only be done by the legislature. The NDA government has pursued this double subversion in the demonetisation exercise. 
 
Demonetisation, involving three actions, namely the declaration of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes as illegal tender, the extinguishment of the RBI’s liability on the notes, and restrictions on people’s ability to access their money as part of its conception and implementation, required legislative backing. Knowing they did not have this backing, the government divorced these three actions, introducing the first and third through executive notifications followed by innumerable RBI circulars while Parl ..

As I have written previously in this column, the demonetisation exercise involves a prima facie violation of the fundamental rights to liberty and equality and the constitutional right to property.
Yet the parliamentary debate on demonetisation was more disruptive than dialogic, and focused primarily on the economic blunders of the exercise rather than the deliberate debilitation of our fundamental rights.
The SC also refused to stay the demonetisation exercise, again referring the matter to a constitution bench which despite the urgency of the issues before it has not even been constituted.
As we celebrate our republic, we must remember that the Constitution is only as good as the paper on which it is written, unless “we the people” are committed to it in letter and spirit. When subversion becomes the norm, rights become meaningless, and so does the republic.

QUERY ON MIGRATION STUDIES


To participate, kindly respond by 1 March 2017: gym2013unesco@gmail.com
Migration and human mobility are critical challenges facing the world today and attempts to provide responses through national, regional or global policies are on the rise. From a preliminary scoping exercise to map substantial courses on migration worldwide (attached), it seems however that migration studies continue to remain deeply fragmented, cutting across several social science disciplines like Geography, Demography, Economics, Sociology, Anthropology, Labour Studies, Development Studies, Social Work, History and Political Sciences.  The initial scoping also suggests a geographical bias with an underrepresentation of courses from Africa, Asia, and South America.
Studies in migration can prepare students for careers in a wide variety of occupations in research institutions, government agencies, think tanks, non-governmental organizations or international organizations, among others. The Query on Migration Studies therefore hopes to support students’ orientation and professional careers in the field of migration.
Aspiring and current students, development practitioners, and professionals working or interested in the field of migration, be it international or internal, are kindly requested to respond to the following questions:
  1. Do you think current migration studies courses are well planned? If yes, why? If not, what content should a migration studies curriculum cover?
  2. Which courses, apart from programmes on migration studies, can lead to a career in migration?
  3. What courses can be added to enrich or correct the attached List of Courses on Migration Studies?
The consolidated reply will be shared and posted on UNESCO networks, especially on GYM (www.unescogym.org) under our newly created Youth Corner, for the benefits of students wishing to become professionals prepared to cope with one of the critical challenges facing the world today.
To respond to this query, please write to: gym2013unesco@gmail.com by 1 March 2017. We look forward to your valuable contributions.
Marina Faetanini
On behalf of the GYM Team
UNESCO New Delhi Office