This is a crazy thought. Why should tax payers bear the brunt of petrol subsidy when petrol users are not the common man. I do not own a vehicle, but this cess will mean, I pay the fuel charge for some rich guy owning cars.
Read more..
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/Govt_mulling_oil_cess_on_income_tax_/articleshow/3075924.cms
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Oil subsidies are bogus socialism
Oil hit a record $135/barrel last week, up from $51/barrel in January 2007. Taking a longer four-year perspective, the price of the crude is up 230%, but Indian petrol is up only 35%, diesel 46%, and kerosene not at all!
Why not? Because government diktat obliges oil marketing companies to provide massive implicit subsidies to consumers that may touch a staggering Rs 200,000 crore this year. Subsiding oil consumers — most of whom are middle class or rich — makes no sense in a poor country. The Arjun Sengupta Committee found that most people live on less than Rs 20/day. But the implicit petrol subsidy for many car-owners exceeds Rs 100/day. This offends both justice and economic sense.
(Article by Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar)
Read more ..
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Columnists/S_A_Aiyar_Oil_subsidies__socialism/articleshow/3069493.cms
Why not? Because government diktat obliges oil marketing companies to provide massive implicit subsidies to consumers that may touch a staggering Rs 200,000 crore this year. Subsiding oil consumers — most of whom are middle class or rich — makes no sense in a poor country. The Arjun Sengupta Committee found that most people live on less than Rs 20/day. But the implicit petrol subsidy for many car-owners exceeds Rs 100/day. This offends both justice and economic sense.
(Article by Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar)
Read more ..
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Columnists/S_A_Aiyar_Oil_subsidies__socialism/articleshow/3069493.cms
Sunday, May 11, 2008
More on Agriculture in India
The number of people dependant on agriculture has gone up... there are 70 crore people in India now...
Yes, this is unique to our country -- that the number of people dependant on agriculture has not gone down. In countries like the US, Japan etc, only two to three per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture. 97 per cent is involved in other vocations.
But in our country, two-thirds of the population is involved in farming, which includes animal husbandry, crop husbandry, fisheries, and forestry. That is why there is so much rural poverty.
Read more ..
http://specials.rediff.com/money/2008/may/06mss2.htm
Yes, this is unique to our country -- that the number of people dependant on agriculture has not gone down. In countries like the US, Japan etc, only two to three per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture. 97 per cent is involved in other vocations.
But in our country, two-thirds of the population is involved in farming, which includes animal husbandry, crop husbandry, fisheries, and forestry. That is why there is so much rural poverty.
Read more ..
http://specials.rediff.com/money/2008/may/06mss2.htm
Friday, April 25, 2008
Excellent article on the food crisis in India
http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/apr/22guest.htm
Agricultural productivity in India is quite deplorable. If we compare the productivity of Indian agriculture to that of the productivity in other countries, we will find that our's is way behind the leading nations. Take for instance China. With only 100 million hectare of agricultural land, China is producing 400 million tonnes of grain while India with its 146 million hectares of agricultural land produces on an average only 108 million tonnes of food.
If we take the production per hectare of individual crops too we will find that the country is way behind other countries. The average production of rice per hectare in India is around 1,756 kgs compared to 5,475 kgs of North Korea; we are harvesting only 2117 kgs of wheat per hectare compared to 7,716 kgs by the Netherlands. Similarly, India produces only 1606 kgs of corn per hectare compared to 9091 kgs of corn per hectare by Greece.
Agricultural productivity in India is quite deplorable. If we compare the productivity of Indian agriculture to that of the productivity in other countries, we will find that our's is way behind the leading nations. Take for instance China. With only 100 million hectare of agricultural land, China is producing 400 million tonnes of grain while India with its 146 million hectares of agricultural land produces on an average only 108 million tonnes of food.
If we take the production per hectare of individual crops too we will find that the country is way behind other countries. The average production of rice per hectare in India is around 1,756 kgs compared to 5,475 kgs of North Korea; we are harvesting only 2117 kgs of wheat per hectare compared to 7,716 kgs by the Netherlands. Similarly, India produces only 1606 kgs of corn per hectare compared to 9091 kgs of corn per hectare by Greece.
Monday, March 31, 2008
More on Hanami
What is Hanami?
'Hana' means flower and 'Mi' is to do with looking, so you could say that hanami means 'looking at flowers' or 'flower viewing' but there is more to it than that. Hanami was originally a religious ritual to pray for a good rice crop, the trees in full bloom likened to a good harvest later in the year. During medieval times, the way cherry petals fall at the height of their beauty and their transience assumed symbolism both in the Samurai warrior code and in Buddhism. In Japan today the tradition of gathering under the blossoms is a chance (read: excuse) to get out and party, picnic, drink, see old friends and make new ones, more than a religious or symbolic event. It is beautiful, it can be enchanting...
'Hana' means flower and 'Mi' is to do with looking, so you could say that hanami means 'looking at flowers' or 'flower viewing' but there is more to it than that. Hanami was originally a religious ritual to pray for a good rice crop, the trees in full bloom likened to a good harvest later in the year. During medieval times, the way cherry petals fall at the height of their beauty and their transience assumed symbolism both in the Samurai warrior code and in Buddhism. In Japan today the tradition of gathering under the blossoms is a chance (read: excuse) to get out and party, picnic, drink, see old friends and make new ones, more than a religious or symbolic event. It is beautiful, it can be enchanting...
Sunday, March 30, 2008
O-Hanami 2008 @ Nakano Arai Park
29March2008
Spring does wonders to the Japanese landscape as well as its residents.
Sakura (cherry) blooms all across the multitude of parks in Tokyo. People - old, young, friends, couples, all gather underneath to cherish the spirit of Spring.
Plentiful of food and sake (japanese rice wine) make some call it "hana yori dango" (food over flowers)
More wiki info on Hanami - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanami
Location of park - http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=102457220862948450949.000434a59132f6dc820b7&ll=35.714987,139.667492&spn=0.00095,0.001824&t=h&z=19
Spring does wonders to the Japanese landscape as well as its residents.
Sakura (cherry) blooms all across the multitude of parks in Tokyo. People - old, young, friends, couples, all gather underneath to cherish the spirit of Spring.
Plentiful of food and sake (japanese rice wine) make some call it "hana yori dango" (food over flowers)
More wiki info on Hanami - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanami
Location of park - http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=102457220862948450949.000434a59132f6dc820b7&ll=35.714987,139.667492&spn=0.00095,0.001824&t=h&z=19
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