Accounting Essays Tax Evasion Popularity Essays

Bookkeeping Essays Tax Evasion Popularity Essays Bookkeeping Essays Tax Evasion Popularity Essay Bookkeeping Essays Tax Evasion Popularity Essay Duty prevarication is a national intrigue that is turning ever increasingly mainstream. Scratch Montague characterizes income improvement as the offices by which an enlightened society plays out that occasionally uncivil endeavor of taking cash from one gathering so as to offer it to another. This definition features an of import aim served by income upgrades. As it is as of now known, that income improvements are a money related strategy instrument utilized by the specialists to achieve wide macroeconomic closures. All things considered talking, income upgrades are an offices utilized by the specialists to flexibly its tenants with comfortss and establishments like hospitals, security and guidance. Hence, any shortage in net implies that the individuals would nt have the option to profit the advantages. From this situation, as perceptive residents, it is basic for individuals and partnerships to pay income improvements. In spite of, this normal cognizance, income improvement evasion is winning in the general public, far more terrible, people and companies experience ex traordinary length to imagine strategies of supporting income upgrades. The central ground why people and enterprises take part in income upgrade evasion exercises is that it builds the level of discretionary cashflow and total compensations severally. Duty evasion is characterized as the inability to run into income improvement liabilities by unlawful activity, for example, non announcing salary. Acerate leaf to state income upgrade prevarication is a condemnable offense. Before get bringing down a treatment on income improvement quibble it is vital to quickly high detect that in the UK, income upgrade removal is partitioned between two areas of territory, the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise. The Inland Revenue controls Income Tax, Corporation Tax ( on organization total compensations ) , Capital Gains Tax, raw petroleum income upgrade ( partner to oil geographic undertaking and extraction in the UK and environing Waterss ) and Stamp Duties ( for example ashore minutess ) . The demanding of VAT, income improvement on gaming and imposts and extract obligations is the obligation of the Customss and Excise Department. In add-on to these two gross areas, neighborhood governments demand the new Community Charge ( survey income up grade ) and the Department of Social Security is liable for national protection parts. Regularly income upgrade prevarication is mistaken for income improvement dismissing. Orchestrating to Denis Healey, previous UK Chancellor of the Exchequer:The distinction between income improvement dismissing and income upgrade evasion is the hickness of a jail divider. This paper will take to show a top to bottom examination of why people/organizations participate in income upgrade prevarication. It will other than dissect whether the self-evaluation framework energizes or disheartens income upgrade prevarication. What's more, in the long run the paper will reason by estimating the endeavors made by the specialists to fight income upgrade evasion. It must be featured that income upgrade is utilized for some different plans than raising gross. A few creators have contended that the goal of income improvement can other than be viewed as an instrument of monetary and cultural strategy to follow up on conduct. At the end of the day, it can subsequently be the reason for the income upgrade that it is maintained a strategic distance from. For delineation, it has been contended that higher income upgrades on mixed beverages ( Cook and Moore, 1994, Irving and Sims, 1993 ) and baccy ( Viscusi, 1994 ) would chop down the ingestion of those stocks and lead to improvements in the wellbeing of the populace. In the UK, Inland Revenue has, generally, had a regardful assault towards salary. With the introduction of self-evaluation framework from 1996/7 there has been a movement off from that position in ongoing mature ages. Avoidance of income upgrades Expense prevarication investigation regularly accept that quibble includes single citizens responding to some given approaches. Be that as it may, supporting income upgrades could require the coaction of in any event two citizens. Identification relies upon the beyond all doubt won dismissing exercises of both executing life partners. An expansion in faces prompts an immediate expansion in the normal expense of a managing in the illicit area, however it might other than increment the affectation for the life partners to work together in abstaining from detecting. The whole expense of executing in the illicit area can fall, and income improvement evasion may increment. Most states will in general follow a dynamic income upgrade framework, more the salary more income improvement would be demanded. From this position it may look that it is vile for the specialists to force more income upgrades on people/organizations for bring forthing more pay for the monetary framework and themselves. Be that as it may, it must be a praised that in add-on to climbing the monetary framework, it is specialists s obligation to accept about financial turn of events and open help of everybody. They need to equilibrate financial developing and monetary turn of events. This build has been discussed and the perspective of shamefulness of the income upgrade framework has driven gatherings to support them, at the end of the day, distinguishing ways and offices of non taking care of the obligations to the specialists. Research surveies directed to occur out the degree of the UK underground market financial framework demonstrate that it has expanded. The figure of unincorporated concern narratives and friends chronicles got yearly by the Inland Revenue have expanded from 2m to 2.25 million and from under 600,000 to around 700,000 severally between 1984/85 and 1988/89 totally ( Inland Revenue, 131st Annual Report, 1989 ) . Surveies led by Brown, Levin, Rosa and Ulph ( 1984 ) inferred that around 5 % of laborers in Britain held at least two occupations and that the salary income upgrade lost from second occupation income improvement evasion likely added up to around 1.1 % of pay income improvement grosss or 0.3 % of national pay. Their investigation prohibited quibble by people who have only one occupation ( which incorporates enormous Numberss of the inner self utilized ) , Capital Gains Tax and VAT evasion, and prevarication of income improvement by organizations. In light of debilitating individuals from arraigning in income improvement quibble, Inland Revenue presented the self-appraisal framework, actually simply, is a way of working out and paying income upgrade. As required by the Inland Revenue ( IR ) , independent individuals, organization supervisors, clergyman of confidence are required to make full up the self-evaluation signifier at the terminal of each income improvement twelvemonth. Supporting paperss are given to do it simpler to the individuals to make full up the signifier and submit it. With the advancement in designing, IR offers concern administrations for businesses, people, contractual workers, organizations and operators, alternative to make full up the signifiers on the web, which guarantees programmed income improvement calculation, speedier discount, and online acknowledgment which is sheltered and unafraid. Along these lines, IR is taking any chance of object and introducing the accommodation factor to do individuals follow with the income improvement requests. Numerous endeavors have been taken to fight income improvement prevarication. In the UK, for case, endeavors are being made to build co-activity between the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise. This has included joint strategy crowd and advancements in trading data. One curious undertaking has been to set up a joint unit to flexibly an individual start of data and guidance for concerns going up against monetary difficulties and who wish to come in into willful understandings. A measure thusly has been that of the European Union Savings Directive. It intends to counter cross limit line income improvement quibble by roll uping and trading data about remote inhabitant people having retirement funds pay outside their occupant area. The Government accepts that trade of data between income improvement governments is the best way to ensure that people pay the correct total of income upgrade on cross-outskirt pay from retirement funds. The Government accordingly bolsters the Directive, a definitive motivation behind which is useful income improvement by trade of data. The above is a significant measure towards reducing quibble of income improvement. The above high spots the significance of transparence in accounts and advantages of sharing data over the states. Presenting VAT was other than an exertion towards income upgrade harmonization and doing it all the more difficult for organizations to support income improvement. The ongoing soils of Enron and Parmalat have featured the significance of holding transparence. Tank was acquainted with fight cheating, sneaking and downplay income improvement quibble. A similar principle was behind fitting VAT in the EU one of the points of interest was the constrained opportunities for misrepresentation in the flexibly link. In any case, it was discovered that VAT framework was utilized to reliably exploit income upgrade removals. Regardless of the endeavors made to downplay income upgrade quibble, fraudsters have identified the worked in failings that exist in the controls practiced and have been working those failings for their ain monetary expansion. It was discovered that with the introduction of the VAT and intrastate framework, congruity costs had been decreased by around 66%. Revenue improvements in any signifier, regardless of whether immediate or aberrant, is a start of gross for th

EU Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EU - Essay Example The flipside of this arrangement has been its inclination for inclining part states to the failure to control section and habitation inside their region. In the long run, this has prompted the part states’ attempting to limit to stem the weight that unbridled development of people place on them. The EU and its part states have endeavored to rescue this circumstance by proposing and endorsing laws, for example, orders, guideline and articles in law, as will be seen forthwith. To start with, it is imperative to take note of that even in the face these difficulties, EU has never made any neglect on the option to free development. Especially, as indicated by Barnard (2007, 23) and Cholewinski (2005, 252), Article 21 (1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) keeps on making arrangement for EU residents to practice free development. The equivalent applies to Regulation EEC 1612/68 and Regulation EU No 492/2011. In this light, there are as of now more than 2 million EU re sidents who are practicing this right. EU has attempted to determine this difficult that attempts to orchestrate the elements of free development and the weight that goes with it through the issuance of mandates, for example, the Directive 2004/38/EC. The Directive 2004/38/EC for example recognizes the way that free development is inferable from residents of the EU or the EEA and the immediate relatives of EU residents. The last capability is applicable since it erases the non-direct relatives of EU or EEA from getting to one side. Notwithstanding, Directive 2004/38/EC is unmitigated that these relatives must be immediate wards of the EU resident. The Directive 2004/38/EC is likewise significant in acquitting EU part states from the weight of free development since it determines the individuals who are not able to appreciate the option to free development. For example, the Directive 2004/38/EC precludes those residents who live in their home EU part states yet have not worked in oth er EU part states. In this regard, all development by non-EU relatives into the home bequest is dependent upon national law. Once more, Directive 2004/38/EC additionally perceives the privilege of more seasoned EU part states to practice the arrangements provided food for in the transitional courses of action. The transitional courses of action hinders EU citizens’ capacity to move uninhibitedly to work, given that these residents start from new EU part states, for example, Romania and Bulgaria. The hindrance for this situation can be extended as long as 7 years. It is critical to take note of that in any event, during this time when there is the inconvenience of this cutoff, residents of the new EU part states are as yet neat for movement all through Europe, along with their non-EU relatives. The core of the issue in this is while free development isn't limited, the capacity to get to employments is. Accordingly, this is a path by which rare financial qualities, for example, work are shielded against uncalled for rivalry and penetration. Once more, note that the Directive 2004/38/EC additionally bars those residents of non-EEA or non-EU nations who are not joined by individuals from EU/EEA residents from getting to a portion of the benefits that are reached out to EU residents. A portion of these benefits incorporate free and quick issuance of visas; the option to work and play for as long as 90 days before the issuance of visas; changeless habitation of 5 years; and simple option to remain in the EU nation longer, should the EU resident be working, learning. For this situation, during applications, Directive 2004/3

Biodiesel@MIT Turning trash into black gold

Biodiesel@MIT Turning trash into black gold On Wednesday, 70 degree weather spurred MIT students to sport cute sundresses, flip-flops and shorts. Today, we are in the midst of a winter storm, with accumulations of 5 to 8 inches of snow expected. Meanwhile crude oil reserves are drying out, glaciers are melting, and the worlds supply of fresh water is waning. There are several natural reactions to these calamities: pretend its not happening, accept defeat, or try to make changes that will impede this global energy crisis from spiraling out of control. A small group of MIT undergraduates forming the group [emailprotected] chose the latter option, and they were awarded the grand prize of $25,000 in the GE / mtvU Ecocollege Challenge (www.ecocollegechallenge.com). The prize also includes an Earth Day celebration, featuring a performance by Angels and Airwaves. [emailprotected] has developed a unique solution to lowering carbon dioxide emissions and reducing fuel costs at MIT. Their plan is to convert used vegetable oil from MIT dining halls into biodiesel that can fuel MITs shuttle buses. The money will be used to purchase a solar-powered biodiesel station to make their dream of turning trash into treasure a reality. On-campus dining locations generate approximately 5,000 gallons of used vegetable oil (UVO) annually. Currently, MIT must pay $1.10 a gallon to get rid of this oil, which is used to deep-fry the French fries and onion rings that college students love ever so much. Instead of wasting this byproduct, [emailprotected] wants to convert the UVO into biodiesel using methanol and potassium hydroxide, then add some petro-diesel to create a blended fuel that can be used in MITs shuttles. Approximately $15,000 of the prize money will go towards buying the solar-powered biodiesel station. Their goal is to have the system operating by summer 2007. The group hopes that this project will not only lower campus emissions and energy costs, but also will serve as a teaching tool, since MIT students will be responsible for implementing the plan. Matt Zedler, a senior in Mechanical Engineering and one of the projects organizers, recently said, Recycling used vegetable oil on MITs campus represents an initial stride toward more sustainable campus operations, and I feel the level of support for this project from the students and administrators in the MIT community is a clear indicator of the desire for such on-campus greening projects now and in the future. It is thrilling to see [emailprotected] gain the recognition that they deserve. If you are interested in seeing more examples of MIT students making an impact on their community and world, keep your eyes open for the Spring 2007 issue of the MIT Undergraduate Research Journal. It will be published around May 8 and features an article about [emailprotected], written by Matt Zedler, along with other outstanding student projects.

How Did the 19th Amendment Came to Pass in the United States

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteed women the right to vote. It was officially enacted on August 26, 1920. Within a week, women all over the country were  casting ballots and had their votes officially counted. What Does the 19th Amendment Say? Often referred as the Susan B. Anthony amendment, the 19th Amendment was passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, by a vote of 56 to 25 in the Senate. Over the summer it was ratified by the necessary 36 states. Tennessee was the last state to vote for passage on August 18, 1920. On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment was proclaimed as part of the Constitution of the United States. At 8 a.m. on that day, Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby signed the proclamation which stated: Section 1: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.Section 2: Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Not the First Attempt at Womens Voting Rights Attempts to allow women the right to vote began long before the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment. The womens suffrage movement had proposed womens voting rights as early as 1848 at the Seneca Falls Womans Rights Convention. An early form of the amendment was later introduced to Congress in 1878 by Senator A.A. Sargent of California. Although the bill died in committee, it would be brought before Congress nearly every year for the next 40 years. Finally, in 1919 during the 66th Congress, Representative James R. Mann of Illinois introduced the amendment in the House of Representatives on May 19th. Two days later, on May 21st the House passed it by a vote of 304 to 89. This cleared the way for the Senate vote the following month and then ratification by the states. Women Voted Before 1920 Its interesting to note that some women in the U.S. were voting prior to the adoption of the 19th Amendment, which gave all women full voting rights. A total of 15 states allowed at least some women to vote in some circumstances before 1920. Some states granted full suffrage and the majority of these were west of the Mississippi River. In New Jersey, for instance, single women who owned more than $250 of property could vote from 1776 until it was rescinded in 1807. Kentucky allowed women to vote in school elections in 1837. This too was abolished in 1902 before being reinstated in 1912. Wyoming was the leader in full womens suffrage. Then a territory, it granted women the right to vote and hold public office in 1869. Its believed that this was due in part to the fact that men outnumbered women almost six to one in the frontier territory. By giving women a few rights, they hoped to lure young, single women to the area. There was also some political play involved between Wyomings two political parties. Yet, it did give the territory some progressive political prowess prior to its official statehood in 1890. Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Washington, California, Kansas, Oregon, and Arizona also passed suffrage prior to the 19th Amendment. Illinois was the first state east of the Mississippi to follow suit in 1912. Sources The Passage of the 19th Amendment, 1919-1920 Articles from  The New York Times. Modern History Sourcebook.  http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1920womensvote.html Olsen, K. 1994. Chronology of Womens History. Greenwood Publishing Group. The Chicago Daily News Almanac and Year-Book for 1920. 1921. Chicago Daily News Company.

Gandhis View On Homosexuality - 2295 Words

A2. So one day I was hanging out with Gandhi, Muhammad, and Fred Phelps. We all decided that we were hungry, so we stopped by the closest restaurant, which happened to be McDonalds. So, we all ordered our food, found a place to sit down, and started to eat. As we were eating, we were just making casual conversations and having fun, then we some how got on to the topic of homosexuality and this was everyone’s opinion on it. Gandhi’s view on homosexuality is that he is accepting of it, but would not be about it himself. He said that Hindus are not very judgmental at all of homosexuality. He also stated if someone is trying to attain kama, which is pleasure, then homosexuality has actually been seen acceptable. He then went on to say that there was even one person within Hindu mythology that was involved in homosexual activities and behaviors, and that he even dressed as a girl, this person is Samba, who is the son of Krishna. Hijra, which is the third gender role in Hindu ism, are men who dress as women. Even though they dress as women does not mean that they are actually trying to be viewed as a women. Hijras actually are important to Hinduism, they are used in certain rituals and ceremonies. According to him, there are half of a million hijras in Inida today. Homosexuality is accepted in Hinduism, but it is not viewed as something that should necessarily be done. This is because it does not allow someone to fulfill their dharma or duty. It prevents that because they are notShow MoreRelatedBayard Rustin was a nonviolent activist who advocated for societal change during his life that1800 Words   |  8 Pages and rather, he embraced his homosexuality. Rustin’s pacifism and acceptance of his gay identity was rooted in his Quaker roots. Rustin found motivation and strength within his Quaker upbringing, motivating him to be an out-and-proud gay man of color, rallying for social change on all fronts until his death. This paper analyses Rustinâ₠¬â„¢s upbringing in relation to his Quaker values and how his life-long conviction to promote pacifism and egalitarianism shaped his views and actions, and the outcomeRead MoreGandhi s Self Awareness And Courage1977 Words   |  8 Pagesinstance, in Hinduism, one’s main goal is to perform one’s actions or works with one’s duty in mind. The varna that one is born into or the occupational caste gives one religious and social duties. This idea that everyone has their own duty has affected Gandhi’s determination in promoting non-violence. Gandhi believes that his duty in life is to promote and practice non-violence. He believes in bhakti, conscious participation in the divine, and for Gandhi non-violence is his action in regards to the divineRead MoreThe United Declaration Of Human Rights1878 Words   |  8 Pagesfined or jailed. This bill has been proposed in the communist fear of individualism and expression of anything â€Å"nontraditional†. The c ommunist culture has deemed homosexuality â€Å"socially infectious† though dozens of American studies conclude no such thing. Russia attempts to justify such a bill by saying that they associate homosexuality with pedophilia and outlawing it could only be beneficial in protecting their society, particularly young children. But their current laws and potential new onesRead MoreBible Versus the Toran12356 Words   |  50 PagesCOMPARING THE LIFE OF TWO AFRO-AMERICANS (1) MALCOM X - ISLAMIC MUSLIM/QURAN PAGE 35-43 8 (2) MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. - CHRISTIAN/BIBLE PAGE 44-48 9 (3) BOTH MENS POLITICAL VIEWS ON VIOLENCE AND PAGE 49-56 CHANGE IN SOCIETY (4) THE STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN BOTH MEN PAGE 57 (1) I am writing this paper based on the comparsion of two religions; the Islamic faith and Christianity, alsoRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesrecent phase of the human experience is usually covered only at the end of a multiterm sequence of world history units has meant that it often ends up becoming a rushed add-on of rather random, abbreviated capsule summaries and general overviews. In view of the fact that no phase of history can begin to match the twentieth century in terms of the extent to which it has shaped the contemporary world, this marginalization is particularly pernicious and has been at times literally lethal. The unmatchedRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesother subject, and it is not a book about what you ought to believe about some subject. Although many scientific studies of decision-making have shown that people tend to sift sources of information looking to reinforce existing views rather than to accept the view that is backed up with the better argument, our course is designed to combat this tendency. Facing a Decision as a Critical Thinker Imagine this situation. You are on a four-day backpacking trip in a national wilderness area with

Sez- Challenges Before Indian Economy Free Essays

Mundhe. Dept. of Business Economics, Siddharth College of Comm. We will write a custom essay sample on Sez- Challenges Before Indian Economy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Eco. Mumbai. SEZ – Challenges Before Indian Economy Introduction : Over the years it has been seen that the growth rate of the Indian economy, employment generation, improvement in the standard of living of the people has not been as expected. It was realized that foreign (and even domestic) investments in India were much lesser as compared to the much smaller South East Asian countries mainly due to multiplicity of controls and clearances, absence of world class financial infrastructure, etc. With a view to overcome the shortcomings experienced in attracting investments, increasing exports and accelerating economic growth the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) policy was introduced by the then NDA government in April 2000. This policy intended to make SEZs a tool for economic growth supported by quality infrastructure complemented by an attractive fiscal package, both at the Centre and the State level, with the minimum possible regulations Further, to instill confidence in investors and signal the Government’s commitment to a stable SEZ policy regime and with a view to impart stability to the SEZ regime thereby generating greater economic activity and employment through the establishment of SEZs, a comprehensive draft of SEZ Bill was prepared after extensive discussions with the stakeholders. The over enthusiasm to push the SEZ policy as an instrument of rapid industrialization has met with a series of roadblocks especially after the Nandigram incident. The SEZ policy is a part of the policy of â€Å"Growth at any Cost†, with the cost falling on the marginalized section of the rural population. Thus, those who gain and those who lose will be different sections of the population. This simply means that the SEZs are not Pareto-optimal over a situation where SEZs are absent. Therefore, this policy can lead to various socio-economic and political challenges. Meaning of SEZs? The Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are well developed enclaves of industrial infrastructure with plots, built up space, power, water supply, transport, housing etc. Besides industrial facilities, the SEZs provides social infrastructure including schools, hospitals, roads, hotels and the like. The SEZs are specifically delineated areas wherein units may be set up for specified purpose of manufacturing or trading or rendering services or providing warehousing facility for exports. In terms of the Section 2(i) of the said SEZ Act 2005, the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) is defined to mean the whole of India (including its territorial waters and continental shelf) but not including the areas of SEZs. Furthermore, section 53 of the said SEZ Act provides that the SEZ shall be deemed to be a territory outside the Customs territory of India. The legal implication is that the SEZs are treated as the foreign territory for the purpose of trade operations, duties and tariffs. In other words, goods and services going into the SEZ (from the DTA) are treated as exports and goods and services coming from SEZ into the DTA are treated as imports. Therefore, domestic laws do not generally apply to the SEZs and the units therein. In short, SEZs will be considered sovereign territories of MNCs setting up shops there and ordinary Indians will require passports to enter these enclaves. Historical Background SEZ Act: The SEZ Act was enacted only recently, in 2005, but the origin of the SEZ scheme can be traced to as far back as 1965 when the Kandla Free Trade Zone (FTZ) was started. Thus there were Export Processing Zones (EPZs) in the country well before the new legislation was enacted, but these were few in number (only eight, operated by Central Government) and did not have a major impact on exports or investment. This led to a comprehensive review of the policy framework for existing EPZs/FTZs In 1999, which included a study of many SEZs world-over. The finding of the study was that there was scope for significant improvement in export performance through policy changes relating to DTA access, export obligation, etc. The concept of SEZ was given to India by late Shri. Murasoli Maran, former Union Commerce Minister. During his China visit he had a occasion to visit some of the SEZs in coastal regions of China. He observed the contribution that these SEZs have made to the Chinese exports and was deeply impressed by the progress achieved by SEZs and their overall impact on the economy. Back at home, he introduced the concept of SEZs in the EXIM policy-2000. He was very much interested in creating some SEZs in India and develop them on the lines of SEZs in China. He wanted to use the concept of SEZs to achieve a speedy economic growth in India. As a result, the Special Economic Zones Act was passed by Parliament in May, 2005 which received Presidential assent on the 23rd of June, 2005. After extensive consultations, the SEZ Act, 2005, supported by SEZ Rules, came into effect on 10th February,2006, providing for drastic simplification of procedure and for single window clearance on matters relating to Central as well as State governments. Objectives of SEZs: The SEZs are primarily viewed as elements of the Government’s export promotion strategy but that is not entirely correct. They are expected to benefit the economy in multiple ways, as spelt out in Section 5 of the said SEZ Act. Herein it is provided that the following factors should be considered by the Board of Approvals in Approving proposals to establish SEZs: (1) Generation of additional activity (2) Promotion of exports of goods and services; (3) Promotion of investments from domestic and foreign sources; (4) Creation of employment opportunities; (5) Development of infrastructure facilities; It is expected that this will trigger a large flow of foreign and domestic investment in SEZs in infrastructure and productive capacity, leading to generation of additional economic activity and creation of employment opportunities. Here it is important to mention that in case of India, the key element for the success of SEZs are political will and commitment, removal of bureaucratic hassles, labor reforms, better fiscal incentives and continual review and monitoring of the functioning of SEZs and adoption and application of correctives. Criteria for Approvals: 1) SEZ size not to be less than 1000 hectares, recently it is scaled down to 5000 hectares further to 1000 hectares (2) Sector specific SEZ can be set up in lesser area 3) Local Laws, Rules / Regulations applicable to SEZ Units there in (4) Units to be approved under the SEZ scheme, by the Unit Approval Committee headed By the Development Commissioner. (5) The minimum processing area limit has been fixed at a Uniform level, at 50% of the total land acquired, for multi product and sector-specific SEZs Scheme to Develop / Operate / Maintain SEZ: The SEZs can be developed and managed either jointly or separately by the Central Government, State Government, or Any Person (including a Private or Public Limited Company, Partnership or Proprietorship), for manufacture of goods; or for rendering services; or for both; or as a free trade and warehousing Zone. Incentives for Developers of SEZs : Developers and SEZ units shall be entitled to the following exemptions and concessions: 1) Exemption from customs duty on goods imported into the SEZ by the Developers or SEZ Unit to carry on the authorized operations; 2) Exemption from customs duty on goods exported from the SEZ by the Developer or SEZ Unit to any place outside India; ) Exemption from excise duty on goods brought from Domestic Tariff Area (â€Å"DTA†) to the SEZ by the Developers or SEZ unit to carry on the authorized operations, 4) 100% Income Tax exemption on export income for SEZ units in the first 5 years and 50% for the next 5 years. 5) Exemption from service tax on taxable service provided to a Developer or unit to carry on the authorized operations in a SEZ 6) 100% of the profits of the developer arising fr om the business of developing an SEZ, shall be deducted from taxable income ) The developers of SEZ are not required to pay Minimum Alternate Tax. Challenges before Developing Economies, A Case Study of China: The SEZs policy is a part of the policy of â€Å"Growth at any Cost†, with the cost falling on the marginalized section of the rural population. Thus, those who gain and those who lose will be different sections of the population. This simply means that the SEZs are not Pareto-optimal over a situation where SEZs are absent. Therefore, this policy can lead to various socio-economic and political challenges. China is a shining example of a country which has developed through its SEZs. But this image of success of Chinese SEZs is both incomplete and incorrect. They have by no means been an unqualified success, and they have brought about severe economic and social problems. We have taken the case of SEZs in China and analyzed the effects on arable land, water, environment, health, income equality, poverty, etc. Some of the most striking effects of SEZs in China are as following: 1) during the period of 1996-2005, SEZs in China, have caused diversion of more than 21% of arable land to non-agricultural usage. Per capita land holding now stands at a meager 0. 094 hectares. This is when China has to feed 22% of the world’s population on only 7% of land, and every year, an additional 10 million people have to be fed. As more arable land is taken over for urbanization and industrialisation, issues related to changes in land use have become a major source of dispute between the public and the government. 2) In just thirteen years, between 1992 and 2005,about 20 million farmers were laid off agriculture due to land acquisition for SEZs. Protests against land acquisition and deprivation have become a common feature of rural life in China. Social instability in China has become an issue of concern. In 2004, the government has admitted to 74,000 riots in the countryside. 3) Whereas a few years ago, excessive and arbitrary taxation was the peasants’ foremost complaint, resentment over the loss of farmland, corruption, worsening pollution and arbitrary eviction by property developers are the main reasons for farmers’ unrest now. 4) China set up its first SEZ, Shenzhen in 1979. After growing at a rate of around 28% for the last 25 years, Shenzhen is now paying a huge cost in terms of environmental destruction, soaring crime rate and exploitation of its working class, mainly migrants 5) In 2006, the United Nations Environment Programme designated Shenzhen as a â€Å"Global Environment Hotspot†, meaning a region that had suffered rapid environmental destruction. 6) According to Howard French, the New York Times Bureau chief, most of the year, the Shenzhen sky is thick with choking smoke, while the crime rate is almost nine- fold higher than Shanghai. The working class earns US$ 80 every month in the sweatshops and the turnover rate is 10% – many turn to prostitution after being laid off. Further, real-estate dealers have stockpiled houses which have caused prices to spiral and have created a new generation of people, French calls them as, â€Å"Mortgage Slaves† in an article in the International Herald Tribune on 17th December,2006. 7) The mindless pursuit of growth following the model of high input, high consumption and low output has seriously impacted the environment. In 2004, China consumed 4. 3 times as much coal and electricity as the United States and 11. 5 times as much as Japan to generate each US$1 worth of GNP, according to the The Taipei Times, some 20% of the population lives in severely polluted areas and 70% of the rivers and lakes are in a grim shape. 8) Around 60% of companies that have set up units in the country violate emission rules. According to the World Bank, environmental problems are the cause of some 3,00,000 people dying each year. The Chinese government has admitted that pollution costs the country a staggering $200 billion a year – about 10 % of its GDP. 9) While export-driven policy for economic growth has helped China touch record growth figures, the income gap is widening and rapidly approaching the levels of some Latin American countries. Going by a recent report by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Gini coefficient – a measure of income distribution where zero means perfect equality and one is maximum inequality – touched 0. 96 in the year 2006. In comparison, income inequality figures are 0. 33 in India, 0. 41 in the US and 0. 54 in Brazil. Further, the rural-urban income divide is staggering – annual income of city dwellers in China is around US$1,000 which is more than three times that of their rural counterparts. 10) In certain areas such as asset distribution or years of schooling China’s levels of inequality are lower (i. e. , more favourable ) than In dia. However, when one looks at it at the aggregate level, the picture is different. The levels of inequality in China have been rising through the last three decades, whether between rural and urban, within them, or on an aggregate basis. According to Zhu Ling, between 1978 and 1995, the Gini coefficient of rural income increased from 0. 21 to 0. 34 and that of the urban from 0. 16 to 0. 28. 11) With the Chinese economy opening up rapidly post – 1995 and also due to the massive concessions that China was forced to make in order to join the WTO, the trend continues and the aggregate Gini coefficient in 2006 was around 0. . Lessons India should learn from China: There are far reaching negative impacts of SEZ policy in India. It is normally advocated that India should learn from China. It is big failure there in China on the grounds of food shortages that may arise in future due to land acquisition, environmental problems etc. , therefore India should consider the following while implementing the policy of Special Economic Zones – 1) Following China, Indi a is replicating a similar model where vast tracts of a agricultural land are being acquired for creating SEZs and other industries. Therefore it will have the similar impact on the environment as in the case of China, as the dirty industries may enter in these zones. Further with drastic changes in labour laws favouring industry being considered, the plight of workers in these SEZs will be similar to those in China. Hence, such a model of development is environmentally unsustainable and socially undesirable. 2) It is now widely acknowledged that Chinese exports have also been boosted by its undervalued currency something which is turmed as an â€Å" effective subsidy†. This is a luxury that Indian exporters do not enjoy. Therefore, the argument for setting up SEZs to emulate China’s export-led growth is questionable. 3) Is export-driven growth through SEZs desirable for India? There is no doubt export play a significant role in boosting GDP. However in the case of a country with a sizable domestic market, the choice lies with the producer to either export or supply to the domestic market. 4) According to Ila Patnaik of the National Institute for Public Finance and Policy, household consumption in India at 68% of the GDP is much higher than that of China at 38%, Europe at 58% and Japan at 55%. Given the high level of consumption of Indian households, it is quite possible that this rush to set up SEZs in India is fuelled not by the desire to export out of the country but by the possibility of exporting from SEZs into the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA). The SEZs act is also designed to facilitate this. Any unit within the SEZ can export to the DTA, after paying the prevailing duty, as long as it is a net foreign exchange earner for three years. It is therefore a win-win situation for these units. ) The soaps in a SEZ will reduce the cost of capital while labour reforms will ensure trouble-free operations. Further, given the considerable international pressure to reduce industrial tariffs, SEZs will be able to export to the DTA at highly competitive prices. This does not augur well for units outside the SEZs who will now face unfair competition. As cheaper imports have already played havoc with the livelihoods of artisan sector of the economy, cheaper imports into DTA from SEZs w ill also adversely affect the domestic. No wonder many of them now want to migrate into SEZs. 6) In a country with 65% of the population depending on agriculture as a means of livelihood, industry ought to be complementary to agriculture. Though SEZs however, industry is being promoted at the cost of agriculture. This is the reason why Indian farmers all over the country are not willing to depart from their farm lands. It is witnessed on 21st Sept,2008, where 85% of the farmers from Raighad District have voted against the SEZs. ) Valuable resources spent to create SEZs will be at the cost of building better infrastructure for the rest of the country, something that will affect both the domestic industry as well as agriculture. Challenges before Indian Economy: Given that India’s socio-cultural and economic scenario is altogether different from that of China’s, it is debatable whether SEZs prove to be a success here. In the words of, Sunil Rallan, MD of Matadee Eco Parks,† The Indian government’s SEZ policy is superior to China’s in terms of legislation but has failed in the implementation process. Thus while SEZs may be loudable idea it is doubtful whether it is the right policy for the basic problems of heterogenous country like India. Replicating the Chinese model, India may end up not only with insufficient SEZs but also with reintroduction of the era of famines, water crisis, riots, pollution, etc. , and many more socio economic and political problems. We have taken the case of existing SEZ units (and the units which are slated to be set up in days to come) and analyzed their socio-economic effects on the Indian economy. 1) Threat to Food Security: According to the website of the Commerce Ministry, totally about 41,700 hectares of land is to be taken for the formally approved and notified SEZs. Land acquired on such massive scale has posed a threat to the food security of the country. Already, India’s food security is in a precarious state and the country has to import food grains including wheat, pulses and oilseeds. In this scenario if our arable land is diverted to establishment of SEZs, it will create a major food security problem in the country. Studies in West Bengal have shown that loss of food grains production due to SEZs would be of the order of 1. 5 million tones. This can create a serious shortage of food grains in the coming years. 2) Threat to Water Security: The SEZs are going to be set up by acquiring huge tracts of land. When the land is acquired on such massive scale, the water requirement for such SEZs would be huge and would have very large impact on water access for the surrounding area. The SEZs at such locations will also have impact on irrigation and agricultural development. Available information about the water needs and sources of water for various SEZs should ring alarm bell. For example, the massive water demand, at least 8 million liters per day, for The Mahamumbai SEZ is to be met by the Hetwane and Morba dams in Pen and Khalapur tehsils in Raigarh districts. In a situation where, farmers had to struggle to get irrigation water due to them from these dams, the huge water requirement for Mahamumbai SEZ would definitely lead to the water crisis. Forum of Manglore has quoted that the Manglore SEZ’s water requirement is at a hoping 136 million liters a day. When Manglore city is facing the water crisis without the SEZ, one can imagine what will be the case when SEZ comes up. 3) Displacement and loss of livelihoods in SEZs: Estimate show that close to 114,000 farming households (each house hold on an average comprising five members) and an additional 82,000 farm worker families are dependent upon these farms for their livelihoods will be displaced. In other Words, at least one million people who primarily depend upon agriculture for their survival will face eviction. Experts calculate that the total loss of income to the Farming and farm workers family will be at least Rs. 212 crore a year. This does not include other income (for instance artisans) due to the demise of local rural economies. The government promise humane displacement followed by relief and rehabilitation. However historical records does not offer any room for hope on this count an estimated 40 million people(of which nearly 40% area Adivasis and 25% Dalits) have lost their land since 1950 on account of displacement due to large development projects. At least 75% of them still await rehabilitation. Almost 80% of the agricultural population owns only about 17% of the total agricultural land, making them near landless farmers. Farmer’s families and communities depend on a piece of land (for work, grazing) than those who simply own it. 4) SEZ are actually land grab by the real estate mafia and the corporate sector: What are SEZ likely to become in few years time? According to a clause in the SEZ Act (section 5(2) as much as 75% of the area under large SEZs above 1000 hectares) can be used for non-industrial purpose. What will the remainder of the land used for? This lacuna in the law is likely to become a loophole for massive accumulation of Land by private players including the real estate mafia, developers and property dealers for the purpose of real estate speculation. This explains why so many of them have been buying land for SEZs. In fact it may well be the case that the rationale for the above clause in the SEZ Act is the uncertainty surrounding the Economic attractiveness of SEZs. If adequate productive investment is not forthcoming, the SEZ developer can at least cash in on the land value. Conglomerates like Reliance already own upwards of 100,00acre of land in the countrywide. 5) Loss of natural habitat, flora and fauna Massive land acquisition for the establishment of SEZs has led to the destruction Of natural habitat, flora and fauna due to deforestation. For example due to the Mundra SEZ in Kutch in Gujrat about 3000 hectares of area covered by Mangroves is being destroyed. . 6) More suicides, More crimes†¦ It is again no. coincidence that all most all the SEZs are being built only on the fringes of cities – like satellites all over again. A rough study based upon the â€Å"in principle† approved SEZs in Maharashtra shows that around 67% of the land for SEZs is within 100 km. of Mumbai. If the cities pf Pune and Nagpur are also considered, then a figure of 85% of land for SEZs is arrived at, and if Nashik and Aurangabad are also thrown then about 98% of the land for SEZs in within 100 km of these five cities. Thus there will be no real development. the rural areas will be further devastated. Farmers will commit more suicides larger slums with even more squalor will be created. There will be more crime, more communual riots, more atrocities against Dalits and more attacks and exploitation of women as always happens in the condition of squalor. 7) Ruthless Depeasantisation : However the SEZs are not the only instruments for grabbing the lands of the peasantry, millions of acres of land are taken by national and international big business for construction of Greenfield projects, private airports, tourist resorts, health tourism, smart cities, entertainment parks, building of private township for the super rich including vast areas for golf courses and luxury hotels. To provide infrastructure for super profits of local and multinational big business the state is acquiring millions of acres of fertile land to build industrial zones, golden corridors express ways including the much flaunted golden quadrangle express highways systems. This is the glaring phenomenon of contemporary global enclosures of forcible depeasantisation ruthlessly divesting the producers from their means of production, cultural moorings and commons. Adding salt to the injury the neo-liberal state is resorting to the most predatory inhuman primitive accumulation of forcing the farmers and adivasi’s out of their land when the entire peasantry is reeling under acute agrarian crisis where more than 2 lakh farmers have committed suicide in the past decade under the neo-liberal economic regime. Conclusion: There is much more to learn as well as unlearn from the Chinese experience. Until this is done, millions of poor across the country will be made to pay an even higher price than the Chinese did for following this flowed approach. India should thus work towards reforming its domestic economic rather than supplementing it with an SEZ model. It should not blindly follow China in this regard. How to cite Sez- Challenges Before Indian Economy, Papers

Technology And Media Essays - Education, Information Technology

Technology And Media Look around us today, what do you see? Technology being thrown at you from all kinds of places. For one the media has brought technology to another level. But if you really look at the whole picture technology is media. The both of them interact with each other. We are swamped by media and technology, having no control over it, and don't know what to believe about technology anymore. Technology is blasted on 260,000 billboards, 17,000 newspapers, 12,000 periodicals, 27,000 video outlets for renting tapes, 400 million television sets, and well over 400 million radios. The media always brings us the up to date advances in technology, whether it is a new form of Internet connection or diet pills. Media is always there for technology. The television is a source of media where a TV producer or reporter does not has complete control over the contents of programs. The interests and inclinations of the audience have as much to do with the what is on television as do the ideas of the producer and reporter. But television cannot survive without advertising, so television turns into the middleman and the true ruler of the majority is advertising. Which brings in society and what they want to hear. I am very sure that middleman that has recently purchased a cellular phone that he saw in the newspaper as being the must have will cause brain tumors for him 15 years later. Why doesnt the media protect the public from harmful technologies. Why doesnt the government step into this problem. Sooner or later (probably sooner) Microsoft will have a monopoly on the whole computer world especially those dealing with software. I think this is ridiculous. Bill Gates seems like a greedy little person who will just get greedier. The media supports technology in every way. How many times you do see Neil Postman on your TV set compared to Bill Gates. Now a days no one has complete control over media or technology, it is run by large companies that are dying to sell you the latest luxuries to inhance your intelligence or fun. When you turn on your TV at night and watch your favorite news channel, all you can see violence or the latest technologies that were developed that day. I am not saying this is bad, just makes you wonder what our societys obsession are. Remember back a few years when England coloned Dolly the sheep, it was very controversial in the world and this new experiment was captured by the media and every channel, newspaper and magazine was on top of the story. But how many new channels coverd the story where cell phones are will cause brain tumors down the line. Technology Essays