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KOLLAM DISTRICT CONVENSION HELD WITH HUGE PARTICIPATION.

AIBDPA Kollam District convention held with massive participation on 5thJune, 2015 at K.G.Bose Centre,Kollam.Com.K.N.Balagopal MP inaugurated.Com.K.G.Jayaraj,General Secretary released the directory. Coms.R.Aravindakshan Nair, Circle President, C.Muraleedharan Pillai,Dist Secretary BSNLEU, R.R.Warier,ACS, K N Jyothilakshmi,ACS ,BSNLEU addressed.Com.L.Krishnakumari,Circle Vice President presided. Com.N.Sasidharan Nair, Dist.Secretary welcomed and Com.K.Sukumaran Nair ADS proposed vote of thanks.

WFTU CONFERENCE DEMANDS LIFTING OF EMBARGOES, BLOCKADES AND SANCTIONS.

The WFTU Conference titled “The embargoes, blockades and sanctions imposed by the US, NATO and the EU are striking a blow to the workers rights” opened on June 1st in the European Parliament in Brussels – Belgium with the attendance of 40 unionists from 13 countries.

The 2 day conference concluded on a resolution demanding the lifting of all blockades, economic sanctions and discrimination imposed by the US, EU and all kinds of imperialist interventions. A delegation of the trade unionists, headed by Marco Tulio Diaz, President of Construction Workers Federation of Venezuela and vice president of the Bolivarian Trade Union Central of Workers, presented the resolution of the meeting to the office of the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. The head of the delegation presented the resolutions of the meeting to the officials of the European Parliament and rejected the recent EU aggression and slandering statements of the European Parliament President against Venezuela.

ONE RANK ONE PENSION- EX-SERVICEMEN WANTS PRIME MINISTER A DEFINITE TIME LINE.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance on the issue of roll-out of One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme today was met with skepticism with ex-servicemen seeking a firm timeline and the Congress saying he has further compounded the problem by saying it was a “complex issue”.

Though PM Modi vowed to address the “vexed” OROP issue in his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on radio and said he should be given some time, the miffed ex-servicemen also appeared to be in no mood to call off their planned protest on June 14 over the delay in its implementation.

“Assurance without a firm date does not really satisfy the ex-servicemen community. What we are looking for is a date? Assurance has never been in doubt. We are wanting to know when. We are not looking for ‘Khairaat’ (doles). We are looking for sense of justice for our due demand,” Lieutenant General (retd) Raj Kadyan said.

“We don’t want to protest, it’s not good for the country but we should not be compelled to do it,” he added.

Congress leader Ajay Maken said the prime minister has chosen to further “compound” the problem, “confuse” the entire issue by creating another “flutter” by saying OROP is a “very complex issue.”

“So, isn’t it surprising Prime Minister after one year that one of your important demands OROP earlier, which was implemented by the UPA Government and Rs.500 crore set aside for Vote on Account in February 2014. Now, one year after assuming power, you tell the country that it is the complexities, of which you never knew earlier,” Mr Maken told reporters.

Lieutenant General (retd) Shankar Prasad said PM Modi’s comments were an “excellent projection” by him and this is not the first time he has done it.

“This is the third or fourth or fifth time he is doing it and it seems that people are now beginning to feel that we are just being fooled,” he added.

“How long is the Prime Minister and his party is going to fool us, we are not very sure. The fact that OROP has been reiterated by everybody in the government but nobody is willing to give a date for it,” he said.

Lieutenant General (Retd) PN Hoon said the OROP issue has been a “mess” and now that mess has to be sorted out.

Congress leader Ashwani Kumar said OROP scheme was initiated by the UPA government and even after one year there are so many delays over it.

“The PM is saying we will do it but when,” he said.

Source : NDTV

NET NEUTRALITY- PANEL SUBMITS ITS REPORT.

DoT panel for net neutrality has submitted its report to the telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. The 6 member panel was formed in last January to formulate government’s policy on net neutrality.

There has been strong protest against the move of the private telecom companies to restrict services and charging the net services to maximise their profits. The TRAI has also circulated a paper on the matter.

There have been strong protests from the net users demanding that net neutrality should be maintained. Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has stated in the Parliament that net neutrality should continue.

The details of the committee report have not been published. Unless net-neutrality is ensured, there is going to be strong protests.

7th PAY COMMISSION TO HOLD MEETING WITH NATIONAL COUNCIL, JCM ON 09-06-2015.

The VII Central Pay Commission has intimated the Secretary, Staff Side, National Council, JCM that the last meeting with the National Council will be held on 9th June 2015 at the CPC Office.

This indicates that the Pay Commission is going through the last round of discussions. It is not clear when VII CPC will submits its report.

FULL MOBILE PORTABILITY FROM JULY, SAYS THE COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER.

From July, mobile phone users will be able to retain their numbers when they relocate to any part of the country, even if they change operators. Minister of Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday announced that full Mobile Number Portability (MNP) will become operational from July.

Talking to reporters during a press conference in New Delhi, Prasad also announced that state-run mobile phone company-BSNL will start free roaming from June 15.

Hitting out at the previous UPA regime, Prasad, in an apparent reference to the 2G scam, said that his government has transformed the working of the telecom ministry.

“One year ago, when we came to power, Sanchar Bhawan was in news for all the wrong reasons. Today there is hope and positive environment,” he said, adding, “I can say with confidence, lobbyists and middleman have no space in the department.”

Commenting on a question concerning the controversial Section 66 A of the IT Act, Prasad said the government fully backs freedom of speech.

“The government of India fully supports freedom of speech. The case was pending in the court before I joined the ministry,” he said.

When asked about frequent call drop complaints by consumers, the minister said he is aware of the issue and has asked officials if a scheme of disincentive for the operators can be put in place.

“Call drops due to lack of towers. As far as installation is concerned it is subject to local law. No point to raise bogey of cell tower radiation and then complain of call drop,” Prasad said.

( COURTESY: INDIA TODAY. )

A. RAJA “ILLEGALLY” GRANTED LICENCES TO INELIGIBLE FIRMS- SAYS ED

New Delhi, June 1:

Enforcement Directorate (ED) today told a special court that former Telecom Minister A Raja had “illegally” granted 2G spectrum licences to ineligible firms for which Rs 200 crore was allegedly transferred to Kalaignar TV, owned by DMK supremo M Karunanidhi’s family.

Commencing final arguments in the 2G scam—related money laundering case, special public prosecutor Anand Grover alleged that a conspiracy was hatched by Raja and other accused and Rs 200 crore was the “proceed of crime“.

He claimed that the amount was transferred to Kalaignar TV through various firms and was returned only when Raja was called by the CBI for questioning in 2G spectrum scam case.

“Kalaignar TV was owned by Kanimozhi (DMK MP) and Dayalu Ammal (wife of M Karunanidhi) who both are related to DMK supremo M Karunanidhi and Raja also belonged to the same party,” Grover told Special CBI Judge O P Saini.

He further alleged that “the conspiracy was hatched by A Raja and others, including the companies, for illegally granting telecom licences to ineligible firms.”

Grover also said that the money was transferred to the TV channel through various companies in a circuitous route.

The arguments today remained inconclusive and would continue on July 27.

Raja, Kanimozhi, Dayalu Ammal and 16 others, including nine firms, are facing trial in the case.

ED on April 25 last year had filed a charge sheet against the accused for alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

(This article was published on June 1, 2015) (Courtesy: Business Line)

INCOME TAX FORMS SIMPLIFIED, DATE FOR FILING RETURNS EXTENDED TO AUGUST 31.

Income tax forms simplified, date for filing returns extended to Aug 31

The statement also said that the last date for submission of tax returns will be extended to August 31, 2015.

NEW DELHI: The finance ministry on Sunday came out with new three-page income tax return (ITR) forms, dropping the controversial provision for mandatory disclosure of foreign trips and dormant bank accounts, while it also extended the last date of filing to August 31.The new forms — ITR 2 and ITR 2A — will have only three pages and other details will have to be filled in schedules, said a finance ministry statement.A new form ITR 2A has been brought out by the ministry which can be filed by an individual or HUF who does not have capital gains, income from business/ profession or foreign asset/foreign income.

The statement also said that the last date for submission of tax returns will be extended to August 31, 2015.

With regard to the controversial provision of disclosing details of foreign visits, the release said that the assessee will be required to disclose only the passport number.

“In lieu of foreign travel details, it is now proposed that only passport number, if available, would be required to be given in Forms ITR-2 and ITR-2A. Details of foreign trips or expenditure thereon are not required to be furnished,” it said.

Further, the ministry has done away with disclosure of details of dormant accounts which are not operational during the last three years.

“As regards bank account details in all these forms, only the IFS code, account number of all the current/savings account which are held at any time during the previous year will be required to be filled-up. The balance in accounts will not be required to be furnished,” the statement added.

The simplified I-T return forms are being brought after the earlier version was opposed by industry, MPs and assessees for its cumbersome disclosure norms.

The salaried individuals and those persons who do not have business/professional income are required to file I-T returns in either ITR-1 or ITR-2 by July 31 every year.

(Courtesy: The Times of India.)

WORLD’S 5TH DEADLIEST HEATWAVE EVER.

NEW DELHI: As the death toll in the current heat wave crossed the 2,000 mark, this has become the fifth deadliest ever heatwave in the world and the second deadliest in India, according to an international database of disasters.

Weathermen are predicting that there are a few more days left in the ongoing heatwave which has killed the most number of people in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana, while affecting large parts of the rest of the country.

The deadliest heatwave on record in India is the 1998 one in which 2,541 people died. The most lethal heatwave in the world was the one that crippled Europe in 2003, killing 71,310 people. These figures are maintained in the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) maintained by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRE)

( COURTESY: THE TIMES OF INDIA )

SERVICE TAX INCREASED TO 14%- ANOTHER ATTACK ON COMMON PEOPLE.

New rate of service tax will be introduced from 1st June 2015, which will result in paying more for each and every thing. The present rate is 14% an increase of about 1.64% from the earlier 12.36%. While the government continuously declares about ‘achche din’, the people are compelled to pay more and more and bear the burden.