Author Archives: SRRF

No service tax on Grants / Donations received by charitable organisations for training, etc.

Revenue Dept. has clarified that no service tax is applicable on grants / donations rec’d by charitable organizations for the purposes of training, as long as it can be established that there is no direct relationship between the recipient of … Continue reading

Posted in Governance Reforms | Comments Off on No service tax on Grants / Donations received by charitable organisations for training, etc.

Third Gender – A First of its kind

UID Project has given the status of ‘Third Gender’ to the transgender community. Puducherry has become the first state to recognize this community which otherwise gets squeezed into either ‘male’ or ‘female’ category depending upon the whims of the enumerator. … Continue reading

Posted in Social Issues | Comments Off on Third Gender – A First of its kind

Why people are secluding themselves from the Society?

Recent incident in Noida, where two middle-aged sisters locked themselves in and cut off from the outside world for six months has raised a number of questions. This is not the first time, last year another middle aged woman kept … Continue reading

Posted in Social Issues | Comments Off on Why people are secluding themselves from the Society?

24×7 Water Supply – Is it possible ?

For most cities in India, 24×7 water supply remains a dream. Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development & Finance Corporation has successfully experimented with such a water supply scheme in Hubli-Dharwad, Gulbarga & Belgaum. Now the corporation is further experimenting involving a … Continue reading

Posted in Governance Reforms | Comments Off on 24×7 Water Supply – Is it possible ?

Record Bumper Crop for 2010-11

India is likely to achieve a much improved agriculture production in most cereals compared to last year as per an announcement by Agriculture Minister. Although bumper record for rice and overall food grain production is still retained for the year … Continue reading

Posted in Governance Reforms | 1 Comment

FCRA Act 2010 & Draft Rules

As informed earlier through the SRRF Dialogue e-group, Govt has passed FCRA 2010 Act in September 2010. However the Act is still in abeyance as the rules have not been finalized. MHA has posted draft rules on its web-site, inviting … Continue reading

Posted in FCRA, TAX, LEGAL | 10 Comments

Use of cellphones helping the Mid-Day Meal scheme in UP

In an innovation to collect data directly and immediately from the schools on status of the Mid-day meal schemes for each of the state’s 1.5 lakh schools, UP has come out with an innovative monitoring system. On a daily basis … Continue reading

Posted in Governance Reforms | 1 Comment

Reforming Public Distribution System

For most cities in India, 24×7 water supplies remains a dream. Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development & Finance Corporation has successfully experimented with such a water supply scheme in Hubli-Dharwad, Gulbarga & Belgaum. Now the corporation is further experimenting involving a … Continue reading

Posted in Governance Reforms | Comments Off on Reforming Public Distribution System

NREGS – Yet another colossal wastage?

Is the NREGS, GoI’s major flagship programme, likely to result in another colossal wastage? Data available with the Govt, indicates that total number of works undertaken under the scheme number to 6.8 million (m) as on date. However out of … Continue reading

Posted in Governance Reforms | 2 Comments

NREGS completes 5 years

NREGS has entered into 6th year. The scheme can only boast of partial success, as it is, like all government schemes, been marred with diversion of funds, false claims, and other malpractices. Presently a debate is on, on how to … Continue reading

Posted in Governance Reforms | Comments Off on NREGS completes 5 years