The government seeks to de-recognize old coins issued before January 1942 as legal tender, but it failed to trace the records to justify it on the ground that " all silver, nickel, copper and bronze coins have been recalled long back by the Reserve Bank of India." A Parliamentary Standing Committee headed by former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha(BJP) pulled up the government for its explanation that " despite all out efforts, the relevant records could not be found either in the Department of Economic Affairs or in the RBI as this might have been done long ago." It stressed that such " tardiness in maintenance of records" be avoided.
The committee that submitted its report to Parliament on Tuesday on The Coinage Bill, 2009, seeking to merge four old laws on the Indian coins into a comprehensive bill was further surprised from the government'' s claim that provisions for accepting the old pre- 1942 coins as legal tender was put in the Bill " by oversight" as they have already been recalled.
When sought to explain that lapse, the government came out with a quick response that the proposed provisions in Clause 6 will be deleted not only because they have been recalled but also because their intrinsic metal value is much more than the face value to let anybody exchange those at face value as legal tender.
The committee said it expects that such oversights in formulating laws is avoided.
The Bill seeks to increase punishment for melting of the coins from five to seven years, but the committee has suggested that it should be 10 years at par with the punishment prescribed for counterfeiting the Indian coins.
As regards no more shortage of coins in the market as it used to happen until the last decade, the Finance Secretary told the committee that the shortages in the past were essentially due to the higher intrinsic metal value of the coins. As a rule of thumb, the government now tries to ensure that value of the metal is note more than 60 to 70 per cent of the face value of the coin as then there will be no commercial interest or great desire to counterfeit.
The Indian coins were imported last time in 1997- 98 when the Indian mints could produce only 1540 million pieces as against the RBI'' s indent of 6639 million pieces.
In contrast, the mints supplied 6285 million pieces of coins against the indent for 61-- million pieces. To eliminate shortage from all regions, mints are producing since last two years at their optimum capacity and will continue to do so for the next five years for which RBI has already placed firm indents.
The panel has also recommended that the government give an incentive to public to surrender small coins below 25 paise for certain minimum amount through bank branches or directly to RBI to remove them from the system.
Size of the coins of 50 paise, one rupee and two rupees may shrink further if the government accepts one of the recommendations in this regard by a panel headed by a Reserve Bank of India deputy governor. Better not get confused if you get a 50 paise coin that has size of 25 paise, Re 1 coin in the size of 50 paise and Rs 2 coin in the size of Re 1. The panel'' s recommendation is to counter the increase in the price of ferritic stainless steel (FSS) used for manufacturing these coins.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Private schools free to decide on fee
Private unaided schools can go ahead and decide their fee structure. The Bombay High Court on Wednesday quashed and set aside two government resolutions (GR) which sought to regulate them.
The Division Bench was hearing a petition filed by the Forum of Unaided Schools and others challenging the July 15, 2010, GR under which private unaided schools are barred from charging fees unless approved by specified committees headed by the divisional deputy director of education.
This was challenged by Unaided Schools Forum and others on the ground that in the wake of Supreme Court’s decision in the TMA Pai case, the state had no power to regulate the fees of unaided schools. Petitioner associations also contended that under the garb of fee regulation, state government’s decision of July 15 curtails autonomy of private unaided schools and violates their fundamental right to administer educational institutes as per their own vision.
The state, however, argued that Prohibition of Capitation Act 1987 gave it this power. But on Wednesday the division bench of justices D K Deshmukh and N D Deshpande said the present government resolution, as well as an old 1999 resolution on which it was modelled, “ cannot be related to the 1987 Act”. As per 1987 Act, the state itself has the power to regulate fees, but this power can not be delegated to a committee, the high court observed.
`` In our opinion, the State should not have issued the GRs,’’ the judges said. The judges upheld the submission made by the Forum’s counsel Aspi Chinoy that the right to establish an education institute is a fundamental right under Article 19( 1) ( g) of the Constitution. Also, Chinoy argued, by another judgement, the SC had ruled that fundamental rights of citizen could not be curtailed by means of administrative instructions like GRs and circulars; only reasonable restrictions could be placed on fundamental rights and that too by legislation.
In December 2009, following a clutch of petitions, the court put the onus on the government to take a decision related to fee structure well before the academic year commences.
Last year the government froze fee hikes in private schools after some parents’ organisations protested. This was challenged and the High Court stayed this order. Later the government appointed the Kumud Bansal Committee to study the issue. The Bansal Committee report held that private schools have full autonomy to decide their fees. The court was earlier told that the government gave the schools a hearing but did not take into consideration the committee report.
The High Court last year allowed the schools to hike their fees subject to final decision on the petition.
The Division Bench was hearing a petition filed by the Forum of Unaided Schools and others challenging the July 15, 2010, GR under which private unaided schools are barred from charging fees unless approved by specified committees headed by the divisional deputy director of education.
This was challenged by Unaided Schools Forum and others on the ground that in the wake of Supreme Court’s decision in the TMA Pai case, the state had no power to regulate the fees of unaided schools. Petitioner associations also contended that under the garb of fee regulation, state government’s decision of July 15 curtails autonomy of private unaided schools and violates their fundamental right to administer educational institutes as per their own vision.
The state, however, argued that Prohibition of Capitation Act 1987 gave it this power. But on Wednesday the division bench of justices D K Deshmukh and N D Deshpande said the present government resolution, as well as an old 1999 resolution on which it was modelled, “ cannot be related to the 1987 Act”. As per 1987 Act, the state itself has the power to regulate fees, but this power can not be delegated to a committee, the high court observed.
`` In our opinion, the State should not have issued the GRs,’’ the judges said. The judges upheld the submission made by the Forum’s counsel Aspi Chinoy that the right to establish an education institute is a fundamental right under Article 19( 1) ( g) of the Constitution. Also, Chinoy argued, by another judgement, the SC had ruled that fundamental rights of citizen could not be curtailed by means of administrative instructions like GRs and circulars; only reasonable restrictions could be placed on fundamental rights and that too by legislation.
In December 2009, following a clutch of petitions, the court put the onus on the government to take a decision related to fee structure well before the academic year commences.
Last year the government froze fee hikes in private schools after some parents’ organisations protested. This was challenged and the High Court stayed this order. Later the government appointed the Kumud Bansal Committee to study the issue. The Bansal Committee report held that private schools have full autonomy to decide their fees. The court was earlier told that the government gave the schools a hearing but did not take into consideration the committee report.
The High Court last year allowed the schools to hike their fees subject to final decision on the petition.
Hunt for Handis with the help of GPS
It is a sign of changing times: Janmashtami festival is going hi- tech for the first time with groups of govindas taking help of the Global Positioning System technology to locate and break dahi handis in Mumbai and its surrounding areas.
Taking help of GPS technology will not only save time but will also help Govinda groups in determining the best possible route for reaching a particular dahi handi. In order to take benefit of the service, the groups just have to visit www.dahikala.com and spot the exact location of a dahi handi.
The big idea of using GPS technology to locate handis is a brainchild of IT professional Rajesh Amberkar and his three other friends.
The website will also facilitate access to an ambulance service provider and give the numbers of a medical and police helpline. A big bonus is a special insurance scheme for govindas.
Speaking to us, Rajesh Amberkar, who works with Teknowits Technologies of GPS Pvt Ltd, said, “ The software designed by us will help govindas with directions on a Google Map interface. As we were born and brought up in Girgaon we were a part of a govinda group and we used to go about handis across Mumbai. From our experience we know how govindas waste their time in searching for handis and so we decided to design a software that would help us in locating handis with the help of GPS technology.
” At present the website is completely functional and has all the information about various dahi handis in the city; including details of the organisers, prize money and govinda groups. More than 160 govinda groups have already registered themselves with the website and around 25 dahi handi organisers are taking help of the website to invite govindas in their respective areas.
Speaking to our reporter, Arun Patil of the Mazgaon Govinda Pathak, a group that holds the record for erecting a nine- floor pyramid in 2008, said, “ The GPS technology will surely help us in saving time and breaking more handis. It would also help the festival in gaining global exposure.”
Taking help of GPS technology will not only save time but will also help Govinda groups in determining the best possible route for reaching a particular dahi handi. In order to take benefit of the service, the groups just have to visit www.dahikala.com and spot the exact location of a dahi handi.
The big idea of using GPS technology to locate handis is a brainchild of IT professional Rajesh Amberkar and his three other friends.
The website will also facilitate access to an ambulance service provider and give the numbers of a medical and police helpline. A big bonus is a special insurance scheme for govindas.
Speaking to us, Rajesh Amberkar, who works with Teknowits Technologies of GPS Pvt Ltd, said, “ The software designed by us will help govindas with directions on a Google Map interface. As we were born and brought up in Girgaon we were a part of a govinda group and we used to go about handis across Mumbai. From our experience we know how govindas waste their time in searching for handis and so we decided to design a software that would help us in locating handis with the help of GPS technology.
” At present the website is completely functional and has all the information about various dahi handis in the city; including details of the organisers, prize money and govinda groups. More than 160 govinda groups have already registered themselves with the website and around 25 dahi handi organisers are taking help of the website to invite govindas in their respective areas.
Speaking to our reporter, Arun Patil of the Mazgaon Govinda Pathak, a group that holds the record for erecting a nine- floor pyramid in 2008, said, “ The GPS technology will surely help us in saving time and breaking more handis. It would also help the festival in gaining global exposure.”
After Iraq, Afghan pullout worries India
The Indian foreign office got busy on Wednesday studying impact of the United States President Barrack Obama ending the 7- year American combat mission in Iraq and vowing to disengage from Afghanistan as well from next July.
Officials said, India is engaged in rebuilding the war- ravaged Afghanistan and hence significant is his reaffirmation to begin transferring security responsibility to Afghans after nearly ten years of the US presence. " But make no mistake: this transition will begin, because open- ended war serves neither our interests nor of the Afghanis," he said in a prime- time address from the Oval Office on Tuesday.
He said that the United States has met its responsibility to Iraq and that it is now time to turn to pressing problems at home, be they weak economy or other domestic issues. He was always convinced that getting into Iraq was a mistake in the first place.
Over the last decade, " we have spent over a trillion dollars at war, often financed by borrowing from overseas," Obama said. " And so at this moment, as we wind down the war in Iraq, we must tackle those challenges at home with as much energy and grit and sense of common purpose as our men and women in uniform who have served abroad." The American forces in Afghanistan " will be in place for a limited time" to give Afghans the chance to build their government and armed forces," the American president said.
Officials said, India is engaged in rebuilding the war- ravaged Afghanistan and hence significant is his reaffirmation to begin transferring security responsibility to Afghans after nearly ten years of the US presence. " But make no mistake: this transition will begin, because open- ended war serves neither our interests nor of the Afghanis," he said in a prime- time address from the Oval Office on Tuesday.
He said that the United States has met its responsibility to Iraq and that it is now time to turn to pressing problems at home, be they weak economy or other domestic issues. He was always convinced that getting into Iraq was a mistake in the first place.
Over the last decade, " we have spent over a trillion dollars at war, often financed by borrowing from overseas," Obama said. " And so at this moment, as we wind down the war in Iraq, we must tackle those challenges at home with as much energy and grit and sense of common purpose as our men and women in uniform who have served abroad." The American forces in Afghanistan " will be in place for a limited time" to give Afghans the chance to build their government and armed forces," the American president said.
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