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TOI : PUNE: Planning a holiday abroad? May be you would like to consider filing your Income tax Return for this year electronically.

If the Income Tax department is encouraging filing of returns by assesses electronically, financial intermediaries are making it attractive by throwing in offers such as eligibility to win a free holiday for two to London, if one filed an e-return through them.

“With the introduction of digital signature, filing Income Tax return electronically has become completely safe and simple, and more and more people are opting for filing returns online,” Ravi Jagannathan, managing director of 3iInfotech Limited, one of the intermediaries that help you file returns electronically, told TOI.

Until last year, an individual filing I-T return online had to eventually submit its print physically to the authorities. With the advent of digital signatures the return has become completely tamper-proof. “Besides, increased access to computers and the Internet, has encouraged tax payers to file returns online,” Jagannathan said.

Electronic filing of Income Tax returns has been with us for some time. According to Income tax statistics, as many as 3 crore returns were filed in assessment year (AY) 2007-08 out of which 10 lakh (3.62 per cent) were filed electronically. The number jumped to 27 lakh in 2008-09 in which year 3.7 crore returns were filed. In percentage terms, the numbers shot to 7.30 per cent. It is estimated that the number of e-returns would rise to 45 lakh this year (2009-10), which will be 10 per cent of the 4.5 crore returns expected to be filed and 82 lakh (15 per cent) out of 5.5 crore expected in 2010-11.

Jagannathan’s company has been mustering increasing number of registrations. “Last year, we had a cumulative registration of 2,00,000 of which 60,000 actually filed returns through us,” he informed.

He added that Income Tax authorities have also done away with submission of any…More

TOI : PUNE: Every year, lakhs of devotees undertake the arduous journey on foot from Alandi to Pandharpur, covering a distance of 250 km in a fortnight.

City-based photographer Sandesh Bhandare’s book, Wari- Piligrimage of Joy’, originally published in Marathi last year, captures the essence of this pilgrimage, called the wari’.

The book was released in English and French on Monday by Heritage India Communications Pvt Ltd, an organisation dedicated to creating awareness about Indian heritage and culture. The wari has been an unbroken tradition for the last eight hundred years and has been a people’s initiative from the start.

“I had put up an exhibition of the photographs of the wari in France in March this year. There was a lot of curiosity about Indian heritage there and hence the publishers thought of publishing the book in French,” Bhandare said.

The English and French versions, unlike the Marathi edition, have colour photographs. “The Marathi book received a very good response from the people and since our aim is to take Indian heritage far and wide, our decision to publish these books in English and French,” Heritage India Communications director Manjiri Khandekar said.

According to Bhandare, the book focuses purely on the lives of the warkaris’. “In fact, I have not included a single photo of even Lord Vithoba. The book only talks about the way the warkaris spend the duration of the wari in absolute happiness, keeping their sorrows of the year aside,” Bhandare says. The 147-page book has around 130 photographs focusing on the daily routine of the pilgrims. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: Standing up against all oppositions, divisional commissioner Dilip Band on Monday said that the proposal to purchase 650 buses, including 200 AC buses, under the public private partnership (PPP) model is as per the guidelines of the Union Urban development (UD) ministry and they will go ahead with the process. Band, who is also the chairman of the Regional Transport Authority, said that the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) should have purchased the buses till now.

As per guidelines under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the UD ministry has stated that PPP proposals will be given priority. However, the ownership of buses will remain with the urban local body. The guidelines also state that to ensure that the buses thus procured are utilised exclusively for urban transport, the urban local bodies shall set up a city specific special purpose vehicle or an umbrella public body. The urban local bodies shall commit to maintenance of buses in top condition throughout and put them in operation immediately, the guidelines state.

Band said the PPP model will ensure there is no additional liability on the city transport body. “The PMPML should look at reducing its liabilities and losses. Under the PPP model, the buses will be maintained for years. The idea of merging the two transport undertakings – PMT and PCMT to form the PMPML was essentially to reduce losses and liabilities. That objective would be lost if the PMPML goes on increasing its liabilities,” Band pointed out.

On the issue of procuring air-conditioned buses which has drawn the flak of citizens groups, experts and a section of corporators, Band said that the public transport should be attractive enough for all sections of the society. “If we want people owning cars to travel by public transport, then that kind of convenience and comfort should be provided. The PMPML will also get increased revenue by…More

TOI : PUNE: As the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) works out the details of how it can implement the proposal for providing free travel to school children in its buses, the Pune Municipal Corporation made a provision of Rs 9 crore towards the scheme.

Sources say that though small, the budgetary allocation may have to be increased considering the total number of students that will be covered under the scheme. An estimated 4.31 lakh students from standard I to X will benefit if the proposal gets through.

Speaking to TOI, PMPML chairman and managing director Nitin Khade said that the proposal will be placed before the board of directors for approval.

Of the total 4.31 lakh students around 60,000 avail of the monthly pass facility to travel by PMPML buses, contributing around Rs 1.1 crore to the company’s coffers.

If only these 60,000 students are allowed to travel free of cost, the PMPML is expected to loose Rs 13.2 crore annually. Even if the municipal corporation pays the promised Rs 9 crore, there still remains a deficit of Rs 4.2 crore.

PMPML sources say that if the scheme were to be implemented for all the 4.31 lakh students, the financial loss that PMPML will incur will be much higher.

The PMC has not clarified whether it wants to implement the free-travel scheme for students studying only in municipal corporation schools or for all students, including those studying in private schools. It is also not clear whether the scheme will be implemented only for students in classes V to X.

PMPML sources say that if the scheme is implemented for students of standard V to X, then almost 2 lakh students will benefit from the move. Considering that the cost of the monthly pass is around Rs 500 (including cost of identity card), PMPML may lose Rs 10 crore per month is all…More

TOI : PUNE: The Dehu Road Cantonment Board (DCB) has intimated that it will cancel the licences of traders in the market should they fail to keep their shops clean.

Speaking to TOI, Brig R S Rathore, president of the DCB, said that trade licences would be cancelled if shops in the vegetable, mutton and fish markets fail to maintain hygienic conditions.

“A drive has been started to this end. A team of doctors is conducting inspections in the market areas. Three doctors of the army sanitation team are a part of this team,” said Rathore.

“The team is taking samples of the food products which will be analysed later. An inspection report will be tabled before the cantonment board at its next monthly meeting,” Rathore added.

The main market in the Dehu Road cantonment is grimy, has narrow roads and haphazard parking along both sides of the roads. There is also a huge garbage dump behind the vegetable market.

“We will provide a separate place for hawkers selling ready-made products at one end of the market. This will reduce congestion in the market. We are also asking the shop-keepers to remove the extensions in front of their shops,” Rathore said. Print Emai…More

TOI : Country has stringent laws for dealing with environmental issues, but their enforcement is not proper, former Union environment minister Suresh Prabhu said, addressing the students of architecture at the Maharshi Stree Shikshan Sanstha in city on Monday.

Prabhu inaugurated a programme on environmental sensitisation at the college campus here in Karve Nagar. Principal Executive Director, Anurag Kashyap was also present on the occasion.

“Climatic change has become a serious problem. But we can not blame the people alone, even the government is equally responsible for these changes,” Prabhu said, adding, “The country has laws to deal with environmental issues, but only making laws will not help. One must take steps to enforce these laws.”

“An architect can play a very important role in mitigation the effects of climatic change. They can design environment-friendly buildings,” Prabhu said. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: The desire to utilise their knowledge and expertise to help the needy has brought together students from various fields under the banner of ‘Savera’. The group undertakes activities like plantation, legal aid camps and health check ups.

On the eve of World Environment Day this year, Savera’ organised a plantation drive on the premises of Janseva Foundation’s orphanage-cum-old age home at Bhilarewadi village near Katraj. Over 60 saplings of guava, mango, pomegranate and neem were planted.

“We are a group of sixty odd students and young working professionals in the age group of 18 and 25 years, who pool in their respective expertise for various causes,” said Shailendra Singh, a law student, who is the manager of the group.

Formed in February this year, some of their other activities include a legal aid camp on Right to Information (RTI) for villagers in Bhilarewadi, free medical check ups for villages in and around Pune and a plantation drive. “We take up one theme every month and work an activity around it,” said 22-year-old Shweta Tiwari, a medical intern.

As the World Environment Day (June 5) and onset of monsoon falls in June, the group decided to dedicate this month’s activity to nature.

“The best part is that we are an assorted group of youngsters from various states and can take the Savera’ movement to other parts of the country. For instance, even as we carried out the plantation drive at Bhilarewadi, some of us did the same in UP and Jharkhand. Even if our schedules don’t permit us to meet regularly, we co-ordinate with one another about the planned activity,” Tiwari said.

Ali-Shah Furniturewala, another medical intern, said: “Most of us here are students of law, engineering or medicine, and we all have our areas of specialisation. The idea is to utilise our training to make a difference. For instance, the members of…More

TOI : PUNE: The traditional knowledge imparted by universities will have no meaning for students unless the same is supported by training in apt skill-based parallel modules, said state director of technical education (DTE) S K Mahajan here on Sunday.

Mahajan was addressing the inaugural session of the Career Mahotsav 2009′, a three-day event featuring an education expo, seminars and expert lectures, at the Balgandharva Rang Mandir.

The event, into its sixth year, has been organised by the Pune Sanskritik Vaibhav Trust, a local organisation headed by academician-activist Ravi Chaudhari. It aims to showcase the plethora of education programmes and career avenues that students have post-standards XII and X, and help them make the right career choice.

“The industry needs good quality technical manpower and this can be achieved only through development of multi-skill talent,” Mahajan said. He advised parents to make their wards take an aptitude test before making a decision on what academic programme should they take.

Mahajan highlighted the efforts taken by the DTE and the Maharashtra State Board for Technical Education (MSBTE), particularly in the rural areas, for training youths in their approach towards different central admission processes for professional courses.

He said that the DTE will continue with such endeavours and will hold a series of guidance programmes in major cities, including Pune, on the procedure admission to engineering courses, post-MHT-CET results that are to be declared on June 14. “It is important for students to carefully understand various steps of the admission process,” he added.

Symbiosis founder head S B Mujumdar highlighted the significance of initiatives taken by the Union government such as community colleges that aim at building a skill-based workforce and reducing the level of unemployment among educated graduates.

Progressive education society chairman Gajanan Ekbote said, “It is imperative for students to carefully understand the concept of a career before they make a conscious decision.”

…More

TOI : PUNE: Additional commissioner and registrar Manohar Bhagaji Tribhuvan (54) of the State Co-operation Department was on Monday evening caught red-handed by officials of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Pune unit, while accepting a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh from a chartered accountant.

He will be produced before a special court on Tuesday.

ACB superintendent of police Vishwas Pandhare said the complainant, Jaywant Baburao Chavan (65) of Satara was asked by Tribhuvan to pay 30 per cent of his fee for allotting to him the auditing work of Jankalyan Co-operative Credit Society in Karad. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: Girls dominated the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) results chart with Pune girl Shama Dhok standing first by scoring 1190 marks out of 1800 and Prashali Jadhav of Satara and Pournima Chaugule emerging second and third respectively.

Nileshkumar Kshirsagar of Pune came fourth, but stood first among boys and received the post of deputy collector. Both the top rankers are agriculture (horticulture) graduates.

The examination was conducted in 2006, the results for which were declared on Sunday.

The recommendation list for around 420 posts has been declared for 14 cadres ranging from deputy collector group A, chief officer municipal council group A and group B, deputy chief executive officer group A, deputy superintendent of police-assistant commissioner of police group A (DAYS/CAP), district deputy registrar group A and Maharashtra finance accounts services group A and group B.

Shama Dhok stood first in recommendation list with the post of deputy collector group-A. She scored 1190 marks followed by Prashali Jadhav (1180), Pournima Chaugule (1157), Nileshkumar Kshirsagar (1139) and Harishchandra Patil (1134). As many as 18 candidates have been recommended for this post. Print Emai…More