Tariff And Non-tariff barriers

Tariff
means Tax. So Tariff barriers means to impose taxes on international trade goods and services.
Whereas, non tariff barriers are other forms of restrictions on the scale of international trade. Examples of non tariff barriers are import quotas, specific licenses
Example of tariff barriers - Say India imposes some tax on import of chinese plastic goods which raises its final price in India. Since now it becomes more expensive than price of plastic made in India, it will be difficult to sell Made in China plastic goods in India and hence its import will stop. This is called tariff barrier because govt imposes tax or tariff on it.

Example of non-tariff barrier - Say India does not impose any tariff barrier on Chinese plastic goods, but makes it mandatory that any imported plastic should be of such and such quality, which say the chinese plastic does not meet, and consequently such plastic goods cannot be sold in India. Such barrier by govt of India would come under non-tariff barriers.

Like case of India banning mobile phones without IMEI code, when suddenly all chinese mobile phones from market disappeared.

These barriers are used to protect small sized industries and developing economies but WTO is stressing on countries to minimize these barriers to increase in trade among the countries.

UN MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT REPORT

The UN Secretary General’s Millennium Development Report 2012 reveals that while the world has achieved targets of poverty reduction, improved drinking water supply and decreased number of urban residents in slums, it hasn’t done well on maternal health and child nutrition goals.

 STATUS OF INDIA:

• India is set to miss the Millennium Development Goal (MDG)-5 (on halving numbers of maternal deaths between 1990 and 2015) if it doesn’t accelerate the pace of progress.
• India has Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) of 212 per one lakh live births. India’s MDG target is to get the figure down to 109.
• India now has an IMR of 47, down from 125 per 1,000 live births in 1992.

 NUTRITION STATISTICS:

• India has the largest proportion of underweight children.
• Hunger is another huge challenge though India has reduced its poverty rates from 51 to 37 per cent between 1990 and 2012. 
• It fares poorly on all three standard indices used to measure child nutrition — stunting (height for age), wasting (weight for height) and underweight (weight for age), with 59 per cent children stunted, 42 per cent underweight and 11.4 per cent wasted

Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme

A new way to Save Tax in India

AIM: To increase retail participation in the stock market for new small investors.

Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS) is a new equity tax advatnge savings scheme for equity investers in India. Only direct equity investments in equity will be eligible for tax deductions, and not the Mutual fund investments.
All new retail investors are allowed to invest up to Rs 50,000 directly in equities, an income tax deduction of 50 per cent. The scheme would have a lock-in period of three years and churning of portfolio is not permitted during the first one year. The scheme can be availed only once in a lifetime.
As proposed, this scheme will allow small investors to purchase shares only in the top 100 stocks traded on BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) and NSE (National Stock Exchange).
The investors will likely be offered a 'no frills' demat account to encourage them getting started without worrying about the hefty annual charges for maintaining a DEMAT account, which varies from Rs.500 to Rs.1000.
The final details of the scheme will be announced by may.
Example:
If you invest Rs.50,000 in RGESS then Rs.25,000 will be deducted from your taxable income. So you may save about Rs.2,500, Rs.5,000 and Rs.7,500 for slabs 10%, 20% and 30% respectively under this scheme

Difference between NRI, PIO and OCI

	NRI	PIO	PIO Card Holder	OCI
Definition	A citizen of India, holding an Indian passport, but residing abroad	A foreign national who has Indian origins or Indian ancestors.	A PIO holding a PIO Card, as per the Scheme of The Ministry of Home Affairs, 2002	Overseas Indians who migrated from India after 26th January, 1950, except those from Pakistan and Bangladesh
Apply to			1) Any Indian Mission abroad or, 2) Any of the Foreigners Regional Registration Offices in India or<br> 3) The Joint Secretary (Foreigners), Ministry of Home Affairs
Charges			Rs.15,000 or equivalent for adults Rs.7,500 for minors	USD 275 or equivalent in applicant’s local currency. PIO card holders pay only USD 25 or equivalent
Privileges	At par with resident Indians	a) No extra-ordinary benefits b) Require visa for any trip to India c) Required to register at local FRRO in India upon arrival	Exempt from a)Visa to India for 15 years b) Registration at FRRO if stay in India is within 180 days c) If stay exceeds 180 days, registration at FRRO within 30 days d) At par with NRIs in all spheres of activity except purchase of agricultural property	a) Lifelong multiple entry visa to India b) No registration at FRRO for any length of stay c) At par with NRIs in all spheres of activity, except purchase of agricultural property.

INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

NTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

Integrated Nutrient Management refers to the maintenance of soil fertility and of plant nutrient supply at an optimum level for sustaining the desired productivity through optimization of the benefits from all possible sources of organic, inorganic and biological components in an integrated manner.

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Inorganic Fertilizers		Organic Manures
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Green manures		Biofertilizers

Concepts

1. Regulated nutrient supply for optimum crop growth and higher productivity.
2. Improvement and maintenance of soil fertility.
3. Zero adverse impact on agro – ecosystem quality by balanced fertilization of organic manures, inorganic fertilizers and bio- inoculant

Determinants

1. Nutrient requirement of cropping system as a whole.
2. Soil fertility status and special management needs to overcome soil problems, if any
3. Local availability of nutrients resources (organic, inorganic and biological sources)
4. Economic conditions of farmers and profitability of proposed INM option.
5. Social acceptability.
6. Ecological considerations.
7. Impact on the environment

Advantages

1. Enhances the availability of applied as well as native soil nutrients
2. Synchronizes the nutrient demand of the crop with nutrient supply from native and applied sources.
3. Provides balanced nutrition to crops and minimizes the antagonistic effects resulting from hidden deficiencies and nutrient imbalance.
4. Improves and sustains the physical, chemical and biological functioning of soil.
5. Minimizes the deterioration of soil, water and ecosystem by promoting carbon sequestration, reducing nutrient losses to ground and surface water bodies and to atmosphere

Components:

Soil Source:

Mobilizing unavailable nutrients and to use appropriate crop varieties, cultural practices and cropping system.

Mineral Fertilizer :

Super granules, coated urea, direct use of locally available rock PO4 in acid soils, Single Super Phosphate (SSP), MOP and micronutrient fertilizers.

Organic Sources :

By products of farming and allied industries. FYM, droppings, crop waste, residues, sewage, sludge, industrial waste.

Biological Sources :

Microbial inoculants substitute 15 - 40 Kg N/ha

difference between appropriation account and finance account ?

Appropriation legalizes the expenditure part of budget that govt. is going to do in coming next financial year.

Finance bill legalizes the revenue part of budget.thIS  bill  proposes how the money will be "financed" or collected. Contains taxation proposal.

these are some formalities without which govt. can't collect taxes or generate any income and also can't spend money despite being public.

interlocutors reports on kashmir issue

The 176-page report was the outcome of the three interlocutors’ interaction with more than 700 delegations,6,000 people (including 1,000 sarpanches and panches) and three round-table conferences in 22 districts of J&K. The interlocutors were appointed on October 13, 2010, when the situation in Kashmir was inflamed following the death of 104 youth in clashes with the police. They submitted their report to then Home Minister P. Chidambaram on October 12, 2011. The group studied various peace initiatives taken by the Centre from 1999 to 2009. It also took into account various proposals of separatist factions after they refused to come on board. The panel concluded that acute problems in J&K stemmed from a mismatch of responses to a changing ground situation and unresolved issues of political status and Centre-state relations. Key recommendations The political settlement should take into account the deep sense of victimhood prevalent in the Valley. The state’s special status guaranteed under Article 370 must be upheld. A constitutional committee should be set up to review all Central Acts and Articles of the Constitution of India extended to the state after the signing of the 1952 Agreement. Resumption of the GoI-Hurriyat dialogue. Encourage Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to enter into dialogue on recommendations made by the constitutional committee and points emerging from the GoI-Hurriyat dialogue. Agreement between India and Pakistan to promote civil society interaction in Jammu and Kashmir. If the stakeholders in Jammu & Kashmir are willing to enter into a settlement, the door should be kept open for Pakistan to join. Security arrangements, especially in relation to the Disturbed Area designation, need to be reviewed, and a decision taken on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Political suggestions Replace word ‘temporary’ from the heading of Article 370 and the title of Part XXI of the Constitution with the word ‘Special’. On Governor: The state government, after consultation with Opposition parties, should submit a list of three names to the President to select the Governor, who would hold office at the ‘pleasure of the President’. Article 356: Actions of the Governor are now justiciable in the Supreme Court. The present arrangement should continue, with the proviso that if the Governor places the state legislature under suspended animation, fresh elections should be held within three months. Create three regional councils, one each for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (the latter would no longer be a division of Kashmir).