What is the Tamil blogdom’s take on Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya? Child friendly? Simburogish? Gautam chocolatey?

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Fw: [Marxistindia] union budget 2010

——Original Message——
From: news from the cpi(m)
Sender: marxistindia-bounces@cpim.org
To: marxistindia@cpim.org
ReplyTo: cc@cpim.org
Subject: [Marxistindia] union budget 2010
Sent: Feb 26, 2010 5:11 AM

marxistindia
news from the cpi(m)
February 26, 2010

Press Statement

Union Budget 2010: Pro-Rich and Anti-People
The Union Budget 2010 presented by the UPA Government will neither
stimulate growth nor bring down inflation. The Budget is premised upon a
flawed strategy to meet the budget deficit by increasing indirect taxes
across the board, especially on diesel and petrol, which will hit the
common people, primarily the poorer sections. In contrast, direct taxes on
the affluent sections have been reduced. This anti-people strategy will
further fuel inflation in the backdrop of an already high food inflation
rate of 20%.
As per the Finance Minister’s own estimates, there will be a revenue loss
of Rs. 26000 crore in 2010-11 due to the direct tax concessions doled out
to high-income earners as well as real estate developers, hoteliers and
other commercial establishments. This comes in the backdrop of nearly Rs.
80000 crore tax concessions to corporates in 2009-10. In contrast, the
Finance Minister has proposed to raise an additional Rs. 60000 crore in
indirect taxes over the last year. The most objectionable aspect of the
increase in indirect taxes has come in the form of a 5% increase in
customs duty on crude petroleum along with a Re. 1 per litre increase in
central excise duty on petrol and diesel. Raising the prices of diesel and
petrol will further fuel all round inflation in the economy.
On the expenditure side, while there is a 15% increase in Central Plan
expenditure, the increase in Central Assistance for the States is merely
8%, which implies a squeeze in real terms (the nominal GDP growth rate is
12.2%). The Budget also incorporates the recommendations of the 13th
Finance Commission for only 32% share of the States in sharable central
taxes against the demand to allocate 50%. On elementary education the
paltry increase of Rs. 5000 crore falls far short of the requirement of
universalizing the Right to Education. The Central Plan outlays for
agriculture, irrigation and rural development shows stagnation in real
terms, reflecting the Government’s waning commitment towards the rural
population.
It is also shocking that food subsidy has been reduced by over Rs. 400
crore despite the commitment to enact a food security legislation.
Fertiliser subsidy has also been cut by a whopping Rs. 3000 crore from
what was spent last year. These moves to reduce subsidies in the name of
targetting comes at a time when inflation is galloping and agricultural
output growth has become negative. The anti-people approach of the
Government in reducing subsidies was laid bare in the Economic survey,
which has prescribed the dismantling of the PDS and initiating a “coupon
system” for food and fertilisers.
The Finance Minister has announced a Rs. 40000 crore disinvestment
programme for 2010-11, following Rs 25000 crore disinvestment earnings in
2009-10. This has been justified in the Budget speech as “unlocking” the
value of the CPSEs. However, the latest Public Enterprises Survey 2008-09
clearly shows that the market capitalization of all listed CPSEs taken
together fell by 27.41% between 31st March 2008 and 31st March 2009. The
Finance Minister is therefore resorting to a specious defence of
disinvestment, which is solely meant to appease the stock market
speculators. The announcement that the RBI will issue bank licenses to
more private sector players including non-bank finance companies reflect
its intent towards further liberalisation of the financial sector.
The Polit Bureau of the CPI (M) calls for the withdrawal of the indirect
tax proposals which will fuel inflation and adversely affect the people.
The increase in petrol and diesel prices to the tune of over Rs. 2.50 per
litre must be summarily rescinded. The cuts in food and fertiliser subsidy
also need to be reversed. The Polit Bureau calls upon all its Party units
to launch protest actions against the anti-people proposals of the Budget.

Uyirmmai- Sujatha Trust -Sujatha Memories Invitation

From: Invitation Invitation <tamilinvitation@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 12:38 PM
Subject: Uyirmmai- Sujatha Trust -Sujatha Memories Invitation
To:

We cordially Invite you….

Bashing Mamta – Congress in West Bengal. [Marxistindia] rail budget 2010

——Original Message——
From: news from the cpi(m)
Sender: marxistindia-bounces@cpim.org
To: marxistindia@cpim.org
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Subject: [Marxistindia] rail budget 2010
Sent: Feb 24, 2010 7:32 AM

marxistindia
news from the cpi(m)

February 24, 2010

Press Statement

Railway Budget 2010: Total Gimmickry

The Railway Budget presented in Parliament today exposed a sharp
deterioration in the performance of the Indian Railways. Far from
containing any vision for the future of the Indian Railways, the Budget
speech has sought to conceal gross failures through misleading
announcements and gimmicks aimed at the forthcoming Assembly elections in
West Bengal.

Over 120 railway accidents have taken place so far during this financial
year. In this backdrop it is inexplicable how the allocations for the
Railway Safety Fund has been cut by Rs. 579 crore from last year.
Moreover, the Minister has strangely tried to shift the blame for railway
accidents on to rail rokos and natural disasters! This shows the
Minister’s distorted perspective on the crucial aspect of railway safety.

As per the Railway Ministry’s own estimates, over 1.7 lakhs Railway posts
were lying vacant in 2009, out of which nearly 90000 were posts related to
railway safety. The Minister has kept completely silent on filling up
these vacancies, which can provide job opportunities to the youth.

The Railway’s operating ratio (the ratio of total working expenses to the
earnings – a higher ratio implies deterioration), which was 90.5% in
2008-09 has risen to 94.7% in 2009-10. Such a sharp deterioration in just
one year reflects the gross mismanagement of Railway affairs by the
Minister. Gross Traffic Receipts in 2009-10 have fallen short of the
budgeted estimate by Rs. 63 crore. Moreover, plan investment in Railways
also fell short of the budgeted target of 2009-10 by Rs. 497 crore. This
clearly shows that the Railway Minister has not been able to implement the
tall promises that she made in the last Budget. In this context the
grandiose announcements of projects ranging from hospitals and diagnostic
centres, sports academies and musuems ring a trifle hollow.

By the Railway Minister’s own admission, many of her project announcements
were made without the sanction of the Planning Commission. Their
implementation therefore is highly suspect. This is further borne out by
the fact that for 2010-11, plan investment in Railways is budgeted to
increase by only Rs. 1142 crore, which amounts to a drastic fall in plan
investment in real terms. While the Railway Minister has made tall claims
on laying 1000 kms of new railway lines, it is shocking that the actual
plan allocations for gauge conversion, doubling of railway lines and new
rolling stock like wagons and carriages have been cut in nominal terms.
This squeeze in public investment in the Railways is accompanied by an
unprecedented thrust towards privatisation in all areas in the name of
PPP: from modernisation of railway stations; new railway lines; freight
and passenger corridors; locomotive, wagon and container manufacturing;
rail axle factory; parking complexes and bottling plants. This wholesale
privatisation programme for the Railways, opening up the entire sector for
private profiteering, will be inimical to national interest. It appears as
if the entire decision-making in the Railway Ministry has been handed over
to the corporate sector.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI (M) calls upon the people to protest against
these proposals, which are neither in the interest of the Railways nor in
the interests of providing relief and better travel and communication
facilities.

When I was kid, they told me money was everything; now that I hv grown up, I know it is true.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
For money you can have everything it is said. No, that is not true. You can buy food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; soft beds, but not sleep; knowledge but not intelligence; glitter, but not comfort; fun, but not pleasure; acquaintances, but not friendship; servants, but not faithfulness; grey hair, but not honor; quiet days, but not peace. The shell of all things you can get for money. But not the kernel. That cannot be had for money. -Arne Garborg, writer (1851-1924)
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Washington: Polarized and paralyzed. #brown Boston.com

Columns: Most ordinary voters are simply disgusted, and extreme bipartisanship will backfire on both parties.

http://mobile.boston.com/art/67/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2…

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Mexico’s Abortion War | Foreign Policy

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/12/17/mexicos_abortion_war

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Brevity Is Certainly Not the Soul of News, If by News You Mean More Than Information” Washington Diarist: The New Proles | The New Republic

http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/washington-diarist-the-new-proles

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How the Olympics and other international competitions breed conflict and bring out the worst in human nature

By Christopher Hitchens
http://www.newsweek.com/id/233007/output/print

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ZENIT – Vatican Economist: Recession Caused by Low Birthrate

Recession’s Cause: Not Enough Babies, Says Vatican Economist http://www.zenit.org/article-28289?l=english

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