Information on Leh-Ladakh : Two

This year as Durga Puja falls early in October ( actually from 02^nd ) and the next three-four years Durga puja will be after mid-October , the speculative bengali ( who plan tour very early ) will try to avail this year Durga Puja holidays to go to Ladakh.

Ladakh , the land of high passes , the northern most state fo India has always been part reality and part fantasy.Ladakh landscape brings up true and raw nature as had been through the ages.

Basically the July to September is the season and July-August is the peak seaon. I have tried to gather quality required information for this route. In my first post I just tried to put the altitudes as everyone should have the idea about the height to be covered.

Here few maps are given which will obviously help all the tour loving people , which I have collected from several tour related websites.

Manali  to  Leh

Sringar to Leh

Centre launches scheme to check diabetes, hypertension

New Delhi: In a major initiative to check diabetes and hypertension, the Centre Tuesday launched a scheme under which the entire slum population and urban poor in Delhi will be screened for the diseases over the next two months. The initiative is part of Union Health Ministry's ambitious programme to screen people for diabetes and hypertension in 100 select districts and 33 cities with more than 10 lakh population.

Launching the scheme along with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said government will maintain a database of the people affected with the diseases and remedial measures would be provided to them through direct communication as well by sending SMS.

"We have launched the scheme to contain the disease. Diabetes proves to be a hurdle in treatment of other diseases and we must take effective steps to contain it," Azad said. He said keeping in mind the need for early detection of Non Communicable Diseases for effective treatment, the ambitious programme for screening of diabetes and hypertension has been initiated by the government.

The cost of the programme in 100 districts and 33 cities would be Rs 1,230 crore.

Asking the Delhi Government to implement the scheme effectively, he also appealed to all the Delhi MPs, MLAs and MCD councillors to extend their cooperation in making the programme a success. He said the screening of the people in Delhi would be completed by August 30.

The Minister said as the current programme does not include children, a separate pilot project would be launched in six select states in the country under which only children will be screened for the disease.

Salaried employees — when no return is required?

QUESTION: There has been news item about a new scheme sparing liability for salaried employees with income below Rs.5 lakhs, subject to certain conditions which are not clear for them. Could you clarify the same?

ANSWER: Notification No. 36/2011 dated 23rd June, 2011 would exempt salaried employees, whose income does not exceed Rs.5 lakhs in cases where the only other income for them is by way of interest from savings account not exceeding Rs.10,000. Salaried employees drawing income upto Rs.5 lakhs are likely to have other incomes from deposits other than from savings bank account including income from those classes of investments for which deduction is available under section 80C. Only an extremely limited number of taxpayers would be able to take advantage of the scheme.

It is necessary to bear in mind that for employees to be able to avail the benefit, they have to ensure that there is not only adequate tax deduction at source, but also such tax has been deposited by the employer and so certified in Form 16, which should contain employee’s Permanent Account Number (PAN), details of income, tax deducted at source and deposited to the credit of the Central Government. Tax deduction and deposit should cover the entire tax payable. If there is any claim of refund of over-paid taxes, the need for return is not avoided. For the employees, who have served more than one employer during the year, the scheme would not be applicable.

It is further made clear, that the scheme would have no application, where return is required by a notice for assessment under section 142(1), for reassessment under section 148 or on a searched person under section 153A or on a third party to search, where documents or assets relating to the assessee has been discovered under section 153C.

There was no need to impose so many restrictions, which go against the spirit of the policy announced by the Finance Minister in his Budget Speech. The exemption should have been granted to all salaried employees and senior citizens, who have income from sources other than business or profession or capital gains, upto Rs.5 lakhs as long as adequate tax has been either deducted or paid by way of advance tax, subject, no doubt, to enquiry by the Assessing Officer, when so required. Such a course of action would not only help a large number of small taxpayers, but also reduce the proliferation of paper work in the Income-tax Department.

Courtesy : Hindu 18.7.2011

SBI Loan For Pensioners and Family Pensioners

Good News For Pensioners and Family Pensioners…
LOAN TO AFFLUENT PENSIONERS
A new scheme “SBI Loan to Affluent Pensioners” is formulated to match the requirements and higher repayment capacity of those with higher salaries and pensions The salient features of “SBI Loan to Affluent Pensioners” scheme are as under:-
(1) Eligibility:
(a) Pensioners :
(i) All Central, State Government pensioners and SBI Pensioners whose pension accounts are maintained by our branches.
(ii) Pensioners whose pensions are disbursed by Govt. Treasuries by cheques drawn in favour of our branches as per mandate of the pensioner are also eligible subject to condition that pensioner should not be more than 72 years of age
(b) Family Pensioners: Family pensioner, i.e. spouse authorized to receive pension after the death of the pensioner, subject to condition that family pensioner should not be more than 65 years of age.
(2) Loan Amount:
(a) Pensioners : Maximum of 12 months net pension with a ceiling of Rs.3.00 lac
(b) Family Pensioners : A maximum of 9 months net family pension with a ceiling of Rs.1.50 lacs In no case the EMI should be more than 25% of the net pension drawn by the family pensioner.
(3) Collateral Security :
(a) Pensioners : Third party guarantee (TPG) of the spouse eligible for family pension. In the absence of the spouse, TPG of any other family member or a third party worth the loan amount.
(b) Family Pensioners : Third party guarantee of a person who has been maintaining a satisfactorily conducted account with the bank, preferably of the son/daughter of the family pensioner.
(4) Repayment Period : In EMIs commencing from the pension payable one month after disbursal of loan. Installment is deducted at the time of payment of pension:

Age at the time of loan sanction	Repayment period	Age at the time of full repayment
Up to 70 years	36 months	73 years
70-72 years	24 months	74 years

(5) Pensioners will have to submit their PAN Number or Form 15H before availing loan under this scheme.
(6) Processing Fees : Nil
(7) Margin : Nil
Interest rates
SBI CAREER LOAN
(Base Rate 9.50 % w.e.f. 11.07.2011)

Type of Security	Rate of Interest
Land/Building	4.50% above Base Rate, currently 14.00% p.a.
Bank’s TDRs/STDRs	1.00% above the rate of interest payable on deposits
Govt. Securities/Public Sector Bonds/NSCs/ KVPs/RBI Relief Bonds, LIC Policy	4.25% above Base Rate , currently 13.75% p.a.

(In case interest is paid during the course period a rebate of 0.50% will be admissible, only during the moratorium period)
NOTE: ALL INTEREST RATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE, WITHOUT NOTICE.
For more details contact your nearest SBI Branch.

A Complete Guide to Business Development - Department of Posts - Part I

Business Post: One stop solutions for bulk mails designed to take care of all premailing

activities, from start to finish saving your valuable time. Business post offers total

Business solutions for the corporate class by providing tailor made services. It provides

value additions to all traditional services offered by the department on payment of nominal charges, as in the form of:

-Collection of mails from the premises

-Enveloping/ Inserting

-Addressing

-Sealing

-Franking

-Posting and delivery at the destination

Pre mailing charges: (excluding applicable Postage Charges)

Operation (per article)	Unregistered (Rs)	Registered Mail
Collection	0.20	0.30
Folding the contents before insertion	0.01	0.01
Folding the contents before insertion which requires cutting	0.02	0.02
Insertion (Per insertion)	0.10	0.20
Gumming (Sealing)	0.10	0.10
Franking	0.20	0.40
Pasting pre-printed labels gummed	0.02	0.02
Pasting pre-printed labels which are not gummed	0.05	0.05
Insertion to be matched with the address	0.05	0.05
Additional charges for articles weighing more than 100 grams	0.05	0.05
Special handling	0.10	0.50
Manual addressing	0.30	0.30

Book Post: The article should be open in condition and it should be printed as

BOOK POST on the front side top portion of the article.

Rate of postage will be Rs 4.00 for a weight not exceeding 50 gms and Rs 3.00 for  

every additional 50 gms or fraction thereof.( the content of the article should not be personnel in nature and only printed items are allowed. Ex. invitation, broachers etc.)

First class mail (Letter Post) : Article shall be closed in condition.

 Rate of postage will be Rs 5.00 for a weight not exceeding 20 grams and Rs 5.00 for

Additional 20 gms or fraction thereof.

Courtsey : http://satish24k.blogspot.com/                                                                  by, Shri B R Krishna

Information on Leh-Ladakh : One

This is an effort to provide hands-on information on Ladakh region. Ladakh is better known as land of passes. High altitude driving and capasity of acclimatization is the key to enjoy the circuit. Always do not move fast i.e. do not go high too fast. Here here is a comilation of altitudes and related maps in several sectors of Ladakh.


Leh may be reached in two different way. Manali to Leh via Keylong, Jispa,Sarchu,Pang, Debring and obviuoulsy Barlacha Pass and Tanglala Pass.

From Manali to Leh
Palchan 10kms
Kothi (2530 mts) 15kms
Marhi (3320 mts) 39kms
Rohtang Pass (3980 mts) 51kms
Gramphoo (3200 mts) 62kms
Khoksar (3140 mts) 67kms
Sissu (3130 mts) 80kms
Tandi (2573 mts) 105kms
Keylong (3096 mts) 113kms
Jispa (3142 mts) 138kms
Darcha (3400 mts) 145kms
Patseo (3820 mts) 159kms
Baralacha La (4892 mts) 190kms
Sarchu (4253 mts) 222kms
Brandy Nalla 242kms
Takh (3950 mts) 255kms
Lachungla (5065 mts) 275kms
Pang (4630 mts) 299kms
More Plains (4703 mts) 323kms
Tanglangla (5360 mts) 363kms
Rumse (4325 mts) 395kms
Gya (4100 mts) 398kms
Upshi (3384 mts) 426kms
Karu (3963 mts) 437kms
Leh (3506 mts) 473kms

Again Leh may be reached from Sringar via Sonmarg,Drass,Kargil , Alchi and obvioulsly Zojila Pass.This route good for better acclimatization .


From Leh to Srinagar
Pathar Sahib 25kms
Nimmu (3300 mts) 35kms (Confluence of River Indus & Zanskar)
Saspol (3317 mts) 64kms
Lamayuru (3500 mts) 108kms
Kargil (2676 mts) 231kms
Drass (3249 mts) 287kms
Zoji La (3528 mts) 317kms
Sonmarg (2740 mts) 342kms
Srinagar (1730 mts) 426kmsThere are two mountains pass between Leh & Kargil:
Fotu La (4108 mts)
Namika La (3700 mts)

Core Banking in Post Offices......

In a major exercise to boost its profitability, the Department of Posts (DoP) plans to introduce core banking solution besides setting up India Post ATMs and debit cards for its customers.

"We have set target of bringing in core banking solution by 2012. It will ensure smooth online transactions. We are giving some e-payment services, but they are fragmented," a top offical from Department of Post said.

He added that the work for setting up 1,000 India Post ATMs was in advanced stage and DoP had already held parleys with vendors on this front. "We will also issue debit cards to our existing savings account-holders," the source added.

The DoP is tying up with banks so that customers can use their India Post debit card at any ATM machine pan-India. With a network reach of over 1.44 lakh post offices, DoP hopes to transform itself into a post bank.

"Yes, this is very much possible. We are offering three-fourth of a bank's services and have the widest reach. The infrastructure is almost ready. In fact, we have given this proposal to the Ministry of Finance and are waiting for its comments," he added.

The lack of modern banking facilities in rural areas and dependence of villagers on informal sector for their credit requirements prompted government to establish a post bank. "The aim of establishing a post bank is to provide banking services to the rural poor who still do not have modern banking facilities and still have to depend on informal sector for their credit requirements," he said.

The Planning Commission had allocated Rs 5 crore during the 11th Plan period towards this purpose under the head of 'studies and miscellaneous expenditure relating to setting up of Post Bank of India'. The DoP with its huge network already provides various financial services, including a post office savings bank, postal life insurance, pension payments and money transfer services.