Touching Video. 25,000 people die of hunger out there.

Touching Video. 25,000 people die of hunger out there.  Let us not waste food and other natural resources.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGNmvNIgqlY&feature=player_embedded

Recruiting IT folks in India ?

Recruiting IT folks in India ?

Good article by Atul.

http://atulchitnis.net/diary/showentry/503

Kerala's Syrian Christians face ageing, dwindling numbers

:-(

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala's Syrian Christians are an unmistakable elite among all major communities in the state in socio-economic indices. But
material contentment apart, the community's future appears dreary, as rapid ageing and dwindling fertility rates push the group towards the negative growth zone.

Social scientists fear that the community could go the Parsi way in the country in the near term.

A study by KC Zachariah of the Centre for Development Studies here points to the size of the Syrian Christians likely to hit a maximum of 30.21 lakh in 2011 and then decline to touch 28.51 lakh by 2031. Their net growth rate during 2001-31 is projected to be negative 0.19% (-0.19%) per year, and the percentage of Syrian Christians to the state's population is likely to drop from 9.5 at the beginning of the century to 8.4 by 2031.

"The trend has its roots in the already declining population rate, compounded by the fact that migrating Syrian Christians go to countries from where they are unlikely to return, as against those who migrate for a few years and return to the state", Mr Zachariah told ET.

Syrian Christians' bleak future in terms of population growth is in stark contrast to the community's accomplishments on the socio-economic indices. On a socio-economic scale of 1 to 5, with rank 5 being the most desirable, Syrian Christians are the only ones who have a rank higher than 3, while Nairs, Ezhavas, Latin Christians and Muslims all have a score between 1.5 and 2.

But with such a glittering feat in socio-economic indices, the community will be hard pressed to ensure that it thrives in the future, as it faces the twin issues of fewer children and an ageing population. Mr Zachariah's study shows that while the last century began with an elderly population of 4% in the community, the century ended with the elderly making up 10% of the community.

The first quarter of this century is likely to witness the elderly population in the community touch 25% of the total, growing at 3% per annum, as against a negative 0.35% growth for the total population.

Not surprisingly, Syrian Christians have done more than any other community in establishing homes for the elderly. A couple of years ago, it was seen that nearly 50% of the 125-odd old-age homes in the state were in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts where Syrian Christians abound, and that the Syrian Christian community managed 95% of these homes.

While there is concern that the community's clout could dwindle alongside its falling numbers, Mr Zachariah points out that it need not be so. He says the community's clout can be maintained or even increased by developing its human and material resources, and that a policy option for the community could be to invest an increasing share of its resources for the development of its human and material resources

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Keralas-affluent-Syrian-Xians-face-ageing-dwindling-numbers/articleshow/5044015.cms

Buried alive in what you do ?

The closest thing to being buried alive is the medical condition known as ventral pontine syndrome or pseudocoma. The below is a good article from indiatimes.

However some of us are really buried alive in our work with very little social interaction to speak off. Take care.

Without detracting from Bauby’s appalling experience, it’s still important to consider sometimes that, in a similar way, most of us are also locked-in in our kind of lifestyles. And that, generally, what we manage to accomplish during our brief existence can also be compared with the blinking of an eye while the rest of our potential lies seemingly paralysed. We too remain dimly away of what’s going on around us but feel helpless to participate or intervene. Fortunately, there have been exceptions again.

Prince Siddhartha Gautama was a locked-in in the suffocating microcosm of the palace of his father, King Suddodhona, living a life of paralysed luxury, hermetically shielded from the outside world and suffering for nearly three decades. But his blinking eyelid realised there was more and wanted out. Thus he was able to escape being buried alive in his pseudocoma and gain enlightenment which opened his eyes to spell out a teaching for a whole world to read.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Cosmic-Uplink/Locked-in-is-as-locked-in-does/articleshow/5040299.cms

Chennai Property When should I buy my house ?

There are quite a few reasons why property prices go up. Here are 2 out of the many reasons.

* Buyers buying more than they really need :-)
* Builders and land owners get greedy seeing demand picking

1) Buyers buying more than they really need :-) or in other words people buy a second house so that they can give the second house on rent and also have the feeling (yes that's what it really is) they are saving income tax by claiming the interest component as exemptions from the tax they pay.

However going forward the finance ministry is possibly going to make it unattractive to invest in a house unless you really need it, and hence may ensure only those who really need a house invests in land or buys a house.

I think Finance Ministry will kind of ensure there is a better home buyers market.

Two reasons for the above statement :

A per the new recommendations and IT Code possibly taking effect April 1 2011,

a) Removal of all benefits for buying a house i.e the interest component will be, no more exempt from income tax. This makes it actually more expensive to own the second house as you need to still pay tax on the amount that you were previously saving. Yes it also makes it seem expensive for first time buyers. But wait first time buyer have normally lesser salary and they actually do not loose much as income tax slabs itself would have increased your pay to compensate the removal of the benefit.

b) As per the new code, Long Term Capital Gains and Short Term Capitals Gains will be clubbed and there will be no differentiation between the two.

c) All capital gains will be included as part of INCOME for that year.

This is a very damning thing. Especially for salaried class. Even if you sell your ancestral land you are going to pay "Income Tax" for the profits you gained out of selling it. People selling land to get their child married are going to feel the pinch for this as these are people who need the money and buying bonds etc are not going to help.

This will hence kind of force some people to sell their land / flats before the tax code actually comes in to place to make sure their returns are not impacted.


Ofcourse the above case is within the context of newer slabs for Personal Income Tax planned for 2011. You can see the various slabs in the below image.
http://www.hindu.com/pp/2009/09/12/images/2009091250010102.jpg


So what ?

I think flats and houses will see some kind of best prices in the year 2010 if the Finance ministry decides to go with this recommendation in 2011 because investors may stop buying the second house helping to cool demand (maybe to a small extent). Additionally those sitting with land banks may want to clear some of it so that their "Income tax" is within limits.

Now the new IT Code itself could reduce the "buying" capacity of a home buyer as he is going to pay more taxes or have the perception that he does not get tax benefits. Hence he will perceive the house as being more expensive now than before.
This will in turn put pressure on the builder to reduce prices. But in reality it looks it will be a zero sum game for the buyers.


Good luck with timing the buy of your home.

Well this blog post is only half complete, Will need to update this in the near future.


This blog has been inspired from data obtained from the article in the Hindu.

Tamil Nadu Government Websites

Tamil Nadu Government Websites to make life easier

Check Guideline values when buying property in the below website.
http://www.tnreginet.net/

Apply for Marriage Certificate via Tamil Nadu Government Website
http://www.tnreginet.net/igregn/webAppln/index.asp

Tamil Nadu electricity Bill Online
http://www.tnebnet.org/lt/web/service.php

Chennai Corporation Pay Property Tax
Verify/Print Online Birth and Death Certificate, Pay Property Tax Online, Latest News on Chennai Corporation.
http://www.chennaicorporation.gov.in/


Chennai Metro Water Payment
http://www.chennaimetrowater.com/mmctaxsearch-login.htm