Value Added Tax (VAT)   VAT means Valued Added Tax. It is a new idea in Indian Taxation system.  It is expected to bring much needed reforms in the Indian taxation.  It is a different system for the collection of tax.  Under VAT system, tax is charged at each point of sale of goods with input tax credit for the tax paid at the earlier stage.  For example, under this system,...

Pope John Paul II Dies   The Christian world was shocked to hear the passing away of Pope John Paul II is the Vatican on April 2, 2005.  This brought to an end the third longest papacy in history.  Hundreds of churches in the Italian capital began ringing the death-knell upon hearing the news of the death of Pope John Paul II.                 Pope John Paul was known to be a...

Center—State Relations in India     The handling of political situations in Goa, Jharkhand and Bihar by the UPA government and the removal of governors appointed during the NDA rule once again raised the issue of Centre-State Relations in the country.  It is really unfortunate that political expediency rather than constitutional guarantees should govern the whims and actions of the party in power at the centre.  This gives rise to avoidable...

The Tsunami Disaster  and After     According to the dictionary, the word tsunami stands for an extremely large wave in the sea, caused by an earthquake.  Such mighty waves caused by earthquakes are not very common but these have been seen in different oceans at different periods.  Whenever such a wave appears, it causes an all round havoc in all the areas that come across the path of these high...

The Threat of Bio-Terrorism   Terrorism displayed its most hideous face on September 11, 2001 when Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda militants attacked the W.T.C. building in USA and killed more than 5000 innocent US citizens.  An angry US nation decided to his back and root out terrorism from anywhere and everywhere in the world.  The US planes attacked Afghanistan from where Laden was operating.  The Taliban regime, made up of...

Dr. Manmohan Singh—The  Ex-Prime Minister of India     Dr. Manmohan Singh, the ex- Prime Minister of India, is a real man of the masses.  From Lamp Post to PM’s Post is the story of his life.  Nobody could ever imagine that the young boy who had used to pour over his lessons for long hours in the light of a street lamp post would one day become the Prime Minister...

Chance of Government at the Centre Or (Elections to the 14th Lok Sabha 2004)   Democracy is a government, said Abraham Lincoln, by the people, for the people and of the people.  India is the biggest democracy in the world.  Elections are held her after every five years.  Any citizen of India who is of 18 years or more, can cast his vote in favour of his own candidate whom he...