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I’m not a tax expert but I just read this Service Tax Notification No. 36/2010 Dated Jun 30th 2010

Service Tax Notification No. 36/2010June, 30th 2010
Government of IndiaMinistry of Finance (Department of Revenue)
New Delhi, the 28th June, 2010
Notification No. 36/2010 – Service Tax
G.S.R. (E).- In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 93 of the Finance Act, 1994 (32 of 1994) (hereinafter referred to as the Finance Act), the Central Government, on being satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do, hereby exempts the taxable services specified in clause (A) of section 76 of the Finance Act, 2010 (14 of 2010) other than services referred to in clause (zzc) and (zzzz) of sub-section (105) of section 65 of the Finance Act from so much of the service tax leviable thereon under section 66 of the Finance Act as is in excess of the service tax calculated on a value which is equivalent to the amount of advance payment received before the said appointed date.
Explanation.-  For the purpose of this notification,
(i) “appointed date” means the 1st day of July, 2010;
(ii) “advance payment” means consideration received for the said taxable services to be provided.
2. This notification shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
[F. No. 334/3/2010 -TRU]
(K.S.V.V.Prasad)
Under Secretary to the Government of India

As far as I understood this would mean that there would not be any service tax levied for payments that were made before July 1 2010 for the new services that have been brought under the scanner of Service tax in the Finance Act of 2010. And this would mean that there would not be any tax on payments that were made for construction of houses before this date. YIPPPEEE!!! Real Estate sector as a whole might still not be happy but this is indeed a good  news for people who bought houses some time back before they knew of such extra charge which amounts to quite a bit.
© Shantanu Goel | No Service Tax on Housing/Construction for Payments Made Before July 1 2010

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(More like heavy metal baritonal incoherent inconsequential utterings, rants, ramblings, or in short “noise“. TO BE IGNORED BY EVERYBODY)

you draw me to a corner, and you whack away,

“quota” is all you’ve got with you,

to throw in everybody’s court, and say “ur turn”

cuz u know noone will volley back

everyone’s got to keep their vote bank

lets just make one more swipe at it

and move another clan up the rank

will make good content for the history books later

how the “Great Indian General Category” ship sank

I’m a part of the majority they say

I’ve suppressed and oppressed so many people

and its their duty bring them up

upto my “high” standards of living.

“high” standards?

Last time I took an college admit

the primary factor was the college’s fees sheet

“hello, can’t hear u, ur voice is breaking up”

is all I can hear in response from u, Mr. politician

As I see another xx% quota announcement on national television

or one about bainsla asking for asking for another y% for his satiation

But anyways, I’ve learnt to live with it everyday

cuz I know a bright future for my grand (or great-grand) kids is at bay

As the time is not that far away, when we listen to this and nod our heads

“Mr. Leader No.xxx announced zz% quota for the general category today”
© Shantanu Goel | Poetry-Shoetry

As I wrote a few days ago, though India is supposedly the biggest democracy in the country, it hardly displays any signs of being so. Every right of any citizen can be demolished in the garb of democracy. The biggest offenders are our dear leaders, who become leaders to lead India towards a democracticly divided country where, if they could have their wish, every citizen of the country would have his ver own personal state.

The latest example is today’s parliament session, where all of them wanted to garner some free points by asking for waivers for farmers, which will anyways be announced tomorrow. The end result – The session could not be comleted and the speaker had to end it by saying “You are all working overtime to finish democracy in this country”.

But I beg to differ Mr. speaker sir, because they are not working to finish the democracy, they have already finished it. Now, they are just working to get their own monarchy established here..

[tags]India, Parliament, Government, Democracy, Leaders[/tags]

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My friends told me that you cant survive in Dallas without driving and you can’t drive without an IDP (International Driving Permit)…
So began my crusade to get one. Left for chandigarh on thursday. The mission was simple:
1. Go to State Transport Office.
2. Give forms to officer (all forms already completed) for stamp and signature.
3. Come Back

But as it turned out later, the enemy was prepared. The 3-point agenda was just a trap to lure me behind enemy lines…
Each point branched off to several other points and to perplex and torture me further, even recursion was thrown in.

WARNING: For the weak at heart, this is a good point to stop. Cuz the details below are quite gory and graphic. Any resultant effects, like frustration, hair tearing, teeth grinding, etc, will not be my responsibility.

So, let the story begin…
Woke up to a melodious tone ringing in my cell. It was my alarm…
After such a long time, I had seen morning, yeah, I woke up at 7:00. Birds were chirping, a mild breeze blowing outside…The day seemed to be off to a good start…
Came out of my place to find a baba (saint) standing there, who, on seeing me, instantly uttered the words “Videsh yatra nikat hai baccha“. (Foreign travel is near, my child). The day was indeed good. I managed a smile…:)
Well, the first point went off well. Reached the STO (State Transport Office)….
Knocked at the door of the official who had to sign and stamp my papers. No response…
Waited a bit and knocked again. No Response. Opened the door and peered in.. It was empty.. A peon saw me and said, “Madam Chhutti pe hai” (Ma’am is on leave). Is it starting to go wrong? I thought.
Met another officer and was told “Since wednesday and thursday were holidays, so she took the friday off. She’s the only one in this office who can sign ur papers. However you can go to another office near high court. One Mr. X is also authorised to sign.”
Nothing to worry yaar, i told myself..
Went to the office and what do I find, Mr. X is absent. Why? Same reason as before…But then you can go to DC’s office. ADC will sign it.
At ADC’s office when the same episode was repeated I had started to crumble…
Someone told me to go to old STO but they said nothing was done there now. Then came back to new STO. Then a guy gave me a ray of hope. Gave me a slip and asked me to meet someone in the second office. Then in the second office i was given a slip and asked to meet someone in the first office and told that work will surely be done. And guess who was i supposed to meet.
I found out when I came to room no 3. It was the same room where I had knocked first thing in the morning…
Then I was told that my work would be done on monday…But alas, our merciful Government, Monday has also been declared a holiday and here I am, the tortured soul, back in my office, torturing souls like you and deriving sadistic pleasures out of it…

© Shantanu Goel | Woes of a "holiday" Tortured soul..