On Odd-Even, Green Court Says Women, 2-Wheelers Not Exempt

The Delhi High Court today asked the AAP government to clarify why women and two-wheelers have been exempted from the odd-even number plate scheme coming into effect here from Friday.

“Get instruction why such exemption (women and two-wheelers) is necessary,” a bench of justices Hima Kohli and Sunil Gaur said while directing the Delhi government to submit data on the pollution levels and vehicles plying during the scheme effective for 15 days starting on January 1.

The court, however, refrained from passing any interim order on a plea by Delhi resident Karuna Chhatwal, who sought direction to restrict the movement of cars driven by women drivers as well as two wheelers.

It issued a notice to the Delhi government and asked them to file a status report within three days on her plea.

On a plea by an advocate Rahul Aggarwal seeking exemption for lawyers from the scheme, the bench said if it allows them to use their vehicles then this court will be flooded with litigation from doctors and other officials, who have not been included in list of 25 exempted categories.

The court issued notice to Delhi government on another issue raised by advocate Manoj Kumar, who filed a joint PIL with Gunjan Khanna, a petitioner who commutes from Noida, challenging the December 28 notification related to odd-even scheme to check pollution in the capital.

Under the policy, private vehicles are allowed to run based on the last number of their licence plates.

Odd-numbered cars are allowed to run on odd dates while even-numbered cars can only run on even dates. In 2016, the scheme was enforced twice — January 1-15 and April 15-30.

A pollution emergency prevailed in the national capital for the third straight day on Thursday as a toxic cloud of smog kept the city shrouded, a situation which is likely to persist for another 48 hours. 

He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call a meeting of chief ministers of Delhi and adjoining states to find a solution to the crisis.

The court banned all exemptions granted under the Odd-Even scheme – including to two-wheelers, government officials and women. Questioning why the scheme was not implemented earlier, the court said Odd-Even should come into effect every time the particulate matter 10 exceeds the level of 5 00 and PM 2.5 rises above 300.

The court has now listed the three petitions for further hearing on January 6, when the court will hear other four PILs filed by different individuals against the AAP government’s plan on the odd-even number plate formula.

The vehicles exempted from odd-even scheme includes the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Union Ministers and Governors and Chief Ministers of states and Union Territories “except that of Delhi”.

The petitioners said Delhi government should “call for public debate before enforcing the decision”.

Besides, women drivers, CNG-certified vehicles, VIPs, two -wheelers, ambulances, defence vehicles and embassy vehicles have been exempted from Delhi government’s ambitious scheme.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has clarified while announcing the scheme that he and his cavalcade will not avail the exemption offered to the VIPs.

GST Rates: Shampoo, Chocolate, Eating Out Cheaper After Big GST Cut - 10 Facts

Scores of mass consumption items such as detergent, shampoo and chocolates will become cheaper, as the panel on Goods and Services Tax (GST) decided on Friday that only so-called sin goods should be taxed the most under the new multi-rate system.

The GST Council recommended that the government prune by nearly three-quarters the number of items under the highest 28% slab, as well as move some items under other tax categories to lower brackets.

Friday’s meeting also agreed to reduce tax on restaurant bills, but given that these eateries will not get any input tax credit — a facility to set off tax paid on inputs with final tax— eating out might not become substantially cheaper.

All changes come into effect from November 15.

The council also decided to bring more units within the scope of a special tax payment window for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) called the composition scheme, and halved the tax rate allowed under it to 1%. The eligibility threshold for the scheme too has been raised to Rs 1.5 crore from Rs 1 crore now.

The latest feel-good tweaks to what is India’s biggest tax overhaul should help ease the pressure the government faces over economic disruptions from the rollout of the new tax and last year’s scrapping of high-value banknotes.

The decisions could also help reduce disquiet over compliance cost for SMEs, which are crucial to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plans to create a million jobs a month and many of whose promoters are traditional voters of his Bharatiya Janata Party. The party is facing a resurgent opposition in elections in its bastion of Gujarat.

India has about 56 million small and medium-sized firms that account for some 110 million jobs in the country, official data show.

Prime Minister Modi took to Twitter and said, “All our decisions are people-inspired, people-friendly and people-centric. We are working tirelessly for India’s economic integration through GST.”

Making things cheaper could, however, set government revenues back by Rs 20,000 crore, four people who attended the meeting said.

“Consumers will be benefited by lower prices as most of the taxable items are in the 5%, 12% or 18% slabs,” finance minister Arun Jaitley told a press conference after the meeting.

The GST subsumed a string of state levies and taxes but has faced a bumpy ride since its July 1 launch, especially on account of complex monthly tax-filing processes that is said to have raised the cost of doing business for shopkeepers and small businesses.

Opposition Congress appeared unimpressed with Friday’s decisions.

“The Prime Minister and his government first shoot, then they aim and then think, be it on the issues of demonetisation or GST,” party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, questioning the timing of the decision ahead of the Gujarat assembly elections.

But most industry experts welcomed the latest changes but hoped it would boost consumer demand but not impact public finances.

“While the reduction of rates would substantially reduce the prices of a number of commodities, the government may need to balance the revenue considerations too,” Bipin Sapra, Tax Partner, EY India, said.

Krishan Arora, partner, Grant Thornton India LLP, said the decision to prune the 28% slab would be a welcomed by industries in the mass consumption space.

Flipkart Billion Capture+ Phone With Dual Rear Cameras Launched: Price, Specifications

After selling smartphones made by others, Flipkart is now entering the phone market with Billion Capture+, a phone with a starting price of Rs 10,999.

The 3GB RAM variant is priced at Rs 10,999, while the 4GB RAM variant is priced at Rs 12,999.

Flipkart is entering the phone market and has launched the Billion Capture+, a new smartphone under its private label Billion. The Billion label was announced back in July. Flipkart said that this is a 'Made for India' device and is designed, engineered, manufactured and tested in the country. The key highlight of the smartphone -- as the name suggests -- is its camera setup. The smartphone will go on sale starting November 15, of course exclusively, on Flipkart.

The Billion Capture+ phone comes in two variants. One model comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage which will be available at a price tag of Rs 10,999. While the second variant of the smartphone sports 4GB of RAM and 64GB of inbuilt storage which will come with a price tag of Rs 12,999. Both variants of the Flipkart's Billion Capture+ phone come in two colours -- Mystic Black and Desert Gold.

Flipkart will be providing several offers. It will provide No Cost EMI option and also give away discounts on some debit/credit cards. The details will be revealed on Nov 15 when the smartphone will go on sale in India.

The smartphone comes with a premium metal body and sports a 5.5-inch full HD display coupled with 401 PPI. The display is further protected with a 2.5D Dragontrail glass protection on top. The smartphone runs on Stock Android Nougat 7.1.2, and Flipkart promises to upgrade the smartphone to Android Oreo, however it didn't confirm the timeline of the rollout as of yet. There also a fingerprint sensor on the back side of the phone.

Befitting the name Billion Capture+ -- the key highlight of the smartphone is its camera setup. The smartphone comes with a dual camera setup at the back. It includes two 13-megapixel cameras - whereby one comes with an RGB sensor and the secondary camera includes a monochrome sensor at the back. There's also a dual flash that sits right next to the dual cameras. The back camera is capable of capturing pictures in several modes including. The smartphone is capable of capturing shots in super night mode - in other words, it is capable of clicking clear pictures in a low-light situation. The device will also let users click bokeh shots or the background blurry pictures and Depth of Field clicks in order to capture minute details. On the front, the smartphone includes an 8-megapixel sensor.

On the hardware front, the smartphone is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor. The device also comes with a long-lasting battery and is backed by a 3,500mAh battery. Flipkart claims that the battery will last for up to two days at a single charge. The phone comes with Quick Charge support out of the box and gives up to 7 hours of battery life within just 15 minutes of charging, claims Flipkart.

Commenting on the smartphone Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Flipkart Sachin Bansal says, "The Billion brand's products have always been backed by meticulous data-driven research and insight into Indian customers' needs. The features in the Capture+ too have been derived from deep data-mining of millions of Flipkart customers' reviews. Few true dual camera phones offer this combination of flagship features. We're sure this customer-centricity will delight Indian smartphone buyers." Hrishikesh Thite, the Category Head of Billion further adds, "Our extensive research of Indian smartphone buyers revealed major pain points of battery, camera, storage etc. We developed the Billion Capture+ keeping these in mind and are delivering it at a compelling price point. It is a truly made for India phone.

Jio Cashback Offer: Get Benefits Worth Up to Rs. 2,599 on Recharges of Rs. 399 and Above

In a massive news, Reliance Jio announced its new ‘Triple Cashback Scheme’ for prime users on Thursday. Under this scheme, Jio offers benefits of Rs 2599 to its customers for every recharge of Rs 399 and above. This cashback offer from Jio is only valid between November 10 and November 25, 2017. It is only valid for the Jio users who are also Prime members. Jio Prime membership costs Rs 99 and entitles users to special plans which come with these cashback benefits. However, there is a lot of confusion among people about how to claim this triple cashback. The deal itself is very complicated. In order to make your job easy, we have put everything in easy steps. Here is how you can get Rs 2599 cashback on Jio recharge of Rs 399:

1. Recharge your Jio number with Rs 399. This makes you entitled to 100 per cent cashback which comes in form of vouchers worth Rs 400. There are chances that you might be given eight vouchers of Rs 50 each that can be used later. These vouchers can only be used after November 15 and only for those recharges done via MyJio app.

2. You will also get an instant cashback of up to Rs 300. This is only applicable of the recharge done through other players like AmazonPay, AxisPay, FreeCharge, Mobikwik, PayTM and PhonePe.

3. Mobikwik has the best deal with a new user getting Rs 300 cashback, while a regular user will get Rs 149. Amazon Pay will give a new user, who does a first-time recharge from their service Rs 99 as cashback. Existing users or anyone who has already done a mobile recharge via the service gets only Rs 20.

4. The remaining amount will be given in the form of vouchers for purchases made on AJIO, Yatra.com and RelianceTrends.com. So a user will have to spend some more money and then use these vouchers for discounts.

5. On AJIO, which is a fashion e-commerce portal, users will get Rs 399 off on a minimum purchase of Rs 1500 at ajio.com. You will get Rs 1000 off on any all-round trip for domestic flight tickets booked through yatra.com. In the last offer, you will get Rs 500 off for purchases worth Rs 1999 and above on reliancetrends.com

Mobikwik has the best deal with a new user getting Rs 300 cashback, while a regular user will get Rs 149. Amazon Pay will give a new user, who does a first time recharge from their service Rs 99 as cashback. Existing users or anyone who has already done a mobile recharge via the service gets only Rs 20. Paytm will give new users Rs 50 cashback, but they have to use a code to claim this offer. Existing users will get Rs 15 as cashback.

PhonePe is giving Rs 75 as cashback for new users and Rs 30 for old/existing users. AxisPay will give Rs 100 cashback for new users and Rs 35 for their existing users. FreeCharge users get Rs 50 as cashback.

So what about the rest of the cashback from the promised Rs 2,599? Well that’s only available as vouchers for purchases made on AJIO, Yatra.com and RelianceTrends.com. So a user will have to spend some more money and then use these vouchers for discounts.

On AJIO, which is a fashion e-commerce portal, users will get Rs 399 off on a minimum purchase of Rs 1500 at ajio.com. Jio Prime customers will also get a discount of Rs 1000 on any all-round trip for domestic flight tickets booked through yatra.com. There’s also a discount of Rs 500 on one-way tickets.

The last voucher is for shopping at reliancetrends.com. Users will get Rs 500 instant discount for purchases worth Rs 1999 and above. These e-commerce vouchers won’t appear instantly, but it will be made available on the user’s account from November 20, 2017.

GST Rates Slashed On Over 200 Items: What Has Gone Cheaper

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Friday slashed tax on over 200 items, reduced the levy on restaurants to 5 per cent, left only 50 products under the highest 28 per cent slab, and increased the composition limit for small businesses, as it undertook a comprehensive overhaul of the new tax regime. 

These changes will benefit consumers and businesses alike, as products ranging from perfumes to chocolates to fans become cheaper, and help douse some of the criticism that has dogged the four-month-old tax system. The economy will get a boost from the likely consumption boost and better compliance due to simpler and less-taxing scheme. 

The GST Council, the apex decision-making body, approved tax cuts on 178 items to 18 per cent from 28 per cent , and on restaurants to 5 per cent but without credit for taxes paid on inputs used, making household items and eating out cheaper. 

"We have been reviewing the 28 per cent slab in the last three meetings. In last meetings, we had cut it on 30-40 items... It was being felt that optically some items should not be in 28 per cent and then there were some items that were manufactured earlier by the those that enjoyed excise duty exemption," finance minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after an eight-hour meeting of the GST Council. 

The rate cut is prospective and will be applicable from November 15 after the Centre and states issue notifications. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the recommendations made by the GST Council will further benefit the people and add strength to the tax regime. 

"These recommendations are in spirit of the continuous feedback we are getting from various stakeholders on GST," the prime minister tweeted. 

The ruling National Democratic Alliance has been under pressure from various quarters, including traders, political parties and industry, to simplify and rationalise the GST framework. Chocolates, condensed milk, mayonnaise, curry paste, refined sugar and sugar cubes, pasta, chikki, idli-dosa batter, frozen fish, chewing gum, washing powder, shaving cream, blade, shampoo, deodorant, cosmetics, marble, granite, mattress, toothpaste, fire extinguisher, watches and nutritional drinks should become cheaper with the cut in GST rates. 

The rate on 13 items will be lowered from 18 per cent to 12 per cent , on 6 items from 18 to 5 per cent , 8 items from 12 to 5 per cent and 6 items from 5 per cent to zero. 

Only 50 items have been left in the 28 per cent bracket that include products in luxury and sin goods category and some with large revenue implications such as tobacco products, automobile, washing machine and air-conditioners. The slab had 228 items earlier. 

"In order to benefit small businesses and consumers, the council has decided to keep only limited items in the 28 per cent tax slab," Jaitley said. The issues of including real estate in GST and incentivising digital transactions were deferred. 

The council decided to go beyond the recommendations of the fitment committee that had suggested reduction in rates on fewer items, Jaitley said. 

Friday's rejig will have a revenue implication of about Rs 20,000 crore, a government official said. West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra said the move will cost the Centre Rs 60,000 crore and cause a loss of Rs 30,000 crore to states. 

Traders supplying goods from ecommerce platforms will now not be required to register if their turnover is below Rs 20 lakh, just like their offline peers. The move will ensure a level playing field. 

TAX RATE SLASHED FOR RESTAURANTS 
Eating out is set to get cheaper with the council deciding to slash GST rate for the sector to 5 per cent without any input tax credit. Restaurants, at present, face three rates depending on the category they are in. 

Air-conditioned restaurants face 18 per cent tax with input credit while non-air-conditioned ones pay 12 per cent . 

The group of ministers looking into the taxation for the sector had recommended 12 per cent tax rate with input tax credit. But some states and the Centre were not in favour of allowing input tax credit. 

"The council had a long discussion on the issue... Everyone agreed that restaurants that got input tax credit have not passed it on to consumers," Jaitley said. Restaurants inside hotels with room rates above Rs 7,500 per night will face 18 per cent GST with input tax credit and those below this threshold will face 5 per cent without input tax credit. 

REVAMP OF COMPOSITION SCHEME The council also approved a revamp of the composition scheme to give relief to small and medium enterprises. 

The threshold of the scheme will now be Rs 2 crore, up from Rs 1crore, which was raised at the previous meeting. This will be a cap provided in the law, but the immediate increase would be to Rs 1.5 crore. 

Tax rate for those availing the composition scheme will now be 1 per cent irrespective of whether they are traders or manufacturers. 

Composition scheme for restaurants will remain with 5 per cent rate. Nontaxable goods will not be counted towards payment of tax under the scheme. The scheme offers lower compliance and less paperwork. 

Composition scheme has been opened up for the services sector, but it can be availed of only by those who provide services up to Rs 5 lakh. 

Companies with turnover up to Rs 1.5 crore have been allowed quarterly filing of returns. The simple form GSTR 3B has been extended till March 31, 2018. 

Junk food and disadvantages of junk food

• Calorie dense junk food does look mouthwatering
• Ideally, junk foods are defined as processed foods
• We often confuse fast foods with junk foods

Picture this: a plate of hot French fries and a huge burger with hot cheese oozing out of it, and a large serving of any aerated drink; looks like a treat! This calorie dense junk food does look mouthwatering, but is known to be nutritionally poor. Junk food or fast food has become an increasingly popular food choice to grab when on the go. Ideally, junk foods are defined as processed foods with negligible nutrient value and are often high in salt, sugar and fat. But we often confuse fast foods with junk foods. 

Junk foods are processed foods consisting of high calories, but that is considered only as a broad umbrella. These foods are prepared in a way that they look appealing and are enjoyable so you are chemically programmed to ask for more. According to Dr. Sunali Sharma, Dietician & Nutritionist, Amandeep Hospital, "Commercial products including but not limited to salted snack foods, gum, candy, sugary desserts, fried fast food, and sweetened carbonated beverages that have little or no nutritional value but are high in calories, salt, and fats may be considered junk foods. Though not all fast foods are junk foods, but a great number of them are. For instance, a salad may be fast food, but is definitely not junk food. Some foods like burgers, pizzas, and tacos may alternate between junk and healthy categories depending on the ingredients, calories and process of manufacturing."

Why are junk foods bad for you?

Frequent consumption of junk food increases the intake of excess fat, simple carbohydrates, and processed sugar which may lead to a higher risk of obesity and cardiovascular diseases among other chronic health problems. The resulting obesity may begin clogging up the arteries and lay the basis of an impending heart attack. It has also been suggested that eating junk food affects the brain in the same way as consuming addictive drugs. An addiction to junk food may even result in rejection of healthier food options like fruits, vegetables, salads etc. leading to further lack of nourishment.
According to Dr. Sharma, the red flags that you should look out for and avoid bringing home include trans-fats, refined grains, salt and high fructose corn syrup. Avoid foods that say corn sweetener, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, partially hydrogenated, fractionated, or hydrogenated on their label.

 . How many calories am I consuming in this one serving? 
2. What are the healthy nutrients I am taking in with this meal? 
3. What's the quality of ingredients used; how fresh is this food item? 

Ask yourself these 3 crucial questions: 

Do note that quitting junk food is a gradual process. If you are someone who is accustomed to daily doses of junk, then quitting may not be way. The first few days could be tough as you may experience some of these symptoms: irritability, headaches, dip in energy levels and so on. An occasional treat never hurts, what you have to look out against is consistent consumption of junk foods, especially at the cost of healthy nutrition.   

Stroke Risk

For optimal heart health, you should not consume more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium each day. You need some sodium in your diet to help maintain normal fluid balance, but too much sodium increases blood pressure and stroke risk. Eating junk food high in sodium, such as potato chips, french fries and pepperoni pizza, may increase your risk of stroke. A study by researchers at the University of Miami published in a 2012 edition of "Stroke; A Journal of Cerebral Circulation" found that the risk of stroke increases by 17 percent for every 500 milligrams of sodium consumed over the recommendation. For example, consuming 2,500 milligrams of sodium increases your risk of stroke by 34 percent. If you have a weakness for potato chips, opt for low-sodium or salt-free varieties, to lessen your sodium intake.

Weight Gain

Filling your diet with junk food may lead to weight gain. It takes an extra 3,500 calories in your diet to gain 1 pound of body weight. For example, consuming 500 calories from junk food each day can lead to 1 pound of weight gain in just a week. If you find yourself at the vending machine in the afternoon, pack healthy snacks the night before and bring them to work. Snack on whole fruit, wheat crackers and baby carrots with fat-free dressing instead. These snacks provide fewer calories than junk food, so you are less likely to gain weight.

Delhi air pollution: Classes for students up to Class 5 suspended for tomorrow, outdoor activities banned in schools

The Delhi government has decided to shut classes for all students up to Grade V and banned outdoor activities or assemblies on Wednesday in all the city schools in view of the massive air pollution and smog in the national capital.

"All primary schools will remain closed tomorrow. If needed, we will extend the order till day after. Outdoor activities including assemblies should not take place in schools," Delhi's Education Minister Manish Sisodia said.

The Delhi government's decision followed a tweet by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in which he called the city a "gas chamber" and asked Sisodia to consider shutting the schools for a few days.

"Delhi has become a gas chamber. Every year this happens during this part of year. We have to find a solution to crop burning in adjoining states," Kejriwal tweeted.

Delhi woke up to 'severe' air quality on Tuesday with a thick haze blanketing the city as pollution levels breached permissible standards by multiple times.

Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) today saw its worst 'air quality' and 'smog situation' of the year -- which was even worse than a day after Diwali, as a yellow blanket of smog hung heavily in the sky. The pollution level rose to dangerous levels, with 18 out of 21 active pollution monitoring stations recording 'severe' air quality.

A number of schools in Delhi today already suspended their outdoor activities and advised parents to ensure their children wear masks.

"Dear parents, please note that due to high pollution levels/unfavourable weather conditions in Delhi, morning sports practice has been suspended for a few days," read a message by Sanskriti School.

Shri Ram School also issued a notice to parents along those lines. Tagore International School has truncated outdoor activities to once a week since Diwali considering high pollution levels.

Mount Carmel School in an advisory said: "Dear parent, due to increased pollution levels and poor air quality, students are advised to wear masks to school from tomorrow."

The Shri Ram Schools did it on Friday. Sanskriti School in the diplomatic enclave of Chankyapuri will do it from Monday. And the American Embassy School, another premier institution in Chankyapuri, regularly suspends outdoor aerobics when the air quality index (AQI) touches 300.

Springdales School, Sardar Patel Vidyalaya and Ahlcon International School as well as government schools said they will wait until the pollution level gets worse.

According to the government’s “graded response action plan” to cut pollution in the city of more than 20 million people, schools must close when the AQI crosses 500.

The government will take measures in accordance with the anti-pollution plan in place in the Capital, according to Atishi Marlena, adviser to Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia.

Experts suggested that all outdoor activities should be restricted if the AQI reaches a range of 301 to 400. The AQI on Thursday was 311, and it deteriorated to 324 on Friday.

Principals of private schools said they would take steps as and when necessary.

“Pollution levels are higher in the morning and younger students are more susceptible to it. Last year, we had to shift our annual sports day because of the conditions. We plan to hold the sports day for junior classes in February,” said Manika Sarkar, director of The Shri Ram Schools.

Tagore International School restricted its outdoor morning assembly for students to once a week since Diwali.

“All outdoor activities have been suspended. We will wait and see how it goes in the coming days and take a decision on what to do next,” principal Madhulika Sen said.

For parents of kids studying at American Embassy School, such directives are not new.

“Our school has standard rules. If the air quality level goes above 300 anytime, all outdoor activities are cancelled,” a parent said.

Quoting the school’s rules, the parent said the physical education department “will modify activities in order to keep heart rates and respiration rates low… Any activity will be short in duration and of minimal physical demand”.

At Ahlcon, restrictions have not been imposed as most activities happen indoors since the school has a small campus.

“We have not yet hit the levels of air pollution where we need to hit the panic button,” principal Ashok Pandey said.

The principal of Springdales School on Pusa Road also suggested against sounding the alarm.

“I have kids with asthma coming regularly to school, without using masks. Parents are already grappling with fears of kids contracting dengue and chikungunya. I don’t want to alarm them more about their kids’ health,” said Ameeta Wattal, the principal.