The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
Sometimes major events completely disconnected may be data points for the plans of the different powers around the world. The challenge is to discern what purpose they serve? More critically, what are we moving towards?
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
In an interesting piece of news, a Pakistani report suggests that 66% of their elected leaders did NOT file any Income Tax returns. Rest filed with incomes so low that it is almost a mockery. Almost – perhaps all – all evade taxes. So much so that the country’s President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Raja Pervez Ashraf BOTH are tax evaders!
The Centre for Investigative Reporting in Pakistan’s report said two-thirds of the country’s elected political leaders failed to submit any income tax returns last year. The 70-page report said that out of 446 members of the Senate and National Assembly, 300 did not file their tax returns. Those who did paid an amount that does not match their living standards.
Out of 126 parliamentarians, who paid their taxes, only 15 paid above $10,500 and 68 below $1,060. PM Raja Pervez Ashraf paid only $1500income tax which is an insignificant amount not matching his declared wealth.(Source)
This is a fairly sad situation.
But as an Indian I know that most of our own politicians will be in the same boat. Its just that no one has pointed it out as of now. Someone need to do it to our leaders as well.
So, if a country’s elite political class isn’t paying taxes, but taking advantage of the tax payer’s money – housing, flying planes, hospitals etc – even to the extent of taking billions of dollars out of the country and putting them in their own accounts, then they need to be given a lesson by the masses. What is happening is absolutely shameful!
The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
This visit of India left me with many questions. Many observations and inputs from different people and sections. Food for thought that I have tried to contemplate on and make sense of. Sharing all that with you.
When you analyze the last 60 years of the economic miracles of Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia versus the continued impoverished Indian economy, you get very interesting lessons. Can Indians have the wherewithal in them to do in one generation so that the coming generations may rise?
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