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Sat, 25 Jul 2009 10:51:40 +0000

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Become a Delhi Reporter

Sun, 25 May 2008 12:30:39 +0000

As you all know DelhiDekho.com data is increasing at a high pace but our aim is really high and we need more and more data about anything and everything related to Delhi. Therefore we need more and more people to contributing more and more data about Delhi

So if you love Delhi, have a passion of writing, even if it is not in a refined tone, but have something to add about Delhi or any news, come and join us.. We will soon be adding a list of people who contribute to DelhiDekho.

Log aise hi nahi kehte Dilli Dilwalo Ki..

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DelhiDekho Team

Highlights Of Budget-2009

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:21:19 +0000

Main Highlights

-> Hike in IT exemption to Rs 2,40,000 for senior citizens
-> Commodities Transaction Tax to be scrapped
-> Fringe Benefit Tax to be scrapped
-> Service tax to be levied on law firms
-> 10 pc surcharge on personal income tax scrapped
-> Excise duty on petrol-driven small trucks down to 10%
-> Exemption of duty on goods made at construction sites restored
-> Drugs for heart diseases to become cheaper
-> Customs duty on gold and silver import increased
-> Mobile phone accessories to become cheaper
-> Pranab's Budget brings little cheer for the markets
-> Branded jewellery for women to become cheaper
-> Customs duty on bio-diesel reduced
-> Tax holiday extended for textile units
-> Small businesses exempt from advance tax
-> Custom duty on LCD panels halved
-> Set-top boxes to cost more
-> Anonymous funds to charitable bodies to get some tax relief
-> MAT hiked to 15% of book profit
-> Hike in IT exemption for women to Rs 1,90,000
-> General Sales Tax model will have a Central GST and State GST
-> Share of direct taxes has increased to 56 per cent in 2008-09
-> GST to come into effect from April 01, 2010
-> Corporate tax unchanged
-> New tax code to be set up in 45 days
-> Goods and Services Tax to be introduced from April 1, 2010
-> Total budget expenditure for 2009-10 will Rs 10,28,032 cr
-> Plan expenditure, for both Centre and States, to go up by Rs 61,000 cr
-> Fiscal deficit in 2009-10 is proposed at 6.8 per cent of GDP
-> Higher public investment in infrastructure
-> Defence outlay has gone up
-> Rs 1,000 cr for Aila rehabilitation to West Bengal
-> Rs 25 cr each for AMU campuses in Murshidabad and Mallapuram
-> Rs 2,113 cr for IITs and NITs
-> Funds for GSI to enhance exploration of minerals
-> New pension benefits for 12 lakh jawans and JCOs
-> Pension of non-commissioned officers to be hiked
-> Allocation for rehab of Lankan Tamils
-> One lakh dwelling units for paramilitary forces to be built
-> Commonwealth allocation hiked to Rs 3472 crore
-> Allocation of Rs 50 cr to Chandigarh University
-> Govt to hike allocation to National Ganga Project to Rs 562 cr
-> One rank, one pension for ex-servicemen from July 1
-> Allowances to para-military forces at par with defence forces
-> Unique Identification ID project to roll out in 12-18 months
-> Unique Identification ID project to tap private talent
-> Allocation for NRHM to be raised by Rs 257 cr
-> National action plan on climate change
-> Full interest subsidy for students in approved institutions
-> Modernisation of national employment exchanges
-> 50% cent of rural women in self-help groups
-> Rural mega clusters in Bengal and Rajasthan
-> Interest subsidy for home loans up to Rs 1 lakh
-> Interest subsidy on education loans
-> Rashtriya Mahila Kosh corpus to be raised to Rs 500 crore
-> Rs 2,000 cr for rural housing fund under National Housing Bank
-> National Mission for female literacy
-> NREGA allocation up 144%
-> Work on National Food Security scheme for subsidised food
-> Rs 100 cr one-time grant to expand banks in unbanking areas
-> Indira Awaas Yojna hiked by 63% to Rs 8,883 cr
-> Allocation for PM Gram Sadak Yojna up by 59 per cent
-> Rs 39,100 crore allocation for NREGA
-> NREGA gave employment opportunities to more than 4.47 cr households
-> Aam Aadmi is the focus of all UPA's schemes
-> Govt to shift to nutrient based fertiliser subsidy regime
-> Banking network to be expanded
-> One banking centre in every bloc
-> Banks, insurance to stay with Govt
-> Raise threshold for non-promoter public listed companies
-> FM recalls Indira Gandhi's bank nationalisation
-> Move towards energy security via Integrated Energy Act
-> Saral-II forms to simplify taxation process
-> An expert panel will look into petroleum product pricing
-> Domestic oil prices must be in sync with global prices
-> Fertiliser subsidy to go directly to farmers
-> Export Credit Guarantee scheme extended till March 2010
-> Pranab Mukherjee quotes Kautilya in Budget speech
-> Incentives in interest rates to farmers to pay back
-> Print media stimulus package extended by six months
-> Target for agriculture credit raised to Rs 3,25,000 cr in 2009-10
-> FIIs have returned to India in last few months
-> Storm-water drainage project fund hiked to Rs 500 cr
-> Blueprint for national gas grid
-> Additional budget allocation to farmers
-> Allocation of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna stepped up by 30%
-> Total fiscal stimulus during '08-09 is Rs 1,86,000 cr
-> Hike in allocation for Mumbai flood management
-> Housing allocation hiked under Rajiv Awaas Yojana
-> Fund allocation for urban poor accommodation is 3,973,000 cr
-> JNNURM allocation hiked by 87 per cent
-> NHAI allocation up by 23 per cent
-> Hike infrastructure investment to over 9% of GDP by 2014
-> IIFCL will refinance 60% of commercial bank loans in PPP
-> IIFCL will look at new projects
-> IIFCL will also look at incremental lending by banks
-> New company IIFCL to look at infrastructure needs
-> Two worst quarters since September slowdown behind us
-> Signs of revival in the domestic industry
-> Fiscal stimulus gave economy a boost
-> Govt took 3 stimulus packages to fight slowdown
-> Economic growth is a synergy of states and Centre
-> Integration of Indian economy with rest of the world
-> Significant hike in foreign capital
-> Trade in goods and services doubled in 2008
-> Indian economy changed in the past decade
-> Challenge before UPA to return to 9% growth
-> Re-energise government and reinstitutionalise development
-> One Budget can't solve all issues
-> Improve rule of law for all citizens
-> Mandate for inclusive growth
-> Strengthen the delivery mechanism for healthcare
-> Increase investment in infrastructure

Courtesy :Internet

Some Tips for your Upcoming Delhi Tour

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:57:19 +0000

If you are traveling to Delhi, you should be aware of the various special aspects of the city like its society and way of life. This will help in preparing for the journey and to ensure a memorable stay in the city.

Most often, travelers from abroad get into uncalled for hang-ups as they are not used to the city. One main thing to watch out for is the climate. Delhi is a city of extremes when it is about the weather. It is exceedingly hot in summer and ice cold in the winters. Although the chillness would not be a big problem for westerners, they should beware of the hot summer season of Delhi between April and July, where a typical daytime temperature goes beyond 40 Degree Celsius. However, the weather is most favorable in the January to March and September to November seasons.

Apart from the weather, you also have other things to look at. Following are some tips to use while touring Delhi.

Beware of unknown travel guides and agents especially when you are in a new locality.

See that you confirm your bookings in advance for your travel tickets, accommodation, food etc.

Remember to bargain at least a little when you are shopping at roadside markets.

You can bargain to as low as half of the initially quoted price.

Start earlier, whatever the place you want to visit. With too many used cars getting repurchased, almost everyone has a car and this has caused heavy traffic bottlenecks, especially during peak hours.

Take care to keep your wallets safe when you are in crowded places or buses. Do not carry more cash than necessary. Instead you can use ATMs to get cash as and when you need.

If you are a female traveler, do not try to be too adventurous with your dressing style. It is not advisable for women to wear flimsy or guy sort of clothing especially when they are in Old Delhi area.

Get yourself a map of Delhi with all the important landmarks and routes. This will help you to avoid getting lost. If you do get lost in Delhi, the best way to seek advice from is to ask the traffic police at road junctions.

If you feel that you are facing any threat from strangers, you can get help from the Police PCR vans or you can dial 100 to give a complaint.

If you have any clarifications to make when you are at airports, you can get help from the “May I help you” booths. Some hotels have videoconference facilities that you can use to communicate with your folks back home. Or you can use the good old internet as well. It is better to use pre paid taxi services for travel, as it is managed by the Delhi traffic police. Do not travel alone during night time in lonely places. Use these tips and enjoy your Delhi tour!

Delhi Dekho

Sun, 31 May 2009 11:58:31 +0000

Famous Tourist Spots in Delhi

Delhi is the capital city of India and is well known for its celebrated times of yore. The city is also famous for its array of travel attractions from ancient shrines and fine arts to the latest shopping places for designer wear and accessories – the historic city is truly an exquisite mix of the ancient and the contemporary. So pack up your travel gear and whatever other stuff you want to carry like your passport, travel insurance etc and get ready for the excitement.

Some of the places to stopover are:

Rashtrapati Bhavan - This is a giant mansion originally built for the Viceroy of India during British rule. It was designed by famous British architect Edwin Lutyens.

India Gate - Located in the heart of Delhi at Rajpath, the Indian Gate is an elevated archway standing 42 meters tall. It was built in remembrance of the brave Indian soldiers who gave up their lives during World War I.

Bahai Temple - Also known as the Lotus Temple, this stunningly designed marble shrine built in the form of a lotus is a calm place for meditation where people from any faith can meditate in peace.

Jama Masjid - This is one of the biggest mosques in India and was built during the times of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor.

Qutab Minar - This is a soaring pillar standing 72.5 meters tall as an emblem of the Delhi Sultanate. It was built in 1199 A.D., during the rule of Sultan Qutub-ud-din Aibak.

Red Fort - This grandiose fortress was built with red sandstone during the reign of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Here is where the Indian Prime Minister addresses the nation each Independence Day.

These are just a few of the many places you can visit in Delhi. You also have other attractions like Purana Quila, Jantar Mantar, Safdarjung's Tomb, Humayun's Tomb, Lodhi Gardens, Lakshmi Narayan Mandir and more, which you can visit as a tour in Delhi.

Space Shuttle Discovery successfully launches after a month of delays

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:59:07 +0000

NASA has successfully launched Space Shuttle Discovery after over a month of delays. Discovery lifted off at 7:43 p.m. (EDT) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in the United States after NASA declared the weather to be "100% go for launch".

"The clouds broke up and that's why we were go for launch," stated mission control on NASA TV. A crystal clear blue sky could be seen in Discovery's background about 40 minutes before launch. NASA earlier had made jokes about a small black bat attached to the rear of the external fuel tank delaying launch, but NASA assured it would not be a problem for launch. NASA also said that there was a bat on STS-72 which managed to fly away just before the shuttle launched.

The current scheduled mission, STS-119, is set to fly the Integrated Truss Structure segment ("S" for starboard, the right side of the station, and "6" for its place at the very end of the starboard truss) and install the final set of power-generating solar arrays to the International Space Station. The arrays consist of two 115-foot-long arrays, for a total wing span of 240 feet, including the equipment that connects the two halves and allows them to twist as they track the sun. Altogether, the four sets of arrays can generate 84 to 120 kilowatts of electricity – enough to provide power for more than 40 average homes.

Commander Lee Archambault will lead Discovery's crew of seven, along with Pilot Tony Antonelli, and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata.

Discovery's original proposed launch was for July of 2008. Later it was changed to December 4, 2008. The next change scheduled the liftoff date for February 12, 2009. It was then delayed until February 27, but was then delayed indefinitely on February 20 after NASA discovered an issue with the hydrogen control valves.

Seven killed in gun attack on Sri Lankan cricket team

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:48:30 +0000

Five policemen and two bystanders were killed and seven members of the Sri Lankan cricket team have been injured in a coordinated gun and rocket attack by 12 to 14 gunmen in Lahore, Pakistan at about 8.00 a.m local time.
The Sri Lankan players were ambushed en route to the Gaddafi stadium to play the third day of the second test, near the liberty round about. According to eye witnesses the team convoy was stopped by two vehicles blocking their path.
Security for the tourists included varying the route to the stadium; however, the attack occurred just outside the stadium, with the gunmen surrounding the team convoy on four sides. Wearing ballistic vests and armed with AK 47s, grenades and rockets, the gunmen first targeted the police escort, who bore the brunt of the attack, before turning their sights on the cricketeers.
The masked gunmen used rockets to disable the lead vehicle. The driver of the team bus was able to avoid injury and was able to drive out of the area within a minute of the ambush, however injuries were sustained by the team as they were hit by both small arms fire and the resulting spall. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack and no suspects have been arrested.
The team escaped to the safety of the stadium and received first aid in the dressing rooms. The gunmen and police continued to exchange fire for half an hour before the gunmen escaped.
Bloodied and in shock, the team were evacuated from the stadium by air force helicopters landing on the wicket, with Tharanga Paranavithana and Thilan Samaraweera requiring hospital treatment for shrapnel wounds to the chest and leg respectively.
After the attack the tour was immediately cancelled. The team has been recalled and will leave Pakistan as soon as possible. The Sri Lankans were not even meant to be in Pakistan, being there only because the Indian team had withdrawn from a tour in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
In view of the attack the ICC, issued a statement noting their "dismay and regret" and has called into question the future of international cricket in Pakistan, including Pakistani involvement as co-hosts of the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

Obama budget calls for record US deficit

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:47:28 +0000

United States President Barack Obama unveiled his administration's 2010 United States federal budget on Thursday. The budget calls for a record US$3.6 trillion in spending.

The new budget will use a $1.75 trillion deficit, which would be nearly four times greater than any previous deficit and is $250 billion larger than what was projected just days ago due to a proposed new spending for another bank bailout.

"We will, each and every one of us, have to compromise on certain things we care about but which we simply cannot afford right now," said President Obama. "What I won't do is sacrifice investments that will make America stronger, more competitive and more prosperous in the 21st century — investments that have been neglected for too long."

House of Representatives minority leader John Boehner was critical of the budget. "We can't tax and spend our way to prosperity," he said. "The era of big government is back, and Democrats are asking you to pay for it."

"Given the economic catastrophe that we face, to go right into the teeth of that hurricane and plan for some ambitious expansion of government that goes beyond the triage element is bold to say the least," Norman J. Ornstein, a political scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, told Reuters.

$634 billion of the budget is "dedicated [to] financing reforms to our health care system," according to Obama. Analysts reporting for the BBC and Reuters both conclude that, if passed, it lays a ground-work for a form of universal health care.

New comet to be visible to naked eye for several days

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:43:57 +0000

For the next few days, a newly discovered, green-tinted comet will be visible by the naked eye in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Comet Lulin, with the official designation of C/2007 N3, was discovered in 2007 and astronomers say that this is the first time it has visited our solar system and may well be the last.

As it makes its way around the Sun, an astonishing 800 gallons (3 m³) of water will evaporate from the comet every second. In each 15 minute period, it will shed enough water to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool. It will come within 38 million miles of Earth at its closest pass, making it visible to the naked eye and even clearer with binoculars or a telescope.

The best viewing time for people living in the northern hemisphere is after midnight when Lulin will be at its highest point in the sky, or 40 degrees from the morning horizon. Current estimates peg the maximum brightness at 4th or 5th magnitude, which means dark country skies would be required to see it. No one can say for sure, however, because this is Lulin's first visit.

Astronomers from NASA and the United Kingdom will use the Swift Telescope to study the comet and its composition. Astronomers also say to see it while you can because this could be the first and only time it passes through our solar system. It's estimated that if it returns, it will not be for another 1,000,000 years.

"We won't be able to send a space probe to [the comet], but Swift is giving us some of the information we would get from just such a mission," said Jenny Carter, at the University of Leicester in England, who is leading the study.

The comet was discovered using the Lulin Observatory in Taiwan by astronomers Ye Quanzhi and Lin Chi-Sheng.

Satyam Accounting Scandal of 2009

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:13:38 +0000

On morning of 7 January 2009 at 10:53AM (IST), Satyam Computer Services Ltd's Chairman Mr.Ramalinga Raju resigned after notifying its board members and SEBI that he falsified accounts and assets. The shares of the IT company were down by more than 82% touching low of Rs 30.70.

Immediately following the news, DSP Merrill Lynch (Now with Bank of America) terminated its engagement with the company as Credit Suisse suspended its coverage of Satyam.

Satyam's auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers will be scrutinized for complicity in this scandal.

The truth came to fore when Mr.Raju sent a letter to the board members, copying it to SEBI. Letter stated that Satyam’s balance sheet as on Sep 30, 2008, carried an inflated (non-existent) cash and bank balances of Rs 5,040 crore (as against Rs 5,361 reflected in the books). Further, it carried an accrued interest of Rs 376 crore which was non-existent. An understated liability of Rs 1,230 crore on account of funds was arranged by himself. An over stated debtors position of Rs 490 crore (as against Rs 2,651 crore in the books).
For the second quarter ended Sep 30, 2008, the company reported a revenue of Rs 2,700 crore and an operating margin of Rs 649 crore (24% of revenues) as against the actual revenues of Rs 2,112 crore and an actual operating margin of Rs 61 crore (3% of revenues). This had resulted in artificial cash and bank balances going up by Rs 588 crore in the second quarter alone. The gap in the balance sheet had arisen purely on account of inflated profits over a period of last several years (limited only to Satyam standalone, books of subsidiaries were reflecting true performance).

As per Raju, "What started as a marginal gap between actual operating profit and the one reflected in the books of accounts continued to grow over the years. It has attained unmanageable proportions as the size of company operations grew significantly (annualised revenue run rate of Rs 11,276 crore in the September quarter of 2008 and official reserves of Rs 8,392 crore).

As the promoters held a small percentage of equity, the concern was that poor performance would result in a takeover, thereby exposing the gap. The aborted Maytas acquisition deal was the last attempt to fill the fictitious assets with real ones.

It was like riding a tiger, not knowing how to get off without being eaten.”
Raju had made a task force comprising its members Subu D, TR Anand, Keshab Panda and Virendra Agarwal and AS Murthy, Hari T and Murli V in the last few days before letting news out, to address the situation arising out of the failed Maytas acquisition attempt.

Ram Mynampati was made the Chairman of this task force to immediately address some of the operational matters on hand. Merrill Lynch was entrusted with the task of exploring some merger opportunities, which it later walked out cancelling the agreement.
Raju says that neither he nor the managing director sold any shares in the last eight years except a small proportion sold for philanthropic purposes.
A net amount of Rs 1,230 crore was arranged to Satyam (not reflected in the books) to keep operations going by resorting to pledging all the promoter shares and raising funds from known sources by giving all kinds of assurances. Significant dividend payments, acquisitions, capital expenditure to provide growth did not help matters. Every attempt was made to keep the wheel moving and to ensure prompt payment of salaries to the associates. The last straw was the selling of most of the pledged shares by the lenders on account of margin triggers.

Raju also acknowledged that neither he nor the managing director took have benefited in financial terms on account of the inflated results. He confessed that none of the board members had any knowledge of the situation in which the company is placed.