18.12.2006

• Liability to dividend distribution tax
• At present dividend income from equity-based mutual funds is tax free in the hands of the investor.
• But the same from an debt mutual funds is taxable.
• The Government is thinking of giving exemption from payment of tax on dividend for investments made debt mutual funds also. This is with a view to create a level playing field and to ensure retail participation in the debt mutual funds and thus deepening the corporate bond market.
• The move is expected to make banks feel jittery. This is because the interest income from deposits made in a bank are taxable. If dividend income from the debt mutual funds is made tax free, there could be flight of deposits from banking circles to the debt mutual funds.
• Some experts argue that such a move will not have the desired result of deepening the corporate bond market; instead it will be used by corporates and HNIs (High Networth Individuals) to park their funds for getting tax free income.
• Pension liabilities
• They are accounting for about 1.64% of the GDP currently.
• Details of the disproportionate assets case pending against Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav
• He had to resign his post as CM of Bihar in 1997 following an arrest warrant issued by a court in this case which is related to the fodder scam.
• The CBI registered the case on August 19, 1998 arguing that he had accumulated assets of over Rs. 46 lk, disproportionate to his known sources of income, between March 1990 and March 1997 as Bihar CM.
• The CBI judge heard the case and pronounced him not guilty today i.e., on December 18^th 2006.
• 14^th SAARC summit
• Will be held at New Delhi on April 3- 4 2007.
• Name of the Indo-US nuclear cooperation bill
• Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006.
• Companies having largest number of patents on average during the last five years:
• IBM 3289
• Hitachi 2272
• Canon 2009
• Private Equity investment figures in India for the first 11 months
• In 2006: $7.5 bn in 302 deals.
• In 2005: $2.2 bn in 149 deals.
• RBI vs SEBI on regulating realty sector
• There is a stand-off between the two on the issue of allowing foreign venture capital funds to invest in the local realty sector.
• The government has finally ruled that SEBI will regulate the VCFs in this regard.
• The issue originated because the RBI opposed investment in real estate by foreign VCFs, when SEBI approved some proposals. When the RBI referred the matter to the government citing contradictions relating to the FDI policy in realty and investment by VCFs in realty.
• India’s foreign investment rules on real estate allow for 100% FDI in housing, commercial premises, resorts and city and regional level infrastructure townships provided the minimum built up area is 50,000 sq metres.
• The RBI is concerned that in the guise of venture funds, hot money could come in to India. It is also worried about an asset price bubble creation with such an increased inflow of funds into realty.
• Measures that can propel India into a higher growth trajectory during the coming years
• Accelerated policy reform
• Low interest rates
• Improved business climate that provides more room for private sector led expansion
• Rising household savings
• Accelerated integration with the global economy
• Newest war planes on the horizon and costliest too
• The US along with 8 other countries (Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway) has come out with F-35 Lightning 2 Joint Strike Fighter plane.
• Each plane will cost about $45 mn to $60 mln at 2002 prices.
• Lockheed Martin is manufacturing these planes.