India HR and Law Updates

Monday 27 July 2015

E Tourist Visa Indian Government

E Tourist Visa

E tourist visa has been trending a lot lately. E tourist visa is the new name for earlier term visa on arrival. There are some advanced requirements for this like Return ticket etc. Let’s find out more.

E Tourist Visa

Visa means Visitors International Stay Admission. This was acquired from a Latin name Charta visa. Charta visa means that document which is important to see/check. This is a legal permission for any person to travel in a foreign country. Visa is valid for a limited time and is given upon the presentation of the passport. Different countries have various visa rules. Indian government has recently made many amendments in the visa rules and E Tourist visa is one of them. Let’s understand its process in detail.

As visa on arrival term created some misunderstandings in tourist’s minds so the government has changed the term to E Tourist visa now. E Tourist visa is given to international travelers.

In India it’s imparted to those people who are going out of India for a short visit for travel, medical or meeting family and friends’s or business purpose. Visa’s validity can be up to six months starting on arrival date. The requirements are to have at least two plain pages left on the passport to be used by travel authorities and should have return ticket or further travel itinerary with them .

E Visa facility is available in 150 countries which doesn’t include Pakistan. If a traveler has Pakistani passport then they have to apply to Indian consulate mission for visa. Around 72 counters in India have e visa facility including 9 airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Goa etc.

May 2015 trended with around 15659 tourists arriving in India on E – Tourist visa and previous year had around 1833 tourists arriving on E Visa so this sector saw a growth of 754.3%.

DR. SARMISTHA SARMA

Associate professor at the IIT and Management (Affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi)

Commission and ways to invest in Mutual funds

Commission to be paid upon investing in Mutual funds but there is one direct option to save commission.

People want to invest in mutual funds upon seeing the returns gained by them but it should be understood first that it requires commission to be paid upon investing in them. Only one option doesn’t imbibe commission. If taken from bank then also commission is to be paid. But if this commission is saved then its added into profits to give increased returns. This is a direct plan which needs to be understood.

Commission and ways to invest in Mutual funds

Mutual funds are the best and most safe profit bearing investments right now. The portfolio of investors can become very sound upon investing in mutual funds. It’s also a good option to be investing for a long time. It’s controlled completely by SEBI so it’s easier to manage. One also has the ability to change their portfolio any time and reduce their risks. Still it is seen that small investors have full control over their investments and so they are well informed about it. In 2008 due to restrictions upon mutual fund entry load and new technology, many agents had stopped promoting mutual funds but many new ways of selling and buying them also came into preview in those times.

Ways to invest in Mutual funds-

By Agents – This is the most common way to invest in mutual funds. In order to become an agent one has to undergo training and pass the exam and upon which the concerned agent gets the license of a mutual fund distributer and can start selling various schemes in Mutual Fund Company. Such agents can be found commonly around us.

AMC Investment Service Center - SEBI(Securities and Exchange Board of India) had regulated a circular in September 2012 in which there were directions for mutual fund companies to present a direct plan for their investors. This was in aid of those investors who wanted to invest without any help of an agent. In this billing is less as the commission is saved which mutual fund companies give to agents.

CAMS – Cams is the transaction processing and record keeping agency of various mutual fund companies. One can also invest in mutual funds directly through Cams office. Registration is required for the same. To avail online facility one can log to mycams online utility. However this is only for the Indian investors. The holders can be one or two people so that upon death others can be benefitted. SIP/SWP/STP are not available in this.

Demat Account – If one has a demat account then they can take any scheme under it. But it can be used only to invest in regular plan and not direct plans.

Banks – One can invest in mutual funds through banks where selling/buying of mutual funds takes place. In this case bank works as an agent and would also get commission upon your mutual funds.

Online Portals – Nowadays with the availability of many technological gadgets people themselves invest in mutual funds through many online portals and are quite used to this idea. One can directly log to MC website and invest. If this isn’t suited to some then there is also an option to go on online transaction platforms. For ex: Funds India, which also works as an agent but it gives one the liberty to buy/sell online and to switch over and scheme and also helps in taking money out.

#Abhinav Gulechha, RIA, ACA, CFP- personal finance specialized

Laws against Women Harassment in Hindi and English

A girl was teased and harassed in Delhi. When FIR was placed with police, the criminals stabbed her to death by knife slashing her 35 times. Now Eve Teasing comes under non-bailable crime. There is no Hindi term coined for “Eve Teasing”. It simply means women’s harassment of any kind. Looking at a woman with bad intentions, teasing, snooping, keeping a watch on them and following them comes under unsocial and illegal activities.

Laws against Women Harassment in Hindi

Mostly we read about news of hidden cameras in malls and hotels which are used illegally to take women’s pictures. In May 2015 in Baghara village of Mujaffarnagar, three women had to jump off a moving bus in order to save their honor as the driver behaved in an inappropriate manner with them. Many complaints are filed regarding eve teasing of women who travel by train. Also men snoop over women from neighboring houses. All these cases come under the criminal act of eve teasing. There have been many riots because of these cases. Honor killing is seen in these cases by groups, where some of these cases are registered but most are sorted out of court.

Now let’s understand Sec 354 under the Indian penal code clearly and in detail. This section is registered under any case of eve teasing and sexual harassment. The case is registered for violating woman’s respect and honor deliberately and knowingly without her consent. The punishment can be from 1 to 5 years of jail and fine. Under section 23 (2) of Indian penal code any crimes coming under it have been made as a non settlement case outside court since 31/12/2009.Before this amendment this crime could be settled outside court with consent of the woman involved who was harassed. After amendment in 2013 of sec 24 (g) this crime has been made non-bailable since 3/2/13.

In last 5 years only 51 cases have been registered under the act of eve teasing at Delhi lower court. Out of which only 5 cases were proved and punishment has been imparted. Due to lack of evidence around 30 criminals were set free. Under the constitutional Para 14, 15 and 21 any kind of teasing and harassment of women is a non bailable crime. Supreme Court gave instructions to the states in 2012 to curb eve teasing which included female police to be posted in public and sensitive areas in normal clothes. The companies and corporations should help the police in safeguarding the honor of women.Schools, colleges, cinema halls, parks and other public places should have proper CCTV cameras installed. If eve teasing happens in public vehicles, then the driver or other concerned need to report it to the nearest police station. All states have been instructed to start female helpline.

#Article Published in Dainik Bhaskar from Nandita Jha, High Court advocate, new Delhi

Thursday 23 July 2015

How to Activate UAN based registration

How to Activate UAN based registration

What is UAN? The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation has decided to allot a Universal Account Number (UAN) to all members of the PF.

PF EPF Withdrawal |Common Questions about Provident Fund Withdrawal

Common Questions about Provident Fund Withdrawal

PF EPF Withdrawal

Wednesday 22 July 2015

labour law reforms

"The changes in the Payment of Bonus Act would raise the salary limit for getting a bonus from Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 19,000, and are at an advanced stage with a draft Cabinet note being moved earlier this month for comments from ministries," said a senior labour ministry official. Separately, the government is initiating stakeholder consultations to amend the Maternity Benefits Act of 1961 and the Payment of Gratuity Act of 1972, the official added.