My Income-Tax Money and its Disappointing Returns..!!

With financial year ending, few days back we have received our form 16 to file our income tax return. Today when i am going through form 16, I am feeling literally disgruntle about my tax money payment to Indian government.

This disappointment is not because a lot of money going as tax, but there is no/enough return benefit or services from the government. I am just questioning to myself, is this money going to help in development of my country or help needy people through government funds or help in creating better services for people or it is just going in some corrupt politician’s Switzerland bank account?  I am filing my tax return as this month’s end dead line approaching with a feeling that I am throwing this money in gutter of corrupt politics. I am wondering what else we can do and come up with few suggestion to this problem, why government can’t provide a detail summary of investment they have done using my tax money. Don’t you think so people who are paying tax right to know where this money going?  Another approach will be tax payers should have rights to say or select to put his/her tax money with break ups in this particular areas/scheme of development from government or may be development of sustainable technologies? Never know this will help or not, but at least I feel that this will reveal out exact usage of money and reasons for lack of services which we face as problem from government.

There is another point to highlight about number of people who is paying taxes in India. From the article in economic times, I found that the number of income-tax payers are just about 35 million (2.9%) in a population of 1.2 billion. These 2.9 % people are mainly salaried people who have no choice (trying to hide earning from government) because employer has to cut their income tax. Looking at the number do you think that this taxation money will be enough to help out or give benefits to all 1.2 billion people? We sometime blame government for corruption, but first reason to get this corrupt government because we are corrupt. We, as in buyers, are responsible for buying things without any bill in all transactions and hence these retailers don’t pay any tax on it. So this money turned in as black money.   

At least to improve this, we as in people must buy things from mega retail store and use credit card/debit card for payment instead cash payment. This way money directly credited into bank account of retailers. So that at least whenever government/Tax Dept. wants to check the account of retailers, they can see transactions in store keeper’s bank account. Another approach what government can take is that, buyer’s needs to file all bills of its spending over the month to income-tax dept., so income-tax dept. know transactions of every shopkeepers from buyers submission and force them to pay right amount of tax and there is no way of hiding money here. Make more and more services online, so people don’t have to ask for favors to agents and government officers. This will give choice to people to avoid corruptions and favors. Making an online application for passport and Indian railway reservation is some of the big example which government has taken to improve situations and many more is in pipeline. Give extra/different benefits to the people who are paying taxes beyond some amount, this will help in encouraging to those who don't pay taxes at all.

At last file your tax return on time, pay right amount to tax on your earnings, question government about where did they spend our tax money?, and provide help in improving this country...!!

Process vs Power..

Few days back, a political party has announced its leader for upcoming election. It seems that a big move in terms of party’s next set of agenda and obstacle for country’s ruling party. The reason behind this movement was that new candidate has already proven track record at state level so expectation that this will help them at country level to make party’s position strong in upcoming election.

On a way back home from office, I was with my cab mates criticizing on this topic. Many were in a favor of this movement. They heard a lot of this candidate’s work at state level, development and change which he brought for betterment. But on the other side, we also heard that he did all these by taking all power in his own hands, more like one man army. Handling everything, keeping all powers with him, interferes in all and even small decision making as well, and not relying on processes which needs to be followed. It has shown more like King and his kingdom kind of ruling.

So the question arises from this discussion that which has more weightage, a process or power? As a democratic country, we believe in candidates and keeping our immense faith in him/her, we elect them and leave everything in their hands. After that they govern supreme power in the country. Then there are no boundaries which can keep them under control for not doing any corruption or using their power in selfish way, even though they do lot of development for country and solve many issues of mango people.

But, is this correct to give a power in one person’s hand instead of processes, by assuming that he will do all right things?

Giving a power to one person has shown very cruel and inhuman results. It has happened not only in politics but in many industries and even in religions. In my view we should give a power to processes. Let process decide what is right and what is wrong. Processes must hold supreme power to keep others in control – But these processes should be created, designed and placed in such a way that there shouldn't be any loopholes.

In a true democratic country, power must retain with people to elect right candidate and with processes to keep that candidate under surveillance.Choosing something good will stay for a while but if you foster an environment/process of making good forever, you will see many choices in future. I personally believe if processes are in placed properly, it will definitely help keeping under control of power’s wrong usage. Giving a chance to a right people for right position will definitely help, but also consider a notion that “human psyche has not shown definite behavior forever”. So you never know today’s good will become tomorrow’s worst.

So, ask for implementation of process and demand that they must be followed with due respect..!!

  

PS: This post shows my own personal views and they have no relation with any politics and political party in any way.

Just a thought..!!

To get evolve from present situations is nature of human being unlike other species on planet earth. So passing through situations, some people develop their conscience to higher level than average people. Everyone use this learning and knowledge in all upcoming life events.  Sometimes it helps in creating smooth path; otherwise it creates ambiguity and restlessness for many.

That has puzzled me a lot that “is this extra knowledge or understanding really worth when it creates such ambiguities?” – Here “extra” is used to showcase something which is more than an average. Through my observation lens, I have seen many people taking very firm decisions without holding such “extra” thing. The situations sometimes don’t bother at all to them even though they hardly able to perceive those situations fully. The level of confidence which they possessed without even detail understanding of situations has amazed me often. They don’t worry at all that they are left behind in something or lacking at something. They enjoy every moment of their life without any hesitation.

Opening your conscience or level of understanding is highly dependent on life’s situations which you face and your acceptance/denial towards learning from such situations. It is not any human beings fault in this. Sometime you may think you are lucky when you capture actual reality out of it, but I also feel those who don’t evolve are not at all unlucky.   

Sometimes I envy these people because the way they live a peaceful life without running after solving any conundrum or definite purpose in life and unintentionally keeping their own selves on lack of knowledge. (Even there are very much high chances that many others are envy of me as well. J J J)

The take away for me that sometimes "ignorance is bliss"..!!