Ruchi Bakers

Will India Win the World Cup?

The spirits of India are really high after yesterday's thumping win over Australia. However, a careful analysis would show that we have a lot to worry about. So far, Kohli and only Kohli has been instrumental in the crucial matches that we won. First Pakistan, and then Australia. Kohli did not click against New Zealand, and we lost. He did not score much against Bangladesh, and we just managed to scrape through. The Indian bowling lacks real bite, and none of the other batsmen - starting from Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj to Raina - are scoring runs. That really should scare us. God forbid, but what happens if Kohli gets out early in the match against West Indies? Can India really depend on the other batsmen to score runs?

We are keeping our fingers crossed...

On a Strong Foundation

The Rajya Sabha passed a landmark Real Estate Bill on Thursday with a promise to secure the interests of home buyers and developers in equal measure and remove corruption and inefficiency from the sector.

Salient Features

- Mandatory for developers to deposit 70% money from buyers in a third party bank account
- Provision for imprisonment of up to 3 years in case developers are found guilty of fraud
- Registration of all projects in each state compulsory
- Developers not allowed to change plans unless two- third allotees have agreed to it
- Builders to be responsible for fixing structural defects for five years after transferring the property to a buyer
- Commercial real estate also covered

We hope it is indeed a step in the right direction.

On a Strong Foundation

The Rajya Sabha passed a landmark Real Estate Bill on Thursday with a promise to secure the interests of home buyers and developers in equal measure and remove corruption and inefficiency from the sector.

Salient Features

- Mandatory for developers to deposit 70% money from buyers in a third party bank account
- Provision for imprisonment of up to 3 years in case developers are found guilty of fraud
- Registration of all projects in each state compulsory
- Developers not allowed to change plans unless two- third allotees have agreed to it
- Builders to be responsible for fixing structural defects for five years after transferring the property to a buyer
- Commercial real estate also covered

We hope it is indeed a step in the right direction.

RIP, Martin Crowe

Martin Crowe, one of New Zealands most elegant batsman passed away on Thursday due to cancer. A teenage prodigy who made his international debut at 19, he played 77 Tests – 16 of them as captain – between 1982 and 1995, and was the second highest run scorer in New Zealand Test history, with 5,444 runs at an average of 45.36. He had strong claim to being the best New Zealand batsman the country has so far produced.

He had a short spell as chief executive of the Royal Challengers Bangalore cricket team in the Indian Premier League as well.

R.I.P, Martin! We will never forget the way you regaled the crowds with your batting skills.

RIP, Martin Crowe

Martin Crowe, one of New Zealands most elegant batsman passed away on Thursday due to cancer. A teenage prodigy who made his international debut at 19, he played 77 Tests – 16 of them as captain – between 1982 and 1995, and was the second highest run scorer in New Zealand Test history, with 5,444 runs at an average of 45.36. He had strong claim to being the best New Zealand batsman the country has so far produced.

He had a short spell as chief executive of the Royal Challengers Bangalore cricket team in the Indian Premier League as well.

R.I.P, Martin! We will never forget the way you regaled the crowds with your batting skills.

Budget 2016

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present his third General Budget on Monday. There are enough indications to suggest that the Union Budget for 2016-17 will primarily focus on stimulating growth without deviating too much from the fiscal deficit target set by Mr. Jaitley in his previous Budget.

The Government is expected to unveil a road map for big-ticket disinvestment, announce increases slightly more generous than the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission, the lowering of the corporate tax from 30 per cent to 29 per cent, the first cut in the series planned to bring it down over the next four years to 25 per cent, among others.

PM Modi ji told students yesterday that this budget is like an exam for him too. We hope he is highly successful in the exams!

Budget 2016

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present his third General Budget on Monday. There are enough indications to suggest that the Union Budget for 2016-17 will primarily focus on stimulating growth without deviating too much from the fiscal deficit target set by Mr. Jaitley in his previous Budget.

The Government is expected to unveil a road map for big-ticket disinvestment, announce increases slightly more generous than the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission, the lowering of the corporate tax from 30 per cent to 29 per cent, the first cut in the series planned to bring it down over the next four years to 25 per cent, among others.

PM Modi ji told students yesterday that this budget is like an exam for him too. We hope he is highly successful in the exams!

Highlights of Rail Budget 2016

- No change in passenger fares
- 33% seats reserved for women in all categories
- Average speed of freight and passengers trains by 25 kmph in
- Train collision avoidance system in all major rail routes
- Two dedicated freight corridors by 2019
- Online booking of wheelchairs, Braille enabled new coaches
- Railway board will be reorganized and chairman will be empowered
- Will lease out huge tracts of land available near tracks, stations for horticulture
- 20,000 display screens across 2,000 station for better dissemination of information to passenger
- CCTV coverage at all Tatkal counters
- 2,500 water vending machines installed at railway stations
- All major stations to be brought under CCTV surveillance in a phased manner
- Increasing senior citizens quota by 50%
- Introduced wi-fi services at 100 stations this year and will be introduced in 400 more next year
- 1,17,000 bio-toilets will be installed this year
- Social media used for feedback and complaints redress mechanism