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Consumer Protection Act 1986 was enacted for superior protection of the interest of consumers. The provision of the Act came into force from 15-04-1987. Consumer Protection Act forced strict liability on a manufacturer in case of the supply of faulty goods by him and strict liability on a service provider in case of shortage in rendering his services.  To safeguard the interests and rights of consumers, quasi-judicial machinery is sought to be set up at the district, state and central levels. This Act applies to the whole of India except the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This Act was replaced by the ‘Consumer Protection Act 2019’ which came into force on 24th July 2020. What is the Consumer? Consumer refers to persons or households that use goods and services generated within the economy. The consumer is defined as someone who obtains goods or services for direct use or possession rather than for exchange, resale or use in production and manufacturing. For example: When your mother buys apples for you and consumes them, your mother and yourself are treated as consumers. Features of the Act The Act applies to all the goods, services and unfair trade practices. Nothing is exempted unless explicitly done so by the Central Government. The Act covers all the sectors regardless of being private, public or co-operative. The Act provides the facility to establish consumer protection councils at the Central, State and District levels. This is ensured to promote and protect the rights of a consumer. Three-Tier quasi-judicial machinery is organised to deal with the grievances or disputes of consumers. The Act provides a statutory recognition to the all the reasonable rights of the consumer. Need for Consumer Protection o ensure the physical safety of a consumer. To protect against economic interests. To provide access to information. To ensure satisfactory product standards and statutory measures for redressal of grievances. To ensure social responsibility of producers and traders to provide quality and quantity of goods at fair prices. To increase the awareness about consumer rights and malpractices in business that can affect a consumer. To ensure consumer satisfaction. For the principle of social justice. For the principle of trusteeship For the survival and the growth of businesses. Objectives of Consumer Protection To protect the consumer from abuse To provide a venue for grievances/compensation To ensure a superior quality of living by upgrading consumer products and services Protecting the consumer against immoral and unfair activities of the traders Goods and Services Covered The Act defines the term “goods” as any type of movable property other than money and includes shares and stocks, growing crops, etc. On the other hand, “Service” is defined as service of any description that is made available to potential consumers and includes sectors such as banking, housing construction, financing, entertainment, insurance, the supply of electrical and other energy, transport, boarding and lodging, amusement and so on. The services offered by professionals such as doctors, architects, engineers, lawyers etc. are included under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. Malpractices The concept of the consumer protection act is formed to safeguard the rights and interests of consumers. It adopts measures to protect consumers from unethical malpractices by businesses and provide a swift redressal of their grievances. The issues that are battled by the Consumer Protection Act are listed below. Sale of unadulterated goods such as adding inferior substances to the product being sold. Sale of counterfeit goods such as selling a product of lesser value than the real product. Sale of sub-standard goods such as the sale of products that do not meet the prescribed quality standards. Sale of duplicate goods. Use of malfunctioning weights and measures that lead to underweight of products. Black marketing and hoarding that eventually leads to scarcity of the product and well as a rise in the price of the same. Overcharging a product, i.e., charging a product above its Maximum Retail Price (MRP). Supplying of defective goods. Advertisements that are misleading, i.e., advertisements that falsely claim a product or a service to be shown as superior quality, grade or standard when not in real. Supply of inferior services, i.e., quality of service lesser than the condition agreed. Rights of the Consumer Right to Safety – To be secured against the marketing of goods on delivering dangerous services to health and life Right to Information – To be protected against dishonest or misleading advertising or labelling and the right to be given the facts and figures needed to make an informed choice Right to Choice –To choose products at competitive prices with an assurance of satisfactory quality Right to Representation – To express consumer interests in the making and execution of government policies Right to Seek Redress – To be compensated for misrepresentation, shoddy goods or unsatisfactory services Right to Consumer Education –To Acquire the Knowledge and skills necessary to be an informed customer Right to Basic Needs – This Guarantees adequate food, shelter, health care, clothing, education and sanitation Filing a Complaint District Forum – The value of goods or compensation claim does not exceed Rs. 20 lakh. State Forum – The value of goods or compensation is more than Rs. 20 lakh but does not exceed one crore. National Forum – It takes up all the cases exceeding the value of Rs. 1 crore. FAQs When did the provision of the Consumer Protection Act come into force? The provision of the Act came into force with effect on 15 April 1987 In which forum can we file the complaint when the value of goods equals Rs. 50 lakh? We should file this complaint in the state forum because it deals with the value of goods Rs.20 lakh to Rs.1 lakh.

The Provident Fund (PF) is a government-managed retirement savings scheme for employees in India. A key component of India’s social security system, PF was introduced in 1952 with the enactment of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act (EPF and MP Act) by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment to provide financial security and stability to employees in their retirement years. Under this scheme, employees contribute a portion of their salary to the PF account, and employers match this contribution. The amount accumulated in the PF account is payable to the employee at the time of retirement or resignation or to their family in the event of the employee’s death. Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), also referred to as PF (Provident Fund), is a mandatory savings cum retirement scheme for employees of an eligible organisation. The employees can fall back on the corpus of this fund post-retirement.  As per the EPF rules, the employees must contribute 12% of their basic pay every month to this fund. The employer contributes a matching amount to the employee’s PF account. The amount deposited in EPF accounts earns interest on an annual  When Can You Withdraw EPF? Complete Withdrawal EPF can be withdrawn entirely only under the following two circumstances: When an individual retires When an individual is unemployed for more than one month, he/she can withdraw 75% of the total accumulated amount and can withdraw the rest 25% if the unemployment period stretches beyond two months. Individuals cannot make a complete withdrawal of EPF balance while switching employers if they don’t remain unemployed for two months or more (i.e. the interim period between changing jobs).  Partial Withdrawal Partial withdrawal of EPF balance can be made only under certain circumstances. The limit of withdrawal is also different for different circumstances. They are explained in the below table:   Sl. No. Particulars of reasons for withdrawal Limit for withdrawal No. of years of service required Other conditions 1 Medical purposes Six times the monthly basic salary or the total employee’s share plus interest, whichever is lower No criteria Medical treatment of self, spouse, children, or parents 2 Marriage Up to 50% of employee’s share of contribution to EPF 7 years For the marriage of self, son/daughter, and brother/sister 3 Education Up to 50% of employee’s share of contribution to EPF 7 years Either for account holder’s education or child’s education (post matriculation) 4 Purchase of land or purchase/construction of a house For land – Up to 24 times of monthly basic salary plus dearness allowance For house – Up to 36 times of monthly basic salary plus dearness allowance, Above limits are restricted to the total cost 5 years i. The asset, i.e. land or the house should be in the name of the employee or jointly with the spouse. ii. It can be withdrawn just once for this purpose during the entire service. iii. The construction should begin within 6 months and must be completed within 12 months from the last withdrawn instalment. 5 Home loan repayment Least of below: Up to 36 times of monthly basic salary plus dearness allowance Total corpus consisting of employer and employee’s contribution with interest. Total outstanding principal and interest on housing loan 10 years i. The property should be registered in the name of the employee or spouse or jointly with the spouse. ii. Withdrawal permitted subject to furnishing of requisite documents as stated by the EPFO relating to the housing loan availed. iii. The accumulation in the member’s PF account (or together with the spouse), including the interest, has to be more than Rs 20,000. 6 House renovation Least of the below: Up to 12 times the monthly wages and dearness allowance, or Employees contribution with interest, or Total cost 5 years i. The property should be registered in the name of the employee or spouse or jointly held with the spouse. ii. The facility can be availed twice: a. After 5 years of the completion of the house b. After the 10 years of the completion of the house 7 Partial withdrawal before retirement Up to 90% of accumulated balance with interest Once the employee reaches 54 years and withdrawal should be within one year of retirement/superannuation   Eligibility Conditions for EPF Withdrawal The total amount from the EPF account can be withdrawn only after retirement. EPFO considers early retirement only after the person has crossed 55 years of age Partial withdrawal of EPF is permitted only in the case of a medical emergency, house purchase or construction, or higher education. The EPF Composite Claim Form has now replaced EPF withdrawal Form 31 which was earlier used for partial withdrawals. EPFO allows withdrawal of 90% of the amount 1 year before retirement One can withdraw the EPF corpus if he/she faces unemployment before retirement due to lock-down or retrenchment As per the new rule, only 75% of the corpus can be withdrawn after 1 month of unemployment. The remaining will be transferred to the new EPF account after gaining employment Employees do not need to wait for approval from their employer for withdrawing their EPF. By linking UAN and Aadhar to your EPF account, they can get approval online While making the EPF claim online, you must have- An active UAN number Bank details linked with UAN PAN and Aadhar details seeded into EPF database How To Withdraw PF Amount? Broadly, the withdrawal of EPF can be made either by submitting: Physical application Online application Physical Application Download the new Composite Claim Form (Aadhaar)/Composite Claim Form (non-Aadhaar) to withdraw the EPF balance. Composite Claim Form (Aadhaar) Use the Composite Claim Form (Aadhaar) if you have seeded your Aadhaar and bank details on the UAN portal and if your UAN is activated. Fill and submit the form to the respective jurisdictional EPFO office without the attestation of the employer. Composite Claim Form (Non-Aadhaar) You can use the Composite Claim Form (Non-Aadhaar) if the Aadhaar and bank details are not seeded on the UAN portal. Fill and submit the

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her seventh consecutive Budget in Parliament today – Tuesday, July 23. Nirmala Sitharaman announced key employment schemes and also revised the tax structure in the new tax regime, while the slabs in old tax regime remain unchanged.  The Finance Minister announced a major reduction in customs duty on cancer medicines and mobile phones. Imported gold, silver, leather goods and seafood will also get cheaper. The Budget for 2024-25 is the action plan for the Modi 3.0 government to outline a roadmap towards India’s development in the next five years.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Union Budget presented by Nirmala Sitharaman. He said the Budget 2024 will benefit all sections of society and lay the foundation for a developed India. PART A Global economy remaining under the grip of policy uncertainties, India’s economic growth continues to be the shining exception and will remain so in the years ahead. Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget 2024-25 in Parliament today said that India’s inflation continues to be low, stable and moving towards the 4 per cent target. Core inflation (non-food, non-fuel) currently is 3.1 per cent and steps are being taken to ensure supplies of perishable goods reach market adequately. Interim Budget The Finance Minister said that as mentioned in the interim budget, the focus is on 4 major castes, namely  ‘Garib’ (Poor), ‘Mahilayen’ (Women), ‘Yuva’ (Youth) and  ‘Annadata’ (Farmer). Budget Theme Dwelling on the Budget theme, Smt Sitharaman said, turning attention to the full year and beyond, in this budget, we particularly focus on employment, skilling, MSMEs, and the middle class. She announced the Prime Minister’s package of 5 schemes and initiatives to facilitate employment, skilling and other opportunities for 4.1 crore youth over a 5-year period with a central outlay of ₹2 lakh crore. This year, ₹1.48 lakh crore has been allocated for education, employment and skilling. Budget Priorities The Finance Minister said, for pursuit of ‘Viksit Bharat’, the budget envisages sustained efforts on the following 9 priorities for generating ample opportunities for all.  Productivity and resilience in Agriculture Employment & Skilling Inclusive Human Resource Development and Social Justice Manufacturing & Services Urban Development   Energy Security Infrastructure Innovation, Research & Development and Next Generation Reforms Priority 1: Productivity and resilience in Agriculture The Finance Minister announced that the government will undertake a comprehensive review of the agriculture research setup to bring the focus on raising productivity. New 109 high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties of 32 field and horticulture crops will be released for cultivation by farmers. In the next two years, 1 crore farmers across the country will be initiated into natural farming supported by certification and branding. 10,000 need-based bio-input resource centres will be established.  For achieving self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds, government will strengthen their production, storage and marketing and to achieve ‘atmanirbharta’ for oil seeds such as mustard, groundnut, sesame, soybean, and sunflower. Government, in partnership with the states, will facilitate the implementation of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in agriculture for coverage of farmers and their lands in 3 years. Smt Sitharaman announced a provision of ₹1.52 lakh crore for agriculture and allied sector this year. Priority 2: Employment & Skilling The Finance Minister said that the government will implement 3 schemes for ‘Employment Linked Incentive’, as part of the Prime Minister’s package. These will be based on enrolment in the EPFO, and focus on recognition of first-time employees, and support to employees and employers.      Referring to the Skilling programme, the Finance Minister announced a new centrally sponsored scheme, as the 4th scheme under the Prime Minister’s package, for skilling in collaboration with state governments and Industry. 20 lakh youth will be skilled over a 5-year period and 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes will be upgraded in hub and spoke arrangements with outcome orientation.  She also announced that the Model Skill Loan Scheme will be revised to facilitate loans up to₹7.5 lakh with a guarantee from a government promoted Fund, which is expected to help 25,000 students every year. For helping the youth, who have not been eligible for any benefit under government schemes and policies, she announced a financial support for loans upto ₹10 lakh for higher education in domestic institutions. E-vouchers for this purpose will be given directly to 1 lakh students every year for annual interest subvention of 3 per cent of the loan amount. Priority 3: Inclusive Human Resource Development and Social Justice Talking about the Saturation approach, the Finance Minister emphasised that implementation of schemes meant for supporting economic activities by craftsmen, artisans, self-help groups, scheduled caste, schedule tribe and women entrepreneurs, and street vendors, such as PM Vishwakarma, PM SVANidhi,  National Livelihood Missions, and Stand-Up India will be stepped up. Purvodaya Government will formulate a plan, Purvodaya, for the all-round development of the eastern region of the country covering Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.  This will cover human resource development, infrastructure, and generation of economic opportunities to make the region an engine to attain Viksit Bharat. Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan The Finance Minister announced that for improving the socio-economic condition of tribal communities, government will launch the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan by adopting saturation coverage for tribal families in tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts covering 63,000 villages and benefitting 5 crore tribal people. More than 100 branches of India Post Payment Bank will be set up in the North East region to expand the banking services. She said, a provision of ₹2.66 lakh crore for rural development including rural infrastructure was made this year. Priority 4: Manufacturing & Services Support for promotion of MSMEs Smt Sitharaman said, this budget provides special attention to MSMEs and manufacturing, particularly labour-intensive manufacturing. A separately constituted self-financing guarantee fund will provide, to each applicant, guarantee cover up to ₹100 crore, while the loan amount may be larger. Similarly, Public sector banks will build their in-house capability to assess MSMEs for credit, instead of relying on external assessment. She also announced a new mechanism for facilitating continuation

GST rates and HSN code for Pharmaceutical Goods. HSN Code Description Rate (%) CESS (%) Effective Date Rate Revision 3006 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 300610 Sterile Surgical Catgut, Similar Sterile Suture Materials (Including Sterile Absorbable Surgical Or Dental Yarns) And Sterile Tissue Adhesives For Surgical Wound Closure; Sterile Laminaria And Sterile Laminaria Tents; Sterile Absorbable Surgical Or Dental Haemostatics; Sterile Surgical Or Dental Adhesion Barriers, Whether Or Not Absorbable 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30061010 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter Sterile Surgical Catgut, Similar Sterile Suture Materials (Including Sterile Absorbabale Surgical Or Dental Yarns)And Sterile Tissue Adhesives For Surgical Wound Closure; Sterile Laminaria And Steri 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30061020 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter Sterile Surgical Catgut, Similar Sterile Suture Materials (Including Sterile Absorbabale Surgical Or Dental Yarns)And Sterile Tissue Adhesives For Surgical Wound Closure; Sterile Laminaria And Steri 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30062000 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter Blood Grouping Reagents 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30063000 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter Opacifying Preprations For X-Ray Examinations; Diagnostic Reagents Designed To Be Administered To The Patient 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30064000 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter Dental Cements And Other Dental Fillings;Bone Reconstruction Cements 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30065000 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter First-Aid Boxes And Kits 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 300660 Chemical Contraceptive Preparations Based On Hormones, On Other Products Of Heading 2937 Or On Spermicides 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30066010 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter Chemical Contraceptive Preparations Based On Hormones, Or Other Products Of Heading 2937 Or On Spermicides :Based On Hormones 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30066020 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter Chemical Contraceptive Preparations Based On Hormones, Or Other Products Of Heading 2937 Or On Spermicides :Based On Other Products Of Heading 2937 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30066030 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter Chemical Contraceptive Preparations Based On Hormones, Or Other Products Of Heading 2937 Or On Spermicides :Based On Spermicides 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30067000 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter Gel Preparations Designed To Be Used In Human Or Veterinary Medicine As A Lubricant For Parts Of The Body For Surgical Operations Or Physical Examinations Or As A Coupling Agent Between The Body And 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30068000 Pharmaceutical Goods Specified In Note 4 To This Chapter Waste Pharmaceuticals 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30069100 Aplliances Identified For Osotomy Use 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12% 30069200 Waste Pharmaceuticals 5/12 0 13/10/2017 1/07/2017 5% 12%

A Andhra Pradesh Caste Certificate can be obtained by residents of Andhra Pradesh to access a variety of government services & subsidies aimed toward particular groups of people. An applicant may approach and submit the necessary application forms to the Government of Andhra Pradesh’s Integrated Service Delivery Department for Andhra Pradesh Caste Certificate registration services. The certificate will be issued within 15 days following the application date. MeeSeva portal is an online platform that has been established by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to facilitate citizen-centric services under a single portal. This portal enhances all the government services by providing a single entry for both G2C (Government to Citizens) and G2B (Government to Businesses) services. It aims to provide a common entry portal for business people and citizens. Features of MeeSeva Portal All citizen services, Revenue services, employment services, Certificate services and Business services can be availed under a single portal. The portal provides easy and quick access to all the services and can also check the status of the application. This MeeSeva portal facilitates various online service request with various departments. The portal provides all updated details regarding the rules, policy initiatives and reforms that have been undertaken by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The services of multiple Government  Departments and Private Companies are made available under a single portal. Services Provided on MeeSeva Portal UIDAI Aadhar Services Revenue Department Services Registration and Stamps Municipal Administration Services Police Department Services Civil Supplies Services RTA Services Education Services Industries and Commerce Department Services ITC Labour Department Services Mining and Geology Agriculture Department Services Election Department Services Social Welfare Department Services Health Care Department School Education Department Services EPDCL Rural Development Services Development of Co-operation Technical Education Services Minority Welfare Intermediate Education Aarogyasri Collegiate Education Legal Metrology Endowment Department Services SPDCL Factories (Labor Department Services) Directorate of Medical Education Drug Control Department Fisheries APMIP (Framer Registration) CRDA SSLR Women and Child Welfare MeeSeva Portal Registration Procedure Access the Portal Step 1: The applicant must visit the MeeSeva portal to avail all the government services. New User Registration Step 2: In case you are a new user of the MeeSeva portal, you have to register in this portal to avail all the services offered by the government. Click on the MeeSeva Online Portal link on the homepage which redirects to another page. Then click on the “Register” button for the New User Registration. Fill in the Right Credentials Step 3: You will be moved to the registration page where you have to enter the following details. Desired Login Name Aadhaar number Mobile Number e-mail Address Applicant’s Address Password City Step 4: After entering all the requested details you have to click on the “submit” button. Step 5: Enter the one time password and click the confirm button. Step 6: After Confirmation, a confirmation email will be sent to the registered mail ID. Click on the activate link to activate your account. The account will be activated on clicking the activation link. Login to Portal Step 7: To portal login, you have to enter your login id, password and enter the captcha and then you need to click on the “Submit” button. Step 8: Now you are eligible to request and apply for any services which are available at the web portal. Apply for Services Step 9: You have to select the required service from the list of services available under the services option. Payment Process Step 10:  Upon completion of the requested details in the application form, you will be directed to the payment page where multiple online payment modes are available including Net Banking, Debit/ Credit Card Payment. Step 11: Upload the scanned copies of the documents mentioned in the prescribed format. Step 12: Make the required payment and click submit. Acknowledgement Number Step 11: After filling the application form, you will receive the application ID as an acknowledgement for your reference. FAQs What is MeeSeva? MeeSeva is a government initiative in Andhra Pradesh designed to provide a wide range of public services to citizens through a single online platform. It aims to make government services more accessible, transparent, and efficient. How do I register for MeeSeva? You can register for MeeSeva by visiting the official MeeSeva portal and clicking on the “New User” registration link. You will need to provide your basic details, such as name, address, and contact information, and create a username and password.

All the employees covered under the EPF scheme now have the option to switch to NPS scheme in order to use a number of tax benefits and savings that are applicable under NPS. It is best to compare and analyse the different features of the two options. Employees that are currently covered under the EPF scheme have the option to shift to the NPS scheme and make use of the attractive tax benefits and savings that apply under NPS. Introduction Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and National Pension Scheme (NPS) are essential retirement savings tools for employees that help them build a tax-efficient retirement corpus. These two schemes focus on one objective of creating a corpus for the employees but differ on four parameters: flexibility, risk, returns, and tax. If an employee plans smartly with either or a combination of both, he can retire with a handsome corpus. This choice of NPS v. EPS or both depends on Age and Salary EPF v. NPS EPF is a scheme run by the Employee’s Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) to provide employees with social security and retirement benefits. Employers must register with the EPFO and make an EPF contribution if they employ a workforce of 20 or more whose monthly salary is up to Rs. 15,000. Nonetheless, an employer can voluntarily contribute to the EPF regardless of his obligations due to the non-fulfilment of these conditions. When an employer or employee chooses to contribute to the EPF scheme, 12% of the basic salary (plus dearness allowance) is deducted from an employee’s monthly salary and credited to his PF account. The employer also matches the similar contribution, paid out of his coffers, in the employee’s PF and pension account in the proportion of 3.67% and 8.33%, respectively. The employer has to allocate an additional 0.50% of the employee’s salary to the Employee’s Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI) and 0.50% towards the administrative charges. Where the employee’s salary exceeds Rs. 15,000 per month, the employer’s contribution to the pension account is limited to 8.33% of a Rs. 15,000 salary. Therefore, only 8.33% of Rs. 15,000 is contributed to the pension account, while any additional contribution goes into the PF account. NPS is also a voluntary retirement savings scheme administered and regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). Unlike EPS, any Indian citizen, employee or self-employed, can join NPS individually or as part of an employee-employer group. The NPS provides flexibility in choosing investments in equity, government bonds or corporate debentures. It also allows subscribers to choose Pension Fund Managers (PFMs) to manage their investments. Subscribers can switch between investment options and fund managers and choose the investment composition from Active or Auto. NPS provides two types of accounts to the subscribers – Tier I and Tier II. Tier I is a mandatory retirement account, whereas Tier II is a voluntary savings account. Unlike Tier I account, Tier II offers greater flexibility in terms of withdrawal. There is no maximum limit on the amount one can invest in Tier I of the National Pension System (NPS) each year. However, a minimum of Rs. 1,000 must be invested every year. Partial Withdrawal The EPF allows employees to withdraw partially during service for specified purposes. Partial withdrawal is allowed after five years for purchasing or repairing a house, seven years for marriage or education, and ten years for paying an existing debt. However, there is no lock-in period for withdrawals in case of medical emergencies or for disabilities. Under the National Pension System (NPS), subscribers must have a mandatory subscription period of 3 years for partial withdrawal only for specified purposes of higher education, marriage, home purchase, specified illnesses, and medical expenses due to disability. EPF members can make partial withdrawals within the limits set by EPFO for each specific purpose, while NPS subscribers can withdraw up to 25% of their NPS contribution at the point of such withdrawal. In NPS, subscribers are allowed a maximum of three partial withdrawals throughout the tenure. In contrast, the number of withdrawals in EPF varies depending on the purpose of the withdrawal. Maturity and Pre-Maturity Exit EPFO allows members to withdraw total funds from the EPF account in the event of superannuation or death. Further, a member can withdraw his entire contribution (including interest) if he has been unemployed for at least two months. However, the contribution to the EPS cannot be withdrawn as it is converted into an annuity to pay a monthly pension. When a subscriber exits from the NPS upon attaining the age of 60 or on superannuation, a complete lump sum withdrawal is allowed if the corpus is up to Rs. 5 lakhs. If the corpus is more than Rs. 5 lakhs, 40% is invested in the annuity to pay the monthly pension, and the remaining 60% is paid as a lump sum. When a subscriber opts for the pre-mature exit from NPS, the withdrawal limit depends on the corpus size. A complete lump sum withdrawal is allowed if the corpus is up to Rs. 2.5 lakhs. If the corpus is more than Rs. 2.5 lakhs, 80% of the corpus is invested in the annuity to pay the monthly pension, and the remaining 20% is paid as a lump sum. For pre-mature exit, a subscriber (with no employee-employer relationship) must have completed a five-year mandatory subscription period of 5 years.   EPF vs NPS Rate of returns: NPS returns vary based on the market conditions for stocks and bonds. NPS returns also vary depending on the ratio of investment options and exposure to equity, medium fixed income securities and low fixed income securities. Average returns for NPS investment of 85% in fixed income securities, and 15% in equities is: 2012 – 2013: 9.76% 2013 – 2014: 5.37% 2014 – December 2015: 19.63% From the launch of the NPS scheme: 10.35% Rate of returns: The average EPF rate of returns is between 8.00% – 8.50%   Liquidity and withdrawals: Funds cannot be withdrawn until the contributor attains the age of 60. Partial

A national permit is a document issued by the transport authority to indicate that a commercial vehicle is authorised for goods carriage across the country. State governments can issue two different permits for goods carriage: state permits and national permits. Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 Section 86: Application for national permitAn application for the grant of a national permit shall be made in Form 48 to the transport authority. Section 87: Form, contents and duration of authorisation Subsection (1): An application for the grant of an authorisation for a national permit shall be made in Form 46 and shall be accompanied by a fee of ₹1000 per annum in the form of a bank draft. Subsection (2):Every authorisation shall be granted in Form 23-A, in case the certificate of registration is issued on Smart Card or shall be granted in Form 47, in case the authorisation is in paper document subject to the payment of consolidated fees of ₹16500 per annum to be deposited in the national permit account for the permit granted to operate throughout the territory of India. The period of validity of an authorisation shall not exceed one year at a time. What is a Motor Vehicle Permit? A permit is a legal document issued with a motor vehicle and is a mandatory requirement for all those who drive commercial or transport vehicles. Transport authorities check for these permits while highway patrolling as per the Motor Vehicle Act 1988.  What are the Different Types of Motor Vehicle Permits? Good Vehicles National Permits: If vehicles move out of their home state, then the vehicle is issued with permits for four states along with home state. For approval of the permit, it is essential to ensure that the age of the goods vehicles should not more than 12 years and age of multi-axle vehicle should not be more than 15 years.  Good Carriers: Vehicle can run outside the state if this permit is issued provided the vehicle carries goods.  Counter Signature of Good Carriers Permits: This permit is applicable in other states no matter where it is issued from. But Delhi does not issue this permit for those vehicles that do not run on clean fuel and weigh more than 7500 kilograms.  Passenger Vehicles Eco-friendly Sewa: This is issued to three-wheeler vehicle with capacity of 11 with driver and runs on battery.  Permit for Maxi Cab: This permit is issued in Delhi and the charges are directed by STA to those vehicles with capacity less than 13.  Permits for Chartered Buses: Rental vehicles are issued with permits and a contract is signed between the operator and permit holder. This permit requires the driver to have a list of passengers and the vehicle must run on a definite route.  Auto Rickshaw and Taxi Permit for Vehicles: This permit is issued in Delhi which allows autorickshaws to impose tariff and calculates the bill as per meter.  Phat-Phat Sewa: Vehicle carrying 10 people along with driver and running on a particular route is issued with this permit.  Temporary Basis Permits: This type of permit is issued on specific conditions such as:  Vehicle running beyond city limit carrying passengers of any religious affair or resolution Vehicle running for any clinical business Vehicle applying for permit renewal Applying for this permit for a motor cab, following conditions should be fulfilled: White vehicle  Sitting capacity of five  Adequate parking space  Booking office with telephone  If finances were required by the owner for buying this vehicle  Permits for Stage Carriages:  All India Tourist Permit (AITP): This permit is provided to the tourist bus depending upon the following conditions:  Vehicle must be a white luxury bus  Must have 5 cm long blue ribbon at the middle of the body of the bus  Both the edges of the bus must have the word ‘Tourist’  School Buses or Institutions: Golden-yellow vehicles owned by educational institutions are exempt from road tax.  Permit for Rent-a-cab: Delhi Government issues this permit to private buses and vehicles under Delhi Transport Corporation that travels on various routes in the city.  The following are the conditions to get this permit:  Should have adequate parking space  Passenger tax to be paid where the vehicle runs within the state  Should have 24-hour telephone  Owner must have minimum of 50 cars on their name out of which 50% should be air-conditioned Requirement for National Permit To obtain National Permit, the owner of the vehicle must make an application to the concerned State Regional Transport Authority. In many States, there is a restriction placed on the age of the vehicle for which National Permit is sought. National Permit can be obtained only for vehicles less than 12 years old. Documents Required for National Permit Registration Certificate of the vehicle. Fitness Certificate of the vehicle. Insurance Certificate of the vehicle. Proof of payment of tax for the current Quarter to the Home State . Fee for National Permit. Demand drafts drawn in favour of the Authorities prescribed in respect of other states towards payment of composite taxes. Payment of green tax wherever applicable. Application Submission Procedure Step 1: Visit the relevant RTO office.  Step 2: Obtain the required application forms from the RTO and fill them out with your details.  Step 3: Submit the form along with address and identity proof.  Step 4: Pay the required fee.  Step 5: The RTO authorities will process your application.  Step 6: The vehicle’s condition, body, seating arrangements, and other details will be included in the permit and handled by the RTO authorities.  Step 7: The application will then be processed further after the vehicle has been examined for appropriateness and compliance with other essential conditions. FAQs Who should be opting for a permit? Any individual who is a registered owner of any transport vehicle can opt for a permit subject to the restrictions as per the notification of the Government. What are the different forms which are required for application of a permit? The different forms which are required for the application of a permit are prescribed under the Motor Vehicles Rules. They are Form 45, Form 46, Form PCA, Form

E-panjiyan is the official portal of the Inspector-General of Registration and Stamps (IGRS) of the Rajasthan government, which oversees the property transactions in the State. As per the Rajasthan Registration Act 1955, every property transaction should be registered on the E-panjiyan Rajasthan that holds the digital records of property transfers and registrations. E-panjiyan also provides a plethora of services, such as land records, and encumbrance certificates, among others. Rajasthan Registration Act, 1955 Section 17 of the Rajasthan Registration Act Compulsory registration is provided under the Section 17 of Rajasthan Registration Act such as Instruments of the gift of immovable property, lease of immovable property for any term exceeding one year and Instruments which create or relinquish any right and immovable property of a value of more than Rs.100. Section 18 of the Registration Act Optional registration is provided under Section 18 of the Registration Act: Lease of immovable property for any term not exceeding one year Instruments other than wills which purport or operate to create, declare, assign, limit or extinguish any right, title or interest to movable property Wills Purpose of Property Registration (Deed registration) The document of transfer will be a permanent public record once the property is registered with the office of Sub-Registrar Any citizen can inspect this public record, and a certified copy of the document can be obtained from the Sub-Registrar office Registration of property is providing information to the general public that the ownership has transferred by the owner to the buyer If a citizen plans to buy a property, he or she can verify the record-index available in the sub-Registrar office. A citizen can ascertain in whose name the last transfer deed has been registered What is stamp duty Rajasthan 2024? Stamp duty Rajasthan is the amount that has to be paid by the buyer when he enters into a property transaction in Rajasthan. The Rajasthan Stamps Act of 1908 controls the stamp duty in Rajasthan.  The stamp duty in Rajasthan depends on the circle rate in the state. The stamp duty Rajasthan comes under the purview of E-Panjiyan, the registration and stamps department in Rajasthan. As per Section 10 of the Rajasthan Stamps Act, stamp duty in Rajasthan can be paid using adhesive stamps, impressed stamps and franking machine. Stamp duty in Rajasthan  Gender Stamp duty Registration charges Total registry charges Men 6% + 20% (of 6%) labour cess 1% 8.2% Women 5% + 20% (of 5%) labour cess 1% 7% Documents Required for Property Registration Proof of Ownership Certified Copy Of Original Old Sale Deed Assessment Of MC or Mutation Release Deed for identification of the ancestral property Lease deed for any term exceeding one year. Proof of Identification PAN Card Form 60 Chain document Photograph of the applicant Verification of GPA from where the property has been registered in case property has been registered out of state NOC – if needed ID Proof of two witness parties Map Plan and description of immovable property Property Registration through e-Panjiyan website Access e-panjiyan portal Step 1: For registering property in Rajasthan visit official website of Registration and Stamp department-  epanjiyan. Step 2: Select the property valuation option from the home page. In the new page, enter mobile number and verification code. Click on fresh valuation for registering immovable property. Document Details Step 3: In the document details section, the applicant has to provide the property location type. Select document type as sale deed and subtype as a certificate of the sale deed. Provide District, SRO and Tehsil details. Location Details  Step 4: The applicant has to provide the following location details for registering the property: Colony Area Zone Category Type – Commercial or Residential Location – Interior or exterior – DLC rate will be calculated based on this location information Road width in feet Plot or Khasra number Address Details Corner plot detail Property area in Feet – The applicant can use a unit converter for conversion of property area into feet unit Addition Values Step 5: In addition values section, the applicant has to provide details of construction (if applicable) such as floor type, constructed area, type or year. Step 6: Boundary value details such as Length, Tinshade, area, parking details, Tube well details need to be furnished. Based on these values, the property amount will be calculated. Commission Details Step 7: By selecting the appropriate commission (Jail/Senior citizen/others/NA), the commission value will be calculated and displayed on the screen. Land Value Calculation Step 8: After entering all details, click on “Save property details”, by clicking on this option, the system will auto-generate or calculate the Land value based on the plot area and land values. Land value will appear on the screen. After verifying the land value, click on the Next button. Stamp Duty Calculation Step 9: By clicking on the Next button, the applicant will reach the stamp duty page. They have to provide details of the Execution Date, Face value and Evaluate value (will be shown). After providing the details, click on calculate stamp duty. Note: Stamp duty and registration fee details will be displayed. In addition to registration and stamp duty charges, the applicant has to pay the following fees: Stamp duty payable Surcharge Registration fee CSI Penalty if any Step 10: Sum of these fees can be paid for the registration of property in Rajasthan. Click on save button for further preceding the application. Party Details Step 11: By clicking on ‘Proceed for Party Details’ option, the applicant can provide the details of parties such as party type, presenter type, party name, Gender, Category, Contact number ID proof and Address. Upload Documents Step 12: In upload documents, the applicant has to upload all supporting documents. Take a print out of these forms, after providing details scan the documents in PDF format for uploading. Step 13: Click on upload and save button after uploading the documents. Once finished click on ‘done and exist’. Pay Stamp Duty through e-GRAS Step 14: On clicking on the Payment option, the link will be redirected to the e-GRAS page. If the applicant is an already registered user, Login to the