Taxes?

You'll soon have to pay Rs 7,500 a year as professional tax - The Economic Times

More taxes. I've lost count of the things that I do for which I have to pay the government a cut. I like to think that I wouldn't mind so much if I saw that money being put to good use. But if what I read in the newspapers is any indication, much of my tax money is certainly not being used to help the country.

Most interesting statement in the article that I've linked to: "States want the additional revenues for meeting expenditure for creation of social infrastructure, including primary schools and hospitals." Who would be able to protest against such noble aims? Would anyone want to deprive the poor people of schools and hospitals?

Maybe it's time we started taking more interest in the expenditure statements of the government. I don't even know if the govt. issues a statement of income and expenditure.

Another thing I wanted to comment on was the recent overly-dramatized rescue of the child who fell down a shaft. While I sympathize with the family and applaud the rescuers, I see no reason why the govt. should announce an award of 2 lakhs for the kid. I presume there must be hundreds, if not thousands, of people who get into trouble of some sort every day. I don't see the govt. coming forward and giving what amounts to a windfall to all of them. I could understand and appreciate the govt. rewarding the rescue workers, after all they did a great job, but somehow I don't think the kid did anything out of the ordinary by falling into a shaft or by getting rescued. His family probably needs help for the treatment and other associated expenses, but I feel that's something for voluntary donations from individuals or organizations - somehow the govt. helping out in one particular case (merely because the media chose to give it wide coverage) doesn't seem correct. Which brings us neatly to the other point - why did the media give SO much coverage to this particular case? Live, minute-by-minute updates? Isn't that a bit overkill? What was so special about this case? Was it the fact that people all over the country were praying for the child in question? But isn't it true that people all over the country came to know about this child BECAUSE of the live, minute-by-minute coverage? Will someone now purchase the movie and novel rights to this incident and make the child richer? Makes me wonder whether the media would give the same attention if Chaos fell down a lift shaft and couldn't be rescued for a day or two...