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Women Welfare / Development

Parliament passes Bill to prevent sexual harassment at workplace

Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:25 administrator
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The Hindu                          27.02.2013

Parliament passes Bill to prevent sexual harassment at workplace

Gargi Parsai

Expressing concern at the increase in sexual offences against women, the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday approved the amended Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, that seeks to provide protection to women in unorganised and organised sectors including the private sector. The Bill covers sexual harassment of domestic help and agriculture workers.

The Bill, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, was approved unanimously after Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath gave an assurance to the House that stringent rules would be framed to ensure that the Bill was not just “another piece of legislation’’ without an implementation mechanism and effective monitoring.

Cases of sexual harassment of women at workplace will have to be disposed of by in-house committees (that must be set up) within a period of 90 days failing which a penalty of Rs. 50,000 would be imposed.

Repeated non-compliance with the provisions of the Bill can attract higher penalties and may lead to cancellation of licence or registration to conduct business.

Sexual harassment, says the Bill, includes any one or more of unwelcome acts or behaviour like physical contact and advances, a demand or request for sexual favours or making sexually coloured remarks or showing pornography.

The acts or behaviour whether directly, or by implication, include any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.

The Bill makes it mandatory that all offices, hospitals, institutions and other workplaces should have an internal redress mechanism for complaints related to sexual harassment.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:28
 

It's time to give women more tax sops

Friday, 22 February 2013 07:43 administrator
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The Times of India                      22.02.2013

It's time to give women more tax sops

It's time to give women more tax sops

NEW DELHI: It isn't just foreign investors who would have remembered the last Budget as a tough one. Even women lost out as the government withdrew tax benefits that were introduced in the form of higher tax exemption limit in 2000-2001.

In 2000-01, Yashwant Sinha, the then finance minister, had introduced a special provision under which the basic tax exemption limit for women was pegged higher than that for men. This resulted in lower tax liability of up to Rs 5,000.

While P Chidambaram retained the provision in 2004-05, his first budget of his second term in North Block, in 2005-06, he reduced the benefit to a maximum of Rs 3,927, including surcharge and cess. Chidambaram reduced the differential benefit further before Pranab Mukherjee finally withdrew it.

While introducing the provision, Sinha had said that the additional rebate of Rs 5,000 for women tax-payers "is equivalent to increase in the exemption limit by Rs 50,000 over that of men". However, tax experts say that a preferential treatment for women is needed to encourage them.

Kuldeep Kumar, executive director (tax and regulatory practices) PWC India, said a preferential tax treatment to women is highly desirable as it helps in empowering them. At a time when government is giving financial help to girl child, a preferential tax treatment to them will not be off the mark. When the government has given reservations to women in Panchayats and is trying to extend the same in Parliament, why is it shying away in giving special treatment in taxes to them, he added. In fact, the government should increase the exemption limit for women. This will certainly help women in acquiring productive assets. In fact, if the differential tax benefit is increased substantially, say up to Rs 20,000, a number of families will like to transfer fixed assets on their women members' name to bring down their tax liability on their income.

A senior tax consultant, who do not wanted to be quoted, said even if such provision might lead to misuse to save taxes, it's worth trying. She said in the short term, the misuse of the provision would be more pronounced than its benefit, but in the long term it will certainly help women empowerment. Another tax consultant said any move to give special treatment to women in taxing their income would be welcomed as it will ultimately help society. Kumar pointed out that such special treatment should be increased for single woman parent as a separate category. As it has become an accepted norms in cities, the government must give them concession to enable them to meet various challenges which they face as single parent.
Last Updated on Friday, 22 February 2013 07:52
 

69% women feel unsafe in city, finds survey

Wednesday, 13 February 2013 11:39 administrator
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The Hindu                  13.02.2013

69% women feel unsafe in city, finds survey

Staff Reporter

Even as demonstrations and discussions on women’s safety do the rounds triggered by the gang-rape and death of a 23-year-old girl in Delhi, a recent survey conducted in the city reveals that 69 per cent of the women feel unsafe here.

The respondents to a survey on urban problems conducted by students of the sociology department of St. Teresa’s College cited increasing incidents of eve teasing and abuse in public transport among the major problems faced by women. This was a regular feature in the lives of school and college students, the survey revealed.

The survey threw up a surprise with 51 per cent of the respondents preferring a flyover to the proposed Metro Rail as a solution to the city’s traffic problems. The survey had a sample size of 200 respondents.

Sixty-five per cent of the respondents found city roads highly unsatisfactory, especially those in West Kochi. Eighty per cent were not happy with traffic control measures citing absence of traffic signals, footpaths, and parking space. Though 85 per cent of respondents reported availability of corporation water and vouched for its quality, 56 per cent complained of ‘impure water’.

Interestingly, 43 per cent said they managed waste on their own compared to 46 per cent who were dependent on facilities offered by the Corporation and another 13.25 per cent on Kudumbasree. Among the respondents, 8.4 per cent have biogas plants at home. Sixty-nine per cent desired to set up a biogas plant while 31 per cent were opposed to it on account of space constraints.

More than 90 per cent complained of pollution of some kind with 65.5 per cent complaining of air pollution, 35 per cent of water pollution, and 20.4 per cent of noise pollution. The city’s recreational facilities drew flak from the respondents as 65 per cent of them expressing dissatisfaction with parks, gardens, and stadiums. They felt the Corporation had failed to maintain the parks, which had become a safe haven for anti-social elements.

Later, talking at a colloquium on urban planning organised by the college, City Police Commissioner said the police had initiated programmes to ensure the safety of women. K.J. Sohan, chairman of town planning standing committee of the Corporation, said development of suburban areas should be given due importance in urban planning.Rajan Chedambath, director, Centre for Heritage Environment and Development called for the preservation of the city’s history while planning its future.

Last Updated on Thursday, 14 February 2013 09:59
 
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