-The Times of India MUMBAI: Tax authorities will intensify their efforts to crack down on unaccounted-for money stashed overseas by seeking information from their counterparts in other countries. A recent letter issued by the Chairperson, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) bears testimony to this intention. To ensure that Indian tax authorities have access to information from other countries and can thus tackle the menace of black money and tax avoidance, several...

-The United Nations The rapid growth of developing countries is propelling millions out of poverty on an unprecedented scale and radically reshaping the global system, according to a flagship United Nations report launched today. “The rise of the South is unprecedented in its speed and scale,” says the Human Development Report 2013, which uses the term “South” to mean developing countries and “North” to mean developed nations. “Never in history have the...

The total expenditure on central schemes for the poor and on the major subsidies exceeds the states' share of central taxes. These schemes are chronic bad performers due to a culture of immunity in public administration and weakened local governments. Arguing that the poor should be trusted to use these resources better than the state, a radical redirection with substantial direct transfers to individuals and complementary decentralisation to local governments...

-The Hindu ‘Though bound by legal assistance treaty, Malaysia is holding out on information’ The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that a politically and economically powerful person in Malaysia was stalling the probe into the foreign angle in the Aircel-Maxis case involving the former Union Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, and others. Senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, told a Bench of Justices G.S....

-The Indian Express Imphal: After some 80 years of unregulated mining, mostly coal and limestone, the northeastern state of Meghalaya is set to adopt a mineral policy that aims to organise the lucrative sector and boost its performance. The state cabinet approved the Meghalaya Mineral Policy 2010 last month and it is due to be introduced in next month’s state assembly winter session for approval. The state government was forced to act...