Indian Initiatives » How to

Check your Employee Provident Fund balance online

Indian Initiatives — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:55:25 +0000

Check the balance in your Provident Fund account nationwide upto the date, the accounts are updated, which also includes the latest approved transactions of settlement/advances/transfer-in/transfer-out, if any. You may need to select the EPFO office where your account is maintained and furnish your PF Account number. Leave the extension field blank, in case your account does not have one. You will be asked to enter your name and mobile number. The given mobile number will be recorded along with the PF Account Number. On successful submission of above information, the details will be sent through SMS to the given mobile number.

Step 1) Go to Link – http://59.180.233.84/epfo/member_balance/member_balance_office_select.php and select state where your PF account

is maintained.

2) Select the city in which your account is present. This is clear from the PF account no.You will be transferred to a page like this where you can fill in the required details and click submit to get the status.

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How to check Income Tax Refund Status Online?

Indian Initiatives — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:33:34 +0000

Now that you have already filed your Tax returns (How to e-file tax returns? ) , One might be interested in knowing the status of his tax refund. This can be done very easily using the following link :-

https://tin.tin.nsdl.com/oltas/refundstatuslogin.html

In the ‘Refund Banker Scheme’ the refunds generated on processing of Income tax Returns by the Assessing officers/ CPC-Bangalore are transmitted to State Bank of India, CMP branch, Mumbai (Refund Banker) on the next day of processing for further distribution to taxpayers.

RTGS / NECS: To enable credit of refund directly to the bank account, Taxpayer’s Bank A/c (at least 10 digits), MICR code of bank branch and correct communication address is mandatory.

Paper Cheque: Bank Account No, Correct address is mandatory.

Taxpayers can view status of refund 10 days after their refund has been sent by the Assessing Officer to the Refund Banker – by entering ‘PAN’ and ‘Assessment Year’ in the link given above.Few related are given below :-

FAQs on Tax Refund status
How to e-file tax returns?
Govt Website – Check status of Tax Refunds

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How to apply for Jobs under MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act)?

Indian Initiatives — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 05:48:09 +0000

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage-employment in a financial year to a rural household, whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

MNREGA fosters conditions for inclusive growth, ranging from basic wage security and recharging rural economy to a transformative empowerment process of democracy. It provides a strong social safety net for the vulnerable groups by providing a fall-back employment source, when other employment alternatives are scarce or inadequate.

The Schemes so formulated are called the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), followed by the name of the State.

Process of Application/Registration:

How to apply for Registration?
Applications should be given in writing and should include the registration number of the Job Card, date from which employment is required & the number of days of employment required. It should contain the names of those adult members of the household who are willing to do unskilled manual work, and particulars such as age, sex and SC/ST status.
Where to apply?
Applications for work should generally be submitted to the Gram Panchayat. An individual may appear personally and make an oral request for registration.
What are the timings?
The application for registration may be given on plain paper to the local Gram Panchayat authority on any working day between 10 AM and 5 PM. To allow maximum opportunities to families that may migrate, registration is open throughout the year at the Gram Panchayat office during working hours.

Who are the target audience?
Rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
What are the benefits?
The scheme ensures guaranteed employment for people in rural areas for hundred days in a financial year.

Verification of applications will be based upon local residence in the Gram Panchayat concerned, the household as an entity, and the fact that applicants are adult members of the household. After verification, the Gram Panchayat will enter all particulars in the Registrations Register in the Gram Panchayat. Every registered household will be assigned a unique registration number.

Job Cards:

The Gram Panchayat will issue Job Cards to every registered household. This is a critical legal document, which also helps to ensure transparency and protect against fraud.
The Job Card is issued immediately after verification, i.e. within a fortnight of the application for registration.
Photographs of adult members who are applicants have to be attached to the job cards.
The State Government in a particular area may order the photograph to be affixed later (but not later than a month) if the immediate provision of a photograph is not possible. No photograph, name or details of any person other than that of the registered adult members of the household to whom that job card belongs shall be affixed or recorded in the Job Cards.
The cost of the Job Cards, including that of the photographs, will be borne as part of the programme cost.
The Job Card will be in the custody of the household to whom it is issued.

Changes to Job Card:

The Job Card shall be valid for a period of five years and will have provision for the addition/deletion of members eligible to work. Deletions in any household on account of demise, or permanent change of residence of a member, are to be reported immediately by the household concerned. Additions desired may be applied for by the household.

Duplicate Job Card:

A cardholder may apply for a duplicate Job Card if the original card is lost or damaged.

The application is to be submitted to the Gram Panchayat and shall be processed in the manner of a new application; with the difference being that the particulars may also be verified using the duplicate copy of the Job Card maintained by the Panchayat.

Grievances:

If a person has a grievance against the non-issuance of a Job Card, he/she may bring the matter to the notice of the Programme Officer. If the grievance is against the Programme Officer, he/she may bring it to the notice of the District Programme Coordinator or the designated grievance-redressal authority at the Block or District level.

All such complaints shall be disposed off within 15 days.

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How to E-file your returns using https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/

Indian Initiatives — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:02:13 +0000

You can file your tax returns online using the Income tax Department website :-https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/

Please follow the procedure outlined below:

Log on to https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/
Create a profile using your PAN as user id or login using the login credentials already created.Please remember the password and give a valid/active email id.
Select your applicable IT Return Form in MS Excel and Download
1. ITR 1, for Individuals having Income from Salary / Pension / Income from One House Property / Bank interest
2. ITR 2, other individuals, who are not having Income from Business or Profession.

For other forms and for more information and applicability refer: https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/individual_huf.do

Fill the IT return excel sheet with your personal info, details from form 16 and bank statement etc.
1. Bank details are mandatory, ensure that you enter MICR code correctly.MICR code can be obtained from cheque book
2. Usually the returns are filed under “11 – u/s 139(1)”
3. Follow the tips and in-built validations to ensure that the information filled is complete and accurate. You can save the form at any stage and complete the form as per your convenience.
4. Determine your income & pay tax if necessary.
  1. The tax can be paid online, please click on link https://onlineservices.tin.nsdl.com/etaxnew/tdsnontds.jsp.
  2. FAQ – http://www.tin-nsdl.com/faqOLTASetax.asp and the Process – http://iscls2redirect/HMYEFIL/HTML/Online Payment of Direct taxes.mht.
  3. Verify your details and then generate .XML File

The Excel Utility creates .xml file based on the details filled. Save this in your system

Logon to https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/index.jsp using your user id and password.
Select Assessment Year as 11-12 under submit returns section
Browse and select .xml file saved in your system

10. After successful upload, an electronic receipt of the IT return will be generated.

In case you have signed your return with digital signature, the receipt of e-return may be kept for your records and this receipt need not be submitted to the IT Department.
In case you have filed without digital signature, the electronic receipt is generated i.e. ITR-V form. Please note that the ITR-V form can be generated only by the IT Department once you submit the ITR form.

11. Print the ITR-V, Sign and Post to Income Tax Department – CPC, Post Bag No – 1, Electronic City Post Office, Bengaluru – 560100, Karnataka.Send returns by simple post only (not by speed post or courier)

12. As an acceptance of your ITR-V, Income Tax Department sends an e-acknowledgement from mail id – donotreply@incometaxindia.gov.in

Other points

- For queries, please contact the Income Tax Departments Helpdesk No.

Toll free : 1800-425-2229
Direct : 080-22546500

- Link to know your jurisdiction https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/common.do?screen=jurisdiction

- If you want to claim deductions for investment in Life insurance, NSC, PPF etc, which are not shown in Form 16, please recompute your income & taxes considering these proofs. Submission of proof is not needed along with the return.

- This facility is free of cost.

- The last date to file your returns for the Financial Year 2010-11 (Assessment year 2011-12) is July 31, 2011.

F.A.Q.

WHAT IF I MADE SOME MISTAKE IN ITR-V FORM AND HAVE ALREADY UPLOADED IT TO https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/

There is no need to worry.Fill the appropriate ITR V form again. Follow the given steps:-

In the first sheet : FILING STATUS field fill REVISED
Change ‘Return Under File Section’ to 16 – u/s 139(5)
Enter the Acknowledgement Number and Date of previously filed return(The return which had mistakes would have provided an Acknowledgement Number.)
Validate everything and generate XML.
Upload XML to https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/

Leave a comment in case of any clarifications.

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How To Choose a College That’s Right For You? | Engineering | Medical | Arts | Commerce |Science

Indian Initiatives — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:01:36 +0000

The college search doesn’t have to begin and end with the Ivies and the name brand schools. There are many schools out there to choose from — some known and some less known, all worthy of your attention. Here’s some advice for trying to find the school that works for you.

1. Start with who you are and why you are going.

You need to examine yourself and your reasons for going to college before you start your search. Why, really, are you going? What are your abilities and strengths? What are your weaknesses? What do you want out of life — something tangible or intangible?

2. Size matters: Your college does not have to be bigger than your school.

Most good liberal colleges have a population of fewer than 4,000 for a reason; college is a time to explore, and a smaller community is more conducive to internal exploration. It is not the number of people, but the people themselves and the kind of community in which you will learn that really matters. Many large universities have established “honors colleges” within the larger university for these same reasons.

3. A name-brand college will not guarantee your success.

Think about the people in your life who are happy and successful and find out where (and if) they went to college. Ask the same about “famous” people. You will likely find that success in life has less to do with the choice of college than with the experiences and opportunities encountered while in college, coupled with personal qualities and traits.

Employers and graduate schools are looking for outstanding skills and experience, not college pedigree.

4. Consider the financial aspects.

Get a clear picture of the costs. Factor in tuition, class fees, housing, and meal plans. Look into financial aid and scholarships.

5. Don’t be scared by the stories.

If you only pay attention to the headlines, you might start to believe that “no one is getting in anywhere!” The truth is that the majority of the colleges and universities in this country admit more students than they reject. If you’re worried about your chances of getting admitted — and you’re willing to investigate beyond the very narrow band of highly selective colleges — you’ll find that you have many options that will lead to a great fit for you.

6. The most important factor in choosing a college is fit.

Choosing a college because your friends are going there or because of where it ranks on a list does not take into account who you are and who you will become. College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. Finding a good fit requires time and thoughtfulness.

Visiting college Web sites and learning about what events take place, who visits as guest speakers, and how to get in touch with current students and faculty is a good way to supplement a campus visit — or to decide if you want to spend the time and money on a visit.

When it is time to make your final choice, discuss your options with your family, your counselor (if you have one), and others who know you well and whose judgment you value. If you have a tough time choosing among two or more colleges or universities it is probably because you have done a good job putting together your list and you will be happy at whichever institution you choose. Once you make your choice, don’t agonize over it. If you have followed these rules there is an excellent chance your final college choice will be a good one.In case of any confusion, post comment/query and we will try our best to resolve it.But do remember the final choice is always yours’.

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How to apply for passport?

Indian Initiative — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:22:15 +0000

1. Get the Passport Application Form: One can apply for Passport through Online Registration, (after doing online registration, get print outs of the application form) click here for details for Online Registration. Apart from this applicant can submit directly in the respective passport office/ DPCs/Speed post centers, get the relevant application form from here.

2. How to fill the Form: The Passport Application Form is Machine Readable. Please follow the instructions as follows:

Use capital letters only. Particulars given in the form will be printed in the passport. Therefore, please be careful in filling up the form and avoid any mistakes.
Use black/blue ball pen only
Do not fill the form with pencils or ink-pen.
While filling up the boxes, kindly leave one box blank after each completed word.
Write clearly within the box without touching the boundaries.
Adjust the information to fit within the number of given boxes.
Do not write anything outside the box. Avoid over-writing
Incomplete application will not be accepted.

Columnwise Guidelines for filling the application form can be had from here.

Note: All original documents are to be shown at the time of submission of the passport application form. With the Original Passport Application Form, self-attested copies of all required documents need to be attached. Illiterate applicants should put only thumb impression in the box meant for thumb impression/signature. In case an applicant has stayed at more than one address during the last one year, he/she should furnish two additional photocopies of the PP form for each additional place of stay.

3. Where to Apply : For Online Registration, the applicant has to submit the print outs of the application form along with required documents to the respective passport office in the appointment date and time printed. Apart from this Passport Applications can be submitted at

An application for a passport may be submitted personally OR through a representative carrying an authority letter.

4. Urgent Passport: Refer Tatkaal Scheme in case if applicant needs the passport urgently.

5. Fee Structure: Refer Fee Structure for the fees to be submitted.

6. Check List: Refer Check List for the required documents to be submitted along with the application form.

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Information for On-Line Passport Applicants

Indian Initiatives — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:19:43 +0000

Presently the online Registration for General Public is available at

1.Ahmedabad	7. Chandigarh	13. Panaji	19. Kolkata	25. Nagpur	31. Srinagar
2. Amritsar	8. Chennai	14. Guwahati	20. Kozhikode	26. Patna	32. Surat
3. Bangalore ***	9. Cochin	15. Hyderabad ##	21. Lucknow	27. Pune	33. Thane
4. Bareilly	10. Dehradun	16. Jaipur	22. Madurai	28. Raipur	34. Trichy
5. Bhopal	11. Delhi	17. Jallandhar	23. Malapuram	29. Ranchi	35. Trivandrum
6. Bhubaneshwar	12. Ghaziabad	18. Jammu	24. Mumbai	30. Shimla	36. Vizag
37. Coimbatore

***For Bangalore pl refer Home Page

Please Use Internet Explorer(5.x or above) for doing Online Registration

## For Hyderabad Applicants: You may submit this application on any working day after T+1 (where T= date of online registration) at the Passport Office between 1000 – 1200 hrs or at any designated E-seva centre between 0800-2000 hrs. Please note that acceptance of applications at the Passport Office is subject to a maximum of 300 Tatkaal + 100 ordinary applications per day on a first-cum-first served basis.

1- You can apply on line for a fresh passport (if you have never possessed a passport earlier), re-issue of passport (if your present passport of 10 years validity has expired or will expire in next 12 months), duplicate passport (if your present passport is lost or damaged).

2- Only the residents falling under the jurisdiction of the respective Passport offices are eligible to apply on-line through this website.

3- Through this site you can register your application with the respective Passport offices. After registration, the system will ask you to Open / Save your application form. After Open / Save, please print the application form. (If you are not able to print the application form for any reason, you must note down the application number. With the help of this application number and date of birth you can re-print the application form later. You can also print the application if you have Saved the application.) There are still some columns in the application form which you will have to fill by hand. You will have to visit Passport office to submit the completed application form along with fee, supporting documents such as date of birth certificate etc. on the appointed day and time. The date and time of appointment at Passport office will be informed by the on-line system and will also be printed on the application form.

4- Please visit Passport office on the appointed date and time. You should arrive at RPO about 15 minutes before the appointed time and proceed to the respective counter. On line applicants do not need to obtain a token number for submitting their applications. You will not have to wait long in the queue.

5- Before you register your application on-line, please read the information on the website of respective Passport office(passport.gov.in) carefully, particularly regarding fee structure, instructions to fill Form No. 1 and How to Apply. Through this information, you will know the documents required, number of copies of application form required etc. Apply on-line only if you are sure that you will be able to produce all the necessary documents on the date of appointment.

6- If for any reason you are late in reaching Passport office on the day of appointment, we will try our best to accommodate you on the same day as soon as a slot in the queue becomes available.

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How to get a Digital Signature Certificate?

Indian Initiative — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:36:43 +0000

A Digital Signature Certificate, like hand written signature, establishes the identity of the sender filing the documents through internet which sender can not revoke or deny. Accordingly, Digital Signature Certificate is a digital equivalent of a hand written signature which has an extra data attached electronically to any message or a document. Digital Signature also ensures that no alterations are made to the data once the document has been digitally signed. A DSC is normally valid for 1 or 2 years, after which it can be renewed.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificates are a standard method for organizations to ensure e-commerce transaction security for their customers through a process of digital authentication of server identity. The key driver of SSL technology is encryption to prevent theft of data for malicious intent. It is embedded in most browsers and is an automatic security handshake whenever a user connects to a secure server. This handshake ensures that any information sent through this connection is encrypted.

How do I get a Digital Signature Certificate?
The Office of Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), issues Certificate to Certifying Authorities. CA issue Digital Signature Certificate to end-user. You can approach any one of the seven CAs for getting Digital Signature Certificate. The website addresses are given below.
      a. www.safescrypt.com
      b. www.nic.in
      c. www.idrbtca.org.in
      d. www.tcs-ca.tcs.co.in
      e. www.mtnltrustline.com
      f. www.ncodesolutions.com
      g. www.e-Mudhra.com

These certificates are accepted for IFFCO, Northern Railway, MCA 21, E-filing, E -tendering etc…

A Digital Signature is a method of verifying the authenticity of an electronic document. Digital signatures are going to play an important role in our lives with the gradual electronization of records and documents.

The IT Act has given legal recognition to digital signature meaning, thereby, that legally it has the same value as handwritten or signed signatures affixed to a document for its verification.

The Information Technology Act, 2000 provides the required legal sanctity to the digital signatures based on asymmetric cryptosystems. The digital signatures are now accepted at par with handwritten signatures and the electronic documents that have been digitally signed are treated at par with paper documents.

What can I use digital certificates for?
Three uses are outlined here. Your digital certificate could be used to allow you to access membership-based web sites automatically without entering a user name and password. It can allow others to verify your “signed” e-mail or other electronic documents, assuring your intended reader(s) that you are the genuine author of the documents, and that the content has not been corrupted or tampered with in any way. Finally, digital certificates enable others to send private messages to you: anyone else who gets his/her hands on a message meant for you will not be able to read it.

Sending Digitally Signed Mail : You can use your Digital Certificate to digitally sign your emails sent through Outlook Express / MS-Outlook etc. Digitally signing the mail authenticates your identity and enables the receiver to ensure that the mail has come from you only. It also ensures that the content of the mail is not tampered in the transit and the mail received by the receiver is the same what you have sent.

WHO NEEDS A DIGITAL SIGNATURE CERTIFICATE ?

Under MCA21 Every person who is required to sign manual documents and returns filed with ROC is required to obtain a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC). Accordingly following have to obtain Digital Signature Certificate:

1. Directors
2. Auditors
3. Company Secretary – Whether in practice or in job.
4. Bank Officials – for Registration and Satisfaction of Charges
5. Other Authorized Signatories.

TYPES OF DIGITAL SIGNATURE CERTIFICATE

There are 3 types of Digital Signature Certificates, having different security levels, namely :- Class-1, Class-2 , Class-3.
For filing documents under MCA21, a Class-2 Digital Signature Certificate issued by a Licensed Registration Authority is required. We also offer Class 1 and 3 besides Class 2 certificates.

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