Budget 2009-10 - What's cheap, what's not

Budget 2009-10: What's cheap, what's not

Custom duty up on gold bars :

Proposal: Basic customs duty on gold bars bearing manufacturer’s or refiner’s engraved serial numbers and weight (expressed in metric unit) and gold coins has been increased by Rs 100 per 10 grams. Impact:Imported gold bars and gold coins of 10 grams could be costlier by Rs 110 to Rs 125 per 10 grams.

Custom duty up on Gold Ornaments

Proposal: Basic customs duty on gold ornaments (other than ornaments studded with stones and pearls) has been increased by Rs 250 per 10 grams. Impact: Imported gold ornaments of 10 grams could be costlier by Rs 280 to Rs 320.

Silver loses sheen

Proposal: Basic customs duty on silver (in any form ie bars, coins, jewelry) has been increased by Rs 500 per kg.Impact:Imported silver bars, coins and jewelry could be costlier by Rs 575 to Rs 625 per kg

Branded jewelry

Proposal: Branded jewelry (where brand name is embossed on the jewelry) has been exempted from basic excise dutyImpact: A Gili pendent costing approximately Rs 15,000 is likely to be cheaper by Rs 300

Music may come dearer

Proposal: Excise duty on MP3/ MP4 or MPEG 4 players with or without radio/ video reception Impact: A Sony Walkman 2GB mp3 player costing approximately Rs 3,990 is likely to be costlier by Rs 170. Further, an Apple i Pod touch 8GB with MPEG 4 player costing approximately Rs 12,000 could pinch your pocket by an extra Rs 500.

Car Care

Proposal: Excise duty on motor vehicles with engine capacity more than 1999cc has been reduced by Rs 5,000 per unit. Impact: A car with capacity higher than 1999cc could cost less by Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,500.

Clear Sight

Proposal: Excise duty on contact lenses has been increased from 4% to 8%. Impact: A Johnson & Johnson disposable contact lens available at approximately Rs 1,400 is now likely to be sold slightly at a slightly higher rate, say at Rs 1,450.

Light a fire

Proposal: Excise duty on LPG stoves has been increased from 4% to 8% Impact: A Jaipan double burner LPG stove worth around Rs 2,000 may be costlier by Rs 75 or so.

Sporty budget

Proposal: Basic customs duty is being fully exempted on snow skis and other snow-ski equipment, water-skis, surf-boards, sailboards and other watersports equipment. Impact: A inflatable water raft costing around Rs 2,00,000 is likely to be cheaper by Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000. Happy skiing.

Artificial heart to cost less

Proposal: Basic customs duty on artificial heart (left ventricular assist device) is being reduced from 7.5% to 5%. Impact: Artificial heart devices are likely to be retailed cheaper by 4% -5%

Service Tax on Plastic Surgery

Proposal: Service tax is levied on cosmetic surgery or plastic surgery service Impact: Any cosmetic or plastic surgery (other than surgery to restore, reconstruct for body affected due to congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, degenerative diseases, injury or trauma) could be costlier by 10.3%.

Life Saving Drugs

Proposal: Basic customs duty on certain life-saving drugs is reduced from 10% to 5%. They will also be totally exempt from excise duty and countervailing duty.Impact: Certain life-saving drugs used for the treatment of breast cancer, hepatitis-B, rheumatic arthritis etc could be cheaper by 7% to 15%.

Pretty Girl looking for a Rich Husband

A young and pretty lady posted this on a popular forum:

Title: What should I do to marry a rich guy?

I'm going to be honest of what I'm going to say here. I'm 25 this year. I'm very pretty, have style and good taste. I wish to marry a guy with $500k annual salary or above. You might say that I'm greedy, but an annual salary of $1M is considered only as middle class in New York . My requirement is not high. Is there anyone in this forum who has an income of $500k annual salary? Are you all married? I wanted to ask: what should I do to marry rich persons like you? Among those I've dated, the richest is $250k annual income, and it seems that this is my upper limit. If someone is going to
move into high cost residential area on the west of New York City Garden (?), $250k annual income is not enough.

I'm here humbly to ask a few questions:

1.	Where do most rich bachelors hang out? (Please list down the names and addresses of bars, restaurant, gym)
2.	Which age group should I target?
3.	Why most wives of the riches is only average-looking? I've met a few girls who doesn't have looks and are not interesting, but they are able to marry rich guys
4.	How do you decide who can be your wife, and who can only be your girlfriend? (my target now is to get married)

Thanks,
-Ms. Pretty

See the one of the Best Reply from J.P. Morgan C.E.O. below:

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

Dear Ms. Pretty,

I have read your post with great interest. Guess there are lots of girls out there who have similar questions like yours. Please allow me to analyze your situation as a professional investor. My annual income is more than $500k, which meets your requirement, so I hope everyone believes that I'm not wasting time here. From the standpoint of a business person, it is a bad decision to marry you. The answer is very simple, so let me explain.

Put the details aside, what you're trying to do is an exchange of ‘beauty’ and 'money': Person A provides beauty, and Person B pays for it, fair and square. However, there's a deadly problem here, your beauty will fade, but my money will not be gone without any good reason. The fact is, my income might increase from year to year, but you can't be prettier year after year. Hence from the viewpoint of economics, I am an appreciation asset, and you are a depreciation asset. It's not just normal depreciation, but exponential depreciation. If that is your only asset, your value will be much worried 10 years later..

By the terms we use in Wall Street, every trading has a position, dating with you is also a 'trading position'. If the trade value dropped we will sell it and it is not a good idea to keep it for long term - same goes with the marriage that you wanted. It might be cruel to say this, but in order to make a wiser decision any assets with great depreciation value will be sold or 'leased'. Anyone with over $500k annual income is not a fool; we would only date you, but will not marry you.. I would advice that you forget looking for any clues to marry a rich guy. And by the way, you could make yourself to become a rich person with $500k annual income. This has better chance than finding a rich fool.

*Hope this reply helps. If you are interested in 'leasing' services, do contact me...*

Signed,
CEO
J.P. Morgan

New TVS Autoriksha or Nano

NEW AUTORIKSHAW FROM TVS…



Enjoy the excellent design…!