Showing posts with label Bonds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bonds. Show all posts

Friday, March 15, 2024

What is political corporate mafia? How is it causing harm in India?

"Political corporate mafia" refers to a nexus between politicians, corporate entities, and criminal elements that work together to exploit resources, manipulate regulations, and engage in corrupt practices for their own benefit. This term implies a collusion where political power is used to advance the interests of corporations, often at the expense of public welfare and democratic principles.

In India, the concept of political corporate mafia has been associated with various forms of corruption and abuse of power. Here are some ways it causes harm :


 1.       Corruption :  Political corporate mafia often engage in bribery, kickbacks, and other forms of corruption to influence government policies, contracts, and regulatory decisions. This leads to the misallocation of resources and undermines the rule of law.


 2.       Resource Exploitation :  The nexus between politicians and corporations can lead to the exploitation of natural resources without regard for environmental sustainability or local communities' well-being. This often occurs through illegal mining, land grabs, and deforestation, causing ecological damage and displacing indigenous peoples.


 3.       Tax Evasion :  Corporations colluding with politicians may evade taxes through various loopholes and illicit means, depriving the government of revenue needed for public services such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.


 4.       Monopoly and Crony Capitalism :  Political corporate mafia can create monopolies or oligopolies in certain industries by manipulating regulations and stifling competition. This leads to reduced consumer choice, higher prices, and lower quality of goods and services.


 5.       Undermining Democracy :  When corporations exert undue influence over politicians through financial contributions or other means, it erodes the democratic process by favoring the interests of the wealthy and powerful over those of ordinary citizens. This can lead to a loss of public trust in democratic institutions. 


Overall, the political corporate mafia in India undermines economic development, environmental sustainability, social justice, and democratic governance. Efforts to combat this phenomenon require strengthening transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity, as well as promoting civic engagement and the rule of law.



Friday, February 21, 2014

Rate of Returns and the Risk Level for the various Investment Products currently in India

Instrument
Average Returns
Risk
Savings Account
4%
Very Low Risk
Fixed Deposits
8 to 9%
Very Low Risk
Corporate Bonds
8 to 12%
Low to Medium Risk
Government Bonds
8 to 10%
Low Risk
Equity Mutual Funds
15% or More
High to Very High Risk
Balanced Mutual Funds
12 to 15%
Medium to High Risk
Debt Mutual Funds
10 to 12%
Low to Medium Risk
Direct Equities
30% or more
Very High Risk
Gold
12 to 15%
Medium to High Risk



All numbers above are indicative and average only. The actual returns may depend based on the type of Instrument being bought and the returns offered by the actual instrument.

Friday, December 6, 2013

What is Bond


A Bond is a loan given by the buyer to the issuer of the instrument. Bonds can be issued by companies, financial institutions, or even the government. Over and above the scheduled interest payments as and when applicable, the holder of a bond is entitled to receive the par value of the instrument at the specified maturity date.
Bonds can be broadly classified into :

(a) Tax-Saving Bonds : 
Tax-Saving Bonds offer tax exemption up to a specified amount of investment.  Examples are:- 

(a) ICICI Infrastructure Bonds under Section 88 of the Income Tax Act, 1961
(b) NABARD/ NHAI/REC Bonds under Section 54EC of the Income Tax Act, 1961
(c) RBI Tax Relief Bonds

(b) Regular Income Bonds : Regular-Income Bonds, as the name suggests, are meant to provide a stable source of income at regular, pre-determined intervals. Examples are :-

(a) Double Your Money Bond
(b) Step-Up Interest Bond
(c) Retirement Bond
(d) Encash Bond
(e) Education Bonds
 (f) Money Multiplier Bonds/Deep Discount Bond 


Similar instruments issued by companies are called debentures.

Credit Rating Symbols and What They Mean
High Investment Grades

AAA
Highest Safety
AA
High Safety
Investment Grades

A
Adequate Safety
BBB
Moderate Safety
Speculative Grades

BB
Inadequate Safety
B
High Risk
C
Substantial Risk
D
In Default