#BHIM #GST #UIDAI #MSME BHIM gets friendly with GST

Today’s DNA carries following news :

Go BHIM , earn GST cash-back : Council

Extract :

The GST Council chaired by interim finance minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday decided to roll out cashback on digital payments for Rupay card and BHIM users on a pilot basis.

It also formed a Group of Ministers (GoM ) to consider tax relief and other proposals for the benefit of small traders and businesses in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise ( MSME ) sector.

Customers paying through RuPay debit card or BHIM app will get a cash back of 20 of the total tax amount, subject to a maximum of Rs 100.

This is a further proof that our Decision Makers do listen to the suggestions of ordinary citizens ( - though it does require giving up on cynicism and a stubborn persevering ! )

In this connection , I had sent following emails to this Policy Makers :

My  Suggestion   [  19  Nov  2015  ]  /  Making  a  Mountain  out  of  a  Mole hill

·         2 % ( out of 27 % ) of GST , to be directly deposited in the PPF a/c of the buyer

      ( This will ensure that all citizens have PPF account )

 *   This 2 % to be used to pay the premium for that person's health insurance

E Mail : https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2015/11/making-molehill-out-of-mountain.html

My  Suggestion  [  30  Jan  2016  ]  /  Structural Reforms

Transferring 10% of GST ( ie 1.8 % out of 18 % ) to PPF accounts of the buyers ( increase Domestic Savings )

E Mail  :  https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/01/structural-reforms.html

My Suggestion  [  30  Dec 2016  ]  /  When BHIM is here, can ARJUN be far away ?

Based on UPI / Indiastack , come out ( in next 6 days ? ) , with M-Rup ( RuPay based 

mobile app , linked to Jan Dhan A/c and to Aadhar Biometric verification of the user )

 At the time of " Activation ", let the M-Rup wallet get filled up with Rs 100 ( as a freebie )

 This initial loading will enable the users to " experiment " transferring or receiving digital

 money ( even between friends , none of whom have Jan Dhan accounts !). Make it FUN !

Email :

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/12/when-bhim-is-here-can-arjun-be-far-away.html

 

My Suggestion   [  19  June  2017  ]  /  BHIM : Can You tango with GST ?

 

In BHIM 4.0 , I have suggested incorporating a feature for deduction and deposition of applicable GST , into concerned account automatically !

And if  BHIM V 4.0 , can deduct / deposit  GST  automatically / instantaneously, there is no ( technical ) reason why it cannot , also upload the relevant  INVOICE  pertaining to each payment and also upload those RETURNS as per schedule, on GSTN portal  !

BENEFITS :

·      Enormous saving of time / effort on part of small establishments (retailers / self employed ) who accept payment using BHIM V 4.0

IMPLICATION FOR BHIM V 4.0 :

·      If  BHIM 4.0  can save them the hassle of daily uploading of invoices , millions of small retailers / self-employed would use  ONLY BHIM V 4.0  –  and no other mobile wallets !

E Mail : https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/06/bhim-can-you-tango-with-gst.html

My  Suggestion  [  05  Sept  2017  ]  /  BHIM : the Omnipresent ?

 

 

But , why not enable paying GST , simply by making mobile wallet payments ( small transactions for “ across – the – counter “ day to day purchases ) , voice activated , as described in BHIM V 4.0 at :

BHIM : the Unstoppable [  14  April  2017  ]

Email :  https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/09/bhim-omnipresent.html

 

 

My  Suggestion  [  08  Nov  2017  ]  /  Saving  Two  Birds  with  One  Grain  ?

While considering “ Incentivizing of Digital Payments “ , seize this opportunity of providing “ Universal Social Security“ to millions of Indians , who are , today , NOT covered by any PROVIDENT FUND scheme , as outlined in my following earlier emails ………….

If GST is going to be ( say ) 20 % , Government will transfer from this ,

2 % ( ie 10 % of that 20 % ) , to the PPF account of the Consumer /

Buyer , who pays for the Goods / Services purchased , using a RuPay

Card or a " Mobile Wallet " app

     This will motivate millions of self - employed to open  PPF  accounts !

{  In cases of Buyers who , do not have a PPF account on the date of her first Digital Payment , the Mobile App will AUTOMATICALLY register / open such an account and the Buyer will get an SMS intimation !  No hassle to open a PPF account  !  }

*   Since interest from a PPF account is tax-free , every citizen would , now

     want to make all payments thru RuPay card or a Mobile Wallet App

*   RuPay cards are already tied up with accounts opened under Jan Dhan

     Yojana

*   Mobile Wallets Apps will also get tied-up with thousands of branches of

     Payment Banks , which will open in next 18 months

     Just imagine the number of new accounts that will get opened in the

     1,55,000 + post offices of India Post  !

*   In this way , Social Security will become " Self Financing " !

*   Currently , in India , some 97 % of all payments are " Cash Payments ".

     With introduction of this proposal , these will drastically decline

*   Any payment made , using RuPay card or a Mobile Wallet App , will make

     available to the Income Tax Department , full digitized record of each

     such transaction , including :

     #    Who  made the payment

     #    To whom was that payment made

     #    When was that payment made

     #    For what purchase , was that payment made

     #    What was the amount paid

E Mail :

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/11/gst-bhim-aadhar.html

05  Aug  2018

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

A Matter of Motive

Today’s papers are full of reports re Government cancelling its plan to create a “ Social Media Monitor Hub “

Reason ?

In the eyes of the public , government’s motives were suspect

Motive was :

“ According to the RFP document , a TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM was needed to collect digital media chatter from all core social media platforms as well as digital platforms such as news, blogs

The platform was expected to provide AUTOMATED REPORTS , TECTICAL INSIGHTS and COMPREHENSIVE WORK-FLOWS to initiate engagement across digital channels “

No wonder , during the hearing, Justice D Y Chandrachud had noted:

“ If the government is seeking to monitor every single tweet and WhatsApp message that is sent , we will be moving towards becoming a surveillance state “

But would public oppose with my following suggestion ? :

Declare motive as follows :

Government wants to,

#   Protect the RIGHT to PRIVACY of its citizens , under the proposed “ Data Protection Law

     “ , by creating a platform where Indian citizens can  VOLUNTARILY  upload / store their

     PERSONAL / PRIVATE data, which will remain in the SAFE CUSTODY of Data Protection

     Authority [ DPA ]

     DPA will be a CONSTITUTIONAL and STATUTORY authority , in the same manner as the

     Election Commission and its Chief will report to the President of India

     This will ensure its total independence from all other wings  of the government

     By relevant clauses of the proposed Data Protection Law , DPA cannot share any data of

     any citizen who has registered on the Data Custody Platform , with any government

     department or agency

     This will ensure that the government cannot turn into a “ Surveillance State “

   

#  Enable its citizens to avail of the online services of web sites / mobile apps etc , without

    worrying about any misuse of their Personal / Private Data by these Data Fiduciaries

#   Sue those Data Fiduciaries , on behalf of the citizens , in case of any such misuse

#   Extend the principle of “ Data Ownership “ by enabling its citizens to SELL their Private

     Data (  what is ownership without being able to sell what you own ?  )

I am sure citizens would welcome any such VOLUNTARY MECHANISM and enthusiastically support it

=============================

Here is the context :

Say 1 billion Indian citizens have given their “ Consent “ [ - without any appreciation of what it could mean to their Personal Data misuse ], to some 200 web sites ( Data Fiduciaries ) , by registering on those web sites and saying,

 “ I accept the TERMS and CONDITIONS “ .

 Sometimes , not even that much !

That adds up to 200 Billion individual “ Ghost Contracts “

There is no way for an individual citizen to come to know , “ which “ fiduciary has misused “ what “ personal data , of “ who “ , and “ when “ .

 

No way ( time – money wise ) for an individual to launch a court case

But , under proposed Data Protection Law , government has an opportunity to “ turn the tables “  !

==========================

By launching a “ Data Custody Platform “ , to be called ;

www.IndiaDataCustodian.gov.in

which will work as follows :

#    Indian citizens will voluntarily upload their Personal Data on this platform at 4 levels ,

      as described at :

      https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/08/wwwprivacyforsalecom.html

#    No Indian Citizen will need to fill up REGISTRATION forms on web sites of fiduciaries

#    Web sites of all fiduciaries , will enter into individual CONTRACTS with DPA ( so 200

       contracts in place of 200 billion contracts ! )

#    Whenever , any Indian citizen wants to use the online services of any fiduciary web

      site, he will simply click :

    “Log me in with www.IndiaDataCustodian.gov.in  “

#    Fiduciary web site will have a protocol with Data Custody web site , under which the

      Data Custody web site will merely “ Authenticate “ the genuineness of the user ,

      WITHOUT sharing any data of that user

      There will be no “ mirroring “ / “ cloud storage “ / “ cross-border migration “ of data

       All data will always stay safe and secure on the LOCAL SERVER of Custody Web site

#    On Custody Web site , there will be following provisions :

·         Registering Indian Citizen, can select which ( level ) of his personal data can be sold ( - which will always and only be in an “ anonymized “ form ) . 

Of course , the selling price will be decided by the Custody Web site , with provision for “ Surge Pricing “ as explained in ,

      https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/08/wwwprivacyforsalecom.html

·         He can also decide / select ( from appropriate drop lists ) , which ( level ) of his personal data , can be allowed to be authenticated ( by Custody Web site ) to which fiduciary web site

·         He can edit his personal data at any time ( but at least , once a year )

·         He can edit his “ Authentication Selection “ at any time

·         He can “ De-activate “ his data for any given period

·         If DPA receives any compensation from any fiduciary for any misuse of data ( eg : proposed 4 % of annual revenue – as in GDPR ) , it will be shared equally among ALL the registered users . This will act as a positive INCENTIVE for Indian citizens to come forward to register on Custody Web Site

·         If an Indian citizen is NOT registered on Custody Web site , DPA will not fight his case in case of any misuse of data that he has directly given to any fiduciary . He will have to fight his own case , based on what “ consent “ he has given to it

·         Custody Web site shall employ appropriate software to scour the entire web and compile all “ Web based Interactions / Engagements “ of the registered users

By registering , the user gives his consent in this regards but on clear understanding that this will not be shared with any other party / agency but only for the explicit purpose of generating DEMOGRAPHIC / SOCIAL / ECONOMIC ( but not Political ) profiles of the Indian citizens , for common use by anyone

·         Since all E Commerce  web sites are covered by my suggestion , there will be no need for a separate provision ( for Data Localization ) under the draft E Com Policy

·         Any fiduciary web site that is unwilling to enter into an agreement with the DPA ( as outlined above ) ,shall be stopped from operating in India ( - and that covers Google / Amazon etc )

*   For each registered user , on Custody Web Site , there will be a password protected page , where he can see his " Earnings History " along with amounts deposited from time to time , in his Jan Dhan Bank account

   

      

I urge the Central Government to publish my suggestion and invite comments from the Data Principals and Data Fiduciaries

O4  Aug  2018

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs