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October, 2014
Recently an associate of mine and I were listing down the number of registrations, permissions and licences a manufacturing unit has to obtain while setting up business in India. It was well beyond the half-century mark given the number of ministries, departments and government agencies involved both at the Centre and State. If the Company is a foreign entity entering India, compliances are even more. This does not augur well for the country when the PM is giving a “Come, make in India” call. Of course yesterday’s announcement to cut the labour act forms from 16 to 1 and relax the inspection raj is welcome.
In addition to this, isn’t it time something is done for not only ‘Swach Bharath’ in terms of garbage cleaning but also ‘Swach Vyapar’ or ‘Clean Business’? Corruption is the biggest polluter and unless transactions are clean, doing business in India will not be attractive. Many of you must have received a message from the Health Minister on the eve of ‘Global Hand washing Day’ yesterday to wash and keep our hands clean. Can ‘Swach Business’ also be made part of the ‘Swach Bharath Mission’?
We can argue that cleanliness starts from us but I am of the opinion Government also has an important role to play in this. E-transactions, e-filing, e-approvals are the order of the day but not without endless follow ups, explanations, clarifications and the attendant ‘speed money’. This is an open truth which we may not like to acknowledge in public. And this is only one part of the pollution………….Swachtha or cleanliness in all forms must be promoted.
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October, 2014
October is significant for many reasons – 1st week for the ‘Joy of Giving Week’, 31st for ‘National Unity Day’ in commemoration of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallababhai Patel and the entire month for Breast Cancer Awareness.
Cancer survivors gain strength to conquer the illness because of the faith in themselves and the eternal hope of seeing yet another day in their lives. I can vouch for this out of my own personal experience. In fact all of us can be victorious on many fronts if we have the faith, hope and belief in ourselves.
The same hope holds us in our professional front also as we anticipate changes in the new Companies Act, 2013 in the winter session of the parliament. Good news is we can expect exemptions on several fronts for private limited companies, government companies, charitable companies and nidhi companies through an amendment to the Act. This was confirmed by the Additional Secretary of MCA, Mr. Joseph in a seminar in Bangalore.
The key will however remain how good a balance the Government strikes between good governance and the ease of doing business. For this both industry and professionals must join hands with them in eradicating the cancerous growth of misgovernance.