Letters to the Editor

Business Today readers give feedback on magazine's coverage of the January 4, 2015 issue.

NEW IDEAS: THE TIME HAS COME!

This refers to your excellent 23rd Anniversary issue (Ideas for a New India, January 4, 2015). All the 21 ideas, expressed by your eminent guest writers, are worth appreciating. New ideas remain critical in debating and determining the future of how we live, work and play. We can get information quickly at the click of a mouse; new scientific discoveries tell us more about the origins of the universe and of human beings; photographs show us the surface of Mars; and creativity across the arts and media continues to flourish. Such interesting ideas do take time to develop and are not instant successes. We may recall a famous quote by Victor Hugo: "Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come." Yes, the time has come! The powers that be need to sincerely pay heed to all these ideas.
J.S. Broca, New Delhi

SIMPLIFYING TAX LAWS

This refers to your article on the Indian tax system Making Levies Less Taxing (January 4). In order to simplify income tax and wealth tax, an attempt has been made by the government to simplify income tax laws so that taxpayers can easily understand and comply with these laws. But the truth is otherwise. The Direct Tax Code 2013 Bill has 325 clauses, 21 chapters and 23 Schedules. Can a common citizen make anything out of this voluminous code, sections and schedules? There should not be more than 50 to 60 sections.
Mahesh Kapasi, New Delhi

BUREAUCRATS ARE MAJOR HURDLES

This refers to a column on Indian institutions, Institutions, Work in Progress (January 4). The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to abide by the principles of good governance. The common man looks forward to hassle-free dealings with the staff in government offices, particularly the ones dealing with public utility services. Discharge of such services ought not to be treated as a favour. However, we do not get the results as desired. Mostly, bureaucrats are major hurdles as they don't allow things as it should happen. They always obstruct the way of development by delays and red tapism. The Narendra Modi government must tackle these bureaucrats with stringent punishment.
MK, On e-mail