Payments to MSMEs

Apropos ‘CEA slams big businesses for forcing govt to roll back Budget measure on payments to MSMEs’ (January 21), the Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran has rightly flagged an issue that has been debilitating MSMEs for long. The MSMEs work hard in spite of their shoestring budgets and a myriad other issues to beat deadlines to ensure qualitative and timely execution of works for the big companies.

But big businesses, instead of helping these MSME by actually making advance payment to facilitate faster execution of works, delay the payments inordinately for works already executed. The Government should mandate that payments to MSMEs must be made within 45 days, if not within 30 days, for corporates to claim tax benefits.

Kosaraju Chandramouli

Hyderabad

Curb inflation

Apropos ‘Inflation bugbear’ (January 21), the prices of rice, wheat, cereals and edible oil have been spiralling in the last couple of months. Every time one visits the grocery shops, one has to shell out 10-15 per cent more. On one side, we hear that India had a bountiful harvest of paddy and wheat and, on the other, the prices of the same shoot up in no time. The government should arrest the trend of rising inflation.

RV Baskaran

Chennai

Social stock exchanges

This refers to ‘SEBI plans to ease norms for Social Stock Exchanges’ (January 21). The 100-plus not-for-profit organisations registered on the SSE segment and the proposed new norms by the regulator should prompt more entities to come forward to support societal welfare and environmental goals. However, the increase in compliance burden may dampen listings, which in turn would be detrimental from investors’ point of view. Many entities have failed in establishing trustworthiness in the end use of sourced funds. With an active social stock exchange trading platform in place now and regulatory protection as well, many philanthropists and charitable institutions should evince interest in supporting the offers of non-profits. More tax benefits for investors trading on SSEs would give a further boost to this segment.

Sitaram Popuri

Bengaluru

Talent export to US

It refers to ‘Will Trump welcome Indian skilled workers?’ (January 21). The H-1B visa system may have some flaws and those should be resolved. But the US should not forget that Indian-Americans may be just 1.5 per cent of the US population but they contribute $300 billion in tax revenues annually and roughly $450 billion in annual spending. India has emerged as a net exporter of talent, as the US has proven to be a land of massive opportunities. It has been a two-way street where both parties have benefited. And it is good to learn that President Trump, after the inaugural ceremony, has clearly said that he is fine with legal immigration as he needs people. Hope there is no ambiguity on this front.

Bal Govind

Noida