'What is now required are the `system integration' principles which are very common in IT'

`Social' technologies in education

The IT boom did many things, and one of its significant effects was to cause a shift in the conversation from only `employment' to `employability' and `scale,' observes Vaidya Nathan, Founder and CEO, Classle Knowledge Pvt Ltd, Chennai (http://www.classle.net/). The speed at which it hit the education system, India's most `regulated' sector, caught everybody unawares, he continues, during a lunch-hour interaction with eWorld.

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The ability to be able to communicate when you are mobile is becoming essential around the world

A ‘browser’ for SMS

A mobile widget platform to let you enjoy ‘seamless access to branded content and services such as Facebook and Google without the need for a data plan’ should sound cool. And that’s what Raj Oswal, Product Manager/Business Development of Shorthand Mobile, Inc, ( http://www.shorthandmobile.com/), talks about. His card speaks of ‘browser’ for SMS (short message service). And, on the site, the California, US -based company’s promoters speak of how they were “dissatisfied with the way information and services were accessed on mobile phones and envisioned a better, simpler, and less expensive way to connect users in the mass market to mobile content and services.”

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key indicator of success has to be a business metric

Banking on unique identifier

The high optimism generated by the appointment of Nandan Nilekani to lead the Unique Identification project has more to it than bringing technology into the limelight in the national development stage, feels Saurabh Tripathi, Partner and Director, The Boston Consulting Group, Mumbai.

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At present both service-tax and VAT are being charged by the tax authorities on development and sale of software in India.

Make SEZ scheme attractive

There is urgent need for the Government to announce an extension of the tax holiday for the IT sector under the Income Tax Act, 1961 beyond March 31, 2010. However, to help in mitigating the impact of the economic slowdown and maintaining the competitive edge of this sector, it will be beneficial to the industry if the tax holiday is extended by a block of two-three years as compared to piecemeal extension, says Naveen Aggarwal, Executive Director, ICE Tax, KPMG.

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The administration of service tax of IT-ITES exports needs a revamp

IT industry awaits a ‘holiday’ Budget

The US’ stand on tax breaks for firms outsourcing jobs to overseas destinations, and the competition to Indian IT-ITES (information technology enabled services) from emerging outsourcing destinations such as the Philippines, China, Sri Lanka and Mexico, are among the worries that Balaji N. V., a senior tax professional with Ernst & Young, India, expresses, during a recent e-mail interaction with eWorld.

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Is the IT sector to be given tax incentives, or are exporters to be incentivised?

The ‘holiday’ debate

It is time for a paradigm shift on the debate about tax holidays for IT (information technology) companies, says Abhishek Goenka, Partner and Leader of the real-estate and IT practice in BMR Advisors. “The discussion really began when some industry czars said that IT companies must start paying taxes. Since then, much has changed,” he adds, during the course of a pre-Budget interaction with eWorld.

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'Indian telecommunication sector is a very competitive and fast-growing sector in the world'

Telecom wants positive tone

As the telecom sector has been growing at a fast pace and has significantly contributed to the economic growth and development of the country, it should be given equal importance and should be treated on a par with other infrastructure sectors that enjoy 100 per cent exemption of the taxable profits for the full term of 10 years in succession under section 80IA, argue Jayesh Kariya and Vineeta Agarwal, Mumbai-based chartered accountants.

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With the global slowdown, every sector is trying to get some benefit out of this Budget

Will the FBT go?

Corporates would be happy to see the end of the levy of surcharge and cess, in the forthcoming Budget, says Mr Jayant Jain, Executive Director, Tax & Regulatory Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt Ltd, Chennai ( http://www.pwc.com/ ). “While the surcharge and cess were introduced for specific purposes, unfortunately, once introduced, the Ministry is reluctant to remove them,” he adds, during a recent email interaction with Business Line.

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Financing of PPP projects in India has largely been through plain vanilla debt

Infrastructure needs vibrant bond market

Over the past few years, through a number of projects involving the private sector and the subsequent framing of best practices and model frameworks, the PPP (public-private partnership) scene in Indian infrastructure has crossed its infancy, opines Ms Latha Ramanathan, Executive Director, Government, Reforms & Infrastructure Development (GRID) Practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt Ltd, Chennai (http://www.pwc.com/).

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'Information is an asset, and is an extension of the maxim that knowledge is power'

Leveraging info for greater organisational value

There is an increasing awareness that the most important asset for any organisation is information. But the key question is how to leverage an organisation’s information for more value in the organisation, says Alok Ohrie, President-India & SAARC, EMC Data Storage Systems (India) P Ltd, Bangalore (http://www.emc.com/).

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