The Union Government should incentivize the educational institutions for technology adaptation towards teaching and learning improvements.

This was how Naren Koduvattat, Chairman and Managing Director of the Mangalore-based i-POINT Consulting Services Pvt Ltd, replied when he was asked what he expects in the Union Budget 2014.

(His company specialises in design, development and delivery of professional development programmes and learning solutions.)

When asked to explain about that, he said education has blindly gone for technical infrastructure. Every school is buying computers, smart boards and bandwidth. But the content part of it is low even now. The teachers’ use of technology is also low, he said.

“Buying technology is not enough. Teachers have to use it for improving the teaching process. This is what I meant by incentivizing for teaching-learning process,” he said.

SIMPLYFY TAX REGIME

Koduvattat also sought for simplifying the tax regime and reducing the tax burden for SMEs, especially servicing priority sector.

The Government has created incentives for export companies. India is going in a direction where everything is encouraged if it is export such as tax exemption and preferential treatment, he said.

But the small entrepreneurs, who are trying to play in the domestic economy, are at disadvantage. They have double taxation coming in their way. Though GST (goods and service tax) will simplify the tax regime, but it will not reduce the tax burden, he said.

Stating that there is an urgent need to revive the domestic economy, he said simplification and unification of tax regime and easing of domestic taxations and cesses will encourage entrepreneurs.

In the immediate previous budgets, allocations for education and healthcare have been increased. This is the right thing to do for the future of the nation. However, the spending is poorly managed. The new budget should tighten governance to ensure it is spent well, Koduvattat said.

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