Trappings of State power

The meetings of the Goods and Services Tax Council have become an occasion for States showing off their hosting and hospitality skills. Taking and a cue from some of the other States, this time it was the turn of the Delhi government.

The 25th meeting of the GST Council was held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on January 18. The Delhi government used the opportunity to hold a musical night and host a dinner for all guests at the Garden of Five Senses.

The talk now is that maybe future meetings could be held Goa and Bodh Gaya. Talk about mixing business and pleasure!

Yogic inclusion

Guess which well-known personality was recently advised by yoga guru Baba Ramdev to start doing some yoga? It was none other than Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma.

At an event attended also by Sharma, Baba Ramdev said, “ Hamare Shekhar ji sabse bhaari pad rahe hain, kapalbhati karenge kal se (Our Shekharji has put on weight, he will do kapalbhati from tomorrow).” This happened earlier this week, when Patanjali launched its online site for which it has tied up with various players from the sector such as Amazon India, Flipkart, BigBasket, Grofers and others, along with Paytm Mall.

Ice-breaker

When Bayer’s top representative in India, Richard van der Merwe, recently met media personnel from select media houses in the capital for the first time since the announcement of the German chemicals giant’s $66-billion takeover of the US-based Monsanto, he found an easy way to break the ice. “This is an informal meet. We can even start talking about the Indian cricket team’s ongoing visit to South Africa,” he said.

Despite the fact that his company’s association with sport is more in the field of football, van der Merwe would know a thing or two about the game in whites. Even though he was born in Namibia, van der Merwe spent a considerable part of his adolescent life in South Africa, where he completed his university education.

His stint with Bayer too began in South Africa and he headed its South Africa subsidiary for eight years till 2009 before moving out to take up greater responsibilities with Bayer elsewhere. That’s a good foundation, alright.

GST-free trade

GST has been sending businesses across the country in a tizzy. From rate fitment to multiple returns, the trader community has no dearth of complaints against the GST framework. Harrowed by the processes, traders in Delhi called for a seminar to raise their concerns with Opposition leaders.

One of the representatives of the trader community said, “Despite months having passed since the roll-out, nobody has a complete idea of what the GST is. Neither the government, traders or the so-called experts have a complete idea how GST is to be dealt with.”

Responding to this argument, another trader quipped, “It is best to petition the Government to allow GST-free businesses.” The question is: What would GST be levied on if not on businesses?

A tale of two women

Railways and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal had a less than pleasant inflight experience while coming from Mumbai to New Delhi. Justifying his late arrival to an informal press meeting, Goyal said that he was late by at least 40 minutes because of two ladies.

“There was fog in Delhi, which delayed the take-off from Mumbai and when the plane finally got permission to take flight, two ladies decided that they did not want to go,” he explained. Goyal, who is known for his volatile temper in unfavourable situations, surprisingly did not express his rage and kept waiting as “all the baggage was rechecked and the two ladies deplaned, causing another 40 minutes of delay”. Sometimes, only patience works.

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