Mobility paves Samsung’s silver path
The Korean giant’s early bet on mobile phones helped it hit the $10-bn mark in India, but in its 25th year it ...
Music industry woes
This refers to ‘How to tap music’s employment potential’ (January 13). In India, the entertainment industry in general and the music industry in particular are victims of a lax intellectual property regime and even poorer implementation of whatever laws we have.
Especially in this online era, one is able to download and listen to all kinds of music without paying a penny. This seems grossly unfair to the performing artistes and the title owners.
In the time of gramophone records, cassettes and CDs, one had to buy these in order to listen to music. Not anymore.
We as a society need to respect intellectual property rights and be prepared to pay (through subscriptions) to listen to music online. Such a regime will enable fair and sustainable income for artistes and, thereby, attract more talent to the industry and create employment/self-employment opportunities.
V Vijaykumar
Pune
Tackling bad loans
This refers to ‘Prevention is the cure’ (January 13). After the creation and delivery of the loan, nurturing and maintaining the quality until its liquidation is paramount, as good quality assets are vital to sound banking and to the growth of the economy. In spite of the robust systems to ensure proper monitoring and end-to-end follow-up, loans are turning bad immediately after delivery or in the near term, pointing to the fact that banks have failed in the selection of the borrower. The selection of the borrower on commercial considerations is critical to build up quality assets.
Human capital having undoubted integrity and skills must be entrusted with the management of credit. Not entertaining any kind of influence in credit decisions and executing timely measures to enable the borrower withstand the impact of the business cycle and/or the economic turbulence are imperative in sustaining the quality of the assets.
VSK Pillai
Kottayam
Used-car sales
This refers to ‘Turning adversity into opportunity, used-car sales running on fast lane’ (January 13). It will be not be proper to term it as a positive since the reason for the development is the slide in the economy causing car buyers to reduce the cost of owning a car. This has affected the sales of new vehicles. The automobile industry remaining healthy is essential, as otherwise there would be major consequences on the economy.
TR Anandan
Coimbatore
Unutilised cess
This is with reference to ‘Why is the Government sitting on unutilised cess of over ₹3 lakh crore? (January 13). It is indeed a staggering sum of money lying idle with the government. It is difficult to fathom that on the one side the Centre is not paying States’ GST dues and on the other it is sitting on this huge cash-pile.
States’ revenue cannot be compromised for the larger scheme of things. It is not only about whether dedicated reserve funds are given to specific schemes or not but on whether they are optimally utilised or not.
Bal Govind
Noida
Revisit FASTag
There cannot be two opinions on the fact that the much sought after transition (from cash to FASTag usage) across the country should be given effect in a phased manner to the ease the pain of highway users. This view gains more prominence since, from January 15, the Centre plans to strictly implement the rule by allotting just one lane at toll plazas for accepting cash.
One wishes that the Indian Highways Management Company, which has been tasked with rolling out the Centre’s FASTag programme, had done its homework better before embarking on the project.
In fact, it reminds us of the hardship caused by the government’s earlier measures such as demonetisation and GST due to their poor implementation. Some of the adverse fallouts thereof are being felt even today.
So the government must ensure that its prestigious FASTag programme does not run into rough weather, owing to the lack of proper planning.
Kumar Gupt
Panchkula, Haryana
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send your letters by email to bleditor@thehindu.co.in or by post to ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu Business Line, Kasturi Buildings, 859-860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.
The Korean giant’s early bet on mobile phones helped it hit the $10-bn mark in India, but in its 25th year it ...
Antrix should adopt a different tactic than merely fighting over jurisdiction: Experts
Invest in relationships, enterprise, behaviour, effort and learning
From different types of osmoses to new membranes, researchers have come up with ways of drawing water
Only half the Sensex stocks have bettered the index’s return in the last 10,000-point journey
High valuation and stiff competition from larger players are a dampener
Investors with a short-term perspective can buy The New India Assurance Company (NIACL) stock at current ...
₹1490 • HDFC Bank S1S2R1R2COMMENT 1475146015051520 Fresh short positions are recommended with a stiff ...
What makes the new crop of young Indian cricketers such game-changing winners? Over and above their talent, ...
Regina King’s film ‘One Night in Miami’ turns the spotlight on four young men’s often conflicting ideas of ...
Each new year millions of people around the world resolve to change their lives for the better. These ...
In these isolated times when people yearn for a slice of the familiar, amateur and professional chefs are ...
Digital is becoming dominant media, but are companies and their ad agencies transforming fast enough to make a ...
Slow Network, promoted by journalist-lyricist Neelesh Misra, pushes rural products and experiences
How marketers can use the traditional exchange of festive wishes meaningfully
For Fortune, a brand celebrating its 20th anniversary, it was a rude shock to become the butt of social media ...
Three years after its inception, compliance with GST procedures remains a headache for exporters, job workers ...
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of companies are altering the prospects for wooden toys of ...
Aequs Aerospace to create space for large-scale manufacture of toys at Koppal
And it has every reason to smile. Covid-19 has triggered a consumer shift towards branded products as ...
Please Email the Editor