13.07.2007

• Today I noted something about the SEBI-NSDL standoff relating to CRA activity of NSDL. Take a look at it here.
• Customer service in telecom sector and TRAI’s stinker
• In an evaluation of the performance of telecom service providers TRAI found that none of them are meeting standards laid down by it.
• As per TRAI benchmark, only one out of every 200 calls (0.5%) made from one operator’s network to another can get disconnected.
• In so far as customer complaint handling is concerned, the operators’ call service centre has to answer at least 80% of the calls (voice to voice) within 60 seconds and 95% of the calls within 90 seconds of the customer calling the respective call centre.
• Sops for exporters
• We have noted in Discover It blog the reasons why there is no need to give sops to exporters. Take a look at what we noted here. Government thinks otherwise and has announced sops.
• It has announced a package of Rs. 1,400 crores. It includes a hike in drawback rates on most items and inclusion of some more items in the drawback list. DEPB rates have also been increased.
• Government has also released Rs. 600 crores to clear all arrears related to reimbursement of terminal excise duties and Central Sales Tax.
• Stamp duty rationalization for bonds
• Stamp duty is levied and collected by the states, but the rates are determined by the Centre as provided for in the Stamp Duty Act.
• At present stamp duty is levied at an average rate of 0.375% ad-valorem on debentures while promissory notes attract a duty of 0.05%. The rates vary across states.
• The proposal now is to keep the minimum levy at 0.05%, which can go up depending on the tenor. There will be a cap of Rs. 0.25% or Rs. 25 lakhs whichever is lower.
• The move is expected to bring down the cost of raising debt funds in states which levy stamp duty at a higher rate.
• Intellectual property arbitrage
• It is a process by which revenue is generated in jurisdictions which contain less restrictive forms of intellectual property protection at the expense of those jurisdictions which contain tougher forms of protection.
• The case of India and US on copyright protection of software exemplifies this.
• Reservations and participatory growth
• It is a thought provoking article and is a must read. More of this is still to come.
• Take a look at it here.
• ET on the web had a surprising new look today!!!
• Bank of Japan Governor?
• Toshihiko Fukui