MyVoice: Views of our readers 29th January 2020

UN Global Compact Programme

The top listed companies across the globe have voluntarily enrolled to the United Nations Global Compact Program that encourages them to adhere to its ten principles including human rights, labour, environmental and anti-corruption and report its status through annual Communication of Progress (COP) statement.

The entities as otherwise are mandated to prepare annual reports along with details related to the commitment to sustainability, corporate governance and business environment report in order to uphold the business principles and values.

Further the governments should encourage all the listed companies to commit to United Nations Global Compact Program through robust voluntary nomination drives. As a best practice the enrolment to UN Global Compact Program will have a positive impact on the stakeholders including retail investors and the companies can ensure complete fairness and transparency.

The organizations should surge ahead to protect the interest of investors by sharing its Communication of Progress (COP) as mandated by UN Global Compact Program through its annual reports. Further the forum can be utilised to share best practices adopted while adhering to corporate governance and sustainability framework.

Varun Dambal, Bengaluru

'Make in India' push for air- conditioners

India has FTA (Free Trade Agreements) with all the ASEAN countries with one exception China. China has been exploiting these FTAs for many years by acquiring defunct companies in countries like Laos, Vietnam and other ASEAN nations so then can export to world's second largest market, India.

We must bear this in mind that FTAs are embedded with "inverted duty structure", it means that finished goods like ACs won't attract hefty duties but it local manufacturers import raw materials like compressor and then make products, it will meet with heavy duties. There was no ray of hope local manufactures competing with ASEAN goods.

In the vicinity of 35 per cent ACs sold in India were improved as fully built units but actually were Chinese products. Things took a sharp turn in Oct when government banned on importing ACs and refrigerators. Now, the local manufacturers are leaving no stone unturned to make best of this opportunity.

As per reports, they have invested in the neighborhood of ₹1500 crore to cater $5 -6 billion industry. Adding white goods in in Production Linked Incentives (PLI) scheme was icing on the cake.

Rahul Chouhan, Ujjain

What next, Sasikala?

Expelled AIADMK leader V K Sasikala release from judicial custody in a disproportionate assets case, brings the curtains down on a four-year prison sentence. Sasikala is being treated for Covid-19 at the Trauma Care Centre in Victoria Hospital.

Her release must gladden the hearts of her supporters, many of whom arrived at the hospital to celebrate her release. It will be interesting to see how she charts her political career post-release.

N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru

Murder most foul

Where are we heading as the news that a highly educated mother who also happens to coach students for IIT examination in Chittoor in cold blooded manner killed two of her daughters in the name of superstitious belief that by the grace of Lord Shiva, they would come alive in a day has sent shivers among all of us.

Also TV has been airing too many mythological serials and also occult practice shown in the so called saas bahu serials in all the languages. It's indeed true even in the pre TV era, mythological movies were produced, but they were on and off and after watching them, it would go out of the mind of viewers.

But every day watching inside home can lead to such killing. It was more shocking to see the mother walking away shouting the name of Lord Shiva. I hope the parents would be punished for cold blooded murder so that it can be lesson for others who involve in such heinous act either on their own or on the advice of Tantriks.

N Nagarajan, Hyderabad