By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy emphasised the need for economic reforms at the state level, at the GST Day celebrations at Central Revenue Building on Monday. He was pointing to the “hassles” entrepreneurs face while setting up “job providing” and “wealth generating” companies. The drawback is the plethora of approvals in the state level, he said. “While the Centre has set-up Skill India, Startup India and Stand-up for India, one has to seek many approvals to build or occupy an office,” he added, pointing to the existence of rampant nepotism.

He called upon Indian youths to work extra hours on the lines of China to contribute to the country’s development by alleviating poverty. “Youth should not be bothered about work-life balance. They should not worry about their comfort,” he said.

Responding to questions at the interactive session, Murthy, who is also the Trustee of Infosys Science Foundation, said India has become a respected country in various fields for the first time in the past 300 years. He urged the youth not to let go of this opportunity to remove poverty.

Murthy pointed to discipline as the foremost requirement of any civilised society and encouraged the administration not to create hurdles in the way of entrepreneurs who create jobs and wealth, and also simplify the method of tax collection, while punishing severely those who do not pay taxes, to instill discipline. He also urged the tax administration to coordinate with various departments to analyse tax data. Dr Harish Hande, Co-Founder of SELCO, also spoke.

Awards on GST DAY

On the occasion of GST Day on Monday, the Office of the Principal Chief Commissioner of Central Tax, Bengaluru Zone, honoured four companies with a commemoration certificate. The companies are Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd (Bengaluru West Commissionerate), Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (Bengaluru South Commissionerate), TATA Communications Ltd (Bengaluru East Commissionerate) and

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (Mangaluru Central Tax Commissionerate).