Partners root for Lotus 'Modi Sarkar'

Partners too, like every other aam aadmi have their expectations from the new Government to be formed once the electoral process gets completed

By the time this article lands in reader's hand India would have achieved another feat by conducting the general elections of the world's largest democracy. Election promises new regulations and laws to uplift the state of economy, society, and the mass in general. And so does this election too albeit with a hope for change in the central government. And so it seems after what solution providers and IT associations across India told DQ Channels.

"Ab ki bar Modi sarkar", proclaims a jubilant Limesh Parekh of Enjay IT Solutions. Limesh has lived thirty years in Mumbai and thirteen years in Gujarat. And he expects Narendra Modi to become India's Prime Minister. But why? "I have had lot of experiences when it comes to dealing with government of India and my experiences have shaped my views". He says that while living in Mumbai he never had the opportunity to get benefited from government bodies when it came to his trade. "Unless you know some prominent person in a government department chances are your grievances will never get addressed to", rues Limesh Parekh. But in Gujarat he had a different experience. "Government listen's to aam admi irrespective of who you are and whom you know", says Limesh. The sheer frustration of being sidelined by the very party which you elected by casting your vote has taken a toll on Indian people, feels Parekh.

So will Modi change the table? "I hope so because that is what he has done for Gujarat and hope he will do the same for the rest of the country", says Parekh.
Not only Parekh but there are others too in the line who has voted for Modi. Sunny Sharma, a young IT entrepreneur from Delhi has openly declared his support for Narendra Modi on Facebook on the day Delhi casted its vote. His reason being, "Narendra Modi has been able to clearly list down his vision, inclined towards leveraging technology to bring transparency, and appears to be decisive in nature", says Sunny Sharma. The manifesto which BJP government came out with in April somewhat substantiates what Sunny says. BJP's declaration in its manifesto that it would not allow FDI in retail has found a positive echo among IT partners.
Mumbai based Association of System Integrators and Retailers in Technology (ASIRT) petitioned the BJP leadership to do away with FDI in retail completely. Kshitij M. Kotak, of ASIRT said, "We proposed to the BJP leaders in Mumbai that FDI should not be allowed either in offline or online retail". So the recent declaration of BJP's stand on FDI is good news for Mumbai association. They urged BJP to allow some level-playing field among retailers of all section. The reason being, says Khsitij, "Online sales has received huge FDI no matter what is the law of Indian government on it. This has drastically affected offline business sales. So we think in order to give fair chance to everyone FDI should not allowed at all in Indian retail market."

Supporting the channel partners Arumugam, of Confed-ITA also praised BJP's stand. "We welcome the manifesto which will benefit our retailers". He thinks if BJP assumes office in Delhi then it should also come up with clear online sales and taxation guideline.

Similarly FITDAK President, Anand Rao Balluru too thinks, "FDI in retail would not have added much to the revenue of the government. And I think it is good news and a welcoming move by the BJP leadership."

The IT association of Karnataka has other expectations too for the government. "No matter which party assumes the Delhi office FITDAK is looking out for few issues that needs to be addressed". Goods and Services tax, reduction of service tax on IT-services and elimination of double taxes on IT goods. "There exists two types of taxes namely VAT and service tax on IT goods and services. We urge the new government to eliminated one of these. There should be either VAT or service tax," explains Balluru.

Above all IT partners are looking for strict regulations in online IT business which has cast a severe blow on resellers and distributors business across India. Toshy Mathew of AKITDA expects new government should have clear guidelines for online trade. "Our state government promised a lot during annual budget to form a committee to study the online market but that was in March. And nothing has been done yet. I believe that is the problem with any government. They listen a lot and sit idle only serving their interests."

Whoever assumes the Delhi throne for another five years shall he listen to the petitions and requests of the aam admi? Or it would again fall into deaf years? Only time will tell.