Idealistically Speaking
The producers and creators are indeed prisoners in a stifling system. Freedom is preached and stolen in the same breath. When you need to sell your product or creation to another legal entity, the government jumps in. You need a license to sell and a tax to pay. The buyer needs a license to buy - more oppressive in the B2B & B2G domain. A Shipping agent needs a license or permissions from the Customs, the Port, the Municipality, the Service Tax Department, the Income Tax Department, the PF Department, the ESIC Department, the Labour & Welfare Department, the Professional Tax Department, the Fire Department, the MMD, the DG Shipping, the Plant Quarantine, and so on. A ship owner is even worse off. There are far too many Government agencies not only slowing things down in our industry, but also robbing away the edge we could have over our competition in the world stage. It's eating away into our economic and social well being.
We can not wish away all these multitude of Government institutions, agencies, and sub agencies. They have their roles. Even if they don't have their roles, they would continue to be there as a nuisance agent - like our Light House Authority. However, all these multitude of unfair licenses, permissions, and taxes can easily be capsuled into one window. In other words, one window for permissions and to collect taxes. On the Tax front, they need to merge all Central, State, Municipality, and other Taxes into one Window. Then the Government can share the spoils among various bodies in a fair and equitable manner as they deem fit. Even if they quarrel internally, the businesses & the people are not unduly hurt.
Such reforms could change our industry from one of the most laggard to one of most celebrated one. This appears wishful thinking at this point of time. However, there is a need for us to dream of such possibilities to liberate us from the tentacles of mediocrity. May be in a distant future our dreams will come true.
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