Tax relief

This refers to the editorial “To tax, and to please” (June 19). To its thoughtful list of changes in the personal tax regime may be added the need for a separate rate of tax for salaried employees.

Unlike the assessess in business or profession there is no “scope” for them to hide or undervalue salary income or opt out of compulsory contribution to various saving schemes like provident fund. This limits their choice of using their savings in more attractive avenues like the share market.

It may be worthwhile to link amount of standard deduction and tax-free basic level of ₹3 lakh with cost of living and provide for changing their amount every year in the budget.

YG Chouksey

Pune

Green power

This refers to the news item ‘Truly a green way of providing power to eco-sensitive zones’ (June 19).

With high rainfall and terrain type of lands in A&N island, NLC had successfully completed a 20 MW Solar PV project with 8 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). This has helped in saving 8000 kilo litres of diesel annually besides cutting down the power generation cost resulting in low tariff to the ultimate users.

The ongoing projects of establishing 15 Mw BESS by JICA and 20 Mw BESS projects by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in A&N island assume greater significance and once completed would make A&N island self-sufficient in the power sector with Renewable Energy.

The Centre needs to replicate the A&N model in all smaller islands as well as in the environmentally fragile territories.

RV Baskaran

Chennai

Family challenges

It refers to ‘Running family businesses can be quite a challenge’. Basic difference between a family business and a corporation is the ownership structure, management style and decision making. In family businesses, CEOs need to master the art of diplomacy while dealing with the various family members.

In family businesses, CEOs may not often be given a free hand to run the organisation.

The bottom line is if there is complete harmony in the family then CEOs task becomes easier otherwise being in the good books of all the family members and deliver results can be stressful.

Bal Govind

Noida

Copper plant & environment

Apropos “Gopalan Enterprises … copper plant” (June 19). After the closure of Vedanta Sterlite Copper plant at Thoothukudi (TN), mainly over political feud, this plant at Hoskote will have to take extreme care in handling pollution, which was conveniently dubbed as main reason for Sterilite plant closure.

Although this plant has a smaller production capacity, the tangible benefits it may offer to Karnataka could be the focus point though the environmental hazards cannot be ignored.

Rajiv Magal

Halekere Village (Karnataka)