The Times of India 31.08.2012
After bitter tax-duel, Onasadya unites corporation and Infosys
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A week
after the state government freed city-based IT companies from paying
tax dues to the corporation, the civic body has decided to forget the
past and look ahead. The tax issue had resulted in a bitter feud between
certain IT firms and the coropration. For the first time, IT major Infosys will extend its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme to the city corporation.
Sanjeevani, the CSR wing run by the employees of Infosys, will serve Onasadya to the inmates of the beggar rehabilitation centre run by the city corporation
on Friday. “We will provide a delicious Onam feast to the inmates for
the next three days. We are glad to extend our services to the city
corporation for the first time. When the corporation came up with this
proposal, we were so excited to be a part of it,” said an Infosys
official. The CSR wing is also planning to provide lunch to the
inmates on a regular basis.
“We are willing to carry on this initiative
on a permanent basis. We will hold talks with the corporation and we
hope there won’t be any hassles,” the official added. The
corporation had earlier declared attachment procedures against Infosys
for defaulting on the payment of dues. The corporation had slammed three
demand notices seeking tax dues worth Rs 40 lakh. It was following the
controversy over the tax dues that the government had issued an order
stating that the companies coming under the special economic zone need
not pay tax to the corporation.
Infosys has also agreed to
sponsor sewing machines to a small-scale industrial unit run by widows
and desolate women at mayor K Chandrika’s ward, Muttada. Although
corporation officials said that the ruling council is now keen on
breaking the ice with Infosys, mayor Chandrika termed the CSR initiative
as a “routine affair”. “The tax dues and the recent programmes
have to be viewed in two different perspectives. It is good to see
Infosys coming up with such humane endeavours. But the corporation is
still disappointed by the government order that has resulted in a huge
economic loss for the corporation,” said Chandrika.
The mayor,
however, added that the corporation will not be hesitant to welcome
similar initiatives by IT companies in future also. “As I said, both
things are different. If they come up with programmes that could be
beneficial to the people, the corporation will facilitate them,” she
said.
