Budget 2008 Wishlists By Internet Company Owners! WATBlog Also Has One!
Ok I know we are very little about finance and I dont think I have ever sat through an entire budget screening on tv ever in my life! But now that the budget is around the corner we at WATBlog do have a wishlist of sorts as to what we would like to see included in the budget that would affect the WATSpace (Web, Advertising & Technology!). But more on that later in the post. Firstly lets see what two Internet Company owners are wanting to see in this budget.
Recently two articles have been published by Livemint outlining Wishlists of Hitesh Oberoi from Naukri.com and Satya Prabhakar from Sulekha.com on what they would like to see in the upcoming budget. Here is both of their wishlists:
Hitesh Oberoi’s Wishlist:
- Service tax: Moratorium on service tax on online advertising and database access services to be for five years
- Incentivize e-commerce: Waive sales tax on goods and services transacted through e-commerce
- Abolition of Fringe Benefit Tax
Satya Prabhakar’s Budget Wishlist
- Remove sales and service taxes on computers, laptops, Internet connections, online advertising and e-commerce for a period of 10 years
- Qualify Internet companies that derive more than 75% of their revenues from online transactions or delivery of services online as IT/ITeS companies that can enjoy the benefits afforded to these industries such as location within SEZs, leasing for IT Parks etc
- Provide a 10-year tax holiday to Internet companies (as defined above) to spur Internet innovation, investment and growth
- Encourage corporations and municipalities across the country to invest in low-cost Wi-Fi and Wi-Max services to allow for widespread Internet access
- Provide tax relief on services that enable mobile phones from accessing the Internet
Wow.. If you are reading the above it seems like even with all the funding and ipo the internet ceo’s still remain dissatisified no matter how good business ecosystem they have. I guess more money is never a bad thing! 
Well Now its our turn at WATBlog.com. So here is our 5 point simplewishlist and why!
1) Government Sponsored Wifi and Information kiosks for all schools and colleges – Will build the future of the country. Information access especially to a global information resource like the internet will drive a knowledge revolution.
2) Non VC funded New Startups (any kind of startups not only technology) not to be taxed in anyway for the first 2 years – Will drive entrepreneurship. Also one needs to make sure that this startup is standalone and has no affiliation with any BIG company 
3) Investment in Trains wifi and public transport wifi connectivity across A,B and C class towns – Again access to a global information resource like the internet will drive a knowledge revolution.
4) Goverment sponsored Information kiosks in rural areas – Once Again access to a global information resource like the internet will drive a knowledge revolution.
5) No tax on income of Senior Citizens and Disabled people! – I know this one doesn’t really fit the WAT space theory but what the hell we have enough in our kitty! Its important we wish something for others as well. And if you ask me I feel the 5th one is more important than the above 4.
I also know with the street smart people in our country any of the above 5 could be misused to someone else’s benefit but here’s hoping that even if 60% of the efforts from the above reach to those its intended to then it would be great!
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Good points- My fav point is 3.
looks like traditional media companies are also using social site to populate their content, just came across this special economic times budget Group on orkut,
http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=44817433