Since the time the FM finished presenting his budget. I have been pondering since then one proposal... farmer loan waiver costing Rs 60,000. This proposal makes sense only when i look at it from two perspectives... the first, from the perspective the farmer who gets the waiver and second, from the perspective of the parties in the UPA government which have instantly won a huge vote bank.
The more i think about this proposal, the more downsides i note. Isn't this move a disincentive for farmers to be honest in repayments? How would a farmer who repaid the loan by taking pains to save money, cutting down on his meals feel?? Shouldn't the farmers who repaid honestly be also given the money back??
Mind you, I am not against the Government helping the poor farmers. I am against the way of helping them. I am against rewarding the defaulting farmers and leaving out the farmers who were prompt in repayment. I am sure there would have been honest farmers who would have sold parcels of land to repay loans. Why should only the farmers who borrowed be benefited? Why shouldn't this amount be given as a one time grant to all farmers? The farmers who have borrowed can use it to repay the loans and the other can have this as a saving. That way you incentivize the honest farmer do not do any harm to the farmer with a loan.
This loan waiver scheme is akin to the VDIS scheme. The scheme in my view encourages farmers not to repay just like a VDIS encourages black money. Farmers don't repay with a hope of getting a wavier once in five years or so. There is no economic sense in farmer loan wavier. There is only political sense. I am sure the Finance Minister would not have taken this step had this not been his last budget. T
his move is clearly done only with an eye on the ballot. I am sure the farmers loan waiver will be something which Ms Sonia Gandhi and her team will talk about in all their election speeches!!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Free On Board.......
The proposed issue of bonus shares has been approved by the Board of Reliance Power and the Company will seek the shareholders approval through a postal ballot shortly. Some of the issues that i had rasied have been addressed. I have discussed below the current status of the issues i had highlighted.
1. Legal framework
I have extracted below the response given by Reliance Power to the stock exchanges in response to some of the questions raised by BSE:
"The proposed Bonus Issue will be made by the Company in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Articles of Association and the Listing Agreement and subject to the approval of Shareholders. The Promoters of the Company have indicated to waive their entitlement for the said bonus shares in accordance with law and in the broader interest of protecting and enhancing value for over 4 million institutional and retail investors of the Company. Accordingly no bonus shares will be issued and allotted to the Promoters."
This issues appears settled though i would want to know what resoultions they would pass, which sections of the Companies Act they would rely on, etc.
2. How will he chose the eligible investors?
I have extracted below the response given by Reliance Power to the stock exchanges in response to some of the questions raised by BSE:
"Bonus Shares will be issued as above to all Members (excluding Promoters) who are identified as Shareholders of the Company on the Record Date, which shall be fixed by the Company in consultation with the Stock Exchanges and in compliance with provisions of the Listing Agreement."
It is clear that the company is yet to decide on the eligible investors list and they would be depend on the record date. Fixing of the record date assumes importance given the discussions in my earlier post.
3. Will the shareholders actually profit or will it be a perception??
This would depend on the listing price post-bonus. We will have to wait and watch!!
4. How will it impact Reliance Energy Limited??
This issue has been addressed and has been addressed well. Anil Ambani proposes to transfer shares free of cost to REL to maintain the 45% shareholding that REL has in Reliance Power. This is a welcome move as far as the shareholder of REL (including me) are concerned.
The most important aspect would be the "Record Date". The "gift" (if it can be called so) of shares by ADAG group companies to REL would open up discussions on a few more tax and legal issues!! This is a space worth watching and i would continue to keep on eye on this.
1. Legal framework
I have extracted below the response given by Reliance Power to the stock exchanges in response to some of the questions raised by BSE:
"The proposed Bonus Issue will be made by the Company in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Articles of Association and the Listing Agreement and subject to the approval of Shareholders. The Promoters of the Company have indicated to waive their entitlement for the said bonus shares in accordance with law and in the broader interest of protecting and enhancing value for over 4 million institutional and retail investors of the Company. Accordingly no bonus shares will be issued and allotted to the Promoters."
This issues appears settled though i would want to know what resoultions they would pass, which sections of the Companies Act they would rely on, etc.
2. How will he chose the eligible investors?
I have extracted below the response given by Reliance Power to the stock exchanges in response to some of the questions raised by BSE:
"Bonus Shares will be issued as above to all Members (excluding Promoters) who are identified as Shareholders of the Company on the Record Date, which shall be fixed by the Company in consultation with the Stock Exchanges and in compliance with provisions of the Listing Agreement."
It is clear that the company is yet to decide on the eligible investors list and they would be depend on the record date. Fixing of the record date assumes importance given the discussions in my earlier post.
3. Will the shareholders actually profit or will it be a perception??
This would depend on the listing price post-bonus. We will have to wait and watch!!
4. How will it impact Reliance Energy Limited??
This issue has been addressed and has been addressed well. Anil Ambani proposes to transfer shares free of cost to REL to maintain the 45% shareholding that REL has in Reliance Power. This is a welcome move as far as the shareholder of REL (including me) are concerned.
The most important aspect would be the "Record Date". The "gift" (if it can be called so) of shares by ADAG group companies to REL would open up discussions on a few more tax and legal issues!! This is a space worth watching and i would continue to keep on eye on this.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Unconventional Power!!!
There are many things unconventional about Reliance Power's IPO and the happenings thereafter... the largest IPO, largest collection, largest refund, largest family of shareholders and to top it all... trading below the offer price from the day of listing!! Anil Ambani has now come up with another unconventional idea.... he has announced his plan to compensate investors with "free" bonus shares for the losses suffered!!
The Board of Reliance Power is meeting on February 24, 2008 to consider allotment of free bonus shares for all its shareholders other than the promoters as one of the measures to help curtail the losses incurred by its investors. This is the probably the first time a company is attempting to do something like this. This comes with its own share of issues:
1. Legal framework
In my opinion, a company has to allot bonus shares to all shareholders (of a particular class) and a company cannot allot bonus shares only to one group of shareholders (of a particular class). A shareholder can renounce his right to participate in a "rights issue", a shareholder may chose not to participate in a "buy-back offer", a shareholder may chose not to participate in a "open offer", I don’t think a shareholder can renounce his right to get bonus shares - Though a set of people argue that there is nothing in the law which prohibits a shareholder from renouncing his bonus shares. The moot question here is, are bonus shares optional?? The answer I think is "no".
Hence, it would be interesting to see how ADAG addresses this. He may get the promoters to renounce the bonus shares or get them to gift some of their shares to the investors.
2. How will he chose the eligible investors?
The second and a more important question is, how will Anil Ambani choose the investors who are eligible for the bonus shares?? Let us assume he chooses the list of shareholders who were allotted shares as a part of the IPO, then he would end up giving "free" shares to even people who have sold their shares at a profit (remember… there were trades on the first day at prices greater than Rs 430). Alternatively, let us assume he chooses today as a cut-off date and allots shares to all shareholders who hold shares today, then he would end up giving "free" shares to people who have purchased shares at less than Rs 430 and end up not giving "free" shares to people who sold shares at a loss between the day of listing and today (at a price less than Rs 430).
3. Will the shareholders actually profit or will it be a perception??
Finally, it would be interesting to watch if the shareholders will actually make any money. The EPS of the company (when it starts to make profits!!) will be lower after considering the fresh shares. Hence, the price should correct and go down a little. In my opinion, the share will not trade at the same price after the "free" shares are distributed and therefore ADAG may not compensate the shareholders by much (an investor holding 10 shares while the price is Rs 400 is not worse off compared to an investor holding 16 when the price is Rs 250).
4. How will it impact Reliance Energy Limited??
As per the press release from Reliance Power - "the promoters have indicated that they will accept the dilution of the promoter group's shareholding in Reliance Power in the broader interest of protecting investors". As per the offer documents, the post-IPO holding of the promoter group would be around 89% and Reliance Energy Limited owns almost 45% of the company (post-IPO). The above statement would mean that Reliance Energy Limited has indicated that it is accepting the dilution. Doesn't this require the approval of the shareholders of REL? Isn't this move to dilute a holding in Reliance Power detrimental to the shareholders of REL? Wouldn’t this affect the valuation of REL?
The Reliance Power Board is meeting on February 24, 2008 to consider options to reduce the cost of acquisition of the shares and help the investors cut their losses. One of the proposals being considered is the issue of “free” bonus shares discussed above. The top brass and the legal team of ADAG will really have to “POWER ON” their brains to achieve the above… else the Street will “POWER OFF” all future issues of ADAG.
The Board of Reliance Power is meeting on February 24, 2008 to consider allotment of free bonus shares for all its shareholders other than the promoters as one of the measures to help curtail the losses incurred by its investors. This is the probably the first time a company is attempting to do something like this. This comes with its own share of issues:
1. Legal framework
In my opinion, a company has to allot bonus shares to all shareholders (of a particular class) and a company cannot allot bonus shares only to one group of shareholders (of a particular class). A shareholder can renounce his right to participate in a "rights issue", a shareholder may chose not to participate in a "buy-back offer", a shareholder may chose not to participate in a "open offer", I don’t think a shareholder can renounce his right to get bonus shares - Though a set of people argue that there is nothing in the law which prohibits a shareholder from renouncing his bonus shares. The moot question here is, are bonus shares optional?? The answer I think is "no".
Hence, it would be interesting to see how ADAG addresses this. He may get the promoters to renounce the bonus shares or get them to gift some of their shares to the investors.
2. How will he chose the eligible investors?
The second and a more important question is, how will Anil Ambani choose the investors who are eligible for the bonus shares?? Let us assume he chooses the list of shareholders who were allotted shares as a part of the IPO, then he would end up giving "free" shares to even people who have sold their shares at a profit (remember… there were trades on the first day at prices greater than Rs 430). Alternatively, let us assume he chooses today as a cut-off date and allots shares to all shareholders who hold shares today, then he would end up giving "free" shares to people who have purchased shares at less than Rs 430 and end up not giving "free" shares to people who sold shares at a loss between the day of listing and today (at a price less than Rs 430).
3. Will the shareholders actually profit or will it be a perception??
Finally, it would be interesting to watch if the shareholders will actually make any money. The EPS of the company (when it starts to make profits!!) will be lower after considering the fresh shares. Hence, the price should correct and go down a little. In my opinion, the share will not trade at the same price after the "free" shares are distributed and therefore ADAG may not compensate the shareholders by much (an investor holding 10 shares while the price is Rs 400 is not worse off compared to an investor holding 16 when the price is Rs 250).
4. How will it impact Reliance Energy Limited??
As per the press release from Reliance Power - "the promoters have indicated that they will accept the dilution of the promoter group's shareholding in Reliance Power in the broader interest of protecting investors". As per the offer documents, the post-IPO holding of the promoter group would be around 89% and Reliance Energy Limited owns almost 45% of the company (post-IPO). The above statement would mean that Reliance Energy Limited has indicated that it is accepting the dilution. Doesn't this require the approval of the shareholders of REL? Isn't this move to dilute a holding in Reliance Power detrimental to the shareholders of REL? Wouldn’t this affect the valuation of REL?
The Reliance Power Board is meeting on February 24, 2008 to consider options to reduce the cost of acquisition of the shares and help the investors cut their losses. One of the proposals being considered is the issue of “free” bonus shares discussed above. The top brass and the legal team of ADAG will really have to “POWER ON” their brains to achieve the above… else the Street will “POWER OFF” all future issues of ADAG.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Powerful tool.....
I have got a response to my RTI application.... I now know the amount that the State Government spent to run the assembly sessions. My application has been forwarded to other departments for the balance information (ie cost of the swearing in ceremony, setting up new offices, etc)........ I now believe filing applications under the RTI Act is a powerful tool..... We should start using it to make our netas and babus more accountable!!
Friday, November 30, 2007
One done... one to go!
As discussed in my below blog, i had decided to file applications under the RTI requesting for information on amount spent by the State Government. I have already filed 2 applications under the RTI and i am currently working on the PIL!!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
New CM to Former CM in a week......
Just when it was time for the media to transition from calling Yeddyurappa a "new CM" to calling him a "CM"... he has become the "former CM". I was driving in front of Vidhana Soudha about an hour after the swearing in ceremony last week and I happened to take a few pictures to show what a mess the road was.... but by the time I could post this blog... the whole state appears to be in a mess!!!
All this is due to one person... Deve Gowda. I am really curious to know the expenditure incurred on having a swearing in ceremony, running the government for 7 days, changing all office name board, etc. All these expenses have been incurred only because of Deve Gowda. All these expenses have been incurred with our money (ie tax payers money). Had he (ie JDS) not changed his stand, Yeddy would not have been sworn in nor would he have resigned. 
It is criminal to make the State incur expenses of this magnitude for ones personal whims and fancies especially when the roads, infrastructure is in such pathetic state.
I am seriously exploring options to get the above expense details using the RTI and thereafter explore the option of filing a PIL requiring the government to recover these expenses from Deve Gowda. Anybody willing to support me in this cause is welcome.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Dilemma in case of road accidents……
I have always been in a dilemma - whether or not to get down and help - when I have witnessed a road accident. On a few occasions I have got down to help and see if the person involved in accident is an acquaintance.
Early this morning, I was driving back home after filling fuel for my car. I was driving down the Tyagarajanagar police station road. Suddenly an ASI of police (traffic) drove out of the police station in his white bullet and another guy was approaching the police station on his pulsar from the opposite direction and he was driving quite fast.
Within seconds, the ASI and the guy on pulsar collided right in front of the police station and I braked suddenly. Luckily, I was atleast 10 feel away from where they collided. The ASI fell on the ground and the guy on pulsar managed to regain his balance and drove past me in the same speed. I saw the ASI on the ground and his walkie-talkie was thrown off and landed right in front of my car. I got down, picked up the walkie-talkie and helped the ASI stand on his feet.
The first few words from the cop shocked me beyond belief. I had expected a thank you or silence at the most! To my surprise, the ASI started shouting at me and asked why I was driving so fast and why I was careless!!! Just then 3-4 other policemen and policewomen (there is a women’s police station next door) came out and all of them thought I had hit the ASI!!
Thankfully, two elderly gentlemen who were walking by informed that I had not hit the ASI and that it was another guy on another bike. It was only after that, one of the other cops took his bike and started chasing the biker who had actually hit the ASI.
I have been wondering ever since as to whether I did the right thing in getting down! But for the two elderly gentlemen, I could have been in serious mess. If this could happen to me when I got down helping a policeman, I just can’t imagine what my fate would have been had I got down to help any other motorist who was knocked down on the road!! This incident will surely make me think twice before I get off to help an accident victim the next time…..
Early this morning, I was driving back home after filling fuel for my car. I was driving down the Tyagarajanagar police station road. Suddenly an ASI of police (traffic) drove out of the police station in his white bullet and another guy was approaching the police station on his pulsar from the opposite direction and he was driving quite fast.
Within seconds, the ASI and the guy on pulsar collided right in front of the police station and I braked suddenly. Luckily, I was atleast 10 feel away from where they collided. The ASI fell on the ground and the guy on pulsar managed to regain his balance and drove past me in the same speed. I saw the ASI on the ground and his walkie-talkie was thrown off and landed right in front of my car. I got down, picked up the walkie-talkie and helped the ASI stand on his feet.
The first few words from the cop shocked me beyond belief. I had expected a thank you or silence at the most! To my surprise, the ASI started shouting at me and asked why I was driving so fast and why I was careless!!! Just then 3-4 other policemen and policewomen (there is a women’s police station next door) came out and all of them thought I had hit the ASI!!
Thankfully, two elderly gentlemen who were walking by informed that I had not hit the ASI and that it was another guy on another bike. It was only after that, one of the other cops took his bike and started chasing the biker who had actually hit the ASI.
I have been wondering ever since as to whether I did the right thing in getting down! But for the two elderly gentlemen, I could have been in serious mess. If this could happen to me when I got down helping a policeman, I just can’t imagine what my fate would have been had I got down to help any other motorist who was knocked down on the road!! This incident will surely make me think twice before I get off to help an accident victim the next time…..
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