Page 15 - Banking Finance December 2020
P. 15

ROUNDUP

         it to be extended to all the other em-  Receipts and American Depository  "In the case of other regulations, it is
         ployees," he added.                Receipts. As part of the Companies  likely that they would have to follow
         A tier-II account under NPS is not a  Amendment Act, 2020 passed in the  the stricter of two regulations," said
         compulsory account, one can have it  monsoon session of Parliament, an  the official.
                                            enabling provision was brought by the
         along with the tier-I account, he said,
                                            government allowing certain compa-
         adding the benefit with tier II account                               Draft rules under code on
                                            nies to list securities in foreign jurisdic-
         is that it can be withdrawn immedi-                                   social security released
                                            tions.
         ately.                                                                The Ministry of Labour and Employ-
         Last month, the Finance Ministry had  "The conditions under which compa-  ment has released draft rules for the
         kicked off the exercise to prepare the  nies will be allowed to list directly on  Code on Social Security, 2020 for com-
         Budget for 2021-22 amid the urgency  foreign exchanges will be based on  ments from stakeholders. The draft
         to revive the economy hit by the   meeting certain thresholds including  rules are linked to provisions relating
                                            average profit over the past three
         COVID-19 pandemic.                                                    to Employees' Provident Fund
                                            years, paid-up share capital, securities
                                                                               Organisation (EPFO), Employees' State
                                            premium and the value of intangible
         Russian firm looks to buy                                             Insurance Corporation (ESIC), National
                                            and tangible assets of the company,"
         Reliance Naval                     said a government official aware of  Social Security Board for unorganised
                                                                               workers, gig workers and platform
         Most shipbuilding companies are back-  developments.                  workers outlined in the Code on Social
         ing away from purchasing Anil      The official said a company would likely  Security.
         Ambani's Reliance Naval and Engineer-  be required to meet any three of six
         ing Ltd (RNaval), which is being sold to  such criteria to be eligible for direct  The draft rules provide for Aadhaar-
         pay its debts.                     foreign listing.                   based registration including self-regis-
                                                                               tration by unorganised workers, gig
         However, Russia's state-owned United  The ability for Indian companies to list  workers and platform workers on the
         Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) remains  ordinary shares on foreign exchanges  portal of the Central government, the
         interested. Responding to a media re-  is expected to help them get better  Ministry said in a statement.
         port last month that said USC had  valuations, besides being an alterna-
         opted out of the bidding process, the  tive source to raise capital. The Cen-  For availing any benefit under any of
         Russian Embassy in India clarified: "USC  tre had received representations seek-  the social security schemes framed
         has never officially indicated its refusal  ing provisions to all companies to di-  under the Code, an unorganised
         to participate in the tender."     rectly list securities on foreign bourses,  worker or a gig worker or platform
                                                                               worker shall be required to be regis-
                                            especially from start-ups.         tered on the portal with details as may
         Norms allowing Indian              The official also said that initially, com-  be specified in the scheme, it said.
         companies to list on select        panies would only be permitted to list  The rules also provide for Aadhaar-
         foreign bourses to be no-          in the US, UK, Japan, South Korea,  based registration of building and other
                                            Germany and Canada and that the    construction workers (BOCW) on the
         tified soon                        Ministry would progressively add to the  specified portal of the Central govern-

         Indian companies will soon be able to  list of permissible jurisdictions.  ment and the state government or the
         get listed directly on foreign stock ex-  Another government official noted  State Welfare Board. When a building
         changes as the Ministry of Corporate  that certain issues regarding foreign  worker migrates from one state to
         Affairs is set to notify regulations allow-  listing still needed to be ironed out and  another, he shall be entitled to get
         ing Indian companies to get listed in
                                            that companies being listed abroad  benefits in the state where he is cur-
         select foreign jurisdictions, according  may need to publish two sets of finan-  rently working, and it shall be the re-
         to government officials.           cial statements to deal with any differ-  sponsibility of the Building Workers
         Currently, Indian companies are able to  ences in regulatory requirements be-  Welfare Board of that state to provide
         list their shares on foreign stock ex-  tween India and the jurisdiction in  benefits to such a worker, the state-
         changes through Global Depository  which they are being listed.       ment added.


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