Dear Members,
Your Directors have pleasure in presenting the Twenty Fi)th Annual
Report together with the audited financial statements of
Entertainment Network (India) Limited [the Company?/
ENIL?] for the financial year ended March 31, 2024.
The financial statements for the financial year ended March 31, 2024
have been prepared in accordance with the Indian Accounting Standards (hereinafter
referred to as the Ind AS?) as notified by Ministry of Corporate Affairs
pursuant to Section 133 of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 3 of the Companies
(Indian Accounting Standards) Rules, 2015 and relevant amendments issued thereafter.
1. Financial Highlights
|
Standalone |
Consolidated |
|
Financial Year 2023-24 |
Financial Year 2022-23 |
Financial Year 2023-24 |
Financial Year 2022-23 |
Revenue from operations |
51,977.00 |
48,693.30 |
53,555.31 |
51,128.86 |
Other income |
2,703.91 |
2,251.94 |
2,769.94 |
2,637.02 |
Profit before Depreciation, Finance Costs, Exceptional items
and Tax Expense |
12,426.19 |
(6,752.89) |
13,357.04 |
(5,899.37) |
Less: Depreciation and amortisation expenses |
7,555.55 |
7,753.08 |
7,980.33 |
9,002.09 |
Profit/(Loss) before Finance Costs, Exceptional items and Tax
Expense from continuing operations |
4,870.64 |
(14,505.97) |
5,376.71 |
(14,901.46) |
Less: Finance Costs |
1,474.67 |
1,547.28 |
1,537.69 |
1,748.75 |
Profit/(Loss) before Exceptional items and Tax Expense |
3,395.97 |
(16,053.25) |
3,839.02 |
(16,650.21) |
Exceptional items |
54.52 |
(1,778.48) |
131.56 |
(263.13) |
Profit/(Loss) before Tax Expense from continuing operations |
3,450.49 |
(17,831.73) |
3,970.58 |
(16,913.34) |
Less: Tax Expense (Current & Deferred) |
636.77 |
(472.65) |
672.37 |
(450.10) |
Profit/ (Loss) for the year |
2,813.72 |
(17,359.08) |
3,298.21 |
(16,463.24) |
Attributable to: |
|
|
|
|
Shareholders of the Company |
2,813.72 |
(17,359.08) |
3,248.19 |
(16,486.66) |
Non-controlling interest |
|
|
50.02 |
23.42 |
Balance of profit for earlier years |
35,748.86 |
53,554.69 |
35,496.91 |
52,443.60 |
Other comprehensive income/(Loss) for the year |
(74.54) |
29.96 |
(74.54) |
29.96 |
Transfer to Legal Reserves |
|
|
(6.38) |
(13.29) |
Dividend paid on Equity Shares |
(476.70) |
(476.70) |
(476.70) |
(476.70) |
Reversal of GGL Profits for allocation to assets |
15,255.24 |
|
15,255.72 |
|
Balance carried forward |
53,266.58 |
35,748.86 |
53,443.19 |
35,496.91 |
Non-controlling interest |
|
|
112.78 |
62.76 |
2. Financial Performance, Operations and the state of the
Company?s affairs
The total income of the Company increased from
Rs 50,945.24 lakhs during the previous year to Rs 54,680.91 lakhs
during the year under review. Loss after tax declined from (17,359.08) lakhs during the
previous year to profit of Rs 2,813.72 lakhs during the year under review.
On a consolidated basis, the total income of the Company increased from
Rs 53,765.88 lakhs during the previous year to Rs 56,325.25 lakhs during the year under
review. Loss declined from (16,463.24) lakhs during the previous year to profit of Rs
3,298.21 lakhs during the year under review.
There were no material changes and commitments affecting the financial
position of the Company which have occurred between the end of the financial year of the
Company to which these financial statements relate and the date of this Report. There has
been no change in the nature of the business of the Company.
In December 2023, the Company executed the Business Transfer Agreement
(BTA?) with Gamma Gaana Limited (GGL?) for acquisition of the
business undertaking of GGL relating to the business of licensing music audio content and
hosting and streaming services under the name Gaana?, on a going concern basis
through a slump sale, for a lump sum cash consideration of Rupees twenty five lakhs. Gaana
is in the business of providing subscription based Music Streaming Service.
The high licensing fees and ongoing losses rendered operations in the
Kingdom of Bahrain unfeasible. Consequently, during the financial year ended March 31,
2023, the Company issued a notice of termination to the Ministry of Information Affairs
(MOIA), Government of Bahrain, indicating its inability to continue services in the
region, and the Company had also made an additional provision of Rs 263.13 lakhs for an
onerous contract. Following the constructive discussions and negotiations with MOIA,
during the financial year under ended March 31, 2024, the Company was granted a five-year
license to operate an entertainment radio channel and the Company received a waiver of the
previously mentioned onerous contract provision, resulting in a reversal of the amount of
Rs 263.13 lakhs. For a detailed explanation, please refer to Note 47 in both the
standalone and consolidated financial statements.
In March 2022, the Company made an additional investment of Rs 268.18
lakhs for 132,552 equity shares of BHD 1 each. As at March 31, 2024, the process for
increasing its paid-up share capital to 2,82,552 shares of BHD 1 each has been completed.
As a result, the revised number of shares against the above investment are restated to
2,82,552 shares of BHD 1 each.
In April 2023, Hon?ble Madras High Court ruled on an appeal filed
by Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) against the 2% Net Advertisement Revenue (NAR)
rate set by the Copyright Board for the period of ten years ending September 2020. The
Hon?ble Madras High Court upheld the original rate but introduced a minimum floor
rate of Rs. 660 per needle hour. The Company has filed a special leave petition with the
Supreme Court, which has been converted into an appeal and will be heard in due course.
There is no proceeding pending under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. There was
no instance of onetime settlement with any bank or financial institution.
3. Transfer to reserves
The Board of Directors (Board?) of your Company has decided
not to transfer any amount to the reserves for the financial year under review.
4. Dividend
Your Directors are pleased to recommend a dividend @ 15% i.e., Rs 1.50
(Rupee one and fifty paise only) per equity share of Rs 10/- each for the financial year
ended March 31, 2024, aggregating Rs 715.06 lakhs. The dividend payment is subject to the
approval of the shareholders at the ensuing Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Board of
Directors has approved and adopted the Dividend Distribution Policy of the Company and
dividend recommendation and payout are in accordance with the Company?s Dividend
Distribution Policy.
As per the Income-tax Act, 1961, dividends paid or distributed by the
Company shall be taxable in the hands of the Members. Your Company shall, accordingly,
make the payment of the dividend after deduction of tax at source.
The dividend, if declared at the AGM, would be paid within thirty days
from the date of declaration of dividend through electronic mode to the Members who have
updated their bank account details and dividend warrants/ demand drafts would be
dispatched at the registered address of the Members who have not updated their bank
account details, to those persons or their mandates: whose names appear as beneficial
owners as at the end of the business hours on Thursday, September 19, 2024 in the list of
the Beneficial Owners to be obtained from the Depositories i.e., National Securities
Depository Limited [NSDL] and Central Depository Services (India) Limited [CDSL], in
respect of the shares held in electronic/ dematerialized mode; and whose names appear as
Members in the Register of Members of the Company as at the end of the business hours on
Thursday, September 19, 2024, in respect of the shares held in physical mode.
As per the provisions of Sections 124 and 125 of the Companies Act,
2013 read with the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (Accounting, Audit,
Transfer and Refund) Rules, 2016, the dividend that remains unclaimed/unpaid/ un-encashed
for a period of seven years and Equity Shares of the Company, in respect of which dividend
entitlements have remained unclaimed or unpaid for seven consecutive years or more, are
required to be transferred by the Company to the Investor Education and Protection Fund
(IEPF?), established by the Central Government. Details of the unclaimed
dividend amount is available on the Company website - www.enil.co.in at the url:
https://www.enil. co.in/unclaimed-dividend.php. Calendar for transfer of unclaimed
dividend to IEPF has been stated in the notes to the Notice convening the AGM. Pursuant to
the guidelines issued by the IEPF Authority, Company Secretary has been nominated as the
Nodal Officer to facilitate the refund of the claims of the unpaid (unclaimed) dividend
(e-mail ID: mehul.shah@timesgroup.com).
The shareholders whose dividend / shares are/ will be transferred to
the IEPF Authority can claim the same from IEPF Authority by following the Refund
Procedure as detailed on the website of IEPF Authority: http://www. iepf.gov.in at
http://www.iepf.gov.in/IEPF/refund.html.
The Company has transferred Rs 23,419, being the unpaid or unclaimed
dividends declared for the financial year 2015-16 and 1,118 equity shares to the IEPF
Authority as per the provisions of Sections 124 and 125 of the Companies Act, 2013 read
with the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (Accounting, Audit, Transfer and
Refund) Rules, 2016. Details of dividends and shares transferred to the IEPF Authority are
available on the Company website- www.enil.co.in at the url: https://www.enil.
co.in/unclaimed-dividend.php and also on the website of IEPF Authority and the same can be
accessed through the link: www.iepf.gov.in.
5. Deposits
The Company has not accepted any deposit from the public/ members under
Section 73 of the Companies Act, 2013 read with the Companies (Acceptance of Deposits)
Rules, 2014 during the financial year under review. Consequently, there is no requirement
for furnishing details related to the deposit covered under Chapter V of the Companies
Act, 2013.
6. Directors and Key Managerial Personnel
In accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 (the
Act?) read with the applicable rules thereto, Mr. Subramanian Narayanan (Mr. N.
Subramanian) (DIN: 03083775) retires by rotation at the ensuing AGM and being eligible,
offers himself for reappointment. The Board of Directors recommends the reappointment of
Mr. N. Subramanian as the Director of the Company.
Mr. N. Subramanian resigned as the Group Chief Financial Officer
(Group CFO?) of the Company. With effect from July 1, 2023, he took up a larger
role in the holding company of the Company, i.e., Bennet Coleman and Company Limited
(BCCL). Accordingly, with effect from July 1, 2023, Mr. N Subramanian ceased to be the
Group CFO and Key Managerial Personnel (KMP?) of the Company under the
provisions of Section 203 of the Companies Act, 2013. With effect from July 1, 2023, Mr.
N. Subramanian also ceased to be the Executive Director of the Company and continued to
serve on the Board of the Company as a Non-Executive Non-Independent Director without a
break in his term as a Director.
Mr. Sanjay Kumar Ballabh was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer
and Key Managerial Personnel of the Company with effect from July 1, 2023.
The Board of Directors, at their meeting held on February 13, 2024,
considered and approved the appointment of Mr. Mohit Gupta (DIN: 06427582) as the
Additional Director (Independent Director) for a term of five years effective from March
19, 2024 to March 18, 2029. Shareholders of the Company approved the appointment of Mr.
Mohit Gupta as the Independent Director, through Postal Ballot Voting Process on April 19,
2024.
The Company has received the consent, declarations and confirmations
from all the Independent Directors of the Company pursuant to the provisions of Section
149 and all other applicable provisions of the Act and the Securities and Exchange Board
of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015
[Listing Regulations?] stating that they meet the criteria of independence as
provided under the Act and the Listing Regulations and that they are not disqualified to
become directors under the Act. All the Independent Directors have confirmed that they are
not aware of any circumstance or situation, which exist or may be reasonably anticipated,
that could impair or impact their ability to discharge their duties with an objective
independent judgment and without any external influence and that they are independent of
the management. The Board of Directors took on record the said declarations and
confirmations submitted by the Independent Directors under applicable provisions of the
Act and the Listing Regulations after undertaking due assessment of the veracity of the
same. In the opinion of the Board of Directors, all the Independent Directors fulfill the
criteria of independence as provided under the Act, rules made thereunder, read with the
Listing Regulations and that they are independent of the management.
The Board of Directors is of the opinion that all the Independent
Directors of the Company hold the highest standards of integrity and possess the requisite
expertise and experience required to fulfill their duties as Independent Directors.
All the Independent Directors have confirmed that they have complied
with the provisions of Section 150 of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 6 of the
Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules, 2014 regarding applying
online to the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs at Manesar (IICA?) for
inclusion of their names in the databank maintained by IICA and also filed the application
for renewal of the same.
The Independent Directors have complied with the Code for Independent
Directors prescribed in Schedule IV to the Act and the Code of Conduct for directors and
senior management personnel formulated by the Company.
The Company has received all the relevant consent, documents,
declarations, confirmation from the directors proposed to be appointed and reappointed and
they are not disqualified to hold the office of directors under the Act.
As per the requirement of the circular from the stock exchange (no:
LIST/COMP/14/2018-19 Dated June 20, 2018), the Board of Directors and its Nomination &
Remuneration Committee, while considering the appointment and reappointment of the
directors, have verified and affirmed that they are not debarred from holding the office
of director by virtue of any Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI?)
order or any other such authority.
Certificate from the Company Secretary in Practice has been attached
with the Report of Corporate Governance, confirming that none of the directors on the
Board of the Company have been debarred or disqualified from being appointed or continuing
as directors of companies by the SEBI/ Ministry of Corporate Affairs or any such statutory
authority.
As stipulated under the Listing Regulations and Secretarial Standards,
details in respect of the directors seeking appointment and reappointment at the AGM, inter-alia,
age, qualifications, experience, details of remuneration last drawn by such persons,
relationship with other directors and Key Managerial Personnel of the Company, the number
of Meetings of the Board attended during the year and other directorships, membership/
chairmanship of the committees of other Boards, shareholding, etc. are annexed to the
Notice convening the AGM.
None of the Directors are related with each other or key managerial
personnel (inter-se).
Details of the number of meetings of the Board of Directors and
Committees and attendance at the meetings have been furnished in the Report on
Corporate Governance.
Following persons are designated as the Key Managerial Personnel (KMP):
Mr. Yatish Mehrishi: Manager & Chief Executive Officer Mr. Sanjay Kumar Ballabh: Chief
Financial Officer Mr. Mehul Shah: EVP Compliance & Company Secretary
7. Annual evaluation of performance of the Board, its Committees
and individual directors
The Board of Directors is committed to continued improvement in its
effectiveness. Accordingly, the Board, its Committees and individual directors
participated in the annual formal evaluation of its performance. This was designed to
ensure, amongst other things, that the Board, its Committees and each director continue to
contribute effectively.
Evaluation of the performance of the Board, its Committees and
individual directors involved structured questionnaire-driven discussions that covered a
number of key areas / evaluation criteria including the roles and responsibilities, size
and composition of the Board and its Committees, meaningful and constructive contribution
and inputs in the meetings, dynamics of the Board and its Committees and the relationship
between the Board and management. Chairman of the
Board of Directors had meetings with the Independent Directors.
Chairman of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee had meetings with the Non-
Independent Directors. Independent Directors, at their Meeting led by the Chairman of the
Nomination & Remuneration Committee, reviewed the performance of the Chairman,
Non-Independent Directors and the Board as a whole in respect of the financial year under
review. The Independent Directors, in the said meeting, also assessed the quality,
quantity and timeliness of flow of information between the Company management and the
Board that is necessary for the Board to effectively and reasonably perform their duties.
These meetings were intended to obtain Directors? inputs on effectiveness of the
Board/ Committee processes. The evaluation of the Independent Directors was conducted by
the entire Board of Directors which included performance of the Directors and fulfilment
of the independence criteria as specified in the Listing Regulations and their
independence from the management. In the above evaluation, the Directors who were subject
to evaluation did not participate. The results of the evaluation were discussed with the
relevant Committees and collectively by the Board as a whole. Constructive feedback was
also sought on the contributions of individual Directors.
Formal Annual Evaluation was carried out in compliance with all the
applicable provisions of the Act and the Listing Regulations. During the Board Evaluation,
it was observed that the Board of Directors, as a whole, is functioning as an integrated
body helping the board discussion to be rich and value adding. The Board has an optimum
balance of discussion between operational and strategic issues. The Board is proactively
engaged on the key matters concerning talent, strategy, governance, etc. There are
specific areas identified by the Board as a part of this evaluation exercise for the Board
to engage itself with. The Directors were satisfied with the evaluation results, which
reflected the overall engagement of the Board and its Committees with the Company.
8. Board Familiarization Program
At the time of appointment of a new director, through the induction
process, he/ she is familiarized with the Company, director?s roles, rights,
responsibilities in the Company, nature of the industry in which the Company operates,
business model of the Company, etc. Detailed presentations are made before the Board
Members at the Board and its Committee meetings covering various areas including business
strategy, branding, programming, financial performance and forecast, compliances/
regulatory updates, audit reports, risk assessment and mitigation, etc. The details of the
familiarization program are available on the Company?s website at: https://www.
enil.co.in at web link: https://www.enil.co.in/policies-and-code-of-conduct.php
9. Policy on directors? appointment and remuneration
The Company?s Policy on the Directors? appointment and
remuneration including criteria for determining qualifications, positive attributes,
independence of director and other matters as provided under Section 178 of the Act is
titled as Nomination & Remuneration Policy, and is available on the Company?s
website at: https:// www.enil.co.in at web link: https://www.enil.co.in/
policies-and-code-of-conduct.php and also appended as Annexure A to this Report.
10. Vigil Mechanism
The Company has an adequate and functional Whistle Blower
Policy? / Vigil Mechanism? in place. The objective of the Vigil Mechanism
is to provide the employees, directors, customers, vendors, contractors and other
stakeholders of /in the Company an impartial and fair avenue to raise genuine concerns
about unethical behaviour, actual or suspected fraud or violation of the Company?s
code of conduct and seek redressal, in line with the Company?s commitment to the
highest possible standards of ethical, moral and legal business conduct and fair dealings
with all its stakeholders and constituents and its commitment to open communication
channels. Vigil Mechanism provides adequate safeguards against victimization of persons
who use such mechanism for whistle blowing in good faith and it also ensures that the
interests of the person who uses such Mechanism are not prejudicially affected on account
of such use. The Board of Directors affirms and confirms that no personnel have been
denied access to the Audit Committee. The Policy contains the provision for direct access
to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee in appropriate or exceptional cases.
Whistle Blower Policy/ Vigil Mechanism is available on the
Company?s website at: https://www.enil.co.in at web link:
https://www.enil.co.in/policies-and-code-of-conduct.php
11. Audit Committee
The Audit Committee of the Company consists of the following Directors
as on the date of this Report: Mr. N. Kumar Chairman (Independent Non- Executive
Director) Mr. Ravindra Kulkarni (Independent Non- Executive Director) Mr. Richard Saldanha
(Independent Non- Executive Director) Ms. Sukanya Kripalu (Independent Non- Executive
Director)
The Internal Auditors of the Company report directly to the Audit
Committee. All the recommendations of the Audit Committee were accepted by the Board of
Directors.
Brief description of terms of reference and other relevant details of
the Audit Committee have been furnished in the Report on Corporate Governance.
12. CSR Committee
The constitution, composition, quorum requirements, terms of reference,
role, powers, rights, obligations of Corporate Social Responsibility Committee [CSR
Committee?] are in conformity with the provisions of Section 135 and all other
applicable provisions of the Companies Act, 2013, read with the Companies (Corporate
Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 and all other applicable rules made under the
Companies Act, 2013 (including any statutory modification(s) or re-enactment or amendments
thereof).
The CSR Committee of the Company consists of the following Directors as
on the date of this Report: Mr. Vineet Jain Chairman (Non- Executive Director) Mr.
Ravindra Kulkarni (Independent Non- Executive Director) Mr. N. Subramanian (Non- Executive
Director)
During the financial year under review, the Committee met on May 4,
2023.
Brief description of terms of reference of the Committee inter-alia
includes:
Formulating and recommending to the Board of Directors (Board), a
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy which shall indicate the activities to be
undertaken by the Company as specified in Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013;
Recommending the amount of expenditure to be spent on the CSR activities to be undertaken
by the Company; Monitoring the CSR Policy of the Company from time to time; Formulating
and recommending to the Board, an Annual Action Plan in pursuance of its CSR Policy, which
shall include: the list of CSR projects or programmes that are approved to be undertaken
in areas or subjects specified in Schedule VII of the Act; the manner of execution of such
projects or programmes; the modalities of utilisation of funds and implementation
schedules for the Provided projects or programmes; monitoring and reporting mechanism for
the projects or programmes; and details of need and impact assessment, if any, for the
projects undertaken by the company; Approving specific projects, either new or ongoing, in
pursuance of the CSR Policy and the Annual Action Plan; Recommending to the Board any
alteration in the Annual Action Plan approved by the Board along with reasonable
justification; Monitoring, reviewing the progress of the CSR initiatives undertaken and
reporting of the CSR activities to the Board from time to time; Satisfying the Board on
the utilization of the funds disbursed for the purpose and in the manner approved by it;
Reviewing and recommending to the Board, the Annual Report on CSR activities to be
included in the Board?s report; Reviewing and recommending to the Board, if and to
the extent applicable, the need for impact assessment of the projects and appointment of
impact assessment agency and the impact assessment report to be obtained by the Company
from time to time; Undertaking such activities and carrying out such functions as may be
provided under Section 135 of the Act and the rules issued thereunder.
CSR Policy development and implementation:
The CSR Policy is available on the Company?s website at:
https://www.enil.co.in at web link: https://www.enil.
co.in/policies-and-code-of-conduct.php
CSR Policy Statement and Annual report on CSR activities as required
under the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 have been
appended as Annexure B to this Report.
13. Nomination & Remuneration Committee
The Nomination & Remuneration Committee of the Company comprises of
the following Directors as on the date of this Report: Mr. N. Kumar Chairman
(Independent Non- Executive Director) Mr. Ravindra Kulkarni (Independent Non- Executive
Director) Mr. Richard Saldanha (Independent Non- Executive Director) Ms. Sukanya Kripalu
(Independent Non- Executive Director) Mr. Vineet Jain (Non- Executive Director)
Brief description of terms of reference and other relevant details of
the Nomination & Remuneration Committee have been furnished in the Report on
Corporate Governance.
14. Stakeholders Relationship Committee
The Stakeholders Relationship Committee of the Company comprises of the
following Directors as on the date of this Report: Mr. Richard Saldanha Chairman
(Independent Non- Executive Director) Mr. Ravindra Kulkarni (Independent Non- Executive
Director) Mr. N. Subramanian (Non- Executive Director)
A brief description of terms of reference and other relevant details of
the Stakeholders Relationship Committee have been furnished in the Report on Corporate
Governance.
15. Audit Report
The Audit Report does not contain any qualification, reservation or
adverse remark or disclaimer. The Statutory Auditors of the Company have not reported any
details in respect of frauds as specified under Section 143(12) of the Act.
16. Auditors
The Members of the Company, at the 23rd AGM held on
September 27, 2022, had approved the appointment of Walker Chandiok & Co LLP,
Chartered Accountants (ICAI Firm Registration number - 001076N/ N500013) as the Statutory
Auditors of the Company for a term of five consecutive years, to hold the office
commencing from the conclusion of the 23rd AGM till the conclusion of the 28th
AGM. Walker Chandiok & Co LLP, Chartered Accountants have stated that they satisfy the
criteria provided in Section 141 of the Act.
17. Secretarial Auditor and report
The Board of Directors had appointed M/s. Hemanshu Kapadia &
Associates, Company Secretaries (C. P. No: 2285), to conduct the Secretarial Audit for the
financial year 2023-24. The Secretarial Audit Report for the financial year ended March
31, 2024 is appended as Annexure C-1 to this Report. The Secretarial Compliance
Report for the financial year ended March 31, 2024 is appended as Annexure C-2 to
this Report. The Secretarial Audit Report dated May 3, 2024 and Secretarial Compliance
Report dated May 3, 2024 do not contain any qualification, reservation or adverse remark
or disclaimer.
18. Cost Auditor and report
The Board of Directors, on recommendation of the Audit Committee
and pursuant to Section 148 and all other applicable provisions of the Act, read with the
Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014 and all other applicable rules made under the
Act (including any statutory modification(s) or re-enactment thereof for the time being in
force), has approved the appointment and remuneration of the Cost Auditors, M/s. R.
Nanabhoy & Co., Cost Accountants (Firm registration number- 00010) to conduct the
audit of the cost records of the Company for the financial year ending on March 31, 2025.
The aforesaid appointment of M/s. R. Nanabhoy & Co. is subject to the relevant
notifications, orders, rules, circulars, etc. issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs
and other regulatory authorities from time to time. The remuneration payable to M/s. R.
Nanabhoy & Co. shall be Rs 5,00,000 (Rupees five lakhs only) plus out of pocket
expenses and applicable mtaxes for the aforesaid audit. The remuneration payable to the
Cost Auditors is required to be ratified subsequently by the shareholders. Accordingly,
consent of the members has been sought for passing the resolution as set out at Item No. 4
of the Notice convening the AGM for ratification of the remuneration payable to the Cost
Auditors for the financial year ending on March 31, 2025.
Maintenance of cost records as specified by the Central Government
under Sub-section (1) of Section 148 of the Companies Act, 2013, is required by the
Company and accordingly, such accounts and records are made and maintained.
The Cost Audit Report for the financial year 2022-23 was filed on
August 22, 2023. The Cost Audit Report for the financial year 2023-24 will be filed on/
before the due date.
19. Conservation of Energy, Technology absorption and Foreign exchange
earnings and Outgo
The Company is in the business of Private FM Radio Broadcasting. Hence,
most of the information required to be provided relating to the Conservation of energy and
Technology absorption is not applicable.
However, the information, as applicable, is given hereunder:
a) Conservation of energy:
(i) Steps taken or impact on conservation of energy and the steps taken
by the Company for utilising alternate sources of energy:
Energy Conservation: We increased the efforts already executed
in the preceding years by regulating the electrical consumption at the transmitters,
studios and offices, which has resulted in substantial savings in energy cost in the
financial year under review.
Optimization of office spaces: As a part of our continuous
efforts in office space restructuring, we rationalised office space at more locations with
an efficient office design using LED lights and energy efficient electronic devices that
has contributed to reduction of about 40% in the energy consumption.
Sustainable practices: The Company has taken various steps to
improve processes and adopt new technologies. We?ve saved a lot of energy by closely
monitoring air conditioning (AC) usage and making adjustments, like setting studio ACs to
no lower than 25?C and lowering transmitter power during low-use times at night.
We?re also replacing older AC units with more energy-efficient models.
Power management enhancement: We reassessed power needs and
upgraded our backup power systems in fourteen more locations, greatly reducing power
consumption.
(ii) Capital investment in energy conservation equipment: Rs 1,008.15
lakhs
b) Technology absorption:
(i) The efforts made towards technology absorption and benefits derived
like product improvement, cost reduction, product development or import substitution: Your
Company has consistently taken initiatives to improve productivity and increase
efficiencies in processes.
Digital EMSIS: We deployed a custom digital media ad traffic
management solution for our consumer-facing digital business, which was also extended to
the Gaana line of business..
Chatbot: Our HR department introduced a chatbot to enhance
employee engagement and improve the overall employee experience. This also enabled
employees to access self-service options for their queries.
Tableau: We implemented Tableau, a centralized business
intelligence and data visualization tool, which has supported management in making
data-driven decisions.
FCT dropping: We developed and deployed customized software to
automate the manual process of FCT scheduling, significantly saving man-hours.
Networking & Hub Station Optimization:
We successfully replicated networking in seven stations with hub
markets. This networking solution led to savings in office operating costs, including
rentals, electricity, and other recurring expenses.
Transmitter upgrades: We replaced older, low-efficiency
transmitters in twenty three stations with new, high-efficiency designs that will
significantly reduce power consumption and improve coverage.
Network Security Management: We deployed Network Security
Manager software in the top eight markets for centralized firewall management, enhancing
our ability to monitor, analyze, and manage network threats and risks.
Advanced Threat Protection (ATP): We extended ATP solutions to
fifty additional key users to prevent cyber-attacks and malware through email. This
initiative has led to process improvements, higher productivity, better risk protection,
cost savings, time savings, and energy conservation.
(ii) Imported technology (imported during last three years reckoned
from the beginning of the financial year): The Company has not imported any new technology
in this financial year. Nevertheless, the Company has continued to use the latest
equipment and software for its business activities.
(iii) The expenditure incurred on Research & Development (R
& D): The Company has not spent any amount towards research and development
activities. The Company has been active in harnessing the latest technology available in
the industry.
c) Foreign exchange earnings and outgo:
The Foreign Exchange earned in terms of actual inflows during the year
and the Foreign Exchange outgo during the year in terms of actual outflows.
|
Financial Year 2023-24 |
Financial Year 2022-23 |
Foreign exchange earnings |
1324.31 |
1249.11 |
Foreign exchange outgo |
1324.79 |
816.79 |
20. Particulars of Employees
Disclosures pertaining to remuneration and other details as required
under Section 197 of the Act read with Rule 5(1) of the Companies (Appointment and
Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014 are appended as Annexure D to
this Report.
The Chief Executive Officer & Manager of the Company does not
receive any remuneration or commission from the Company?s holding or subsidiary
companies.
As per the provisions of Section 197 of the Act read with the Rules
5(2) and 5(3) of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel)
Rules, 2014, a statement showing the names and other relevant particulars of the employees
drawing remuneration in excess of the limits set out in the said rules forms part of the
Annual Report. As per the second proviso to Section 136(1) of the Act, the Annual Report
excluding the aforesaid information is being sent to the members of the Company. The said
information is made available for inspection by the Members basis the request being sent
on enil.investors@timesgroup.com without payment of fee and same will also be available
during the AGM. Any Member interested in obtaining such information may write to the
Company Secretary and the same will be furnished on request. The Annual Report is
available on the Company?s website at: www.enil.co.in.
21. Annual Return
Pursuant to Section 92(3) read with Section 134(3)(a) of the Act, the
Annual Return of the Company is available at the Company?s website:
(https://www.enil.co.in) at url: https://www.enil.co.in/financials-annual-reports.php.
22. Share Capital & Listing of Securities
During the financial year under review, the Company has not issued: any
shares, debentures, bonds, warrants or securities; any equity shares with differential
rights as to dividend, voting or otherwise; any shares to its employees under the
Employees Stock Option Scheme; any sweat equity shares.
During the financial year under review, the Company has not bought back
its shares, pursuant to the provisions of Section 68 of the Companies Act, 2013 and Rules
made thereunder.
No shares are held in trust for the benefits of employees. There is no
change in the capital structure of the Company during the financial year under review.
The equity shares of the Company are listed on BSE Limited (BSE) and
National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) since February 15, 2006. The annual listing
fee has been paid to each exchange. As required under the Listing Regulations, the Company
has executed the Uniform Listing Agreement with BSE and NSE.
23. Management Discussion and Analysis Report
Management Discussion and Analysis Report for the financial year
under review as stipulated under Regulation 34 of the Listing Regulations is set out in a
separate section forming part of this Report. The Company has adopted Integrated
Reporting. The information related to the Integrated Reporting forms part of the
Management Discussion & Analysis and Integrated Reporting has also been hosted on the
website of the Company: (https://www.enil.co.in) at url: https://
www.enil.co.in/financials-annual-reports.php.
24. Business Responsibility & Sustainability Report
As per Regulation 34 of the Listing Regulations, the Company has
published a separate Business Responsibility & Sustainability Report
(BRSR?) for the financial year under review and is attached as Annexure E
to this Report.
25. Corporate Governance
The Company is adhering to good corporate governance practices in every
sphere of its operations. The Company has taken adequate steps to comply with the
applicable provisions of Corporate Governance as stipulated under the Listing Regulations.
A separate Report on Corporate Governance is enclosed as a part of this Report
along with the Certificate from the Practicing Company Secretary.
26. Secretarial Standards
The Company complies with the applicable mandatory Secretarial
Standards issued by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
27. Directors? Responsibility Statement
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 134 of the Companies Act, 2013,
the Directors hereby confirm that:
a) in the preparation of the annual accounts for the financial year
ended on March 31, 2024, the applicable accounting standards have been followed and that
there are no material departures from the same;
b) they have selected such accounting policies and applied them
consistently and made judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent so as to
give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company at the end of the
financial year ended on March 31, 2024 and of the profit of the Company for that period;
c) they have taken proper and sufficient care for the maintenance of
adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013
for safeguarding the assets of the Company and for preventing and detecting fraud and
other irregularities;
d) they have prepared the annual accounts on a going concern basis;
e) they have laid down internal financial controls for the Company and
such internal financial controls are adequate and operating effectively; and
f) they have devised proper systems to ensure compliance with the
provisions of all applicable laws and such systems are adequate and operating effectively.
28. Contracts and arrangements with related parties
All contracts / arrangements / transactions entered into by the Company
during the financial year under review with related parties were on an arm?s length
basis.
Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited (BCCL?) is the
holding company and a related party.
In order to achieve efficiencies in Ad sales, business synergies,
economics of scale and also to optimize costs, the Company and BCCL have entered into
various contracts/ arrangements/ transactions relating to the transfer and / or availing
of resources, services or obligations in the past and propose to continue with such
contracts/ arrangements/ transactions in the future too.
In compliance with Regulation 23 of the Listing Regulations, Members of
the Company granted approval for the contracts/ arrangements/ transactions entered into
and/ or to be entered into with BCCL relating to the transfer and / or availing of
resources, services or obligations, for each of the five financial years of the Company
commencing from April 1, 2020, exceeding ten percent of the annual consolidated turnover
of the Company as per the last audited financial statements of the Company but not
exceeding the aggregate value of Rs 200 crore (Rupees two hundred crore only) per
annum, on such terms and conditions as may be mutually agreed between the Company and
BCCL.
Details of the Material Related Party Transactions entered
during the year by the Company, as required under Section 134(3) (h) of the Act (in Form
AOC 2) is attached as Annexure F to this Report.
The Company?s Policy on Materiality of related party transactions
and dealing with related party transactions is available on the Company?s website at:
www.enil. co.in (url: https://www.enil.co.in/policies-and-code-of-conduct.php).
The related party transactions are entered into based on business
exigencies such as synergy in operations, profitability, market share enhancement etc. and
are intended to further the Company?s interests. In accordance with the applicable
accounting standards, transactions with related parties are furnished in the financial
statements.
29. Dividend Distribution Policy
The Company has formulated a Dividend Distribution Policy as required
under the Regulation 43A of the Listing Regulations. The said Policy is appended as Annexure
G to this Report and also uploaded on the Company?s website at www.enil.co.in
(url: https://www.enil.co.in/ policies-and-code-of-conduct.php).
30. Particulars of loans given, investment made, guarantees given and
securities provided
The Company has not given any guarantees or provided any securities
under Section 186 of the Act. Particulars of the loan given to the subsidiary company are
provided in Note 40 to the standalone financial statements and the said loan was impaired
during the financial year under review. The loan was given for business purposes.
Particulars of investments made by the Company during the financial year 2023-24 are
provided in Note 9 and 10 to the standalone financial statements.
31. Risk Management
The Board of Directors is responsible for ensuring that the Company has
appropriate systems of control in place - in particular, systems for risk management,
financial and operational control, and compliance with the laws and relevant standards.
Accordingly, the Board oversees the framing, implementing and the monitoring of the risk
management plan for the Company. The Board also ensures the integrity of the
Company?s accounting and financial reporting systems, including the independent
audit.
The Audit Committee reviews adequacy and effectiveness of the
Company?s internal control environment and monitors the implementation of audit
recommendations, including those relating to strengthening of the Company?s Risk
Management policies, systems and procedures. Internal Audit for the financial year under
review has been carried out by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Limited Liability
Partnership (Deloitte?), the independent Internal Auditors. Internal Audit
covers key radio stations at pan India level and the corporate office as per the annual
audit plan approved by the Audit Committee. Internal Audit report is presented to the
Audit Committee on regular basis and the Chairman of the Audit Committee briefs the Board
of Directors about the same.
The Company has adopted a Risk Management Policy pursuant to the
provisions of Section 134 and all other applicable provisions of the Companies Act, 2013
and Listing Regulations and also established related procedures to inform Board Members
about the risk assessment and minimization procedures. The Company has a strong Enterprise
Risk Management framework which is administered by the Senior Management team and
monitored by the Risk Management Committee. Major risks are identified and mitigation
measures are put in place, and the same are also reported to the Audit Committee and Board
of Directors along with the action taken report. The Risk Management Policy
envisages assessment of strategic risks, operational risks, financial risks, regulatory
risks, human resource risks, technological risks.
The Risk Management Policy adopted by the Company involves
identification and prioritization of risk events, categorization of risks into High,
Medium and Low based on the business impact and likelihood of occurrence of risks and Risk
Mitigation & Control. The Risk Management Committee of the Company comprises of the
following members as of the date of this Report: Mr. Vineet Jain (Non-Executive Chairman)
Mr. N. Kumar (Independent Director) Mr. N. Subramanian (Non-Executive Director) Mr. Yatish
Mehrishi (Manager & CEO)
A brief description of terms of reference and other relevant details of
the Risk Management Committee have been furnished in the Report on Corporate Governance.
32. Internal Financial Controls
The Company has adopted the policies and procedures for ensuring the
orderly and efficient conduct of its business, including adherence to the Company?s
policies, safeguarding of its assets, prevention and detection of frauds and errors,
accuracy and completeness of the accounting records, and timely preparation of reliable
financial information.
The Company has in place adequate internal financial controls with
reference to the financial statements. The Company?s internal control systems,
including internal financial controls, are commensurate with the nature of its business
and the size and complexity of its operations and same are adequate and operating
effectively. These systems are periodically tested and no reportable material weakness in
the design or operation was observed. The Audit Committee reviews the adequacy and
effectiveness of the Company?s internal control system including internal financial
controls.
33. Consolidated Financial Statements
In accordance with the Companies Act, 2013 and applicable accounting
standards, the audited consolidated financial statements are provided and form part of the
Annual Report.
34. Subsidiary Companies
The Company has the following subsidiaries:
Alternate Brand Solutions (India) Limited (ABSL), is a 100%
subsidiary based in India. ABSL recorded a total income of Rs 74.52 lakhs during the
financial year ended March 31, 2024, as compared to Rs 46.25 lakhs during the financial
year ended March 31, 2023. Profit after Tax stood at Rs 52.90 lakhs for the financial year
ended March 31, 2024, as compared to Profit of Rs 32.57 lakhs during the financial year
ended March 31, 2023. Entertainment Network, INC (EN, INC) and a step-down subsidiary,
Entertainment Network, LLC (EN, LLC) are based in the United States of America. EN, INC is
a 100% subsidiary of the Company. EN, LLC is the 100% subsidiary of EN, INC. EN, INC
recorded a total consolidated income of Rs 737.72 lakhs during the financial year ended
March 31, 2024, as compared to Rs 1,515.38 lakhs during the financial year ended March 31,
2023. Consolidated loss after Tax stood at (33.54) lakhs for the financial year ended
March 31, 2024 as compared to loss of (359.91) lakhs during the financial year ended
March 31, 2023.
Global Entertainment Network Limited (GENL) is a company
incorporated under the laws of the State of Qatar, having its registered office in Doha,
Qatar. In March 2021, the Company acquired 49% equity of GENL. The remaining 51% of the
equity stake is owned by another company (Marhaba FM). Basis the shareholding agreement
executed by the Company with Marhaba FM, the Company has a controlling interest in GENL.
As a result, the investment made in GENL is treated as an investment in a subsidiary as
per Ind AS 110- Consolidated Financial Statements. GENL recorded a total income of Rs
750.72 lakhs during the financial year ended March 31, 2024, as compared to Rs 970.66
lakhs during the financial year ended March 31, 2023. Profit after Tax stood at Rs
170.50 lakhs for the financial year ended March 31, 2024, as compared to Profit of Rs
82.71 lakhs during the financial year ended March 31, 2023.
Mirchi Bahrain WLL, based in the Kingdom of Bahrain, is a 100%
subsidiary of the Company. Mirchi Bahrain WLL became a wholly owned subsidiary of the
Company in April 2021. Mirchi Bahrain WLL recorded a total income of Rs 453.20 lakhs
during the financial year ended March 31, 2024, as compared to Rs 462.94 lakhs during the
financial year ended March 31, 2023. Consolidated Profit after Tax stood at Rs 85.78 lakhs
for the financial year ended March 31, 2024, as compared to loss of (374.53) lakhs
during the financial year ended March 31, 2023.
As per Section 129 of the Companies Act, 2013, a separate statement
containing the salient features of the financial statements of the Subsidiary Companies is
attached along with the financial statements in the prescribed Form AOC-1. The Company
does not have any associate company or joint venture. There has been no change in the
nature of the business of the subsidiaries.
The Company shall make available the financial statements and the
related detailed information of its subsidiaries to any Member of the Company or its
subsidiaries who may be interested in obtaining the same at any point of time and same is
also available on the website: www.enil.co.in. These documents will also be available for
inspection by the Members basis the request being sent on enil.investors@timesgroup.com
without payment of fee and same will also be available during the AGM. The consolidated
financial statements presented by the Company include the financial results of its
Subsidiary Companies.
The audited financial statements, including consolidated financial
statements and all other relevant documents required to be attached thereto are available
on the Company?s website: www.enil.co.in.
The Policy for determining material subsidiaries is available at the
Company?s website: www.enil.co.in at
https://www.enil.co.in/policies-and-code-of-conduct. php
35. Significant and material order
During the financial year under review, no significant and material
orders were passed by the regulators or courts or tribunals impacting the going concern
status and the Company?s operations in future.
36. Disclosure under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
Your Company has always believed in providing a safe and
harassment-free workplace for every individual working in the Company. For building
awareness in this area, the Company has been conducting induction / refresher programmes
on a continuous basis. The Company has in place a Policy for prevention of Sexual
Harassment at the Workplace in line with the requirements of the Sexual Harassment of
Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, and the Company
has complied with the applicable provisions of the said Act. Internal Complaints Committee
has been set up to redress the complaints received regarding sexual harassment. During the
financial year under review, three complaints pertaining to sexual harassment were
reported to the Internal Complaints Committee of the Company. After a detailed
investigation and following due procedure under the applicable law, guidelines and
regulations, the said complaints were appropriately dealt with during the financial year
under review and appropriate action was taken.
37. Acknowledgements
Your Directors take this opportunity to convey their appreciation to
all the members, listeners, advertisers, media agencies, dealers, suppliers, bankers,
regulatory and government authorities and all other business associates for their
continued support and confidence in the management of the Company. Your Directors are
pleased to place on record their appreciation for the consistent contribution made by the
employees at all levels through their hard work, dedication, solidarity and co-operation.