1. We have audited the attached balance sheet of NESTLE INDIA LIMITED
(the Company) as at December 31, 2010, the profit and loss account
and the cash flow statement of the Company for the year ended on that
date, both annexed thereto. These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Companys management. Our responsibility is to
express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.
2. We conducted our audit in accordance with the auditing standards
generally accepted in India. Those standards require that we plan and
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the
financial statements are free of material misstatements. An audit
includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts
and the disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also
includes assessing the accounting principles used and the significant
estimates made by the management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
3. As required by the Companies (Auditors Report) Order, 2003 (CARO)
issued by the Central Government in terms of section 227(4A) of the
Companies Act, 1956, we enclose in the Annexure a statement on the
matters specified in paragraphs 4 and 5 of the said Order.
4. Further to our comments in the annexure referred to in paragraph 3
above, we report as follows:
(a) we have obtained all the information and explanations which to the
best of our knowledge and belief were necessary for the purposes of our
audit;
(b) in our opinion, proper books of account as required by law have
been kept by the Company so far as it appears from our examination of
those books;
(c) the balance sheet, the profit and loss account and the cash flow
statement dealt with by this report are in agreement with the books of
account;
(d) in our opinion, the balance sheet, the profit and loss account and
the cash flow statement dealt with by this report are in compliance
with the accounting standards referred to in Section 211(3C) of the
Companies Act, 1956;
(e) in our opinion and to the best of our information and according to
the explanations given to us, the said accounts give the information
required by the Companies Act, 1956 in the manner so required and give
a true and fair view in conformity with the accounting principles
generally accepted in India:
(i) in the case of the balance sheet, of the state of affairs of the
Company as at December 31, 2010;
(ii) in the case of the profit and loss account, of the profit of the
Company for the year ended on that date; and
(iii) in the case of the cash flow statement, of the cash flows of the
Company for the year ended on that date.
5. On the basis of the written representations received from the
directors as on December 31, 2010 taken on record by the Board of
Directors, none of the directors is disqualified as on December 31,
2010 from being appointed as a director in terms of Section 274(1)(g)
of the Companies Act, 1956.
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE AUDITORS REPORT TO THE
MEMBERS OF NESTLE INDIA LIMITED ON THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED
DECEMBER 31, 2010.
(i) (a) The Company is maintaining proper records showing full
particulars including quantitative details and situation of fixed
assets.
(b) In our opinion, the management has physically verified most of the
fixed assets of the Company during the year at reasonable intervals,
having regard to the size of the Company and nature of its assets. The
discrepancies noticed on such verification were not material and have
been properly dealt with in the books of account.
(c) In our opinion and according to the information and explanations
given to us, the Company has not disposed off a substantial part of its
fixed assets during the year.
(ii) (a) During the year, the inventories have been physically verified
by the management. In our opinion, the frequency of verification is
reasonable.
(b) In our opinion and according to the information and explanations
given to us, the procedures of physical verification of stocks followed
by the management are reasonable and adequate in relation to the size
of the Company and the nature of its business.
(c) On the basis of our examination of the records of inventories, we
are of the opinion that the Company is maintaining proper records of
inventories. The discrepancies noticed on physical verification of
inventories as compared to book records were not material and have been
properly dealt with in the books of account.
(iii) (a) According to the information and explanations given to us,
the Company has, during the year, not granted any loans, secured or
unsecured to companies, firms or other parties covered in the register
maintained under section 301 of the Companies Act, 1956. Accordingly,
paragraphs 4 (iii) (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the Companies (Auditors
Report) Order, 2003 (hereinafter referred to as the Order) are not
applicable.
(b) According to the information and explanations given to us, the
Company has, during the year, not taken any loans, secured or unsecured
from companies, firms or other parties covered in the register
maintained under section 301 of the Companies Act, 1956. Accordingly,
paragraphs 4 (iii) (e), (f) and (g) of the Order, are not applicable.
(iv) In our opinion and according to information and explanations given
to us, there are adequate internal control systems commensurate with
the size of the Company and the nature of its business with regard to
the purchase of inventories, fixed assets and with regard to sale of
goods. There is no sale of services. Further, on the basis of our
examination and according to the information and explanations given to
us, no major weaknesses in the aforesaid internal control system, has
been noticed.
(v) (a) According to the information and explanations given to us, we
are of the opinion that, the particulars of the contracts /
arrangements referred to in Section 301 of the Companies Act, 1956,
were entered in the register required to be maintained under that
Section.
(b) In our opinion and according to the information and explanations
given to us, the transactions made in pursuance of contracts or
arrangements entered in the register maintained under section 301 of
the Companies Act, 1956 and exceeding the value of Rupees five lacs in
respect of any party were made at prices which were reasonable having
regard to prevailing market prices at the relevant times.
(vi) As, the Company has not accepted any deposits from the public,
paragraph 4(vi) of the Order is not applicable.
(vii) In our opinion, the Company has an internal audit system
commensurate with its size and the nature of its business.
(viii) We have broadly reviewed the books of account maintained by the
Company in respect of products where, pursuant to the rules made by the
Central Government, the maintenance of cost records have been
prescribed under 209 (1) (d) of the Companies Act, 1956 and are of the
opinion that, prima facie, the prescribed accounts and records have
been made and maintained. We have not, however, made a detailed
examination of records with a view to determining whether they are
accurate or complete.
(ix) (a) According to the information and explanations given to us and
the records of the Company examined by us, the Company has been regular
in depositing undisputed statutory dues including investor education
and protection fund, employees state insurance, income-tax, wealth
tax, custom duty, excise duty, provident fund, sales-tax, service tax,
cess, professional tax and other material statutory dues applicable to
it with the appropriate authorities. We are informed that there are no
undisputed statutory dues as at the year end, outstanding for a period
of more than six months from the date they became payable.
(b) According to the information and explanations given to us and the
records of the Company examined by us, there are no disputed dues of
customs duty and wealth tax, which have not been deposited. The
details of disputed dues as at December 31, 2010 in respect of excise
duty, sales tax, service tax, cess and income-tax that have not been
deposited by the Company, are as follows :-
Name of the Statute Nature of the Dues Amount * (Rs.)
(000s)
Central Excise Laws Excise Duty 73,436
29,347
Service Tax 239,777
57,024
Sales Tax Laws Sales Tax 7,752
26,455
165,409
Local State Act Cess 4,242
Income Tax Act, 1961 Income tax 118,558
135,684
Name of the Statue Period to which the amount Forum where dispute
relates (various years is pending
covering the period)
Central Excise Laws 1996 - 2008 Customs, Excise and Service
Tax Appellate Tribunal
2000 - 2010 Appellate authority upto
Commissioners level
2005 - 2007 Customs, Excise and Service
Tax Appellate Tribunal
2008 Appellate authority upto
Commissioners level
Sales Tax Laws 2000 - 2006 High Court
2000 - 2006 Appellate Tribunal
1992 - 2008 Appellate authority upto
Commissioners level
Local State Act 2001 - 2008 Appellate authority upto
Commissioners level
Income Tax Act, 1961 1992 - 1994 High Court
2006 - 2007 Commissioner of Income-tax
(Appeals)
* Amount as per demand orders including interest and penalty wherever
indicated in the Order.
The following matters, which have been excluded from the table above,
have been decided in favour of the Company but the department has
preferred appeals at higher levels. The details are given below :-
Name of the Statute Nature of the Dues Amount (Rs.)
(000s)
Central Excise Laws Excise Duty 16,052
883
7,065
Service Tax 148
2,420
Sales Tax Laws Sales Tax 45,963
Income Tax Act, 1961 Income tax 807,355
Name of the Statute Period to which the amount Forum where depar-
relates (various years tment has
covering the period> preferred appeals
Central Excise Laws 2000 - 2006 Supreme Court
1994 High Court
2005 - 2006 Customs, Excise and
Service Tax Appellate Tribunal
2005 High Court
2003 - 2007 Customs, Excise and
Service Tax Appellate Tribunal
Sales Tax Laws 1997 - 2003 High Court
Income Tax Act, 1961 1996 - 2005 High Court
(x) The Company does not have accumulated losses at the end of the
financial year December 31, 2010. Further, the Company has not
incurred cash losses during the financial year ended December 31, 2010
and in the immediately preceding financial year ended December 31,
2009.
(xi) According to the records of the Company examined by us and on the
basis of information and explanations given to us, the Company has not
defaulted in repayment of dues to banks during the year. The Company
has not taken any loans from financial institutions and has not issued
debentures during the year.
(xii) The Company has not granted any loans and advances on the basis
of security by way of pledge of shares, debentures and other
securities, accordingly paragraph 4 (xii) of the Order is not
applicable.
(xiii) The Company is not a chit fund / nidhi / mutual benefit fund /
society to which the provisions of special statute relating to chit
fund are applicable, accordingly paragraph 4 (xiii) of the Order, is
not applicable.
(xiv) As the Company is not dealing or trading in shares, securities,
debentures and other investments, paragraph 4 (xiv) of the Order is not
applicable.
(xv) According to the information and explanations given to us, the
Company has not given any guarantee during the year for loans taken by
others from banks or financial institutions.
(xvi) In our opinion and according to the information and explanations
given to us, the Company has not taken any term loans during the year.
(xvii) According to the information and explanations given to us and on
an overall examination of the balance sheet of the Company, we report
that, during the year, short term funds have not been used to finance
long term investments.
(xviii) The Company has not made any preferential allotment of shares
during the year.
(xix) The Company has not issued any debentures during the year.
(xx) The Company has not raised any money by way of public issue during
the year.
(xxi) Based upon the audit procedures performed and information and
explanations given by the management, we report that no material fraud
on or by the Company has been noticed or reported during the year ended
December 31, 2010.
For A.F. FERGUSON & CO.
Chartered Accountants
(Registration No. 112066W)
(Manjula Banerji)
Partner
(Membership No. 86423)
DELHI, February 18, 2011 |