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VAT on in 20 states, as traders strike enters third day

     New Delhi: Twenty states have begun implementing the Value Added Tax (VAT) system from today, even as a traders' strike entered its third day. While the Empowered Committee on VAT stuck to its stand on implementation of VAT, the Confederation of All India Traders is observing the day as a "black day" for the trading community and continued its protest and demonstration in many parts of the country. The trade bandh continued for the third day today even as a majority of states switched over to pro-reforms Value Added Tax in place of Sales Tax. While VAT replaced Sales Tax and a plethora of local taxes in 20 states, sources said Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Meghalaya have decided not to join the league. VAT panel sources said, "Meghalaya will implement VAT after 4-5 days." Most of the wholesale markets and in several places big traders kept their shutter down on first and second day of the strike and they are expected to remain closed today also.. "We are continuing our strike against VAT, which will keep prices high and affect the poor," CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal told reporters before staging a demonstration at Jantar Mantar here.

India will help Mauritius achieve globalisation: Manmohan  (Go To Top)
by TNS Behl

     Port Louis (Mauritius): Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Friday assured Mauritius of all possible assistance in meeting the challenges of the globalisation, and added that both countries have a "vital stake" in ensuring the world of tomorrow is one that protects the interests of pluralistic societies. "We are marching together in areas of biotechnology, education and economic and technical cooperation. India will provide all possible assistance to Mauritius in meeting the challenges of globalisation by acquiring new economic capabilities," he told a gathering of eminent personalities from various walks of life after unveiling a plaque at the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre here. Singh, who is on a four-day official visit to this Indian Ocean island nation, said "India has worked hard to make a success of unity in diversity. In the age of globalisation this experiment in nation-building is of increasing relevance to the whole world. "Mauritius and India have a vital stake in ensuring that the world of tomorrow is one that protects the interests of pluralistic societies." The Prime Minister said a true global society would in fact be a collection of all pluralistic societies living together harmoniously and in mutual interdependence.

     The Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre is the latest example of collaboration between India and Mauritius and is being seen as a major augementation to Mauritian infrastructure capacities. The Centre will serve to boost the Mauritian tourism industry and thereby strengthen the country's economy. Larsen Toubro Ltd, India handled the design and architecture of the project. Singh also inaugurated the Cyber Tower project, constructed with India's assistance at a cost of 45 million dollars. The prestigious Cyber Tower, considered to the major initiative for a strategic partnership between India and Mauritius in the field of Information and Communication Technology, has been completed by Indian companies in a record time of 18 months. At the peak, 1500 Indian workers were engaged in the construction work. The 12-storeyed building has over 40000 sq metres of serviced I T work space with modern facilties and uitlities. It has 64 office modules of varying size and can accommodate 5000 occupants. Many Indian companies, including Infosys, are either already present or in the process of setting up offices in the Cyber Tower. Similarly, some international companies have confirmed their interest in the Cyber Tower and nearly all the space has been booked.

PM visits Mauritius' Apravasi Ghat (Go To Top)

     Port Louis (Mauritius): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday visited the Apravasi Ghat where the first indentured labourers from India were brought to Mauritius in 1834 by the British. The Prime Minister, on the third day of a four-day visit to Mauritius, unveiled a commemorative plaque at the Ghat. He also had a look around the place and made a noting in the visitor's book. The Apravasi Ghat marks the site through which 450,000 indentured labourers from India first set foot in Mauritius between 1830s and the 1920s, marking one of the great waves of migration in recorded history. To mark the arrival of the first batch of indentured labourers in Mauritius, November 2 is celebrated as the Apravasi Divas and a commemorative ceremony is performed at the Apravasi Ghat that was called the Coolie Ghat till 1987. About 68 percent of Mauritius' population of 1.22 million are of Indian origin, about 52 percent of whom are Hindus. The Prime Minister was later given a civic reception at the Vivekananda International Convention Centre here by some 50 religious and socio-cultural organisations. Among those present included P.K. Jugnauth, Deputy Prime Minister and L.D. Dookun Luchoomun, Minister for Arts and ulture. The cultural centre was built in October 2003 with financial aid of about 15 million dollars from India.

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