PM Modi asks states to remove policy bottlenecks, encourage investment and generate jobs
The Prime Minister said that the 10-year journey of Niti Aayog was "to prepare the nation to achieve the goal of Vikshit Bharat".
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India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
Tariff reduction on farm products is risky, should be debated under proposed India-US trade deal: GTRI
New Delhi [India] June 10 (ANI): Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) is cautious about tariff reductions on farm products under the proposed India-US trade deal and emphasised that the potential impact of opening India's markets to subsidised American farm products needs careful consideration and thorough debate. GTRI argued, once tariffs are cut in such agreements, it becomes nearly impossible to raise them again, even if prices crash, global trade is disrupted, or local farmers face sudden losses. It said this would expose India, especially as rich countries like the US and EU subsidise their agriculture heavily. Niti Aayog's May 2025 working paper, 'Promoting India-US Agricultural Trade Under The New US Trade Regime,' recommends that India open its market to a wide range of U.S. farm products, including rice, pepper, soybean oil, shrimp, tea, coffee, dairy, poultry, apples, almonds, pistachios, corn, and genetically modified (GM) soy products, under the proposed India-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. The government advisory body argues for eliminating tariffs on rice and pepper because India exports these items in large volumes. But GTRI contends that subsidised grain exports from developed nations like the US and EU have been a major driver of global grain price volatility, which can impact India's farmers and exports. Niti Aayog's recommendations also address the supply gaps for reciprocal access, but GTRI says they ignore the structural risks to India's 700 million farmers. Citing past experiences, such as binding zero tariffs for rice and wheat under GATT in the 1960s/70s, GTRI says it left India vulnerable and forced costly renegotiations. India should go for a flexible tariff regime. 'Keeping tariff flexibility is not outdated protectionism--it's a smart, essential policy tool to protect food security, support rural incomes, and respond to market shocks. Once this flexibility is given up in a trade agreement, getting it back is extremely difficult,' said Ajay Srivastava, founder of GTRI. Niti Aayog also backs importing GM products like DDGS and soybean seeds under strict controls. However, GTRI argues that India's fragmented logistics and weak regulatory enforcement make such containment unfeasible. 'Once GM material enters the domestic chain, it risks contaminating local agriculture, creating trade disputes, and undermining public trust,' added Srivastava The government planning body also recommends importing dairy and poultry products from the US, subject to the US meeting sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures rather than tariffs. On dairy products, the US has challenged India's SPS requirement that imported milk must come from animals not fed meat, blood, or internal organs. The US sees this as an unjustified trade barrier, but India considers it essential for public health and cultural values. GTRI says replacing tariffs with weaker and challenge-prone SPS standards can erode both safety and ethical standards. It adds that NITI Aayog's recommendations are risky and require broader public consultation before being considered. (ANI)
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Gig workforce in India to grow to 62 mn by 2047: Labour ministry study
Driven by technological advancements, shifting labour market preferences, and the growing need for flexible work arrangements, the gig and platform workforce in the country is expected to grow to nearly 62 million by 2047 — constituting nearly 15 per cent of the total non-agricultural workforce, a new study by a government-run think tank shows. The study by the labour ministry-affiliated VV Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI) used estimates from a 2022 NITI Aayog report on gig workers and applied the exponential smoothing Error, Trend, Seasonality model to make forecasts, as it gives more weight to recent observations. 'The estimate predicts a compounding growth pattern, with the number of gig workers more than doubling over the next 17 years, indicating that the sector will play a major role in employment generation in the Indian economy. Initially rooted in areas like ride-sharing and food delivery, it has expanded into various sectors including healthcare, education, creative services, and professional consulting, among others,' the study observed. The Aayog report had said that in 2020, over 3 million workers were employed by roughly 11 platform companies in India. This number is projected to grow to 23 million by 2030 — comprising 7 per cent of the total non-agricultural workforce. However, the VVGNLI study also notes that under several external factors — such as technological disruption or advancement, regulatory or policy changes, or economic shocks — the gig workforce may grow only to 32.5 million by 2047. '(But) assuming the aspirational trend, the sector is capable of generating 90.8 million gig jobs,' the study said. The government study also calls for recognising the rights to collective bargaining and unionisation, as this offers better understanding of the algorithms that platforms use to assign tasks and determine pay. 'The workers must be free to establish or join collectives or unions so they can bargain collectively for better pay, insurance, working conditions, and more transparency within the platform economy,' the study notes. Noting that gig workers are legally recognised in several countries including the UK, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and Denmark, the study calls for clarity in the classification of gig workers. It emphasises the need to establish specific criteria to differentiate between employees and independent contractors, taking into account factors such as control over work, financial dependency, and job security. 'It has been revealed that platform workers struggle with the distinction between 'workers' and 'independent contractors' on a global scale. For them to access the safeguards of labour laws and social security, this differentiation is essential. To address this, it is imperative to secure their recognition as workers, particularly for those engaged full-time,' the study noted. The study also calls for ensuring a minimum income and fair working hours, algorithmic accountability and fair task allocation, streamlined grievance and dispute resolution, worker empowerment through training and upskilling, and mandatory occupational health and safety standards. 'Establishing a statutory national registry for platform and gig workers, managed by both central and state governments, will help ensure that all of them have access to social security,' the study noted.
The Print
a day ago
- The Print
India will protect farmers' interest in US trade talks: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
He was responding to a query on how India would safeguard farmers amid US pressure for greater market access for American agricultural and horticultural products. 'Our priority is to protect the interest of our farmers. India will not work closing its eyes. We will assess our gains and losses. Keeping that in mind, an agreement will be finalised,' Chouhan told PTI in an interview. New Delhi, Jun 8 (PTI) India will prioritise protecting its farmers' interests while assessing potential gains and losses in the ongoing trade negotiations with the United States over agricultural market access, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said. The negotiators are expected to agree on the framework for the broad contours of the first phase of the bilateral deal, expected to be signed by fall (September-October) 2025. 'The discussions are ongoing between India and the US. One thing is clear, we will protect the interest of our farmers. When we talk about two nations, we need to see the overall trade,' the minister added. According to a NITI Aayog report, 'Promoting India-US Agricultural Trade under the new US Trade Regime', the value for US agriculture and allied product exports to India was about USD 2.22 billion in the triennium ending 2024. In the same period, India exported USD 5.75 billion worth of agricultural products to the US. India's main agricultural exports to the US include frozen shrimp, basmati rice, spices, processed cereals, and other value-added products. The US wants to export more agricultural products such as corn, soybeans, and animal feed, but faces high Indian tariffs — especially in agriculture, where average tariffs can reach up to 39-50 per cent. The minister's comments come as India and the US continue negotiations on expanding agricultural trade, with Washington seeking reduced tariffs and improved market access for its farm products in the Indian market. India is cautious about fully opening its agriculture and dairy markets due to concerns about potential backlash from rural communities and the need to protect domestic producers from global price volatility. PTI LUX TRB TRB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
