logo
Prime Minister inaugurates redeveloped Kulliturai railway station

Prime Minister inaugurates redeveloped Kulliturai railway station

The Hindu22-05-2025
As part of the nation wide initiative under the Amrit Bharat scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Kulliturai railway station through video conferencing from Bikaner in Rajasthan. The ceremony was part of the simultaneous inauguration of 103 redeveloped railway stations across the country.
At the event, Vilavancode MLA Tharahai Cuthbert, Nagercoil MLA M.R. Gandhi and former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan participated, along with several officials from State and Centre .
The station was redeveloped at a cost of ₹5.6 crore, with modern amenities, improved accessibility and commuter friendly environment.
Key developments in the station includes, new portico to ease the congestion in the circulating area, new parking lots with more space, additional platform shelters for passengers, toilets with upgraded facilities, concourse, new booking counters with a separate counter for differently-abled persons, renovated waiting area, 30-metre-long flag mast, high mast light to improve night time visibility and safety, train information system units installed on platforms for real time updates, new entrance arch and redesigned station facade.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

GST 2.0 tussle: Centre eyes extra duty over 40% slab on tobacco products; states push for 'significant' cut
GST 2.0 tussle: Centre eyes extra duty over 40% slab on tobacco products; states push for 'significant' cut

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

GST 2.0 tussle: Centre eyes extra duty over 40% slab on tobacco products; states push for 'significant' cut

Govt mulling extra GST over and above 40% proposed on tobacco products (AI image) The government is reportedly considering imposing additional excise or special duties beyond the proposed 40% GST on tobacco products to sustain current taxation levels, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of GST 2.0 reforms that eliminate compensation cess. Several states are requesting a "significant share" in the supplementary taxation on tobacco items to offset immediate revenue reductions, according to Economic Times sources familiar with ongoing discussions regarding sin goods taxation, particularly tobacco. "During the discussion some states asked for equal share on the additional duty to be imposed," disclosed one source anonymously. The rate rationalisation ministerial group, led by Bihar's deputy chief minister Samrat Chaudhary, is likely to convene once more before the upcoming GST Council meeting to address this matter, with states anticipating next-generation GST reforms. The GST Council will take the ultimate decision on this issue. Presently, tobacco and related products, including cigarette, cigars, pan masala, cigarillos and hookah, face 28% GST plus compensation cess, central excise duty and national calamity contingent duty, totalling 53% indirect tax. The past five years saw average yearly GST collections of Rs 51,000 crore from tobacco products, with additional education cess and surcharges from manufacturers reaching Rs 27,659.84 crore. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Could This NEW Collagen Blend Finally Reduce Your Cellulite? Vitauthority Learn More Undo Finance officials, on Independence Day, proposed restructuring GST into two tiers, eliminating 12% and 28% slabs, while introducing a 40% category for select sin goods including tobacco products. The proposal maintains that overall tobacco product taxation would remain unchanged. Without compensation cess, this requires implementation of alternative additional duties. Also read: PM Modi seeks states' backing on draft GST reform proposal, promises double Diwali bonus for people Revenue considerations Various states seek either equal shares in additional duties or independent taxation rights, similar to alcohol's state excise duty system. They contend that existing indirect tax on tobacco products can exceed 53% without affecting revenue for central or state governments. "A few states suggested that either it should be a basic excise duty, divisible between the Centre and states, or a central excise duty along with state excise duty - which would be a win-win for both, giving headroom to states to generate their revenue," revealed a source involved in discussions. Kerala has formally requested compensation for revenue losses from GST reforms. "The so-called simplification of GST rates announced by Modi will be devastating for state revenues," Kerala finance minister Thomas Issac said in a post on X. "The GST rates that have already been rendered below revenue neutral rate by 2018 pre-election simplification, will now shrink further. States must be compensated for the loss." India's tobacco products remain globally amongst the most affordable, according to parliamentary standing committee's 139th report. The report indicated substantial scope for increased taxation, recommending 40% peak rate and significant excise duty increases. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays , public holidays , current gold rate and silver price .

PM Modi's tax overhaul to strain finances but boost image amid US trade tensions
PM Modi's tax overhaul to strain finances but boost image amid US trade tensions

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

PM Modi's tax overhaul to strain finances but boost image amid US trade tensions

Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Prime Minister Narendra Modi's deepest tax cuts in eight years will strain government revenues but are winning praise from businesses and political pundits who say they will bolster his image in an ongoing trade fight with the biggest tax overhaul since 2017, Modi's government on Saturday announced sweeping changes to the complex goods and services tax (GST) regime which will make daily essentials and electronics cheaper from October, helping consumers and also companies like Nestle , Samsung and LG the same time, in his Independence Day speech on Friday, Modi urged Indians to use more goods made domestically, echoing calls from many of his supporters to boycott U.S. products after Donald Trump hiked tariffs on imports from India to 50% as of August tax cut plan comes with costs given GST is a major revenue generator. IDFC First Bank says the cuts will boost India's GDP by 0.6 percentage points over 12 months but will cost the state and federal government $20 billion it will improve weak stock market sentiment and bring political dividends for Modi ahead of a critical state election in the eastern state of Bihar, said Rasheed Kidwai, a fellow at New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation."GST reduction will impact everyone, unlike cuts to income tax, which is paid by only 3%-4% of the population. Modi is doing this as he is under a lot of pressure due to U.S. policies," said Kidwai."The move will also help the stock market, which is now politically important as it has a lot of retail investors."India launched the major tax system in 2017 that subsumed local state taxes into the new, nationwide GST to unify its economy for the first the biggest tax reform since India's independence faced criticism for its complex design that taxes products and services under four slabs - 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%.Last year, India said caramel popcorn would be taxed at 18% but the salted category at 5%, triggering criticism about a glaring example of GST's the new system, India will abolish the 28% slab - which includes cars and electronics - and move nearly all of the items under the 12% category to the lower 5% slab, benefitting many more consumer items and packaged data shows the 28% and 12% tax slabs together garner 16% of India's annual GST revenue of roughly $250 billion last fiscal is a key state politically and goes to the polls by November. A recent survey by the VoteVibe agency showed Modi's opposition has an edge largely because of a lack of jobs."Any tax cut has wide public appreciation. But of course, the timing is purely determined by political exigencies," said Dilip Cherian, a communications consultant and co-founder of Indian public relations firm Perfect Relations."It seems to be an indication of some mixture of frustration as well as recognition that there is a broad public pushback against high and crippling rates of taxation."Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has seized on his tax announcement, posting on X that on the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, "a brighter gift of simpler taxes and more savings is waiting for every Indian."Modi has vowed to protect farmers, fishermen and cattlemen, following Trump's surprise tariff announcement on India, after trade talks between New Delhi and Washington collapsed over disagreement on opening India's vast farm and dairy sectors and stopping Russian oil latest round of trade talks between the two nations set for August 25-29 has also been called off.

Big GST cut may rev up demand for small cars, hatchbacks likely to attract 18% tax against 28% now
Big GST cut may rev up demand for small cars, hatchbacks likely to attract 18% tax against 28% now

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Big GST cut may rev up demand for small cars, hatchbacks likely to attract 18% tax against 28% now

The proposed goods and services tax (GST) recast could perk up the small passenger car market, which has been under pressure for some time amid a growing preference for larger vehicles such as SUVs. Small cars are likely to be placed in the 18 per cent tax slab, substantially reducing the tax burden on them, people familiar with the matter said. Small cars of 4 metres and less in length and engine capacity up to 1,200 cc (petrol, CNG and LPG) now attract 28 per cent GST and 1 per cent cess. Large cars and SUVs are likely to face the special rate of 40 per cent , they said. Currently, these vehicles attract 43-50 per cent tax, which includes GST and cess. There will likely be no change in the GST rate for electric vehicles, currently at 5 per cent , the people said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an overhaul of the eight-year-old indirect tax in his Independence Day speech on Friday. 'We are bringing next-generation GST reforms. This will reduce the tax burden across the country. This will be a gift ahead of Diwali,' he had said in his address. Two-slab Structure Officials said the Centre has proposed a two-slab structure, retaining the 5 per cent and 18 per cent rates and scrapping the 12 per cent and 28 per cent levies. A 40 per cent special rate has been proposed for six-seven items, they said. According to the proposal sent to the group of ministers (GoM) on rate rationalisation set up by the GST Council ahead of Modi's speech, daily-use items are likely to be placed in the 5 per cent bracket, while aspirational consumption items for the middle class and industrial goods are likely to face 18 per cent tax. The GoM will take up the proposal this week, the officials said. A final decision on the proposal will be taken by the GST Council, likely in the third week of September, ET reported Sunday. White goods such as dishwashers and large televisions are also expected to be placed in the 18 per cent bracket, down from 28 per cent , which could boost consumption demand further. Price reduction 'If there is an 11 per cent reduction in GST, the ex-showroom price of small cars will come down by 12-12.5 per cent ,' said VG Ramakrishnan, managing partner at Avanteum Advisors. 'Even if the absolute cut is in the range of ₹ 20,000-25,000, it will be a huge positive on consumer sentiments.' The tax reset is likely to spur demand at the more affordable end of the market. But with compact SUVs like Hyundai Exter and Tata Punch in the sub-4-metre fray, this uptick may not remain limited to the hatchback segment. 'Car buyers today are aspirational and have access to financing solutions. And some of them are preferring to jump directly from a two-wheeler to compact SUVs rather than a small hatchback,' said the head of a major automobile dealership based in Delhi-NCR. Total levies on small cars stand at 41-42 per cent , he said. This includes GST, registration tax levied by state authorities and insurance. Sales of compact cars and hatchbacks fell 13 per cent to about one million units in FY25 from the year before, less than half that of SUVs at about 2.35 million, industry data accessed by ET showed. Shrinking share SUV sales rose 10.2 per cent in FY25. The share of small cars in the overall passenger vehicle market fell for the fifth straight year to a low of 23.4 per cent in FY25. It dropped further to 21 per cent in the first four months of the fiscal year, which has seen an overall slowdown in car sales. Industry veterans attributed the drop to a 30-40 per cent jump in small car prices over the past five-six years due to tighter safety and emission norms. 'Entry-level consumers are not able to afford cars because of high prices,' said Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer, marketing and sales, at market leader Maruti Suzuki , in an interaction earlier this month.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store