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Time of India
4 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Labour minister criticises BJP for unfulfilled beef ban
Davanagere: "India holds the second position globally in beef exports, with Uttar Pradesh leading domestic production. This shows the BJP leaders' inability to implement their promised beef ban despite their daily rhetoric on the issue," said labour minister Santosh Lad. Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Lad noted that the BJP is in power in 20 states of the country. Even in Uttar Pradesh, which has a chief minister who chants about the sacred cow, there is no control over beef. "BJP leaders, who criticise nutritious food for dogs, should speak on this matter," he stated. Addressing sports funding disparities, he highlighted that Gujarat received Rs 600 crore and Uttar Pradesh Rs 400 crore under Khelo India, despite their minimal Olympic participation. In contrast, Tamil Nadu received only Rs 43 crore, while Punjab and Haryana, states with significant sporting achievements, received reduced funding. He expressed concern about the national tax collection target of Rs 45 lakh crore, noting that the central govt achieved less than 20%. He criticised the administration's performance and highlighted the Rs 16.5 lakh crore loan write-offs for industrialists whilst small businesses and farmers struggle. He noted that even small eateries serving butter dosa face GST notices. Responding to educational concerns, he addressed the issue of escalating school fees, making education inaccessible to ordinary citizens. He advocated for regulated fees in medical and engineering education, stating the state govt would support central initiatives. He emphasised the importance of nationalising the education and healthcare sectors.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Lad criticises GST burden on poor, questions central govt policies
Chitradurga: Labour minister Santosh Lad strongly criticised the central govt's GST implementation. He highlighted that even basic items are taxed, affecting 70% of the country's poor population who are not involved in any business activities. Addressing the gathering at a card distribution event for unorganised construction workers in Chitradurga on Saturday, the minister highlighted GST implications on daily essentials. "Even if you go to a desert, you have to pay GST there. The central govt's policies burden people without income, affecting 70% of workers, the poor, and farmers," he criticised. Pointing out the 18% GST on school necessities like uniforms, books, bags, and shoes, he asserted that such taxation on educational items is unprecedented globally. Discussing demonetisation, Lad referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign promise regarding black money. He noted that despite 15.4 lakh crore currency notes being in circulation and claims about eliminating black money and fake currency, individuals with undeclared wealth managed to legitimise it through banks. The minister observed that the Rs 2,000 currency note was absent from circulation for four years, despite 40,000 crore rupees spent on printing. He mentioned that 103 individuals lost their lives during the note exchange, an issue that remained unaddressed. He cited that high-denomination notes initially totalled Rs 26,000 crore, now reaching Rs 1.2 lakh crore according to RBI reports. Lad highlighted the national debt's increase from Rs 55 lakh crore (from Independence to 2016) to Rs 225 lakh crore presently, questioning the BJP's accountability for this surge.
New Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Karnataka transport minister urges Centre to provide direct subsidy to states for electric buses
MANGALURU: Karnataka Transport Minister B. Ramalinga Reddy has called on the central government to directly provide subsidies to state governments for procuring electric buses under the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme, instead of routing them to private operators through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Speaking at the inauguration of the automated driving test track at Pajir near Mangaluru on Sunday, Reddy said the procurement and operation of electric buses was much smoother during the UPA regime. 'At that time, electric buses cost around Rs 20 lakh. The central government provided 50% of the funding, while the state government and transport corporations each contributed 25%. This model worked efficiently for state-run services like BMTC, NWKRTC, and NEKRTC,' he said. Under the current NDA government, however, Reddy pointed out that subsidies are granted directly to private companies through a bidding process. 'These private operators own the buses, hire drivers, and manage maintenance, while state corporations only provide conductors and pay the operator on a per-kilometre basis,' he added. He urged the Centre to revert to a model where subsidies go directly to state transport corporations. 'This would ensure better accountability, especially when drivers are employed directly by the state,' he said. Reddy also highlighted the steep rise in electric bus costs—now around Rs 2 crore—and appealed to the Centre to offer GST input credits to manufacturers. 'This will bring down manufacturing costs, making buses more affordable for states and beneficial for passengers,' he said. He further recommended that operators be allowed to charge electric buses at any facility, not just at government-run charging stations. 'Private stations offer power at Rs 3–Rs 4 per unit, compared to Rs 8 at government facilities,' Reddy noted.
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Centre should allow SRTCs to recruit drivers for new electric buses: Ramalinga Reddy
The Union government should allow the State Road Transport Corporations (SRTCs) to recruit drivers for the efficient operation of the new fleet of 100 electric buses each that the Centre is set to provide for Mangaluru and five other cities in Karnataka, said Transport and Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy in Mangaluru on Sunday. Speaking at the inauguration of the automated driving test track in Phajir, near Mangaluru, Mr. Reddy welcomed the move of the Centre to sanction 100 electric buses each to Mangaluru, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Mysuru and Shivamogga. The buses aimed at reducing pollution were set to be released to bus manufacturing companies. The companies were being asked to maintain the buses and also arrange drivers on their own, while the SRTCs will have to post their conductors and also provide space for depots for parking and maintenance of buses. For the efficient operation of electric buses, it would be beneficial to directly allocate these buses to SRTCs, enabling them to recruit their drivers. The State corporations should also be provided with a concession in the GST. 'We have written to the Centre. Except for the demand to allow us to recruit our drivers, the Centre has favourably responded to our demands,' the Minister said. Capt. Brijesh Chowta, MP, said the State government should take action at the earliest to complete the process of allotting land for setting up depots for electric buses. The introduction of electric buses will greatly transform commuting in the city by using government buses. He asked the Minister to take steps to have more buses on inter-State routes from Mangaluru, especially between Mangaluru and Kasaragod. U.T. Khader, Speaker and Mangaluru MLA, also spoke.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
CPI ML to form small traders' federation
Patna: Amid growing concerns of rising crime, the CPI(ML) on Sunday formed the small and marginal traders' federation, and also demanded constitution of a state-level traders' commission to take up matters related to their security. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "For trade and business to flourish, peace and harmony are must. Rising crime poses threat to the trading community," CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said while addressing the inaugural meeting held here to announce the formation of the small and marginal traders' federation. He criticised and implementation of GST, stating that the two steps have hit the small and marginal traders hard. "Under the present economic policies, the condition of the poor is getting worse, whereas the assets of the capitalists are increasing robustly," he added. Grand Alliance (GA) has been raking up the issues of traders and business communities. Early this month, at the state conference of traders, organised by the RJD here, the party's leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had promised to set up a traders' commission, if the GA formed the govt. Shambhunath Mehta, earlier associated with confectionery factory; furniture trader Surendra Singh' president of Ara brick-kiln owners' association Umashankar Yadav; cement trader Poonam Devi; footpath shopkeepers' representative Shajade Alam; bus driver Ishwar Dayal Singh; trader from Forbesganj (Araria) Ranjan Bhagat; tyre trader Ganga Sah and rice mill association representative Sachchidanand Rai, among others were present at the meet. MPs Rajaram Singh and Sudama Prasad called upon people and traders to work for a change of the govt in the state.
