CII lauds Prabhu's US visit to sort trade issues
New Delhi, June 17: Noting that US trade officials are expected to visit India soon in an attempt to address the trade and economic irritants between the two countries, industry chamber CII on Sunday lauded Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu's visit to the US for setting "a roadmap to resolve bilateral trade issues expeditiously".
India and the US have agreed to hold official talks soon to address the bilateral trade issues in a decision that was taken during a series of meetings Prabhu had with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer in Washington during the Indian Minister's visit from June 10 to 12.
"The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) understands that officials of USTR may travel to India very soon. CII hopes the trade package to be negotiated would include the renewal of Generalized System of Preferences benefits for India which accounts for nearly $6 billion of Indian exports to the US," CII said in a release.
"During the (Prabhu) visit, it was stressed that India's recent purchases of US-made civilian aircraft and procurement of petroleum and LNG from the US have helped balance India-US trade. Bilateral trade has increased by more than 15 per cent to $74.5 billion in 2017-18," it added.
In March, US President Donald Trump slapped import tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium, unfolding the prospect of an all-out global trade war as China retaliated to this and a subsequent US tariff imposition.
India has sought an exemption from the US tariffs along the lines the US has allowed to the European Union, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and South Korea.
Prabhu had earlier said that India would bilaterally take up the issue of recent trade protectionism measures with the US.
During his visit, he also addressed business and industry leaders in meetings organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC) and US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and met other stakeholders.
"It's a great time to join hands with each other and that is the realisation within the (US) administration as well. As you know, we always hear about trade disputes between the US and India, but when I had a meeting with the USTR, the Commerce Secretary, Agriculture Secretary, Senators, it is very clear that we must move on, keeping the issues behind," Prabhu told industry leaders at a reception hosted by USIBC.
His industry meetings included senior officials from major American companies such as Boston Scientific, FedEx, Walmart, Abbott, UTC, Honeywell, PhRMA, MoneyGram, Lockheed Martin, Koch Industries, Amway, Uber and 21st Century Fox.
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Dalit man beaten to death in MP over land dispute; sarpanch, kin booked
Shivpuri (MP) (PTI): A 30-year-old Dalit man was allegedly beaten to death by the sarpanch and seven others over a land dispute in a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district, an official said on Wednesday.
Narad Jatav was fatally attacked on Tuesday evening after he and his maternal uncle objected to a road created through their land to a hotel belonging to the sarpanch, Padam Dhakad, in Indergarh village, the official said. The accused, including Dhakad's sons and wife, are on the run.
Following the dispute over the road, Narad allegedly removed the water supply line from a common borewell to the hotel. Dhakad and his family then beat him with sticks and killed him, Kotwali police station in-charge Kripal Singh Rathore said.
Jatav’s family protested in the medical college where his body was taken for autopsy, demanding the registration of a first information report (FIR) against the accused, he said.
Later, police pacified them and registered a murder case against the sarpanch and his other family members, including his wife and sons, Rathore said.
The eight accused persons are absconding and efforts are being made to nab them, he added.
Condemning the murder, former chief minister Kamal Nath wrote on X, “A Dalit youth was beaten to death with sticks in Indergarh of Shivpuri. After this murder in broad daylight, it has been proved once again that Dalits are not safe in Madhya Pradesh,” he said.
There is not a single day when an incident of atrocity on Dalits does not occur in the state, said the Congress leader.
“Under the BJP rule, the audacity of bullies is increasing and it has become their habit to oppress the Dalits and tribals,” he wrote on the social media platform.
Nath also demanded special arrangements to ensure the safety of Dalits and tribals in MP.
