'Gruha Jyothi' to benefit 3.15 lakh people in Udupi alone: Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar
Udupi (PTI): The 'Gruha Jyothi' free electricity scheme of the Karnataka government will benefit over 3.15 lakh people in Udupi district alone, Minister for Women and Child Development Laxmi Hebbalkar has said.
A total of 1.42 crore consumers in the state will be benefitted by the scheme that provides 200 units of free power to consumers, Hebbalkar said speaking after launching the district-level programme of the scheme at Kunjibettu in Udupi district on Saturday.
The Minister, who is Udupi district in-charge, said the 'Anna Bhagya' food grains scheme launched by the government is already providing 10 kg of rice free to 1.28 crore families in the state.
She said 30 crore women have already utilised the government's 'Shakti' scheme that offers free travel for women in the state. Through the direct benefit transfer (DBT) 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme, Rs 2,000 each will be distributed every month to housewives. One crore women have already registered for the scheme so far, the Minister said.
Hebbalkar said the government has already implemented three out of five schemes announced by the Congress before the elections. The Congress announced the guarantees to instil confidence among the people who are burdened by spiralling prices of commodities, she said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress national President Mallikarjun Kharge formally launched the 'Gruha Jyothi' scheme by handing over the "zero bill" to 10 people symbolically on Saturday.
MLA Yashpal Suvarna presided over the programme. Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes chairperson K Jayaprakash Hegde and zilla panchayat chief executive officer H Prasanna were among those present.
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
