Punjab CM bats for opening border trade with Pakistan
Darpan News Desk IANS, 06 Dec, 2021 11:00 AM
Amritsar, Dec 6 (IANS) In a bid to boost the state's economy, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi on Monday announced that he would soon write to the Centre besides seeking appointment with the Union Home Minister for opening trade with Pakistan.
In his address during the 15th Edition of the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) here, he said that if the trade could be carried by the sea route, then why it is not permitted through land route as it would propel enormous opportunities of economic prosperity.
Acceding to the major demand of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Channi said the foundation stone of a convention centre for PITEX spread over 10 acres would be laid within a week to enable the organisation to carry out diverse range of activities to promote trade and industry in the region in a big way.
He also said a digital single window system would be put in place shortly to ensure all kinds of requisite permissions from a unified platform to the industrialists in a seamless manner.
"This move would also enable them to apply for permissions from their homes to almost removing the user interface with the officials thus increasing transparency."
Listing the achievements of his government, Channi said the state government has withdrawn 40,000 VAT-related cases registered against the traders, abolishing the institutional tax, and made the Right to Business Act of 2020 applicable.
Citing the huge potential of Amritsar in religious tourism, Channi expressed satisfaction that Punjab has been ranked number one in terms of infrastructure development in tourism.
He also lauded the PITEX for its service in offering a big platform to the businessmen of the state, especially the region, and ensuring presence of five countries viz. Iran, Egypt, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Thailand in the expo.
On the occasion, state Congress President Navjot Sidhu also underlined the significance of the cross-border trade.
Describing Amritsar as the biggest market of Asia, he said that it would open new vistas of prosperity for Punjab as trade and business activities would be carried out with 34 countries.
Underscoring the need to give fillip to MSMEs, Sidhu said that the focus must be on enabling the youth to be job creators instead of job seekers.
Co-Chair PHD Chamber Punjab Karan Gilhotra thanked the district administration for rendering all possible assistance for organizing PITEX-21 successfully.
The Deputy Chief Minister, who is also holding the Health portfolio, said 2.16 lakh people got vaccinated on Tuesday. Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Patiala were the top five districts in immunisation.
The meeting lasted over half an hour and it is understood that Mishra might have made his position clear in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Earlier, he went to his office in the North Block and stayed there for a while.
NCP national spokesperson and Maharashtra Minorities Affairs Minister Nawab Malik slammed the "fraud" NCB operations,in which BJP leader Manish Bhanushali and "private detective" Kiran P. Gosavi were seen dragging out the accused. including superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan and Arbaaz Merchant.
In a statement here, he said the worst has started coming true as the Taliban have started showing their true colours by way of complete intolerance towards the minorities leading to their intimidation and destruction of their religious places.
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders met the family of deceased farmer Lovepreet at the Chaukhada farm in Palia at around 9 p.m. on Wednesday. They later met the family of journalist Raman Kashyap, who was also killed in violence.
9 persons, including four farmers, were killed in the violence that had erupted during a farmers' protest in Lakhimpur Kheri. A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli will hear the matter on Thursday. The matter has been listed as 'violence in Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) leading to loss of life'.
