Volume VII, Issue VII
January - February 2005
Editorial's Desk
Dear Friends,
I
begin by wishing all our members, Readers and Advertisers
a very Happy and Prosperous New Year and pray for your
Peace and Happiness throughout the Year.
With
this issue, Shipping World steps into the Second year
of its publication. We have crossed this distance with
the good wishes and support of our esteemed readers,
who have all contributed, in their own ways, in fulfilling
our dream - to make Shipping World a platform for interactions
amongst all who are concerned with the Trade and, at
the same time, imparting useful informations regarding
trade related activities.
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past year ended with a natural calamity, which is possibly
unprecedented in the history of mankind - a nightmare
which all of us would like to forget. On December 26,
the after the Christmas Day, the Southern Coastal areas
of the country, along with a few others neighbouring Countries,
was divested by Tsunami. Lakhs of people lost their lives
and millions rendered homeless. As always in the past,
the CHA fraternity has ever been conscious of its responsibility
to extend helping hand to rebuild the lives of the unfortunate
multitude. Calcutta customs House Agents' Association
set up a Tsunami Relief Fund, details about it has been
provided in this issue.
The
Union Budget for 2005-06 was presented by the Finance
Minister, Sri P. Chidambaram, on 28th February, 2005.
It is a good long term Budget, indeed a progressive
one, which places broad based economic development on
top of the national agenda. The Finance Minister has
outlined an approach towards tapping the vast potential
of the rural India as an engine of growth. There is
welcome relief in taxes, both of the Individual and
the Corporate levels, rationalisation of Customs duty
on non-Agricultural Products is indeed a positive step.
But implementations of taxes on Fringe Benefits to Employees,
which will adversely affect the Employers, and also
the Employees in the long run and the Cash withdrawal
Tax were strongly objected to. Of course, it is heartening
to note that the Finance Minister has assured to review
these areas and one feels he will take a rational approach.
The
Association organized an interactive session with the
Senior Officials of Haldia Dock Complex, headed by Sri
M.L.Meena, I.A.S.Dy. Chairman, at Haldia Bhawan on 18th
December 2004. On 17th January, 2005, the Association
held a meeting with the Senior officials of Customs
at Customs House, Kolkata, on 3rd February, 2005 a Tanning
cum Awareness Programme on E-filing of Bills of Entry
through Icegate was organized at the BNCCI Auditorium,
in association with Kolkata Customs and NIC and on 8th
February, 2005 a seminor on "Impact of Service
Tax on CHAs - special Reference to Transport of Goods
by Road" was held at the premises of BNCCI. You
will find reports of all such events elsewhere in this
issue.
And
with this, I bid you good bye with Best Wishes for the
Year ahead once again.
With
Best Wishes,
I.K. Ghosh
President
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