The Hindu Business Line : Electrical goods industry seeks single window clearances

Tamil Nadu is one of the largest consumers of electrical products — about Rs 5,000-crore worth — but the production of electrical goods in the State is hardly 10 per cent of that, according to Mr Hukmichand Shah, President, Madras Electric Trades Association (META).

Speaking at a conference held by META to announce the dates for Electrica 2006, an electrical products exhibition held by the association every two years, he said that the onus was on the Tamil Nadu Government to provide hurdle-free single window clearances, incentives and tax exemptions along the lines of the Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal Governments for production of electrical goods.

`Defer VAT date'

He also urged the Government to reconsider the date for the implementation of value added tax, currently scheduled for January 1, 2007.

He said that if this was postponed to March 31, it would help traders maintain proper sets of books of accounts until the end of the financial year.

Electrica 2006 would be held on August 13, 14 and 15 at the Rani Meyyammai and Rajah Muthaiah Halls here in Chennai.

Mr Shah said that about 60,000 visitors were expected for the exhibition, including manufacturers, traders, exporters, architects and end-users.

The products that would be exhibited are from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Ahmedabad.

There are also some participants from Italy, Germany, Australia and Austria.

Products on display

Some of the products that would be on display include an unbreakable bulb — a water proof vibration proof .5 to 3 watt bulb that comes with a 5-year warranty — a wall box made of PVC advertised as a more durable option to wooden boxes, and a sequential timer that regulates the duration for which an electric appliance is turned on or off.

The last exhibition saw business worth Rs 15-20 crore being transacted, and the association expects a 20 per cent growth in business this time.

More Stories on : Electrical Goods | Tamil Nadu

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