Coverage Report Assam - ficci

Coverage Report
Assam
July, 2015
Index
S.no Publication
1
The Assam
Tribune
2
The Sentinel
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
The
Meghalaya
Guardian
The Hill
Times
The North
East Times
The
Telegraph
The Shillong
Times
Business
Standard
‘Kolkata’
The Times of
India
Business
Standard
‘Kolkata’
Economic
Times
Adinor
Sambad
Headline
Illegal trade in cigarettes- State loses Rs
600 cr annually
Illicit cigarettes, liquor from Assam
flooding country
Counterfeiting illicit trade cost Govt
Rs39,239 Cr
Date
29th July 2015
Edition
Print
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
Illicit cigarettes, alcohol flooding Assam,
FICCI study
Counterfeiting illicit trade cost Govt
Rs39,239 Cr
Action plan to curb smuggling
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
Insurgents, militants funded by drug and
fake currency trade
Illegal Cigarette market grows due to
high tax rate in Assam
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
Growth of illicit trade worries FICCI
29th July 2015
Print
Illegal Cigarette market grows due to
high tax rate in Assam
29th July 2015
Print
Assam fastest growing market for illegal
cigarettes FICCI
Tobacco-Cigarette's Illegal Trade. State
losses 600 crore revenue
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
13
Amar Asom
Liquor and Cigarette's Illegal Trade.
Assam losses hundreds of crore
29th July 2015
Print
14
Asomiya
Khabar
Illegal trade of 7 sectors making
problems in country's economy, Loss of
Rs. 39,239 crore in just one year
29th July 2015
Print
15
Asomiya
Pratidin
Dainik
Agradoot
Dainik Asom
Assam Cigarette sector under the black
money business
Assam lacks Rs. 700 crore yearly
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
Illegal Business. Government loss of Rs.
39,239 crore
29th July 2015
Print
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Dainik Batori
Kakot
Counterfeiting and Illicit trade costs
Government Rs 39,239 crore – FICCI
CASCADE
Dainik
Assam and Northeast is converting to an
Janambhumi Illegal Trade centre
Dainik
600 crore revenue loss from Illegal
Jugasankha
Cigarette business
Dainik
Illicit Trade coming from borders- Govt
Purvoday
losing revenue
Gana Adhikar Counterfeiting and Illicit trade costs
Government Rs 39,239 crore – FICCI
CASCADE
Janasadharan Rs 39,239 crore loss in the country for
Illegal trade
Purvanchal
Insurgents, militants funded by drug and
Prahari
fake currency trade
Purvanchal
Illegal Trade a big menace in the Indian
Prahari
Economy boom
Sankarjyoti
Counterfeiting and Illicit trade costs
Government Rs 39,239 crore – FICCI
CASCADE
Sentinel
FICCI Cascade- Seminar on Illegal trade
Hindi
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
31st July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
29th July 2015
Print
Govt order probe into illegal cigarette
trade in Assam
Cigarette Trade- CM orders Probe
30th July 2015
Print
30th July 2015
Print
Panel to stop illegal cigarette trade
30th July 2015
Print
Assam panel to stop illegal cigarette
trade
Probe into illegal cigarette trade in
Assam
Gogoi orders enquiry:- Illegal trade of
cigarettes
FICCI CASCADE Report- CM announces a
probe into illegal cigarette trade
CM announces a probe into illegal
cigarette trade
Govt order probe into illegal trade in
Assam
30th July 2015
Print
30th July 2015
Print
31st July 2015
Print
30th July 2015
Print
30th July 2015
Print
30th July 2015
Print
28th July 2015
Online
Govt order a probe into illegal Cigarette trade
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
The Indian
Express
The Assam
Tribune
The Hills
Times
The North
East Times
The Sentinel
Adinor
Sambad
Dainik
Janambhumi
Dainik
Jugasnkha
Pratah
Khabar
Online-Press Conference
37
Business
Standard
Illegal cigarette market grows due to
high tax rates in Assam: FICCI
38
39
The Assam
Tribune
First Post
28th July 2015
Online
Insurgents, militants funded by drug and 28th July 2015
fake currency trade: Assam ADGP
About Rs 39,000-crore loss in one year
28th July 2015
due to illicit markets in manufacturing
sectors- FICCI report
Insurgents, Militants Funded by Drug and 28th July 2015
Fake Currency Trade
Online
Over Rs 39, 000 crore loss to exchequer
in 2014 all thanks to illicit trade!
Illicit trade up in 2014, Rs 39,239 crore
loss to exchequer: FICCI report
Smuggling fetches money for insurgents
Illicit trade up in 2014, Rs 39,239 crore
loss to exchequer: FICCI report
29th July 2015
Online
28th July 2015
Online
28th July 2015
28th July 2015
Online
Online
The
Statesman
The Free
Press Journal
Insurgents, militants funded by drug and
fake currency trade
Insurgents, militants funded by drug and
fake currency trade
28th July 2015
Online
28th July 2015
Online
Business
Standard
Insurgents, militants funded by drug and
fake currency trade
28th July 2015
Online
40
The Indian
Express
41
The New
Indian
Express
Business
Insider
Economic
Times
Assam Times
Economic
Times Retail
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
State loses Rs 600 cr annually
Online
Online
Online-CM orders a probe into illegal cigarette trade
49
The Indian
Express
CM Tarun Gogoi orders probe into illegal
cigarette trade in Assam
30th July 2015
Online
50
Business
Standard
Assam announces committee to stop
illegal cigarette trade
29th July 2015
Online
51
IBN Live
Assam announces committee to stop
illegal cigarette trade
29th July 2015
Online
52
Niti Central
Assam announces committee to stop
illegal cigarette trade
30th July 2015
Online
Publication The Assam Tribune
Date
29th July 2015
Publication The Sentinel
Date
29th July 2015
Publication The Meghalaya Guardian
Date
29th July 2015
Publication The Hill Times
Date
29th July 2015
Publication The North East Times
Date
29th July 2015
Publication The Telegraph
Date
29th July 2015
Publication The Shillong Times
Date
29th July 2015
Publication Business Standard
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Illegal Cigarette market grows due to high tax rate in Assam
Publication The Times of India
Date
29th July 2015
Publication Business Standard
Date
29th July 2015
Publication Economic Times
Date
29th July 2015
Publication Adinor Sambad
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Tobacco-Cigarette's Illegal Trade. State losses 600 crore revenue
Publication Amar Asom
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Liquor and Cigarette's Illegal Trade. Assam losses hundreds of crore
Publication Asomiya Khabar
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Illegal trade of 7 sectors making problems in country's economy, Loss of Rs.
39,239 crore in just one year
Publication Asomiya Pratidin
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Assam Cigarette sector under the black money business
Publication Dainik Agradoot
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Assam lacks Rs. 700 crore yearly
Publication Dainik Asom
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Illegal Business. Government loss of Rs. 39,239 crore
Publication Dainik Batori Kakot
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Counterfeiting and Illicit trade costs Government Rs 39,239 crore – FICCI
CASCADE
Publication Dainik Janambhumi
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Assam and Northeast is converting to an Illegal Trade centre
Publication Dainik Jugasankha
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
600 crore revenue loss from Illegal Cigarette business
Publication Dainik Purvoday
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Illicit Trade coming from borders- Govt losing revenue
Publication Gana Adhikar
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Counterfeiting and Illicit trade costs Government Rs 39,239 crore – FICCI
CASCADE
Publication Janasadharan
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Rs 39,239 crore loss in the country for Illegal trade
Publication Purvanchal Prahari
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Insurgents, militants funded by drug and fake currency trade
Publication Purvanchal Prahari
Date
31st July 2015
Headline
Illegal Trade a big menace in the Indian Economy boom
Publication Sankarjyoti
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
Counterfeiting and Illicit trade costs Government Rs 39,239 crore – FICCI
CASCADE
Publication Sentinel Hindi
Date
29th July 2015
Headline
FICCI Cascade- Seminar on Illegal trade
GOVT orders a probe into
Illegal Cigarette Trade
Publication The Indian Express
Date
30th July 2015
Headline
Govt order probe into illegal cigarette trade in Assam
Publication The North East Times
Date
30th July 2015
Headline
Assam panel to stop illegal cigarette trade
Publication The Assam Tribune
Date
30th July 2015
Headline
Cigarette Trade- CM orders Probe
Publication The Hills Times
Date
30th July 2015
Headline
Panel to stop illegal cigarette trade
Publication The Sentinel
Date
30th July 2015
Headline
Probe into illegal cigarette trade in Assam
Publication Adinor Sambad
Date
30th July 2015
Headline
Gogoi orders enquiry:- Illegal trade of cigarettes
Publication Dainik Janambhumi
Date
30th July 2015
Headline
FICCI CASCADE Report- CM announces a probe into illegal cigarette trade
Publication Dainik Jugasnkha
Date
30th July 2015
Headline
CM announces a probe into illegal cigarette trade
Publication Pratah Khabar
Date
30th July 2015
Headline
Govt order probe into illegal trade in Assam
Online Articles
Publication
Date
Online Link
Business Standard
28th July 2015
http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/illegal-cigarettemarket-grows-due-to-high-tax-rates-in-assam-ficci-115072801395_1.html
Illegal cigarette market grows due to high tax
rates in Assam: FICCI
Price of illegal cigarette pack in Assam is at one fifth of the price of a legal packet
which makes it very attractive to consumers, particularly youth and rural population
BS Reporter | Guwahati
July 28, 2015 Last Updated at 20:39 IST
Illegal cigarette industry is fast growing in Assam and is estimated at more than 25 per cent of
the total cigarette market, found a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI) study.
High state level taxes like VAT (value added tax) and imposition of health cess on legal cigarette
industry are resulting in high prices for legal cigarettes, and are the key reasons behind an
"alarming" growth of illegal cigarette industry in Assam, found the study. Most of the
manufacturers of illegal cigarettes (mostly based in adjoining states of Assam and in some
Northern states) evade the high central excise duty and state taxes and cess and thus are able
to offer their products to consumers at rock-bottom prices. Price of illegal cigarette pack in
Assam is at one fifth of the price of a legal packet which makes it very attractive to consumers,
particularly youth and rural population.
"In the past few decades, leading intelligence and law-enforcement agencies around the world
have found conclusive evidence of the increasing involvement of terrorist organisations in
counterfeiting, piracy and smuggling activities to fund their activities. While several
counterfeiting outfits are transferring portions of their proceeds to terrorist organisations, some
of these are set up for the sole purpose of financing terrorism," said Deep Chand, adviser to
Ficci's committee against smuggling and counterfeiting activities, while unveiling the report
before media persons.
Smuggled international contraband cigarettes are another big menace contributing significantly
to the alarming growth of illegal cigarette industry in Assam. The state shares a porous
international border with Bangladesh. In addition, other states in Northeast also share similar
border with Myanmar, Bangladesh, China etc. Therefore there is a sizeable influx of cheap kingsized smuggled cigarettes from countries like Bangladesh, China and Myanmar into Assam, found
the study.
"Northeast has become a distribution centre for the rest of the country for cheap smuggled
cigarettes originating in the neighbouring countries. All these smuggled cigarettes are
transported from Assam and other Northeastern states to rest of the country by air, bus and
train. Such illegal cigarettes totally defeat the tobacco control objectives of the government as
they neither bear any health warnings required as per Indian laws nor have other mandatory
declarations like MRP, date of manufacture or place of manufacture," the study said.
Moreover, the study found that steep increase in VAT on cigarettes has rather resulted in
revenue loss for the state's exchequer as that has resulted in growth of illegal cigarette market.
"This has resulted in a loss of state revenue from the cigarette industry by over 50 per cent ever
since the VAT rate on cigarettes was increased. It is thus clear that the objective of increasing
revenue from the cigarette industry in the state with a steep increase in VAT and imposition of
health cess has been soundly defeated," it said.
Publication
Date
Online Link
The Assam Tribune
28th July 2015
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=jul2915/at054
Publication
Date
Online Link
First Post
28th July 2015
http://www.firstpost.com/india/insurgents-militants-funded-by-drug-andfake-currency-trade-assam-adgp-2368128.html
Insurgents, militants funded by drug and
fake currency trade: Assam ADGP
Jul 28, 2015 18:54 IST
Guwahati: Insurgent and militant groups in the country, including those in the north east
get huge funds from illicit trade in drugs and fake currency, Assam Additional Director
General of Police Mukul Sahay said on Tuesday.
Smugglers pay protection money to various insurgent groups who use these amounts in
subversive activities, Sahay told press persons in Guwahati.
"A part of the funding to any terror and insurgent organisation, including those in the North
East and Assam, comes from illegal trade - mainly of tobacco, drugs and fake currency. This
is a phenomenon we have witnessed world over," he said at a press conference on illicit
trade organised by FICCI.
Representational image. Agencies
Conceding that there might be loopholes in the law, he said it was the lack of
implementation that was the biggest problem.
"Police in states like Assam are involved in countering traditional crimes like insurgency and
ethnic clash. So, illicit trade has not become a priority of the force yet," he said.
There must be effective coordination between government, industry and enforcement
agencies to prevent illegal trade and protect Intellectual Property Rights, the ADGP said.
The FICCI CASCADE (Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying
the Economy) on Tuesday unveiled its report 'Illicit Market: A Threat to Our National
Interest' in Guwahati.
FICCI CASCADE adviser P C Jha said higher VAT in products such as cigarettes has led to
increase in illegal trade.
"This is a very serious issue. The government has to take note of this problem. The need of
the hour is more stringent laws along with public awareness," Sahay said.
He said Assam and Meghalaya, where VAT on cigarettes is as high as 30 per cent and 27 per
cent respectively, are losing a total of Rs 700 crore revenue every year to illicit trade.
Other north east states like Tripura and Sikkim levy VAT on cigarettes at the rate of 25 per
cent and 22 per cent, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh at 20 per cent, while it is 18 per cent
and 13.5 per cent in Nagaland and Manipur respectively, he added.
As per the FICCI report, the total loss on account of the illicit market estimated for 2014 in
respect of seven sectors of the manufacturing industry is Rs 39,239 crore, up from Rs 26,190
crore in 2012.
"Amongst the various sectors, the maximum revenue loss to the exchequer on account of
counterfeiting and illicit trade is attributed to tobacco products at 23 per cent, estimating a
revenue loss of Rs 9,139 crore," it added.
Publication
Date
Online Link
The Indian Express
28th July 2015
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/about-rs-39000-croreloss-in-one-year-due-to-illicit-markets-in-manufacturing-sectors-ficci-report/
Publication
Date
Online Link
The New Indian Express
28th July 2015
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Insurgents-Militants-Funded-byDrug-and-Fake-Currency-Trade/2015/07/28/article2945330.ece
Publication
Date
Online Link
Business Insider
29th July 2015
http://www.businessinsider.in/Over-Rs-39-000-crore-loss-to-exchequer-in2014-all-thanks-to-illicit-trade/articleshow/48264162.cms
Publication
Date
Online Link
Economic Times
28th July 2015
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/illicittrade-up-in-2014-rs-39239-crore-loss-to-exchequer-ficcireport/articleshow/48261384.cms
Publication
Date
Online Link
Assam Times
28th July 2015
http://www.assamtimes.org/node/14359
Publication
Date
Online Link
Economic Times -Retail
28th July 2015
http://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/illicit-trade-upin-2014-rs-39239-crore-loss-to-exchequer-ficci-report/48263449
Publication
Date
Online Link
The Statesman
28th July 2015
http://www.thestatesman.com/news/northeast/insurgents-militantsfunded-by-drug-and-fake-currency-trade/78623.html
Publication
Date
Online Link
The Free Press Journal
28th July 2015
http://www.freepressjournal.in/insurgents-militants-funded-by-drug-andfake-currency-trade/
Publication
Date
Online Link
Business Standard
28th July 2015
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/insurgents-militantsfunded-by-drug-and-fake-currency-trade-115072800987_1.html
Online –CM
Orders a Probe
Publication
Date
Online Link
The Indian express
30th July 2105
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/cm-tarun-gogoi-ordersprobe-into-illegal-cigarette-trade-in-assam/
CM Tarun Gogoi orders probe into illegal cigarette trade in Assam –
The chief minister also asked the inquiry committee to suggest measures to check and
disband illegal trade in cigarettes as pointed out in the FICCI report.
Written by Samudra Gupta Kashyap | Guwahati | Published:July 30, 2015 2:47 am
Tarun Gogoi
A day after a FICCI report said that illegal cigarettes comprised 25 per cent of the total
cigarette market in Assam, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Wednesday ordered an inquiry and
asked an additional chief secretary to come out with a strategy to take action.
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The chief minister also asked the inquiry committee to suggest measures to check and
disband illegal trade in cigarettes as pointed out in the FICCI report. The report had said that
there was a huge influx of cheap king-sized smuggled cigarettes from countries like
Bangladesh, China and Myanmar into Assam.
“As a bulk of these smuggled cigarettes are transported from Assam and other Northeastern
states to the rest of the country by various modes of transport, such illegal cigarettes totally
defeat the tobacco control objectives of the government as they neither bear any health
warnings required under Indian laws, nor do they have other mandatory declarations like
MRP or date and place of manufacture,” the FICCI report said.
Publication
Date
Online Link
Business Standard
29th July 2105
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/assam-announcescommittee-to-stop-illegal-cigarette-trade-115072900918_1.html
Publication
Date
Online Link
IBN Live
29th July 2105
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/assam-announces-committee-to-stopillegal-cigarette-trade-1027520.html
Publication
Date
Online Link
Niti Central
30th July 2105
http://www.niticentral.com/2015/07/30/assam-announces-committee-tostop-illegal-cigarette-trade-326344.html