PHDCCI for Indian Union of states

Chandigarh, Feb 22 (UNI) Business Chamber PHDCCI today mooted a proposal to forge an Indian Union of states in the North where free trade could happen without any inter-state barriers.

''Like the European Union (EU), we should have an Indian Union of states in North India where there are no restrictions and barriers on the inter-state trade,'' PHDCCI president Sushma Berlia said at a press conference here.

The North Indian states could work together and cooperate with each other especially in the areas of agriculture, infrastructure, taxation and tourism, Ms Berlia said.

At present there was no common market or economic agenda of these states, she pointed out.

She said the PHDCCI would hold periodical conclaves of Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries of various states in the region so that they could have deliberations on such issue.

Endorsing the proposal for Indian Union, eminent economist and PHDCCI general secretary Bibek Debroy said: ''If ASEAN and EU can eliminate barriers between countries why not states of a country do so.'' Dr Debroy said the North Indian states should now lift restrictions on inter-state trade and try to resolve the various issues related to taxation, agriculture, Motor Vehicles Act, Forestry Act and Essential Commodities Act.

MORE UNI MA SD PC1605