|
Back
HIGHLIGHTS
ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT 2007 TO FOREIGN TRADE POLICY 2004 09
Date : 19 Apr 2007
Location : New Delhi
-
A FIVE-YEAR FOREIGN
TRADE POLICY REGIME WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER, MR
KAMAL NATH IN THE YEAR 2004. STABILITY OF TRADE POLICY REGIME HAS YIELDED
VERY POSITIVE RESULTS AND IN THE THREE YEARS SINCE THEN, INDIA’S MERCHANDISE
EXPORTS HAVE ALMOST DOUBLED. INDIA’S SHARE OF WORLD TRADE HAS MOVED FROM
0.76% TO ABOVE 1%.
-
INCREMENTAL EXPORTS
IN LAST 3 YEARS HAVE CREATED ADDITIONAL 75 LAKHS JOBS.
-
CONSISTENT GROWTH KEPT PACE WITH TARGET. EXPORTS TOUCHED US$ 125 BILLION
DURING LAST FINANCIAL YEAR.
-
EXPORT TARGET FOR 2007-08 FIXED AT US$ 160 BILLION, TO BE RAISED TO US$ 200
BILLION FOR 2008-09.
-
CURRENT ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT TO FTP AIMS TO PROVIDE FURTHER MOMENTUM TO EXPORTS
GROWTH. CHANGES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING MAJOR INITIATIVES:-
-
ENCOURAGEMENT TO AGRO EXPORTS AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION IN THE
AGRICULTURE SECTOR.
-
NEW INITIATIVE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT NAMELY COLD STORAGE UNITS,
PACK HOUSES, REEFER VANS/CONTAINERS, ETC., FOR AGRO SECTOR, IS BEING
LAUNCHED.
-
IN LINE WITH THE
GOVERNMENT OBJECTIVE OF HAVING ALL INCLUSIVE GROWTH, VISHESH KRISHI AND
GRAM UDYOG YOJANA SCHEME EXPANDED FURTHER TO INCLUDE FOREST BASED AND
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
-
A NEW SCHEME TO GIVE IMPETUS TO EXPORTS OF HIGH TECH PRODUCTS, IS BEING
LAUNCHED. EXPORTS OF SPECIFIED HIGH TECH PRODUCTS ARE PROPOSED TO BE
REWARDED.
-
LONG STANDING
MAJOR GRIEVANCE OF TRADE IS BEING ADDRESSED BY PROVIDING SERVICE TAX
EXEMPTION/REMISSION ON SERVICES RENDERED IN INDIA AND UTILISED BY
EXPORTERS. THIS SHOULD BRING CHEERS TO THE EXPORTING FRATERNITY.
-
IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO ADDRESS GENUINE GRIEVANCES,
SERVICES RENDERED ABROAD AND CHARGED ON EXPORTS FROM INDIA TO BE
EXEMPTED FROM SERVICE TAX.
-
FOR EFFECTIVELY
ENSURING ALL INCLUSIVE GROWTH FOR FARMERS AND TRIBALS, FOCUS PRODUCTS
SCHEME EXPANDED FURTHER TO INCLUDE NEW AGRO AND FOREST PRODUCTS.
-
FOR DIVERSIFYING EXPORTS TO TAP HITHERTO UNEXPLORED MARKETS, SCOPE OF
FOCUS MARKET SCHEME IS BEING EXPANDED TO INCLUDE 16 NEW COUNTRIES
INCLUDING 10 CIS COUNTRIES,
-
EXPORTS AND EMPLOYMENT IN HANDLOOM AND HANDICRAFT SECTORS PROVIDED
FURTHER PUSH THROUGH DUTY FREE ACCESS TO MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT FOR
EFFLUENT TREATMENT PLANTS.
-
TO SHARPEN CORE
STRENGTH OF PROMISING GEMS AND JEWELLERY SECTORS AND HANDICRAFT SECTOR,
DUTY FREE ACCESS TO TOOLS, MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT PROPOSED TO BE
PROVIDED TO GIVE THEM COMPETITIVE EDGE.
-
EXPORT OF
RHODIUM POLISHED SILVER JEWELLERY TO BE ENCOURAGED FURTHER.
-
TO REDUCE TRANSACTION COST FOR DIAMOND SECTOR, TESTING FACILITY AT DUBAI
INCORPORATED IN THE LIST OF CERTIFYING AGENCIES.
-
EMPLOYMENT,
MANUFACTURING AND VALUE ADDITIONS IN THE EOU SCHEME TO BE ENCOURAGED
FURTHER BY EXTENDING THE BENEFIT OF FOCUS PRODUCTS, FOCUS MARKET, AND
VISHESH KRISHI AND GRAM UDYOG YOJANA SCHEME.
-
MAJOR
SIMPLIFICATION ATTEMPTED THROUGH FINE TUNING OF EXISTING PROCEDURES
UNDER VARIOUS SCHEMES FOR TRANSPERANCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND REDUCING
TRANSACTION TIME.
-
EFFORTS TO BE MADE TO PROVIDE TIMELY DISBURSEMENT OF CENTRAL SALES TAX,
DUTY DRAWBACK, AND TERMINAL EXCISE DUTY. IN CASE OF ANY DELAY, INTEREST
TO BE PROVIDED WITH EFFECT FROM 1.4.2006.
-
EXPORTERS
AFFECTED BY FORCE MAJEURE OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES/REASONS, TO
BE PROVIDED MORE TIME FOR COMPLETING THEIR EXPORT OBLIGATION.
-
FOR ENCOURAGING PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & DIVERSIFICATION FOR COMPETING IN
THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET, THE LIMIT FOR DUTY FREE IMPORT OF SAMPLES
INCREASED TO RS.75,000/-
-
RATIONALISATION
IN THE THRESHOLD CRITERIA AND RE-CLASSIFICATION OF STATUS HOLDER SCHEME.
-
DUTY ON FUEL AND
4% SPECIAL ADDITIONAL DUTY TO BE FACTORED IN THE DEPB SCHEME
-
EPCG SCHEME
REVAMPED TO ACHIEVE SIMPLIFICATION AND MAKE IT USER FRIENDLY.
-
BENEFIT OF ALL
DUTY EXEMPTION AND REMISSION SCHEMES SUCH AS ADVANCE AUTHORISATION
SCHEME, DEPB AND DFIA EXTENDED TO THE SUPPLY OF GOODS TO DEVELOPER AND
CO-DEVELOPER OF THE SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES.
-
VERIFICATION AT
CUSTOMS DISPENSED WITH UNDER EPCG AND ADVANCE AUTHORIZATION SCHEME.
*******
SB/NR/MRS
|