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MARAN LAUNCHES INDIA’S FIRST TRADE PORTAL
Date : 15 Dec 2001
Location : New Delhi
Shri Murasoli Maran, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, launched India’s first Trade Portal along with the Business Information Centre in the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) premises at Pragati Maidan here today as part of the country’s trade promotional effort to use technology as a tool in boosting exports and improving competitiveness through greater efficiency in responses and trade transactions. Shri Maran described the launch of the Trade Portal as an important step in India’s efforts towards E-Commerce and familiarising trade and industry in India and abroad with the Indian government’s trade policies and reform packages that are announced from time to time. It would generate considerable impetus to the trade promotion movement in the country as a strategic input in the government’s efforts, he said. The launch of the Trade Portal signals the timely implementation of the announcement which was made by the Minister on 31 March, 2001 while releasing the EXIM Policy that a Business Information Centre with a Trade Portal would be set up in Pragati Maidan to assist overseas buyers and the Indian exporters, Shri Maran said. Shri Prabir Sengupta, Commerce Secretary, Smt. Rathi Vinay Jha, the new Tourism Secretary and formerly Chairperson-Managing Director (CMD) of ITPO and Shri S.N. Menon, Acting CMD/ ITPO also spoke on the occasion. An Electronic Product Catalogue and BIC Brochure were released by the Commerce Secretary, which was followed by a presentation on the content and interactive features of the Trade Portal by Dr. (Smt ) V.S. Bharucha, Officer On Special Duty, ITPO.
Shri Maran said that despite the presence of a large number of agencies dealing with trade or trade promotion there had been a need to have a comprehensive data bank on the economy and the industry which would act as the first point of contact for any trade or trade related information. Trade Portal " tradeportalindia.com" fulfils this long felt need by providing an electronically accessible data bank with connectivity linkages and interactivity, Shri Maran said, adding that the Business Centre and the Trade Portal would help the Indian exporters as well as the global importing community by enabling interactive dissemination On Line of new markets, products, events and opportunities and providing business match making services to facilitate on-line market response. Arrangements have also been made for updating the data base to make it current and live partly in-house and partly by out sourcing. The Minister complimented the ITPO for completing the project in the tight time schedule of six months.
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