Aiming to review the current trend of exports from India and take stock of issues faced by the exporters, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a meeting with the Chairpersons of Export Promotion Councils (EPCs).
Altogether, 14 EPCs took part in this meeting, which was the second such meeting with the Councils. The first one was held in February 2016.
Promotion of Brand India on a consistent basis, increase in MEIS incentives, more incentives for project exports and need for Indian missions to be mobilised to provide necessary support to exporters were some of the issues discussed at the meeting. The councils also cited delay in environmental clearances as a hurdle in setting up manufacturing units.
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A press release by the ministry claimed that it was general consensus that in terms of volume, most commodities have shown resilience and maintained the levels achieved in the previous fiscal 2014-15. However, keeping in view the various, recent initiatives taken up by the Government as well as some of the global factors, there was a feeling that exports would rise. The Minister assured that issues relating to Ministry of External Affairs and Department of Revenue would be taken up by the Department of Commerce.
It was also noted that the Department of Commerce has to work under certain limitations of funds and policy, but at the same time, it was assured that full cooperation would be provided to the EPCs.
