Lok Sabha Question No. 2530 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Concerns of Exporters
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: B. SREERAMULU, ANJU BALA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2530 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31 st JULY, 2017

## CONCERNS OF EXPORTERS

## 2530.   SHRI B. SRIRAMULU: SHRIMATI ANJU BALA:

Will the Minister of ( वािणÏय एवं उɮयोग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Ministry has discussed the concerns of exporters and is engaged  in  intensive  interdepartmental  consultations  with  the  Department  of Revenue and the Ministry of Finance on concerns related to GST;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Ministry has directed its officers to consider all the issues appropriately for Mid-Term Review of Foreign Trade Policy and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Ministry is planning to approach the GST Council to restore some of the lost benefits of exporters due to changes made in existing incentive schemes to align them with GST and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether  the  Ministry  has  given  representation  before  the  World  Bank  regarding India's placement in its 'Doing Business' 2017 report and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the World Bank thereto; and
- (f) the major steps being taken by the Ministry for business and industry sector amid confusion about GST?

## ANSWER

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## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

## (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

- (a) & (b)   Yes Madam. Meetings and inter-departmental consultations are being held regularly to address the concerns of exporters related to GST.
- (c)         Efforts are made to address the concerns of the exporters on a regular basis to the extent possible. A comprehensive  review is undertaken  during the mid-term review of the Foreign Trade Policy.
- (d)         The issues raised by the exporters which are under the jurisdiction of the GST  Council  are  taken  up  for  its consideration.  The  representation received from the trade associations have been forwarded for the consideration of the Council.
- (e) The  World  Bank  team  interacts  with  the  Government  as  well  as  private organisations to gather data for use in its Doing Business report regarding reforms undertaken by the Central & State Governments. The reforms are informed to the World Bank's 'Doing Business Team' for inclusion in the report regularly. India has improved its rank during the last two years with significant improvement under the electricity parameter.
- (f ) Government has adopted a multipronged strategy to make people aware of the  details  of  the  GST.  This  includes  extensive  use  of  TV,  Radio  and Newspapers to reach the people in cities and rural India. All ministries have launched ambitious outreach programmes for resolving the issues faced at the  field  level.  The  GST  awareness  campaign  led  by  Central  Board  of Excise and Customs alone has so far conducted more than 4000 outreach programs across the country. In addition, Sectoral guidebooks and FAQs have been placed on the websites of the departments.

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