Lok Sabha Question No. 5684 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-02
Subject: New Export Policy
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: ANIL SHIROLE, PARBHUBHAI NAGARBHAI VASAVA, NISHIKANT  DUBEY, George Baker

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5684 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02 nd  APRIL,2018

## NEW EXPORT POLICY

## 5684.  SHRI ANIL SHIROLE:

SHRI PARBHUBHAI NAGARBHAI VASAVA:

SHRI NISHIKANT DUBEY:

SHRI GEORGE BAKER:

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

- (a) whether the Government is working on new Export Policy within the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  received  any  proposal  from  some  of  the  States including Maharashtra and West Bengal to promote shipping and port sector within the country;
- (c) if  so, the details thereof, State/UTwise and the action taken by the Government in this regard;
- (d) whether the Government has tied up with the Ministry of Shipping in this regard and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  amount  of  earnings  made  through  exports  during  each  of  the  last  three  years along with the amount spent on imports during the said period?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lh- vkj- pkS/kjh½

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

- (a) The Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 was launched on April, 2015. The Mid Term Review of the  Foreign  Trade  Policy  2015-20  was  released  on  05.12.2017.  The  Foreign  Trade  Policy  is dynamic  in  nature  and  changes  in  policy  and  procedure  are  regularly  carried  out  as  and  when required  through  Notifications  and  Public  Notices.  Key  changes  in  the  mid-term  review  of  the Foreign Trade Policy are as under:
-  MEIS (Merchandise Exports from India Scheme) was increased by 2% to MSMEs / labour intensive industries involving an additional outlay of Rs.7310 crore that includes Rs. 2743 crore incentives for two sub-sectors of Textiles i.e. ready made garments and made-ups on which MEIS was raised from 2% to 4%.

Similarly, the SEIS (Service Export from India Scheme) incentive rate was  increased by 2% for all notified services such as Business, Legal, Accounting, Architectural, Engineering, Educational, Hospital, Hotels and Restaurants amounting to Rs. 1140 crore.

-  The  validity  period  of  the  Duty  Credit  Scrips  was  increased  from  18  months  to  24  months  to enhance their utility in the GST framework. GST rate for transfer/sale of scrips was reduced to zero from the earlier rate of 12%.
-  A new trust based Self Ratification Scheme was introduced to allow duty free inputs for export production under duty exemption scheme for the Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs).
-  Issue of working capital blockage of the exporters due to upfront payment of GST on inputs has also  been  addressed.  Exemption  of  IGST  has  been  allowed  to  schemes  like  the  Advance  Authorization Scheme, Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme and 100% Export Oriented Unit  Scheme for sourcing inputs from abroad apart from Customs Duty.  The 26 th meeting of the GST Council held on 10 th March 2018 has further extended these benefits till 01.10.2018.
- (b), (c) & (d) The National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Sagarmala was prepared in consultation with all the maritime states and released in April 2016. The NPP aims to foster port-led development in the country through integrated development of India's maritime sector through augmentation of capacity of existing ports, improving their efficiency, strengthening evacuation infrastructure and promoting  coastal  and  inland  waterways  transportation.  As  part  of  the  Sagarmala  Programme, Master Plans have been finalized for the 12 major ports and based on the same, 128 port capacity expansion projects (estimated cost: Rs. 84,395 Cr and capacity creation of 828 MMTPA) have been identified for implementation over next 20 years.

Additionally, the Ministry of Shipping has brought out the Coastal Berth Scheme for part-funding the  development  of  port  infrastructure  like  construction  of  break-water,  preparation  of  coastal berths / jetties, undertaking capital dredging etc. Under this Scheme, the Ministry has provided funds for 26 projects in the maritime states including Maharashtra and West Bengal.

- (e) India's Export & Import data for last three years and current year upto February, 2018 for Merchandise and upto January, 2018 for Services are as under:

(US$ Millions)

| Years                  |   Merchandise Export |   Merchandise Import |
|------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
| 2014-15                |               310338 |               448033 |
| 2015-16                |               262290 |               381007 |
| 2016-17                |               275852 |               384356 |
| 2017-18 (Apr-Feb, 18*) |               273757 |               419341 |

(US$ Millions)

| Years                  |   Service Export |   Service Import |
|------------------------|------------------|------------------|
| 2014-15                |           160370 |            85929 |
| 2015-16                |           155136 |            85717 |
| 2016-17                |           160683 |            95469 |
| 2017-18 (Apr-Jan, 18*) |           142219 |            84789 |

* Provisional Source: DGCIS, RBI

****