Lok Sabha Question No. 4223 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-07
Subject: Import and Sale of Sub-standard Goods
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: RAHUL KASWAN

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4223(H) TO BE ANSWERED ON  07 th  JANUARY, 2019

## IMPORT AND SALE OF SUB-STANDARD GOODS

## 4223(H). SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वा ͨणÏय एवं उɮयोग मंğी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether import of sub-standard goods and their sale have come to the notice of the Government in Indian market;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the steps taken to stop import and sale of such goods?

## 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)  and  (b)  Yes.  The  details  regarding  Import  of  Sub-standard  Goods  seized  by  Directorate  of Revenue Intelligence during last three years and current financial year upto December, 2018 is Annexed.
- (c)  Appropriate action under the Customs Act, 1962 has been initiated in the said cases. Further with a view to protecting its domestic producers and consumers, India has an elaborate and robust legal framework and institutional set up to protect its environment, life and health of its people,  plants  and  animals.  Adequate  provisions  exist  under  the  Foreign  Trade  Policy  to protect the Indian consumers and producers as imported goods are subject to domestic laws, rules, orders, regulations, technical specifications, environmental and safety norms. The BIS standards  applicable  to  domestic  goods  are  also  applicable  to  imported  goods.  Besides, imports  of  plant  &  plant  based  products  are  subject  to  Plant  Quarantine  measures  and sanitary & phyto-sanitary measures, imports of animal & animal based products are subject to sanitary import permits and imports of food/edible items are subject to FSSAI standards

Against  cheaper  imports  causing  injury  to  domestic  industry,  there  are  trade  defence measures like anti - dumping duty, countervailing duty and safeguard duty. Whenever Indian industry is affected by cheaper imports, it can seek remedies from the Government under the above  provisions.  DGTR  conducts  anti  -  dumping  investigations  on  the  basis  of  duly substantiated  petition  filed  by  the  domestic  industry  alleging  dumping  of  goods  into  the country  causing  injury  to  the  domestic  industry.  Similarly,  DGTR  conducts  anti-subsidy investigations against countries subsidising their export products. Section 8B of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, subject to certain conditions, empowers the Central Government to impose Safeguard Duty on any article imported into India in such increased quantities and under such conditions so as to cause or threaten to cause serious injury to the Indian domestic industry.

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## Annexure -A

| Year                     |   No. of cases | Description of Goods                                                                                                                                                                    | Value [Rs in Lakh]                      | Violation   |
|--------------------------|----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-------------|
| 2015-16                  |              1 | Spectacles                                                                                                                                                                              | 6.28                                    | IPR         |
| 2016-17                  |              4 | Screen guard, rechargeable battery, battery cover, card board battery pack covers, power banks, shoes, sunglasses, hand bags, Charger Mobile Battery, LED Lamp, Motor Vehicle Tyre etc. | 420.3                                   | IPR and BIS |
| 2017-18                  |             20 | Sunglasses, Shoes Wrist Watches, Mobile accessories & other electronic items, Visual Display Unit, Mobile battery, Charger etc of hiend end brands.                                     | 11537.45                                | IPR and BIS |
| 2018-19 [Upto Dec, 2018] |              1 | Bamboo Sticks for making agarbattie, watches, cosmetics, lady purses, belts, laptop adaptors etc of high end global brands.                                                             | Value determinati on is under progress. | IPR         |

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