Under stress, govt unlikely to give exporters fresh sops
The customary annual review of foreign trade policy (FTP), which is slated for next month, is expected to be a non-event this time around. The fiscally-stressed government is unlikely to unveil any fresh sops for exporters and would be content with certain easing of procedures, sources said.
Last year, the government had announced a R1,700-crore relief package for the exporters to maintain a steady growth in the export numbers. However, the popular duty entitlement pass book (DEPB) scheme was scrapped.
Sources said the government was not in a position to provide any additional fiscal succour to the exporters even though 2012-13 is expected to be tough for exporters, given the demand slump in key export markets. It is increasingly clear that reaching the export target of $500 billion for 2013-14 would be impossible, at a time the World Trade Organization has pegged the world trade to grow at around 6% a year.
Recently, commerce secretary Rahul Khullar said that the FTP will focus on addressing India's trade deficit, which ballooned to $185 billion in 2011-12, exerting pressure on the current account deficit (CAD). “The expectations are that 2012-13 would be difficult. But, there is a way of dealing with even difficult circumstances, so please leave that to be packaged, to be put together as part of the FTP supplement that will be announced next month,” Khullar added. Given that the government has already taken
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