Lakhanpal said a major part of exportable items have been covered by the DEPB scheme but it will not cover the rest. "After announcing the DEPB scheme last year, we undertook a massive exercise and covered 65 to 70 per cent of export items accounting for an annual export turnover exceeding Rs 20 crore. However, the scheme will not be available for each and every item and we do not intend to expand the list of items. Even the rate correction process is not undertaken at the moment," he said.

However, he added that the DEPB scheme is transitory andwill be shelved in future to meet commitments made to WTO. "When I say it is transitory, do not think that it will be scrapped tomorrow or the day after. It will remain for some time but in the long run, as it is an incentive scheme for exporters, we have to scrap it," Lakhanpal said.

Regarding the WTO agreement, the DGFT said it is more an opportunity for Indian exporters than a challenge. However, he mentioned that poor export performance is due to a global phenomenon. "To make things easier for the exporters, we have to take two steps. The first is related to infrastructure which is a long-term process and the second to tax reforms in the country which will reduce the transaction time," he said.

SP Srivastava, the joint secretary (drawback) of the department of revenue in the Union finance ministry, said the government has fixed March 31 as the deadline for implementing electronic data interchange in 22 customs houses all over the country.

"The non-tariff barriers are creating export hurdles. So weare introducing the EDI and by March 31, both import and export documentation will be done by this process. We hope to be able to meet the deadline," Srivastava said.RV Kanoria, the chairman of Ficci's foreign trade committee, said the high cost of Indian products is mostly due to inflation. However, the current value of the rupee is not suitably adjusted. He also expressed concern over growing imports against poor exports.

Ficci calls for trade pacts with SE Asian nations:

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (Ficci) has urged the Union Government to forge new trading arrangements with different countries to boost declining exports. In a discussion paper titled `Recent Trading Trends & Suggestions for Policy Changes', the federation has asked the Union Government to enter into payment arrangements with the South East Asian countries and others with high market potentials in national currencies on the lines of that with the erstwhile Soviet block.