|
Garments traders seek probe into quota policy
UNITED NEWS OF INDIA
New Delhi: Frequent changes effected by the textiles ministry in garment quota policy have sent alarming signals among exporters with various industry associations demanding a white paper on the issue. The garment and knitwear export entitlement (quota policy for 2000-2004) which was announced on November 12 last year has been amended four times -- on December 10, 1999, February 7, 2000, June 13 and July 21.In addition, the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) issued 34 circulars making several changes in the implementation aspects of the policy guidelines. Exporters say the alterations are being made at the behest of textile mills and will eventually blunt the 10 per cent export target. ``In this era of liberalisation when all government policies and procedures are being simplified, it is regreted that AEPC quota policy guidelines have been made more restrictive and cumbersome resulting in unnecessary harassment and wastage of time in filing the applications,'' said president of the Garments Exporters Association (GEA) Rakesh vaid, an apex body with over 650 members.Vaid said the amendments in the New Investors Entitlement (NIE) policy could effect garments exports worth Rs 3,000 crore. Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
|