Budget 2016: In Make in India push, govt plans tax sops for leather, gems and jewellery

New Delhi - The government is considering a package of tax incentives for the labour-intensive leather, gems and jewellery sectors in the forthcoming budget to provide a boost to manufacturing as well as exports. Leather and leather goods sectors are focus areas under the Make in India initiative of the central government and the aim is to increase exports to $15 billion by 2020 from the current $6 billion. [caption id=“attachment_2616330” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The leather sector employs about three million people. Reuters[/caption] The commerce and industry ministry in its suggestions for the budget for fiscal 2017 has recommended several initiatives including elimination of customs duty on imported leather machinery from about 26.5% currently, people familiar with the matter said. It has also sought excise duty reduction for all leather and non-leather goods of up to Rs 2,000 and increase in the abatement rate to 35% from 25%. These suggestions, if implemented, will help assist technology upgrade, capacity modernisation, expansion of manufacturing sector and achieving the $15 billion exports target, people familiar with the matter said. The Council for Leather Exports chairman Rafeeq Ahmed said the sector employs about three million people and support is required to boost the sector. “Big expansion plans are there in the sector and for that imported machinery is required because 95% of the machinery for tanning and footwear is imported,” he said. Footwear currently attracts an excise duty of 12.5%. For gems and jewellery, which is also the thrust sector under the Make in India programme, the industry has asked to raise customs duty to 15% from the current 10% and abolish the excise duty from the current rate of 6% on imitation jewellery. The suggestions assume significance as the popularity of Indian imitation jewellery across the globe is increasing and there is a huge demand in countries including the US and Europe. “Extending tax benefits to the sector will enable competitive manufacturing in the country and also boost exports,” a person with knowledge of the matter said. Finance minister Arun Jaitley will unveil the budget on 29 February. Contracting for the 13th month in a row, India’s merchandise exports fell 14.75% in December to $22.2 billion due to a steep fall in shipment of petroleum products and engineering goods amid tepid global demand. PTI