Simplifying procedures, funds at competitive rates to help exporters: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi: The government is looking at simplifying procedures and making available funds at competitive rates to exporters with a view to boost the country’s shipments, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday.

When asked whether the government is working on a package for exporters, he said, “Simplification and ensuring that they do not have roadblocks is the biggest package that exporters want.”

Goyal said his ministry has held a series of meetings with exporters to understand their issues.

The minister will be chairing a meeting of the Board of Trade on Thursday.

In the meeting, the board will seek views of its members, including government departments, states, exporters and industry members on ways to boost exports of goods and services.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will also address the board.

“Their (exporters’) need is easier access to funds, funds at affordable prices. They are looking at facilitation on export-import, easier paperwork and those are the directions on which government is working,” Goyal told reporters here.

He said that concessions can only be for short-term and they cannot strengthen the industry in the long-term.

He also asked exporters to write to the ministry about issues like unfair trade practices and unfair imports they are facing with any country.

Meanwhile, the minister held a meeting with around 100 domestic industry representatives, manufacturers, associations of various sectors and users on Wednesday here to discuss regulatory instruments for the formulation and implementation of effective trade policy and development strategy.

In his address, Goyal said that tariff and non-tariff measures will be used judiciously by India with the ultimate aim to enable the industry to become more competitive.

He said the ministry is there to balance the interests of domestic consumers and industry.

He also said the Directorate General of Trade Remedy (DGTR) office is being strengthened with more manpower who will be properly trained to perform their duties effectively.

Regarding corruption issues that are delaying consignments, the minister requested exporters to write directly to secretaries of line ministries.

Meanwhile, Additional Secretary and DG Trade Remedies said the helpdesk in DGTR has been upgraded to a facilitation centre to create awareness regarding trade remedies and provide full support to the industry, particularly the nascent domestic producers and MSMEs.