COMMERCE Secretary Rita A.Teaotia yesterday held detailed consultations and deliberations with around 27 Export Promotion Councils to seek their views and suggestions on ways to promote exports. The major issues highlighted by the Export Promotion Councils related to early refund of the duty drawback amounts, credit of interest subvention, increase in the incentives given in the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), governance issues relating to delays in clearances, addition of more items under the MEIS, request for increase in MEIS incentives for certain items, agreements with specific countries to promote exports of certain items.

Addressing the Export Promotion Councils, the Commerce Secretary informed that the allocations for export incentive schemes in the current financial year has been increased from the earlier Rs.18,000 crore to Rs.21,000 crore and this amount was likely to be available for allocations in the coming week. She also said that with the changing paradigms/ dynamics of the export market, exporters should be flexible in responding to the changing economic scenario and should work in the spirit of give and take wherein getting access has to be complimented by giving access to markets. Highlighting that the SEZs could be made as a fulcrum of Make In India, the Commerce Secretary said that the Govt is concentrating on agreements in multi lateral forums for wider benefits to the exporters. The Commerce Secretary thanked the Export Promotion Councils for giving valuable suggestions and assured them that these suggestions will be crystallised in a concrete form and specific actions would be taken by the Ministry to facilitate exporters.