Maharashtra Industry Minister requests
FIEO to identify Food Parks
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Mr. Ashok Chavan, Industry Minister, Maharashtra addressing the gathereing. On dais from left: Mr. Vinod Goel, DGM, Exim Bank; Mr. N K Gupta, Chairman, R.L. Steels; Mr. Arvind Machhar, Chairman & MD, Anil Tubes; Mr. S K Saraf, Chairman (WR), FIEO; Mr. S K Prasad, Addl. DGFT; Mr. Sailesh Singh, Zonal Jt. DGFT, Mumbai; Mr. Ajay Sahai, DG, FIEO; Mr. Ketan Lakhani, President, CMIA; & Mr. Ashish Garde, Secy., CMIA. |
Maharashtra Industry Minister says that there is tremendous potential for food parks in Marathwada region and has requested FIEO to identify suitable districts for such parks. While inaugurating International Trade Forum at Aurangabad on 8 March, Mr. Ashok Chavan also requested FIEO to provide inputs for revamping Maharashtra’s export policy. Meanwhile, the Minister added that the cotton-growing region of Marathwada had potential for textile parks and floriculture as well.
According to Mr. Chavan, Maharashtra is the most favoured destination for investments where Letters of Intent for as many as 128 SEZs, the highest for any state, have been sanctioned. He however, concedes that there is no proper infrastructure for tourism in the state at present and so tourism SEZs are being planned by his government.
Of the 8 districts in Marathwada region, the Minister says, Aurangabad is doing well while rest of the districts like Latur, Jalna, Beed, Parbhani, Hingoli are in take-off stage. He stressed on the development of air connectivity for Latur, Osmanabad, Nanded and Aurangabad.
FIEO’s Southern Region Chairman Mr. S K Saraf during his address suggested creating Expo Centres in towns like Aurangabad, Latur, Parbhani and Nanded where foreign delegates could be brought to. He sought favour from the Minister towards allotment of plot for proposed Niryat Bhawan in Mumbai.
Highlighting FIEO’s imitative, Mr. Saraf said, the Federation has put up India Trade Centre in Bucharest, Romania and is in the proves of setting up similar centres in Dubai, Stutgart (Germany), Poland, etc. to serve as permanent export promotion platforms.
According to Mr. Saraf, Marathwada is rich in cotton, fruit, vegetable and floriculture, which are export-worthy. The priorities lie in rural masses, agricultural farmers. To improve their lot, post harvest management, storage, supply etc. should given due attention. Cold storage facilities should be created at Aurangabad airport to facilitate cargo movement, he added.
FIEO Director General Mr. Ajay Sahai gave a presentation outlining the role of the Federation as the apex body towards prompting export of goods and services from the country. Meanwhile, he expressed concern over cost disability suffered by exporters to the tune of 19% to 23%. "Indian exporters require level playing field and not sops," he stressed.
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Sakthivel urges Karunanidhi to exempt VAT on exports FIEO Vice President Mr. A. Sakthivel has called the Tamil Nadu budget as growth and employment oriented. The budget for 2008-09 was tabled by State Finance Minister Mr. K Anbazagan in the TN Assembly on 20th March. Various measures announced for agriculture, fisheries, industries, ITeS and subsidies for small and medium enterprises etc. would accelerate the economic growth momentum of the State, says Mr. Sakthivel. The budget woos investments from multinational companies, especially in manufacturing sector. The budget seeks to set up more special economic zones in backward areas. These measures would generate employment in the State, says Mr. Sakthivel. FIEO Vice President welcomes the measures proposed in the budget for simplification of VAT, however, he requests the Chief Minister Mr. M Karunanidhi to exempt exports from VAT saying that the refund claims of many exporters from Tirupur and Coimbatore are pending for more than four-five months. The budget lays special emphasis on infrastructural development in the State and accordingly proposes some ambitious plans such as setting up Circular High Speed Transportation Corridor and interlinking river canals. |
Past President of Chamber of Marathwada Industries & Agriculture (CMIA), Mr. Arvind Machad said that exports should be focused, as domestic trade was only a matter of book entries as far as Indian economy was concerned.
To catalyse export efforts from the region, Mr. Ketan Lakhani of Chamber of Marathwada Industries & Agriculture said, quadrangle roads, higher frequency of Concor trains, air cargo facilities, proper facility for import of scrap at ICD Maliwada etc. are required. Highlighting the strengths of Aurangabad, he said, the city has cosmopolitan culture, affordable cost of living compared to Mumbai and Pune, affordable skilled manpower, reasonable real estate price and excellent law & order.
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4th Sana’a International Exhibition - SIEX 2008
The Ministry of Industry and Trade, Government of the Republic of Yemen is organising 4th Sana’a International Exhibition - SIEX 2008 from 8 to 13 June, 2008 at Sana’a Expo Centre.
For details, please contact M/s Apollo International Exhibition Co. (Attn. Mr. Omar Al-Nihmy, Marketing Manager) Tel:00967-1-441000; Fax:00967-1-448086; Mob:00967-71112055 Email:apollo.exb2@y.net.ye; Website:www.exposanaa.com |
"A number of units in automobiles, whiteline goods, pharma, beverages, whisky, auto-ancillaries, tyres, alloy steel etc. have been set up in the region by domestic industry majors like Bajaj, Videocon, Garware, RL Steels, Akar, and MNCs like Skoda, Siemens, MAN, B&W, Johnson & Johnson, Greaves, Lumbardini. In agricultural sector, items like sugar, corn, fly ash, mangoes, onions, rice are grown here." Added Mr. Lakhani.
Enumerating the plus points of Foreign Trade Policy, Additional Director General of Foreign Trade, Mr. S K Prasad said," Only 476 items, mainly concerning SCOMNET items which are either capable of double use or are of environment concern, have been categorized under ‘negative list,’ whereas rest of the items are freely importable. Controls have been dismantled, licensing abolished and tariff lines reduced."
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In order to make Indian exports competitive in the global market, Mr. Prasad said, the central government has introduced schemes like duty neutralization, DEPB, DFAI, EPCG for modernization by import of capital goods, 100% EOU & SEZ for infrastructure development etc.
He assured that the New Foreign Trade Policy to be announced shortly would further boost exports. |
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A view of the audience. |
EXIM Bank DGM Mr. Vinod Goel informed that 84 lines had been sanctioned his bank to LAC, CIS, WASA. In spite of high risks involved, he says, dollar loans and rupees loans are being given by the bank for a term upto 7 years. Financing is also being done for setting up of overseas offices, warehouses, equity participation for Indian partners, overseas ventures for local currency etc. 140 Companies in Pharma, IT, auto components sector have been sanctioned upto $640 mn. There is a specific SME Desk created to serve the interest of SMEs, in addition to other desks, he added.
Many participants demanded opening an extension counter of DGFT at Aurngabad saying 2 to 3 weeks time is taken to get a license from Mumbai Joint DGFT Office.
