Commerce Ministry lists steps taken to address hardships faced by exporters due to Coronavirus

Commerce Ministry on Saturday said that it has taken several measures to address hardships faced by exporters due to COVID-19 pandemic. The relaxations were granted, a day after an apex exporters' body warned of 15 million job losses unless an immediate incentive package is announced by the government.

The ministry said that it has provided several relaxation and extensions of various compliance deadlines to address Corona pandemic related hardships of exporters.

The steps taken by Commerce Ministry to address the hardships included extensions of foreign trade policy by one year, the validity of registration cum membership certificate, export obligation under advance authorisation and export promotion capital goods scheme, lasts date for filing claims under services and goods export from India schemes, for filing RoSCTL (rebate o state and central taxes and levies) claims, the valid period of all status holder certificates, and replenishment scheme for gems and jewellery.

The Ministry said that steps have also been taken to facilitate units in special economic zones (SEZs). For these zones, extensions have been given filing quarterly progress report, annual performance reports, and permission to take desktop or laptop outside SEZs by IT and non-IT units.

Further, the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) to has extended the time for filing declarations, report of default, filing claims and replies, reduction in policy proposal processing fee, discretion to decide about shipments and claim eligibility period.

For agri-exporters, the Commerce Ministry said that certification bodies have been advised to extend the validity of organic certificates, and registration of packhouses.

The Tobacco Board has extended the last date for submission of monthly returns by traders, and it has planned to start auctioning off the commodity with effect from April 15 to prevent loss of the crop.