Govt must clear Rs 19,000 crore of duty refund claims: FIEO

10 Mar 2014 Evaluate

Concerned over the slow growth in Indian exports, the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has emphasized that the government must expeditiously clear Rs 19,000 crore of duty refund claims as the mounting arrears is impacting the country’s overseas shipments. Highlighting liquidity as a big issue to domestic exports, FIEO President Rafeeque Ahmed asserted that despite repeated requests, the customs authorities have failed to clear the claims since October last year. Pending claims has now reached about Rs 19,000 crore and would reach at Rs 25,000 crore by end of the fiscal.

FIFO President added that pending claims are highest at JawaharLal Nehru sea port at Rs 3,059 crore followed by Chennai sea port with Rs 1,280 crore. Further, VAT claims in states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab and Tamil Nadu and are very high. Small and medium exporters would be the worst-hit due to delay in duty refund claims, he added.

The FIFO had already notified that India’s exports will fall short by about $10 billion from its set target of $325 billion for the current fiscal as the factors like declining manufacturing growth, pending duty refund claims and slow recovery in global demand are adversely impacting the country’s exports. However, the value of exports increased by 5.71% to $257.09 billion during April-January’FY14 as against $243.19 billion in the same period of previous fiscal year. FIEO is presently preparing a draft for the new Foreign Trade Policy for 2014-19 including measures to boost exports, which will be submitted to the new government in the next two and a half months time.

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