Exporters group calls for providing export sops to more products

More products like jewellery and auto-components should be included the list of items that enjoy export incentives through e-commerce with a view to boosting outbound shipments, exporters body FIEO said Monday.

Commenting on the draft national e-commerce policy, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Ganesh Kumar Gupta said currently only few items such as handicraft, handloom, books, leather footwear, and toys avail exports incentives under Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS).

The list requires immediate expansion as many MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) units exporting auto-components, are deprived of MEIS.

Under MEIS, the government provides duty benefits depending on product and country.

The proposed policy should bring uniform definition of e-commerce as various acts and policies define the world differently, Gupta further said.

The limitation of Rs 25,000 for e-commerce exports or imports through courier, should be either removed or enhanced to Rs 5 lakh so that high value shipments can be exported through courier mode availing fast track facility.

It is ironical that e-commerce retail exports is still in the manual mode and the need of the hour is that the entire e-commerce transaction should be carried out through electronic module, he added.

This is the most timely initiative of bringing this draft as e-commerce is a thriving market and, is a rapidly booming business around the globe, he further said.

"The need to promote cross-border e-commerce is, therefore, most logical, considering the increasing digitization and IT access," he said adding such policy will help MSMEs explore new markets.

On February 23, the commerce and industry ministry released the draft proposing setting up a legal and technological framework for restrictions on cross-border data flow and, also laid out conditions for businesses regarding collection or processing of sensitive data locally and storing it abroad.