EPCES asks govt to cover SEZs under RoDTEP scheme; give infra status

EPCES asks govt to cover SEZs under RoDTEP scheme; give infra status

PTIUpdated: Tuesday, September 07, 2021, 08:02 PM IST
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Under the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme, various central and state duties, taxes, levies imposed on input products among others are refunded to exporters to boost exports/ Representational Image | Pic by StockSnap from Pixabay

The Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs (EPCES) on Tuesday urged the government to extend the benefits of tax refund scheme RoDTEP to the sector and grant infrastructure status to enable priority lending at cheaper rates.

EPCES Chairman Bhuvnesh Seth also said that exports from special economic zones (SEZs) are increasing and are expected to touch Rs 8 lakh crore in 2021-22 from Rs 7.55 lakh crore in 2020-21.

"With the recovery in export markets, exports from SEZs are increasing. This year we are expecting that the exports from SEZs will be definitely more than the pre-Covid level of Rs 7.84 lakh crore in 2019-20. We should be able to achieve about Rs 8 lakh crore," he told PTI.

Talking about steps to further increase the growth of the sector, he said SEZ should get the infrastructure status to get priority lending from banks at cheaper rates; and the government also needs to improve the connectivity from SEZs to ports.

"We have also submitted a proposal before the Government to cover SEZs and EOUs too under the new RoDTEP scheme. The government has assured that a committee is being set up to finalise the rates for exports from SEZs," Seth said adding a quick decision is needed for allowing SEZ units to sell goods in DTA (domestic tariff area) on duty foregone basis rather than the present arrangement of payment of full customs duties.

Under the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme, various central and state duties, taxes, levies imposed on input products among others are refunded to exporters to boost exports.

At present, SEZs are allowed to sell their products in the domestic market, but after payment of customs duty.

Seth has also suggested the government permit SEZ units to do job work for DTA units; simplification of norms for de-notification of zones and exit processes; and flexibility of utilization of non-processing areas by developers for creation of social infrastructure.

Further he informed that EPCES is shifting its office to a new location in Himalaya Bhawan in the national capital, which will be inaugurated by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel and Commerce Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam on September 8 here.

It will also release a study carried out by PwC at the instance of EPCES on the "Evaluating impact of SEZs in India on - enhancing exports, job creation, attracting investment, high technology and innovation through sectoral analysis and case studies".

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