NEW DELHI: Apparel and garment exporters will be reimbursed from next week onwards for the State levies paid by them, with the Textiles Ministry securing Rs 500 crore from the Finance Ministry in this regard, a top official said. In June last year, the Government had approved a Rs 6,000 crore special package for textiles and apparel sector to create one crore new jobs in 3 years, attracting investments of $11 billion and generating $30 billion in exports.
The measures approved included additional incentives for duty drawback scheme for garments, flexibility in labour laws to increase productivity as well as tax and production incentives for job creation in garment manufacturing.
"Most of the things which were a part of the package have been implemented and we have also got Rs 500 crore from Ministry of Finance for the ROSL (Rebate of State Levies) scheme, that is the reimbursement of State levies.
"Many of the exporters have already given their claims to the Customs department. Very soon these reimbursements will start, in fact from next week, you will start getting your money," Textiles Secretary Rashmi Verma said.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the India International Garment Fair (IIGF) here, she urged the garment manufacturers to augment their capacities for boosting job creation and leverage the space ceded by China so that India emerges as a key player in the international market and a major sourcing hub for global brands.
“We hope that Indian garment manufacturers will use this package to augment their capacity to set up new units so that more investment comes and more jobs are generated and India emerges as a key player in the international market.
"China currently is ceding space, it is a huge opportunity and I implore upon all our exporters to take advantage of this opportunity," Verma said.
However, Apparel Export Promotion Council Chairman Ashok G Rajani said: "India's RMG (ready-made garments) exports to World during April-December of 2016-17 witnessed a decline of 0.2 per cent compared to the same period in the previous financial year.
Source: Dailyshippingtimes.com
