Import of sub-standard goods and their sale have come to the notice of the Government in Indian market. Appropriate action under the Customs Act, 1962 has been initiated.
Further with a view to protecting its domestic producers and consumers, India has an elaborate and robust legal framework and institutional set up to protect its environment, life and health of its people, plants and animals. Adequate provisions exist under the Foreign Trade Policy to protect the Indian consumers and producers as imported goods are subject to domestic laws, rules, orders, regulations, technical specifications, environmental and safety norms.
The BIS standards applicable to domestic goods are also applicable to imported goods. Besides, imports of plant & plant based products are subject to Plant Quarantine measures and sanitary & phyto-sanitary measures, imports of animal & animal based products are subject to sanitary import permits and imports of food and edible items are subject to FSSAI standards.
Against cheaper imports causing injury to domestic industry, there are trade defence measures like anti – dumping duty, countervailing duty and safeguard duty. Whenever Indian industry is affected by cheaper imports, it can seek remedies from the Government under the above provisions. DGTR conducts anti – dumping investigations on the basis of duly substantiated petition filed by the domestic industry alleging dumping of goods into the country causing injury to the domestic industry. Similarly, DGTR conducts anti-subsidy investigations against countries subsidising their export products. Section 8B of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, subject to certain conditions, empowers the Central Government to impose Safeguard Duty on any article imported into India in such increased quantities and under such conditions so as to cause or threaten to cause serious injury to the Indian domestic industry.
This information was given by the Minister of State of Commerce and Industry, C. R. Chaudhary, in the Lok Sabha.
Source :- Dailyshippingtimes.com
