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The Exim policy stipulates lowering of the threshold limit for obtaining a status certificate as an export house to Rs 5 crore for tiny, small scale, handloom, handicraft, agri exports, services, units with ISO:9000 (series) status, those exporting to Latin American countries, sub-Saharan Africa and the Confederation of Independent States. The status certificates are issued to units on the basis of their export performance.
Mr Maran pointed out that definite export surpluses have emerged in sectors like foodgrain, sugar, yarn, garments, steel, cement, aluminium and petroleum products and pharmaceuticals. Certain small and medium enterprises and other units in the domestic tariff area (DTA) have been exporting more than 75 per cent of their throughput. Export-oriented units and units in export processing zones too have been contributing substantially to exports. Certain industrial clusters who have evolved without any significant official assistance are producing goods and services worth Rs 1,000 crore annually and are exporting a substantial part of their products.
To nurture these growing export units, special facilities have been proposed for the status holders. Licence/certificate/permissions and customs clearances will be granted to status-holders for both imports and exports on a self-declaration basis. Input-output norms are to be fixed on priority. Priority finance will be given for medium- and long-term capital requirement as per conditions notified by the Reserve Bank, said Mr Maran.
The status holders will also be exempted from compulsory negotiation of documents through banks.
The remittance, however, will continue to be received through banking channels. The status holders can also retain 100 per cent of forex in the exchange earners foreign currency account. The normal repatriation period has been enhanced from 180 to 360 days.
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