The Jaipur regional office of The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) hosted an "Industry Interaction with Banks" on Friday, October 12 as part of its event series ‘The Dialogue - A New Beginning’.

Those present at the session included Shri A.K Meena, DC, Customs, SEZ Sitapura along with other Customs officials; senior officials of SBI, PNB, BOB, Dena Bank, HDFC, IDBI, AXIS, ICICI, UCO Bank, Corporation Bank as well as representatives of over 30 SEZ units from the city.

Exporters drew the attention of the banks and customs officials to some of the problems they faced including requirement of Customs-attested EDF or shipping bills, not permitting advance payments to foreign precious metal suppliers, not allowing intra SEZ payments against sales made by one unit to other or even to even MMTC etc.

On their part the bankers also highlighted some of their concerns such as SB not showing EDPMS but showing in ICEGATE, change in AD code by Customs not available in EDPMS, currency change by Customs not reflected in EDPMS, consignment exports above US$ 1 million to be routed bank to bank and not as direct export etc.

Banks clarified that they do not want Customs-attested documents but they need the first page of SB so as to check in EDPMS. They pointed out advance payment facility for importing precious metal from foreign suppliers is permitted by RBI only for Star Houses, etc. 

Shri A.K. Meena, DC Customs assured both the banks and members of the trade that he and his team can be approached directly on such issues and a solution could be worked out together or, if needed, raised directly with those concerned.