The GJEPC held an interactive video meeting on 5th November, 2020, with key government representatives and top Special Economic Zone (SEZ) officials to discuss the common concerns pertaining to the units working in SEZs.
The meeting was chaired by Mr. S Kishore, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce (DoC), Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoCI). He was joined by other MoCI colleagues including Mr. Suresh Kumar, Joint Secretary; Mr. Amitabh Kumar, Joint Secretary; and Mr. Senthil Nathan S., Director. The GJEPC representatives included Mr. Colin Shah, Chairman; Mr. Suvankar Sen, Convener, SEZ Sub-Committee; Mr. Bobby Kothari Co-Convener, SEZ Sub-Committee; and Mr. Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director.
Among the primary issues discussed were:
- Allowance of job work to SEZ units for DTA
- Facilitating Cross-Border E-Commerce
- Transfer of assets by SEZ units after cancellation of their Letter Of Approval
- Absence of mechanism for returning diamonds outside SEEPZ (E.g. to Bharat Diamond Bourse)
- Difficulty in procuring supplies of gold and silver within SEZ-I, Jaipur, and high cost of procuring precious metal from DTA
- Delay in Fixation of Brand Rate for claiming duty drawback against supplies from DTA creates interest burden on SEZ units
- Levy of duty on goods re-imported by SEZ units after lapse of 365 days which were earlier exported for display/consignment
- Notification No.771 (E) dated 5th August, 2016, issued by Department of Commerce for compulsory membership of Export Promotion Councils for EOU & SEZs (EPCES)
The meeting concluded with the Chair asking the Council to flag each issue separately with the facts and figures and demarcate them accordingly as short-term and long-term goals. Mr. Suresh Kumar thanked the Chair for his inputs and assured him that long-pending issues will be taken up by the Department of Commerce for providing a reasonable solution.