Addressing a press conference here today, Joint Director General of Foreign Trade M Gururaja Rao who highlighted important features of the amended Exim policy said the licences will be issued within two days to exporters without asking any questions for one-time use. One licence has already been issued this morning, he said.

Giving details of the changes in the Exim policy which was announced on March 31, 1999, Gururaja Rao said that a provision has also been introduced for issue of the annual advance licence to status holders and manufacturer exporters with a turnover of Rs. 1 crore to reduce the avoidable interface between exporters and the DGFT. The exporter would thus be able to import any input related to his export item where input-output norm exists and only as per the norms right through the year without approaching DGFT subject to an annual audit of his imports and exports. The scheme will be implemented with effect from July 1, 1999. Over 894 additional items are being placed in the free list and other 414 items are being placed on the Special Import List (SIL). Only 667 items remain in the restricted list, he said.

Gururaja Rao explained that a provision has been made for recognising Green Cards to exporters exporting 50 per cent of their production with a minimum of Rs 1 crore per year entitling them to various facilities. Similarly exporters who have attained export house/trading house/star trading house/ superstar trading house status for three consecutive terms will be given a golden status certificate which would entitle them to all benefits according from such status in perpetuity regardless of variations in their performance in the subsequent years thus obviating the need for them to apply for such status from time to time.

The government has also decided to extend the period for fulfilment of past obligations both in respect of advance licences as well as Export Promotion Capital Goods scheme. Gururaja Rao said that the government has proposed starting the institution of ombudsman in ports and at Mumbai in the first instance to avoid any scope for causing delay and possible harrassment.