HANDICRAFTS EXPORTERS URGES SECRETARY (TEXTILES) TO REMOVE BOTTLENECKS

 




Greater Noida – 28th July.  Mr U.P. Singh, IAS, Secretary,
Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India visited India Expo Centre & Mart,
Greater Noida to have an overview of the handicraft sector, visit Mart
facilities and also discuss various issues/suggestions pertaining to
handicrafts sector with the prominent exporters.
 
The Secretary(Textiles) was welcomed by Shri Raj Kumar Malhotra, Chairman, EPCH and
in his address spoke about the journey of EPCH over the last 35 years
and also shared the export performance of the sector.



Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Director General-EPCH and Chairman-IEML in his
address gave an overview of the activities and initiatives of India
Expo Centre & Mart and Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts and
moderating the entire interactive session requested the Secretary
(Textiles) to intervene in resolving various issues related to
handicrafts sector and also sought his time in future with his
officials for a presentation to discuss doubling of handicrafts
exports from current level of Rs. 25,000 crores to Rs. 50,000 crores
in next three years.


During the interaction meeting the exporters raised various issues
like restoration of provision of duty-free import of essential
embellishments, trimmings, tools consumables for export purposes for
the handicrafts sector; high freight charges for containers;
establishment of regulatory body of shipping lines; early release of
MEIS benefits; announcement of RoDTEP rates; Policy for B2B ecommerce,
warehousing facility, Risky Exporters’ list, EGM error and others
before the Secretary (Textiles).



Shri Avdesh Agarwal from Moradabad raised the issue of RoDTEP rates,
release of MEIS benefits, matter regarding risky exporters list,
requested for consideration of handicraft sector under textiles
category by Govt. of Uttar Pradesh and high container freight charges.
Shri Naresh Bothra, Shri Bharat Dinesh of Jodhpur and Shri Rajesh
Jain, Delhi also raised the same issues. Shri Dileep Baid from Jaipur
raised the issue of B2B E-Commerce policy framework and need for
wareshousing in overseas market.  Shri Lali Sahni, Delhi and Smt. Anu
Dhall, Moradabad raised the issue of importance of technology
intervention in the handicraft sector. Ms. Ruma Devi from Barmer
requested for distribution of tools to the artisans at Barmer.  Ms.
Jemina Zeliang, Nagaland raised the issue of capacity building and
design intervention in North-Eastern Region, Shri Najmul Islam and Mr.
Neeraj Khanna spoke about the CSR initiatives taken during pandemic at
Moradabad.  Mr. Rajat Asthana, Agra raised the issue of EGM error
while shipping of Goods.



The meeting was attended by Shri Kamal Soni, Vice-Chairman-EPCH, Shri
Ravi K Passi, Immediate Past Chairman-EPCH, Shri Arshad Mir, Chairman,
HCSSC, Shri Nabeel Ahmed, Member-COA, Shri Avdesh Aggarwal, General
Secretary, Moradabad Handicrafts Exporters Association, Shri Rajat
Asthana, President, Handicrafts Exporters Association, Agra, Shri
Prince Malik, Convenor FASCO, Shri Lekhraj Maheshwari, Member CoA EPCH
& convener NWR, Shri Rajesh Jain, Social Media Head-EPCH, Shri Lali
Sahni, Smt. Anu Dhall, Shri Hari Dadoo (Khurja), Shri Ashok Arora,
Shri Tafsir Ahmed, Shri  Vineet Bhatia, Shri Rajendra Gupta
(Firozabad).



The meeting was also attended virtually by Ms. Jesmina Zeliang,
Nagaland; Ms. Dileep Baid, Jaipur; Mr. Tulasi Rao, Narsapur; Mr K L
Ramesh, Bangalore; Mr. Hansraj Baheti, Mr Bharat Dinesh and Mr Naresh
Bothra, Jodhpur; Mr. Neeraj Khanna and Mr. Najmul Islam, Moradabad;
Shri Ashok Boob, Shri Pradeep Muchala & Shri Karan Jethwani, Mumbai;
Smt. Ruma Devi, Barmer and many others.



The Secretary (Textiles) patiently heard all the issues of exporters
and assured to take up the issues with concerned departments for early
resolution and hoped the handicraft sector with all its hard work
would be able to achieve quantum jump in handicrafts exports in the
future.