TRANSPORT ASSISTANCE TO EXPORTERS
IN NORTH EASTERN REGION NOTIFIED FOR HORTICULTURE PRODUCTS
Shri Murasoli Maran, Union Minister
of Commerce & Industry, in his Exim Policy 2002-07 statement,
had announced about providing transport assistance to the exporters
in North Eastern Region including Sikkim so as to offset the disadvantage
of being far from the ports. The Department of Commerce has
since notified the scheme effective from 15/7/2002 and it would
be operated by Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export
Development Authority (APEDA). Under this scheme, transport assistance
would be provided to exporters for exporting notified horticulture
products. The rate of assistance provided is Re. 1 per kg.
for transportation of notified products from North Eastern States
to Guwahati by air for exports. If the notified products are transported
to Kolkata by rail through ICD (Inland container Depot), the rate
of assistance will be Rs. 2 per kg. There is also a provision
for providing assistance to the tune of 75% of the freight charged
by airlines from an airport in the North Eastern regions (including
Bagdogra) to Guwahati or Kolkata for exports.
It is expected that the new scheme
will benefit exporters of the North Eastern Region including
Sikkim and will give boost to the exports of fresh and processed
horticulture products from this region.
