The Engineering Exports Promotion Council of India (EEPC) has sought some policy measures from the government to help the exporters tackle the financial burden arising out of the complete shut down during the nationwide lockdown.
In a letter to Piyush Goyal dated 19th April 2020, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, EEPC India has welcomed the decision of the government to allow some economic sectors resume operations from 20th April 2020 and acknowledged government’s support to the exporter. “I wish to, once again, thank you and your team for the pro-active role in helping exporters during these challenging times”, the letter stated.
The council, in the letter, has put forward some suggestions to the government to support the engineering exporter's post resumption of operations from 20th April 2020.
“As we are at the threshold of restarting some operations from tomorrow, viz, April 20, 2020, our members have requested that their following requests may be given urgent attention to support their operations”, the letter stated.
The suggestions include a relief package for wage support either through ESI or PF mode, immediate notification of the Nirvik Scheme to enable repo rate plus 2.2% for packing credit for exports, Interest Equalization Scheme extension for the current fiscal, RoDTEP for Iron & Steel of 5% and across all engineering items or continuation of MEIS Scheme for the full fiscal, and Logistics support by the state governments to bring labour to their factories by running limited state government buses with safe distancing and hygiene norms.
EEPC India has over 13000 members and 60% of the members from the SMEs.
