MINISTER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI MURASOLI MARAN)
(a) Total export of jewellery made from the country during each of the last three years is as under:
(Value : US $ Million)
Years
Gold Jewellery
Non gold jewellery
1996-97
511.80
15.14
1997-98
802.97
24.75
1998-99
846.15
58.00
Source: Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics(DGCI&S), Calcutta for the years 1996-97, 1997-98 and Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC ), Mumbai for 1998-99
(b) It has been the continuous endeavour of the Government to increase the exports of gold/non-gold jewellery by way of introducing new policy initiatives by modifying the existing Exim Policy to enable the exporters to meet the global requirements. Some of the important policy initiatives introduced w.e.f.1st April, 1999 to increase exports of gold/non-gold jewellery are:
(i) Permission to Export Oriented Units (EOUs)/Export Processing Zone (EPZ) units to import plain gold/platinum/silver jewellery for repairs/re-make and subsequent export subject to earning a minimum Net Foreign Exchange Percentage (NFEP) of 7.5%;
(ii) Permission for Personal Carriage of gems & jewellery parcels by foreign buyers from all EOUs and EPZ units and also from the Domestic Tariff Area(DTA) units located in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai;
(iii) Permission for export of gems & jewellery items by courier from selected ports upto a value of Rs. 20 lacs per consignment;
(iv) Permission for duty free import of consumables required by jewellery and diamond processing industries to the extent of 1% of the FOB value of gems & jewellery exports in the preceding year;
(v)Rationalisation of Value Addition norms for `Bangles` made by fully mechanised process and ornaments like `Mangalsutra`;
(vi) Permission for export of samples made in wax models, silver models and rubber moulds under intimation to Development Commissioner provided their value does not exceed Rs. 1,00,000/- in a year;
(vii) Permission to EOUs/EPZ units to send scrap/dust/sweepings of gold to Private Mints also, apart from Government of India Mint, for refining and subsequent conversion into standard gold bars. Besides, such scrap/dust/sweepings of gold can be sold in the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) also on payment of applicable Customs duty on the basis of gold content, as may be notified by the Customs.
(C) Exporters of jewellery have been provided with jewellery Export Promotion Schemes under Chapter 8 of the Exim Policy(1997-2002). The details of these schemes are available under the headings:
(i)Export Against Supply by Foreign Buyer;
(ii) Export Through Exhibitions/ Export Promotion Tours/ Branded Jewellery;
(iii) Export Against Supply by Nominated Agencies;
(iv) Export Against Advance Licence;
(v) Exports from Export Oriented Units(EOUs)/Export Processing Zones(EPZs);
(vi) Replenishment Licence;
(vii) Gem Replenishment Licence. Detailed procedures to be followed for availing these schemes are given in the Handbook of Procedures of Exim Policy, 1997-2002.
