(a) whether the Union Government have decided to enhance import duty on silk to protect silk growers;
(b) if so, whether the Union Government have recommended levy of import duty to the Finance Ministry;
(c) whether the imposing import duty on silk does not come under the purview of World Trade Organization; and
(d) if so, the time by which final decision in this regard is likely to be taken?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES (SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR)
(a) & (b) In the general budget announced for 2002-2003 the import duty of silk has been reduced to 35.20% from 40.40% in 2001-2002. This Ministry has requested Ministry of Finance for maintaining the import duty of silk at the level of 40.40%.
(c) & (d) Imposition of a particular rate of duty, as long as it does not exceed the tariff binding committed to by a Member of World Trade Organization (WTO), does not come within the purview of the WTO. As silk has no tariff binding, this is not an issue.