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S Venkitachalam
New Delhi, Aug 2: The commerce ministry has permitted import of used aircraft and helicopters by agencies nominated by it. No licence will be required for the purpose as per amendments to the revised Exim policy (1997-2002) notified by the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
Imports of new aircraft and helcopters were allowed more than two years ago.
The agencies authorised to import new as well as second-hand aircraft and helicopters include India Airlines, Air India, Pawan Hans, National Airports Authority, International Airports Authority of India (IAAI) and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy (IGRUA).
Imports can also be made by any person who has been granted permission by the civil aviation ministry to operate scheduled or non-scheduled air transport services (including air taxi services), says the notification.
The commerce ministry has already liberalised imports of second-hand machinery required by industrial units against special import licences.
The handbook of export and import procedures for 1997-2002 says the agencies mentioned above as well as scheduled and domestic private airlines, private sector/public sector companies and state governments operating executive/training aircraft or those engaged in aerial spraying of crops and non-scheduled airlines and charter service operators will be allowed to import, without a licence, re-conditioned/second-hand aircraft spares on the recommendation of the Director-General of Civil Aviation.
The commerce ministry has also issued a notification to canalise imports of mulberry raw silk conforming to Grade 2A through national handloom development corporation, handicrafts and handloom export corporation, state handloom development corporations and other state corporations dealing with handlooms, powerlooms and silk.
These agencies will have to inform the textiles ministry before entering into import contracts.
The earlier policy that allowed imports of raw silk conforming to Grade 2A has been discontinued.Consequently,the premium on silk has further come down. The policy has changed four times in the last 8 or 9 months.
The commerce ministry has also issued a policy circular regarding claims for refund of drawback under the duty entitlement passbook (DEPB) scheme. It follows representations from exporters that they were facing problems in regard to claiming duty drawback under the duty entitlement passbook (DEPB) scheme.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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