SEEPZ has $30 billion export potential, needs complete makeover: Union Min Piyush Goyal

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Friday marked his presence at Santacruz Electronics Export Procession Zone (SEEPZ) in Mumbai as part of "Azi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Saptah" being commemorated by Ministry. Goyal emphasised that SEEPZ, that was established in 1973, primarily to promote electronics production in India, needs a complete transformation.

"Let us aim for transformational change and t incremental change. Let us bring back vibrancy into SEEPZ like earlier years," Goyal said as he dressed exporters and tre partners.

"I am confident that with everyone's cooperation, SEEPZ can be me modern and world-class. We can think of a public-private partnership scheme whereby industry units who revamp ir properties can be given exemption from rent revision for 10 years," Minister of Commerce and Industry said.

Goyal urges exporters to decide to revamp SEEPZ   

Minister also urged exporters based at SEEPZ to collectively decide about making Common Service Centre operational and revamping SEEPZ premises, transforming some centres here into an ostentatious state of art centre for serving customers from overseas.

Goyal suggested that India Tre Promotion Organisation (ITPO) could have a 30.000-40,000 sq. ft. Exhibition Complex at SEEPZ to promote buyer-seller meetings.

Citing example of Surat Diamond Bourse, Goyal urged SEEPZ to take help in terms of facilitating work. He also highlighted example of Rs 4000 crore revamping of Pragati Maidan in Delhi. Goyal said that Centre has alrey anunced 200 crore aid for internal expansion and refurbishment of one of India's Export Processing Zones. 

Minister ded, "We are doing partial de-recognition of SEEPZs, we have liberalised several rules alrey, and have allowed everyone to be multi-sectoral including SEEPZ. We are also discussing how SEEPZs can play a more important role in Domestic Tariff Area(DTA) through an equalisation levy."

Fighting hard for gem and jewellery industry

Goyal raised hopes said, "We should be targeting at 30 million US dollars export from SEEPZ." He also said that many of issues raised by exporters, like consent to allow e-commerce seamlessly for artificial jewellery up to 800 dollars, are under consideration of High Powered Committees. 

He said he is 'fighting hard' for gem and jewellery sector to get a five per cent duty concession which y are currently charged in United Arab Emirates, as part of Early Harvest Agreement. Goyal also asserted that more free tre deals are being settled with UK, UAE, Australia and European Union, to try and provide more market access to exporters.

(With inputs from ANI)

Im: PTI