Hotels
and tour operators can import cars and SUVs
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT NEW
DELHI, April 18, 2013
The Foreign Trade Policy 2013-14
is likely to bring cheer to the tourism and hospitality sector, with the
Government allowing hotels and tour operators to import cars and sport utility
vehicles (SUVs) under the Served from India Scheme (SFIS).
“I am allowing use of SFIS scrips
for import or domestic procurement of motor cars, SUVs, all purpose vehicles
for hotels, travel agents, tour operators and companies owning/ operating golf
resorts for tourist purposes,” Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told
reporters here on Thursday.
He said this was being done to
encourage export of services, especially in the tourism sector. The FTP
document said the SFIS scrips can be used for payment of import duties. The
service providers are entitled to duty credit scrips under SFIS at the rate of
10 per cent of free foreign exchange earned during a financial year.
However, Mr. Sharma said the
entitlement would now be calculated on the basis of net free foreign exchange
earned, which means after deducting foreign exchange spent from the total
foreign exchange earned during the financial year. Users of the scrip who
import vehicles will be required to submit proof of registration for tourism
purposes within six months.
Further, these vehicles will not
be allowed to be imported under EPCG scheme.
He also announced that, in order
to facilitate import of motor vehicles, the import of cars and vehicles would
also be allowed at Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Faridabad and Ennore Port in
Tamil Nadu.
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