According to EPCH executive director Rakesh Kumar, banks are refusing to accept shipping documents presented by exporters shipping to Iran for clearance of GR form to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and as a result, no bank realisation certificates (BRC) are being issued to exporters.
Without BRC, exporters are unable to claim benefits like Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), duty drawback and GST refund, a news agency report quoted Kumar as saying.
For exports to Iran earlier, all payments were received in Euro from third party and credited in the exporters’ accounts by their bank branches but the bank branches in Moradabad are refusing to issue electronic BRCs despite RBI having no objection, said Kumar.
Exports to Iran are also allowed in Indian rupee (INR) but only UCO bank in Delhi has been authorised to open INR account for which exporters from Moradabad have come to Delhi to open the account, he said, adding that the commerce secretary has assured to take up the matter with RBI and the finance ministry.
Handicrafts exports to Iran stood at $48.10 million during 2017-18. (DS)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India