Sudarsan Maharana
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, May 28: The state government has decided to appoint an ‘Export Commissioner’ (EC) for the promotion of exports from the state, sources from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) department said.
“An Export Commissioner will be appointed by the state government soon for the promotion of export of goods from the state,” said an official. “The process in this regard has already begun,” he said.
Appointment of the EC will be done under the new Foreign Trade Policy 2015-19 of the Centre.
As per the new policy, the commissioner will be the nodal officer for the promotion of exports from the state and will also deal directly with the Centre in this regard.
Sources said the MSME department has asked the Directorate of Export Promotion and Marketing (DEPM) to furnish a report in this regard along with preparing an action plan for export promotion.
Exports of goods from Orissa had registered a 44 per cent growth in 2013-14 fiscal.
The state had exported goods worth Rs 17,661 crore in 2013-14 against the export of good worth Rs 12245.99 crore in 2012-13.
Though the report in this regard for the previous fiscal (2014-15) is yet to come, the government is hoping that last year’s export figures will touch `20,000 crore
“We are hopeful that the overall export revenue will cross Rs 20,000 crore,” said an official of DEPM.
A provisional report on exports from the state would be received by the state government in July. Though the expectations of the state government on generation of export revenue from the mining sector have been hit, exports of metallurgical goods, chemical and allied products, handlooms, textiles, pharmaceutical merchandise and seafood witnessed growth in exports due to their growing demand in international markets.
Sources said the state government as per its draft export policy has aimed to export goods worth `29,700 crore over the next ten years, with a target of at least 10 per cent growth on a year-on-year basis. The state government is focusing on areas such as agriculture and forest products, handloom and handicraft items, marine products, engineering and allied products and the services sector to boost its exports.
