TRADE CIRCULAR NO. 14 DATED 20-09-2009
REVISED SCHEME FOR EXTERNAL MARKET DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
ABOUT THE SCHEME
The trade is already aware, Coir Board with the approval of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India is implementing various export promotion programmes during the current Five Year Plan period (2007-08 to 2011-12). One of the schemes is for providing External Market Development Assistance to encourage the micro, small and medium entrepreneurs and small scale exporters to enter global market and to expand the export of Indian coir products. This will be effective from 01.10.2010.
1. ACTIVITIES COVERED UNDER THE ASSISTANCE SCHEME
(a) To undertake/ participate in Buyer Seller Meet/, Trade Delegation abroad;
(b) For participation in Trade Fairs & Exhibitions abroad; and
(c) For production of product brochure/catalogue for use at abroad.
2. The assistance under the scheme shall be limited to the funds available for implementation of this scheme under the head Export Market Promotion during the XI Five Year Plan period 2007-08 to 2011-12. The decision regarding admissibility of assistance, quantum of assistance, availability of fund etc. shall be taken by the Chairman, Coir Board, which shall be final.
3. ELIGIBILITY
All micro, small and medium exporters, with FOB turnover of less than Rs.2.00 crore worth coir and coir products in the previous year and micro, small & medium entrepreneurs of coir and coir products, registered with the Coir Board, would be eligible for assistance under the scheme, provided they have not availed the facility from any other source for the same purpose or participated three times in the same exhibition to the same destination thrice with government assistance.
4. PERMISSIBLE LIMIT
1. Buyer Seller Meet/Trade Delegation
2.Participation in Exhibitions abroad.
Maximum three events in a financial year i.e. Buyer Seller Meet / Trade Delegation and participation in exhibition will be eligible for assistance subject to the condition that participation will not be more than once in (a) USA, (b) European Union Countries and (c) other countries in a year. Further, participation in any particular event shall not exceed three times in all. In addition to the assistance for production of product brochure/catalogue shall be extended once in a financial year.
5. ELIGIBLE ITEMS OF EXPENDITURE & FUNDING PATTERN For the Entrepreneurs/Exporters belonging to North Eastern Region/Women/ SC/ST category: For the Entrepreneurs/Exporters belonging to North Eastern Region/Women/ SC/ ST category :
Sl. No.
Item
Norms / Scale of assistance
A. Participation in Exhibitions / Trade Fairs / Buyer-Seller Meets / Market Delegation
1.
Space rent (built up stall of minimum bookable area)
* Charges fixed by the organizers and to be verified by Coir Board before making payment.For General Category Enterprises/Registered Exporters:
2.
Airfare * (for one representative from one enter-prise / registered exporter)
* (Should be the cheapest fare available to be certified by Coir Board)For General Category Enterprises/Exporters:
3.
Freight charges
Actual, subject to a maximum of Rs.20,000/- per entrepreneur / exporter
4.
Maximum amount of assistance towards air fare, space rental and freight charges
General Category enterprises / registered exporters
Type of Unit
Latin American
Other Countries
Micro Enterprises
Rs.1.75 lakh
Rs.1.50 lakh
Small Enterprises
Rs.1.50 lakh
Rs.1.25 lakh
Medium Enterprises / Exporters
Rs.1.00 lakh
Rs.0.75 lakh
Categories belonging to NER / Women / SC / ST
Type of Unit
Latin American
Other Countries
Micro Enterprises
Rs.2.00 lakh
Rs.1.75 lakh
Small Enterprises
Rs.1.75 lakh
Rs.1.50 lakh
Medium Enterprises/ Exporters
Rs.1.25 lakh
Rs.1.00 lakh
6. GENERAL CONDITIONS
(i) Assistance would be permissible for one Regular employee/Director/ Partner/Proprietor of a Company for air travel in cheapest Economy Class.
(ii) The status of Micro/Small/Medium Enterprises shall be decided on the basis of the investment in Plant & Machinery as given below :-
- Micro Enterprises : With investment in plant and machinery does not exceed Rs.25.00 lakhs
- Small Enterprises: With investment in plant and machinery more than Rs.25.00 lakhs but
does not exceed Rs.5 crores. - Medium Enterprises: With investment in plant and machinery more than Rs.5 crore but does
not exceed Rs.10 crores.
(iii) A maximum of three participations in a particular event (including past cases) would only be eligible for assistance under the EMDA Scheme.
(iv) Depending upon the budget available, Coir Board should take five or more entrepreneurs /exporters to the exhibition. All participants should ensure that the best quality products are displayed in the international exhibitions / fairs.
(v) Adequate representation shall be given to SC/ST/Minority/Women entrepreneurs/exporters from North Eastern Region in the international fairs and exhibitions, subject to the condition that best products would be showcased
(vi) While selecting entrepreneurs /exporters, priority shall be provided to those persons who have not participated in such events earlier.
(vii) If any other financial assistance has been availed from Coir Board for the same purpose, the assistance already received will be deducted from the eligible EMDA and balance alone shall be paid.
(viii) The application for assistance under this scheme shall be filed with Coir Board by the beneficiaries at least 14 days before the departure from India to attend the event. Date of receipt of application in Coir Board and date of departure from India will be excluded for the calculation of advance notice period.
(ix) The entrepreneur/exporter/company shall not have been under investigation/charged/debarred/ prosecuted/blacklisted under the Exim Policy of the Government of India or by the Coir Board.
(x) Claims not satisfying any of the conditions are liable to be rejected summarily.
(xi) Documentation for buyer seller meet/trade delegation/participation in fairs / exhibitions abroad and claims for seeking assistance to be furnished as prescribed by Coir Board.
(xi) Assistance shall be available only to the events in which Coir Board organizes participation of Indian Coir sector. However, the events organized by the ITPO and FIEO will also be considered for grant of assistance under this scheme.
7. DOCUMENTATION FOR BUYER SELLER MEET/TRADE DELEGATION/PARTICIPATION IN FAIRS/ EXHIBITIONS ABROAD.
(1) Application in the prescribed format (Annexure – I for Buyer Seller Meet/Trade Delegation and Annexure-II for Fairs/Exhibitions) duly signed and sealed with 14 days clear advance notice as mentioned under general conditions is required to be fulfilled.
(2) The applicant have to submit along with the application a self declaration showing the list of Exhibitions/ Buyer Seller Meet/ Delegations undertaken by him by availing assistance from Coir Board or any other Government sources during the last 5 years and value of investment on Plant and machineries counter signed by the chartered Accountant. This is applicable for new applicants also. In the case of participation in Buyer Seller Meet /Trade Delegation the details of documentary evidence for the events from the concerned organizer.
(3) The claim in the prescribed format (Annexure-III for Buyer Seller Meet/Trade Delegation. Annexure IV for Fairs/Exhibitions) has to be submitted immediately after completion of the activity but in any case within 3 months of return to India along with the following documents.
- Bill for Payment as per Annexure-V.
- Community certificate issued by an Officer not below the rank of Tahasildar in the case of SC/ST beneficiaries.
- Legible colour copy of passport highlighting the entries about departure and arrival into India and also the countries visited. In case passport does not have arrival/departure dates regarding visits to various countries, documentary evidence such as Boarding passes, Lodging Passes, Hotel Bills etc. need be submitted.
- Original E-ticket used during the journey. If original ticket is lost, a certificate from the concerned Airline (as per Annexure-VI).
- e. Original Boarding Passes used during the journey.
- Space Rent receipt / proof of payment in Original or Bank Certificate towards remittance of space rent, freight charges.
- Report on results achieved.
- Pre-Receipt (Annexure-VII)
- A certificate from the concerned airlines regarding the actual cheapest air fare.
8. ASSISTANCE FOR PRODUCTION OF PUBLICITY MATERIALS
With a view to encourage the exporters to undertake product promotion through production of product brochures/catalogue for use abroad during the participation in fairs and exhibitions etc., the exporters/entrepreneurs of coir would be assisted under the Coir Board External Market Development Assistance Scheme @ 25% of the total approved cost, subject to an upper ceiling of Rs.15,000/-. This would be subject to meeting the following conditions:-
- The assistance would be extended only for the production of exclusive catalogues on coir and coir products.
- Assistance will be provided once in a financial year.
- The exporter should intimate his intention for producing brochure / catalogue in writing along with a dummy catalogue at least 10 days in advance of undertaking the activity excluding the date of receipt of application and date of release of catalogue / brochure.
- The production of catalogue should be for release in any of the event abroad in which the applicant participates.
- Coir Board shall acknowledge and intimate approval or otherwise of the application.
- The work should be entrusted to the lowest bidder after inviting quotations from reputed printers not less than three.
- The exporter or company shall not be under investigation / charged / prosecuted / debarred / blacklisted under the Exim policy or by the Coir Board.
- Maximum assistance shall be limited to Rs.15,000/- in a financial year.
- The claim in the prescribed format along with a copy of the brochure/catalogue (self certified), copies of quotations from printers (Minimum three – self certified), self certified copy of the invoice, self certified copy of receipt/bank advise evidencing payment, Stamped pre-receipt, declaration etc. in the prescribed format (Annexure VIII) shall be submitted immediately after completion of the activity.
- Claim form received after three months of the production of publicity catalogue or deficiencies not fully rectified within 30 days of the date of directions given would not be entertained.
- The reimbursement of the claim shall be subject to availability of funds allotted by the Government of India for implementation of the Scheme.
- The Chairman, Coir Board reserves the right to accept or reject any claim.