Maharashtra Sets Up 14-Member Panel To Tackle Impact Of US Tariffs On Exports

To cushion the impact of US tariffs on Indian goods, the state government has set up a 14-member panel to explore avenues to mitigate the impending damage to entrepreneurs. US President Donald Trump has announced a 25% tariff, which came into effect from August 7, and an additional 25% as a penalty from August 27.

Leadership & Members

The committee, which has been formed following the CM's meeting on the same issue, has been asked to meet twice a month. The state government wants to protect its stakeholders and entrepreneurs and minimise the impact of the hike, besides looking for alternate markets, read the government resolution issued on Monday.

The panel will be headed by Apoorva Chandra, a Maharashtra cadre IAS officer currently serving as the chief advisor to the ministry of defence after retirement. Other members are MITRA CEO Praveen Pardeshi, additional chief secretaries of the finance and energy departments, principal secretary (textiles), principal secretary to the CM, development commissioners of SEEPZ SEZ and industries, and state GST chief.

Key Objectives

The key tasks for the panel are as follows: work on the difficulties faced by the industry sector while exporting goods, suggest measures to increase exports, special incentives for the small, micro and medium industries for exports. Update on alternative markets for the exports, improvements in the existing export policies and suggestions for immediate, long-term and mid-term measures to tackle the tariff hike are also among the panel's objectives.

Policy Review

Another important task is the review of existing policies about decriminalisation, deregulation, ease of doing business, self-certification of low-risk, non-hazardous, non-polluting and all the green category industries for building plan approval, and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board consent to establish businesses.

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Industry Participation

The panel will also include the president of the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, representatives of industry bodies like CII, FICCI, FIEO, DCCI, EEPC, IIT chairman and regional chief of the leather export council. Industries department secretary will be member secretary.

KEY OBJECTIVES

• Suggest measures to increase exports

• Special export incentives for MSMEs

• Recommend immediate, long-term measures

• Improve existing export policies