SERVICE INSTITUTIONS
Meaning
In
India a large number of service institutions have been set up to facilitate the
exporters in their task of promoting exports. These service institutions have
been active in the area of developing resource personnel for exports, market
research, export finance, export credit insurance, publicity, packaging,
quality control, transport in the export field. Some of the pioneer institutes
in the areas of service are the following:
1. INDIAN INSTITUTE OF FOREIGN
TRADE (IIFT) In
post-independence period, India switched over traditional items and diversified
its export trade to almost every country of the world instead of only to
Britain. Consequently, India experienced a dearth of trained and skilled personnel
so essential for the development of export trade. Establishment
The
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) was set up in 1963 as an autonomous
body registered under the Societies Registration Act.
Functions
1.
Trainings of personnel in export trade.
2.
Research projects in furtherance of export.
3.
Collection of documents and data on all aspects of export trade.
1. Training Functions
(i) Conducting training
programmes. It conducts
training programmes of high standard in the development of techniques, methods
and procedures of international trade for executives and personnel employed in
trade and industry, export house, export organisation, Government departments,
trading corporations, and Indian embassies and consulates abroad. These programmes
are organised for short term as well as long term duration.
(ii) Special training
programmes. These are
developed on the requests from various organisations to suit their needs.
(iii) Sponsoring candidates. The institute sponsors candidates from trade and
industry, exports houses, Government departments, trading corporation etc. This
is for the higher training abroad in the Export Management and Export
Techniques for acquiring the first-hand knowledge of export techniques, methods
and procedures adopted in advanced countries in export marketing.
2. Research and Surveys
(i) Marketing research and
surveys. The institute plans,
organises, sponsors and commissions marketing research and area surveys in
foreign countries in accordance with the planned programme. The main objective
of such research and surveys are:
(a)
to ascertain the characteristics of foreign markets and consumer preferences,
(b)
to assess the current and potential demand of Indian products in these markets,
and (c) to determine the scope and the techniques to be adopted for and
increased absorption of Indian products.
(ii) Commodity studies. The institute undertakes commodity studies within
the country in order to identify new products, develop new uses of plans for
their development, processing and export.
(iii) Research programmes. The institute undertakes and sponsors research
programme of its own on various problems of international trade. It also
undertakes research programmes into the problems referred to it by industry and
trade and the Government.
(iv) Consultancy services. The institute provides consultancy service to firms
in matters relating to export.
(v) Reference library. The institute has an excellent reference library
with a wide range of publications and periodicals of international
organisations like UNCTAD, GATT, UNO etc. and others on all aspects of
international trade.
3. Collection and
dissemination of information. The
institute collects various types of data and information regarding foreign
trade. It maintains all reports of surveys and research programmes. It
disseminates information through its monthly journal 'Foreign Trade Bulletin'
about new decisions and developments affecting foreign trade. It publishes a
quartertly journal 'Foreign Trade Review containing reports on various
production and market studies undertaken by it from time to time.
2. THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY (TDA)
In
pursuance of its Export Policy Resolution of 1970 for providing package
assistance to medium and small-scale sector enterprises at micro-level after
identifying the potential of their products and their requirements of
assistance TDA was set up by the Government of India in 1971.
Functions in Export
1. Growth. It identifies the short-term and long-term
prospects of growth of selected products in the selected markets. For this
purpose, it identifies technically competent and commercially viable units
especially in medium and small-scale sector.
2. Expansion. It assists in the expansion of export-oriented
facilities in the selected products and areas.
3. Product Development. It assists in product development/ adoption and
helps in raising the technological level of the selected industrial exports.
4. Information. It collects and processes all relevant information
concerning trade, production and commercial activities and after a careful
rescarch and analysis of relevant factors to build up export with minimum
resources, chooses the units, products and markets for their proper
development.
5. Contacts. It arranges contacts between selected Indian
exporters and foreign buyers of standing and repute and facilitate conclusion
of contracts with the objective of long-term exports.
6. Services. As soon as the contract is concluded, the TDA
arranges for a package of services falling within or outside the jurisdiction
of the Government, including arrangement of raw materials and balancing
equipment, piloting through production control system financing credits,
marketing and merchandising and other aids.
7. Sub-contracting. T.D.A. makes special endeavour to attract
international subcontracting of engineering and other components from India and
promotion of joint ventures in the country in conjunction with the Indian
Investment Centre.
8. Extension in Items and
Scope. Initially, the TDA
confined its activities to 18 product groups, comprising about 150 items for
intensive export development and also for rendering its package assistance to
them. Now, it has taken a number of new items and formally concentrated its
activities in some selected countries such as Japan, USA and the European
countries. Now it has extended its activities to Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, ASEAN, Hong Kong, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and Kuwait.
Mode of Working
1.
It undertakes the responsibility either directly or through some export
promotion organisations, as may be appropriate to each product area. Ordinarily
it extends the package of services to exporters only through export agencies.
2.
It provides a full range of services free of charge to overseas buyers,
including informing and advising them of product availability, price structure,
quality control delivery schedule, reliable sources of supply and other
necessary information.
3.
It has organised many buyer-seller meets which received good response from the
visitors.
4.
In its promotional efforts, the TDA has organised a number of study tours and
participated in foreign trade fairs and exhibitions. It also has invited many
delegations to India.
5.
The TDA plans, organises, co-ordinates and assist market researching and
analysis. It disseminates market intelligence and trade information through a
weekly ‘Trade Intelligence Bulletin' containing information regarding
developments in international field.
The TDA
work, through (i) Information Divison (ii) Research and Analysis Division, and
(iii) Merchandising Division. It has set up its overseas offices at Frankfurt,
Monrovia, New York, Stockholm and Tokyo.
3. THE FEDERATION OF INDIAN
EXPORT ORGANISATION (FIE)
With
its registered office at Delhi the FIE was set up by the Government in 1965. A
non-profit servicing organisation registered under the Societies Registration
Act FIE represents about 50,000 exporters. It is an apex body that co-ordinates
and supplements the activities of various export promotion agencies and
exporting interests. It provides a common and coordinating platform for the
various export promotion organisations including Commodity boards and Export
Promotion Councils and the service institutions and organisations. It deals
with the common problems of India's exports or of those commodities for which
there is no specific Board or Council. It is a federation of all export
organisations and interests including Commodity Board, Export Promotion
Councils, the Export Credit and Guarantee Corporation, the Reserve Bank of
India, the Industrial Development Bank of India, the Institute of Foreign
Trade, the Trade Development Authority, Chamber of Commerce, Trade
Associations, Banks, Consultancy Services, Government Recognised Export Houses
and leading individual interests.
Objectives and Activities
1.
To increase the foreign exchange earning through diversification and increase
in India's exports of goods and services.
2.
To coordinate the export promotion activities of its constituents to avoid
duplication.
3.
To convene meetings, conferences, seminars and work-shops to provide an opportunity
to all sectors of export community and export promotion institutions to view,
discuss and wherever necessary to formulate recommendations to Government and
other authorities, or problems relating to export trade.
4.
To sponsor study teams, to send trade delegations abroad and to invite trade
delegations from abroad. It also arranges 'round table' conferences of
exporters with trade missions and other business interests on a visit to India.
5.
To sponsor and undertake commodity and market surveys and select and
disseminate commercial intelligence.
6.
To undertake publicity abroad by projecting Indian goods and services in
different world languages through various media, including films, exhibitions,
advertisements and publications. It also participates in and organises trade
fairs and exhibitions.
7.
To open regional offices, trade and design centres and showrooms and to appoint
representatives, agents and correspondents in India or abroad.
8.
To prepare, print and publish papers, periodicals or reports of research and
surveys, seminars, workshop etc.
9.
To provide common services for these benefits of exporters and export
organisations and to act generally as the forums of export promotion and to
provide facilities for the settlement of disputes arising in the course of
foreign trade.
10.
To maintain overseas liaison with international and U.N. agencies like ITC,
GATT, UNCTAD, ESCAP, UNIDO etc. and to initiate projects with the support of
some of these agencies.
11.
To estabilsh rapport and to maintain sustained dialogue with overseas chambers
of commerce, trade associations and the concerned Government departments.
12.
To sponsor special projects related to the export promotion of India's
consultancy services.
13.
To execute projects and responsibilities entrusted to it by the Government of
India from time to time and to serve as a forum for two-way transmission of
views and information between Government departments and the exporting
community.
14.
To pay special attention to the development and needs of the export houses and
consultancy firms which play major roles in substantially increasing exports.
4. THE EXPORT INSPECTION
COUNCIL (EIC)
With
the objective of exporting Indian goods of good quality and for lending
confidence in overseas buyers in respect of the quality of Indian goods, the
Government of India passed the Export (Quality control and Inspection) Act,
1963 under which were notified products subject to compulsory quality control
or inspection or both before shipment. At present 850 items representing about
80 per cent of export commodities are on the list of compulsory preshipment
inspection.
Functions and Objectives
The
Export Inspection Council was set up by the Government of India for the ahead
functions :
1.
It counsels the trade and industry and holds detailed discussions with them and
other export promotion organisations.
2.
It studies buyer's needs before formulating standards for a preshipment
inspection of export products.
3.
It has come out with various schemes of quality control and preshipment
inspection such as declaring certain manufacturing organisations, which have
their own quality control system as export worthy. It has also decided to have
a new scheme of self-certification according to which the organisations issue
their own certificates of quality which are accepted subject to certain rules
and regulations to be formulated by the council.
4.
It is charged with the responsibility of establishing laboratories and test
houses throughout the country for the provision of inspection facilities in
regard to notified commodities.
5.
It recommends the Government of India (i) the commodities to be notified under
the Act, (ii) the type of quality control or inspection, and (iii) the
inspection agencies to be recognised for quality control.
EIC has set up five inspection agencies, one each at
Delhi Mumbai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Cochin, under which the quality inspection
officials operate in various parts of the country.
5. THE EXPORT CREDIT GUARANTEE
CORPORATION (ECGC)
Under
the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce, The Export Credit
Guarantee Corporation was established in 1964 with head office in Mumbai. It
aims at minimising risk element in export business and to facilitate the flow
of finance from the banks to exporters. It has started many special schemes to
facilitate the exporters. It is wholly owned by the Government of India and
works on no-profit no-loss basis. The corporation provides following types of
covers to suit the varying needs of the exporters.
Covers to Exporters
(i)
Standard policies to cover the risk of trading of exporters with overseas as
buyers as credit items.
(ii)
Financial guarantees to banks for the export credit, they advanced to
exporters.
(iii)
Special policies to cover special risk.
6. THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF
PACKAGING (IIP)
Two
main objectives of good package are : (i) to ensure safe transit of goods, and
(ii) eye-appeal. Unfortunately, Indian packaging does not meet the
international standards nor does it provide safety to goods packed as desired. Considering
these deficiencies, the Government of India in collaboration with the industry
set up the Institute of Packagi (IIP) in 1966 with its head office at Mumbai.
Objectives
1.
To stimulate consciousness among the exporters of the need good packaging so as
to provide the safety in the transit of goods.
2.
To undertake rescarch on raw materials to be used for i packaging industry
3.
To have full information about the new development in the fiel of packaging and
to keep India in step with international developments
4.
To organise training programme for the personnel of packaging on packing
technology. 5. To organise consultancy services for the industry.
7. INDIAN COUNCIL OF
ARBITRATION (ICA)
In
order to solve the dispute between importer and export amicably the Government
of India set up the Indian Council Arbitration in 1965 as the apex arbitration
body which is a non-pro organisation.
Objectives of the Council
(i)
To promote and encourage amicable settlement of foreign trade disputes with a
view to generating goodwill between the buyer and the seller.
(ii)
To arrange arbitration of disputes in international trade through its
constituent members;
(iii)
To prepare and maintain a panel of arbitrators;
(iv)
To propagate and popularize the idea of commercial arbitration in relation to
foreign trade;
(v)
To collaborate with international organisations and arbitral bodies in matters
concerning international commercial arbitration.
Functions
1. Training. The Arbitration Council conducts training programm
on commercial arbitration.
2. Meetings. It conducts regular meetings of representatives
from export councils, public sector undertakings chambers of commerce an trade
associations and discuss various problems of settlement of dispute and conduct
of arbitration,
3. Information. It brings out a number of informative brochures
8. TRADE FAIR AUTHORITY OF
INDIA (IFAI)
On
March 1, 1977 the Trade Fair Authority of India came int existence under
Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 by merging the three following
organisations :
(i)
The Directorate of Exhibitions and Commercial Publicity.
(ii)
The Indian Council of Trade Fairs and Exhibitions,
(iii)
The Trade Fair Organisation.
Objectives
(i)
To participate in, organise and promote industrial trade fairs and exhibitions
abroad and in India to propagate the Indian manufactures and other products;
(ii)
To set up the shops and showrooms in India and abroad;
(iii)
To undertake trading activities in commodities connected with or relating to
such fairs and exhibitions; and
(iv)
To develop India's exports and make efforts to diversify and expand India's
exports.
The TFAI
regularly publishes three journals, namely, Udyog Vyapar Patrika (Hindi
monthly), Indian Export Bulletin, (English weekly), and Economic and Commercial
News (English weekly). These journals provide informations relating to India's
economic, business possibilities of India products abroad, Government's trade
policies and facilities offered to Indian exports.
Functions
The
Authority is the sole agency to co-ordinate all fairs and exhibitions in India
and outside from July 1981.
9. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCIAL
INTELLIGENCE AND STATISTICS
Situated
in Kolkata the Department of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics is
responsible for commercial intelligence and collection, compilation and
publication of statistics of trades, tariff and shipping.
Functions
(i)
Collection and supply of commercial information to the government and the
trade.
(ii)
Publication of Directory of Exporters of Indian products and manufactures.
(iii)
Publication of the weekly ‘Indian Trade Journal' and 'Monthly Statistics of
Foreign Trade of India' and also the reports of economic conditions in foreign
countries compiled by the trade representatives of the government in foreign
countries from time to time. (iv) Trade introduction and accepting mediation in
trade disputes between Indian and foreign firms with a view to bringing about amicable
settlement.
(v)
Maintenance of commercial library in Kolkata for public use
10. DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF
SHIPPING (DGS)
With
its headquarter at Mumbai, Directorate General of Shipping came into being in
September 1949 to deal with all matters relating to merchant shipping.
Functions
(i)
Solving problems that affect merchant shipping, i.e. navigation, administration
of merchant shipping etc.
(ii)
Development of Indian shipping,
(iii)
Regulation of ocean freight rates in overseas trade.
11. FREIGHT INVESTIGATION
BUREAU (FIB)
The
Freight Investigation Bureau was set up in 1959 under the Directorate General
of Shipping in order to fix and adjust freight rates and to provide spot
assistance. It has five branch offices at Kolkata, Cochin, Kandla, Chennai and
Vishakhapatnam.
Functions
(i)
To consider various representations received from shippers/ shippers’ councils
relating to high/anomalous/discriminatory freight rates and to secure necessary
adjustments.
(ii)
To critically examine the proposals of Conference Lines on periodic increase in
freight rates and to provide guidance to Shipper's Council to have a dialogue
with the conference on such proposals;
(iii)
To provide spot assistance to shippers all over the country in procuring timely
and adequate shipping space;
(iv)
To collect, maintain and examine freight rates of Conferences/ Shipping Lines
and to analyse the impact of changes in freight rates;
(v)
To investigate into complaints regarding lack of shipping facilities,
(vi)
To serve as liaison organisation between shippers and shipping companies to
solve shipping and freight problems through mutual consultation.
12. ALL INDIA SHIPPER'S
COUNCIL
Shippers
in all parts of India have been organised in five regional shippers’
associations viz. Eastern, Western, Southern, Northern and South-Western by the
Freight Investigation Bureau. All India Shippers' Council, New Delhi is an apex
body on all India basis. The Council had periodic consultation with all parties
concerned on matters of common interest such as freight structure, conference
practices, conference lines, availability of shipping space, port facilities,
port charges etc. for export import cargo. It also deals with air cargo
problems.
No comments:
Post a Comment