’Weekly open house’ to address exim issues in region

’Weekly open house’ to address exim issues in region

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 17, 2017: Addressing a gathering during a programme organised to create awareness on cashew and marine exporters under Niryat Bandhu scheme, organised at Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) here, Vijay Kumar, ADGFT, on Jan 16, Monday said, "Open House is being held on every Wednesday during afternoon session to initiate discussions to resolve problems if any in the region.

To make it easy for traders, that includes importers and exporters, to avail services, the office of  ADGFT, Additional Director General of Foreign Trade, Bengaluru, has introduced a concept of ’Open House’  Wednesday of the week.

" This action will help solve common woes in delay in issuing export obligation discharge certificate (EODC) has been addressed by pre-scrutiny of documents for issuing EODC. In some cases, the request for certificates were pending since a year."

The ADGFT said that in the last one year, the Bengaluru office adopted technology in a bigger way to bridge the gap. A dedicated in-house website (jdgft-bangalore.kar.nic.in) has been developed utilising the expertise of tech savvy contributors, besides developing 12 interactive videos which are now available on YouTube. The videos of five minutes duration will tutor viewers on how to start with the foreign trade and allied matters. The officer said that dashboards on the website will also help the viewers with required information, besides monthly statistics on imports and exports.

The officer said that his office took up a challenging survey called ’Trade Satisfaction Survey.’ As many as 115 people had participated in the survey and feedback has been encouraging with majority of 99% satisfied with services. The remaining 1% have narrated their harrowing experience of harassment while availing service.

The survey was conducted between mid November and December last. The officer said such was the faith reposed by people during the survey that they have shared their cell number with relevant identity.

ADGFT, Vijay Kumar said that another office has been opened in Belagavi to cater to the districts like Uttara Kannada, Dharwad, Belagavi and Vijayapura. The existing office had been catering to all the districts in the state.

Immediate past chairman, federation of Indian export organisations, southern region, Walter D’Souza, DGFT, Bengaluru, Tirumala K V, KCCI president Jeevan Saldanha and vice president Vathika Pai were present.