Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

14-December-2011 17:14 IST

There are three Advisory Bodies in Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry. These are Export Promotion Board, Inter State Trade Council and Board of Trade. Export Promotion Board functions under the Chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary to provide policy and infrastructural support through greater coordination amongst concerned Ministries for boosting exports. All Ministries directly connected with facilitating foreign trade are represented on the Board by their Secretaries. Inter State Trade Council was constituted to ensure a continuous dialogue between Union and State Governments / Union Territories. The Council is chaired by Commerce & Industry Minister and the Chief Ministers of the States or State Cabinet Ministers nominated by Chief Ministers, Lt. Governors or Administrators of Union Territories or their nominees, Secretaries of various departments and Chairperson of some trade/industry bodies are its Members. The Board of Trade, inter-alia, advises the Government on policy measures connected with the Foreign Trade Policy in order to achieve the objectives of boosting India’s exports. The Board is chaired by Commerce & Industry Minister. As per present constitution, the Board of Trade has 17 Non Official Members, 15 Ex-Officio Members and 14 Official Members. The last meeting of Board of Trade was held on 11.10.2011. Inputs received in the meeting were taken into consideration in the announcements made by Commerce and Industry Minister on 13.10.2011 on policy initiatives to further encourage foreign trade.

This information was given by Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Minister of State for Commerce& Industry and Textiles in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

DS/GK

Advisory bodies in commerce coordinate export policy and intergovernmental trade dialogue, reinforcing national trade advisory mechanisms. Three advisory bodies in the commerce department coordinate export policy, intergovernmental trade dialogue, and foreign trade strategy: the Export Promotion body provides policy and infrastructural support through inter ministerial coordination; the Intergovernmental Trade Council sustains Union State dialogue with ministerial and administrative representation; and the Board of Trade advises on Foreign Trade Policy to advance export objectives.