RoDTEP - ECONOMY

News: RoDTEP: Increase of 10% in funds could help cover all sectors in FY25

 

What's in the news?

       The budgetary allocation for the popular export benefit scheme, Remission of Duty and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP), is likely to get a 10 percent increase in 2024-25, over the ₹15,070 crore allocated last fiscal, which may allow the Commerce Department to extend the scheme for the iron & steel, pharmaceuticals and chemicals sectors for the entire financial year.

 

Key takeaways:

       The RoDTEP scheme, announced in January 2021 as a replacement for the WTO-incompatible MEIS scheme, remits embedded duties/taxes on inputs to exporters.

       These include VAT on fuel used in transportation, mandi tax and duty on electricity used during manufacturing, and other input taxes that are not rebated under other schemes.

 

RoDTEP:

       RoDTEP stands for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products.

       It is a new scheme that is applicable with effect from January 1st, 2021, formed to replace the existing MEIS (Merchandise Exports from India Scheme).

       The scheme will ensure that the exporters receive the refunds on the embedded taxes and duties previously non-recoverable.

       The scheme was brought about with the intention to boost exports which were relatively poor in volume previously.

 

Features:

       To enable zero rating of exports by ensuring domestic taxes are not exported, all taxes, including those levied by States and even Gram Panchayats, will be refunded under the scheme.

       The rebates under RoDTEP are WTO-compliant as per legal advice, ranging from 0.5% to 4.3% of the Free On Board value of outbound consignments.

       The lowest rate is offered on items like chocolates, toffees and sugar confectionery, while yarns and fibers have been granted the highest rate.

       Now, the sectors such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and iron & steel sectors were added to the scheme to promote their exports.

 

Eligibility

       All sectors, including the textiles sector, may enjoy the benefits of the RoDTEP Scheme.

       Labor-intensive sectors that enjoy benefits under the MEIS Scheme will be given a priority.

       Manufacturer exporters and merchant exporters (traders) are both eligible for the benefits of this scheme.

       There is no particular turnover threshold to claim the RoDTEP.

       Re-exported products are not eligible under this scheme.

       To be eligible to avail the benefits of this scheme, the exported products need to have the country of origin as India.

       Special Economic Zone Units and Export Oriented Units are also eligible to claim the benefits under this scheme.

       Where goods have been exported via courier through e-commerce platforms, RoDTEP scheme applies to them as well.