New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): The Government has undertaken several initiatives to promote transparency, foster ease of compliance to facilitate exports, especially from MSMEs and small businesses with minimal capital, the Parliament was told on Tuesday

Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Jitin Prasada, said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Highlighting the initiatives, the MoS stated key initiatives taken by Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) include the self-certification mechanism for eBRCs, and the digitised e-Certificate of Origin (eCoO 2.0) system, enabling real-time authentication 2 and reducing manual burden.

The revamped e-Certificate of Origin (eCoO) 2.0 system, operational for both Preferential and Non-Preferential CoOs, enables end-to-end digital issuance with QR code and Aadhaar-based e-signatures. It connects exporters with issuing agencies and chambers of commerce on a single online platform, thereby improving authentication and service delivery, he added.

MoS said that in order to assist Indian exporters, the Ministry has also launched the Trade Connect ePlatform, as one-stop interface for addressing trade queries and enhancing access to international markets.

Key features of the ePlatform include information about the Trade Agreements and provision of a Tariff Explorer to assess FTA benefits, Country and Product Guides for market access and compliance insights, Global e-Commerce Guide, and information on Trade Events Worldwide, he added.

Further, in order to strengthen stakeholder interaction, the Ministry has operationalised the Jan-Sunwai facility, a digital grievance redressal platform that provides on-demand video conferencing between exporters and government officials. The system ensures real-time grievance handling, direct access to officers, and promotes transparency through audit trails.

Further, the benefits of availing export promotion schemes under Chapters 4 and 5 of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 are available to all eligible exporters, including small businesses, third-party exporters, and merchant exporters.

The Niryat Bandhu Scheme, a flagship outreach initiative by DGFT, is designed to support and empower new and small exporters by providing them with expert guidance, mentorship, and handholding support throughout their export journey. This scheme aims to facilitate their entry into international trade and enhance India's overall export competitiveness.The Minister added that the Government has taken measures to improve the ease of compliance in the export system for all types of exporters, including exporters in agro-focused regions such as Erode. (ANI)