The DGFT has issued another circular dated August 28, 2008 stating that quantity for the new licenses has been raised from 110,000 tons to 140,000 tons. This is only for the actual users owning gang saws and having a domestic turnover of Rs.1 crore and above during each of the previous 3 years. Those already having Special Import Licences and 100% Export Oriented Units cannot avail of quantities under these licenses.
What is good to note is that the Government recognises the need for gang saw owners who have invested very heavily in machinery to source good quality blocks. This will go a long way in ensuring that the quality of slabs and tiles produced by these units are of acceptable standards for the domestic market. It is important that our domestic building and construction industry uses materials that are comparable with international standards. After all we are sick and tired of seeing sub standard quality of slabs and tiles in the domestic market even from our indegeniously quarried blocks.
It is high time that marble slabs and tiles sold in India is of acceptable quality and at the same time we should not degrade our environment by quarrying indiscriminately. We need to ensure that our quarries in India also invest adequately in modern quarrying equipments to ensure better quality of blocks and at the same time ensure environmental protection. Henceforth, the Government of India and of the states having viable reserves of marble should frame policies in such a way that quarrying in India is suitably modernized and import of blocks should be free from all controlls by allowing traders also to import and sell blocks to factories. This will help the factories to raise adequate financial resources for sourcing blocks as the factory owners need to ensure that they do not get stuck with dead inventory in case certain colors of blocks have a drop in demand and they could have cancellations of orders for projects that can cause more strains. After all, if a factory has to import blocks, the planning has to be done at least four months prior to the requirement and that translates into a considerable amount of money to be financed and blocked. This causes financial strains to the factory owners.
What is good to note is that the Government recognises the need for gang saw owners who have invested very heavily in machinery to source good quality blocks. This will go a long way in ensuring that the quality of slabs and tiles produced by these units are of acceptable standards for the domestic market. It is important that our domestic building and construction industry uses materials that are comparable with international standards. After all we are sick and tired of seeing sub standard quality of slabs and tiles in the domestic market even from our indegeniously quarried blocks.
It is high time that marble slabs and tiles sold in India is of acceptable quality and at the same time we should not degrade our environment by quarrying indiscriminately. We need to ensure that our quarries in India also invest adequately in modern quarrying equipments to ensure better quality of blocks and at the same time ensure environmental protection. Henceforth, the Government of India and of the states having viable reserves of marble should frame policies in such a way that quarrying in India is suitably modernized and import of blocks should be free from all controlls by allowing traders also to import and sell blocks to factories. This will help the factories to raise adequate financial resources for sourcing blocks as the factory owners need to ensure that they do not get stuck with dead inventory in case certain colors of blocks have a drop in demand and they could have cancellations of orders for projects that can cause more strains. After all, if a factory has to import blocks, the planning has to be done at least four months prior to the requirement and that translates into a considerable amount of money to be financed and blocked. This causes financial strains to the factory owners.
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