This move is a part of several initiatives taken by Government to promote manufacturing of set top boxes in the country.
In a bid to improve the export of set top box from the country, the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) has said that the exporters will get benefits on it. Export of set top box will now attract benefits under the Focus Product Scheme for exports. All the products exported under this scheme get a duty drawback credit of 5 per cent of the value of exports.
According to the information revealed in the DeitY newsletter, “the Director General of Foreign Trade vide Public Notice No. 51 (RE2012)/2009-14, dated 5 March, 2013 has, based on a proposal from Department of Electronics and IT, amended the Reward/Incentive Schemes of Chapter 3 of Foreign Trade Policy 2009-14 – Appendix 37D of Handbook of Procedure (Vol. I)
(Appendices and Aayat Niryat Forms) 2009-2014. Accordingly, Set Top Box /Set Top Unit (STB/STU required for receiving Digital Signals from DTH & Cable in CKD / SKD with ITC (HS) Code 85287100 at S. No. 756, FPS Product Code No. 756 has been added at a rate percentage of 5 per cent for export made with immediate effect.”
This move is a part of several initiatives taken by Government to promote manufacturing of set top boxes in the country. Keeping in mind the mandatory digitalisation of the broadcast network in India, a demand for nearly 200 million set top boxes is estimated for TV sets and educational purposes.
Yet another important step in the direction of promoting domestic manufacturing of set top boxes is increase of Basic Custom Duty from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, providing incentives under Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme, and development of indigenous Conditional Access system (CAS), which is proposed to be provided to domestic manufacturers at a lower price.
