The new rules concerning CKD, which will significantly increase vehicles costs, have got many consumers delaying their purchases and auto manufacturers who import CKD considering their options. The Minister for Public Enterprises and Heavy Industries, Praful Patel has reportedly requested the Finance Minister for giving the auto industry two more years’ time to fulfill the new import duty regulations regarding CKDs.
Patel was reportedly quoted as having said that they have given a formal request to the Finance Minister, with a request from the SIAM. The auto industry is currently asking for more time for setting up their facilities for more indigenisation. The minister also stated that auto manufacturers want two more year’s time for implementing the new rules, having forwarded the idea to the Ministry of Finance.
The FM, Pranab Mukherjee, had redefined meaning of CKD in the 2011-12 Budget for encouraging more local production of autos. Transmissions, gearboxes and pre-assembled motors were subsequently excluded from the CKD definition, which now attracts an import duty of 30% as compared to the earlier 10%.
The industry body of SIAM has requested the government to either decrease the duty or to give the manufacturers some more time for preparing for the localisation of auto components like gearboxes, transmissions and engines, before the revised import duty is imposed.
This step taken by the government will make vehicles produced in low volumes unviable commercially. For the luxury auto players like Audi, Mercedes and BMW, the increased import duty on CKDs will not push the price of their products higher, but also make it difficult for them to bring in new products in this market.
Audi has stated that the new rules would force it to change its India plans, though the other manufacturers have not yet commented on this issue so far. While Patel reportedly mentioned that this move will encourage indigenisation, he added that this issue is for the Finance Ministry to consider. According to the ministry it will take at least a year for indigenisation.
It is high time for the Indian government to retrieve swiss banks money which will make our currency so strong against all foreign currencies that the RBI will no longer need to print INR 500 or 1000 denominations.
Obviously our trasurery will overflow. The per capita income of India will rise so much to envy the world.
I am sure every Indian is looking forward to happiness so why not our politician strech out to do one good act for their citizens.
The Indian Finance ministry could very easily reduce all sorts of taxes on every industry / individuals income and custom duties on imports. The present import duty on cars is 104% approx!!!
Similarly the petrol/diesel/cng/LPG and all consumer goods/ food items prices can come down by 70% if the government is interested to retrieve every Indians precious tax money, deposited by the selfish and greedy abnornal humans in swiss banks .