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New Delhi : The Government is not considering ban on import of toys. It has taken several steps for promoting indigenous toys makers in the country.
The details are :
(i) Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) vide NotificationNo.33/2015-2020, dated December 2, 2019, has mandated sample testing of each consignment and no permission for sale unless the quality testing is successful to control the import of cheap and sub-standard toys. In case of failure, the consignment is either sent back or destroyed at the cost of the importer.
(ii) Basic Custom Duty (BCD) on Toys-HS Code-9503 was increased from 20% to 60% in February, 2020.
(iii) The Government had issued Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020 on February 25, 2020, through which toys have been brought under compulsory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification with effect from January 1, 2021. As per the Quality Control Order (QCO), every toy shall conform to the requirements of relevant Indian Standard and bear the Standard Mark under a license from BIS as per cheme-I of BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. This QCO is applicable to both domestic manufacturers as well as foreign manufacturers who intend to export their toys to India.
(iv) Ministry of Education organized Toycathon 21, a unique effort by 6 Ministries & Departments, to crowd- source solutions to problems faced by toy industry. Over 1.2 lakh registrants for the event submitted over 17,000 ideas and 13,900 teams formed to win a large number of prizes up to Rs 50 lakh.
(v) A Virtual Toy Fair was organised from February 27 to March 4, 2021. About 1,074 exhibitors from 30 states and UTs covering 68 clusters were on boarded on to the virtual platform. 11 States participated as ‘Partner States’. More than 25 lakh visitors participated in the fair. 103 eminent speakers across the globe attended 41 sessions/webinars.
The Government is providing all round support to domestic toy industry by promoting Made in India toys; monitoring quality of toys; restricting imports of sub-standard and unsafe toys; promoting indigenous toy clusters; designing of toys based on Indian values, culture, and history; using toys as a learning resource, and organising hackathons and grand challenges for toy designing and manufacturing.
Under Scheme of Funds for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) of Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, 14 clusters in different sectors like khadi, coir, handicraft, handloom, honey, agro and food processing, bamboo etc. have been set up with an outlay of Rs 4160.46 lakh benefitting 8,839 artisans. The Government is supporting new models of innovation and financing through a number of schemes, according to a PIB release.
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on August 6, 2021.