Govt issues notification regarding creation of DGTR

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Department of Commerce on May 17, 2018, formally issued notification for creation of Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu has given his approval for creation of DGTR in Department of Commerce, consequent upon amendment carried out by Government of India to the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 on May 7, 2018 in this regard.

The DGTR will be the apex National Authority for administering all trade remedial measures including anti-dumping, countervailing duties and safeguard measures. The DGTR will bring Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied duties (DGAD), Directorate General of Safeguards (DGS) and Safeguards (QR) functions of DGFT into its fold by merging them into one single national entity.

It will also provide trade defence support to domestic industry and exporters in dealing with increasing instances of trade remedy investigations instituted against them by other countries.  In the last three years, India initiated more than 130 anti-dumping/countervailing duty/safeguard cases to deal with the rising incidences of unfair trade practices and to provide a level playing field to the domestic industry, according to a PIB release.

DGTR has been approved with a sanctioned strength of 112 posts drawn from Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied duties of Department of Commerce and Directorate General of Safeguards of CBEC. DGTR will be a multi service organization drawing upon the skill-set of various officers from the field of International Trade, Customs, Revenue, Finance, Economics, Costing and Law. The creation of DGTR will also result in savings of 49 posts to the Government on account of merging DGAD and DGS. This is in tune with the goal of the Prime Minister to have “Minimum Government Maximum Governance”.