Lucknow, Mar 27 (KNN) With the view to foster trade chain in the SAARC Region and give a common platform to the stakeholders, a seminar on Trade and Business Facilitation was organized in the city.

The seminar was organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Indian Industries Association (IIA) along with the support from Ministry of Finance, Government of India, under the aegis of SAARC Trade Promotion Network (SAARC TPN).

SAARC-TPN is a network of 28 key public (Department of Trade, Export Promotion Agencies) and private sector (Apex bodies, Chambers of Commerce) organizations working in trade related areas from all SAARC countries. It aims at the promotion of intra-regional trade in the SAARC region. 

One of the main focus-areas of SAARC-TPN is promotion of MSMEs through regional value chains and reduction of non-tariff barriers/measures.

“The main aim of the seminar was to streamline procedures and eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic and administrative burdens to foster trade chain in the SAARC Region. It also aimed to bring together all the relevant stakeholders,” IIA said in a statement.

The seminar was held with a vision to harmonize the functions of departments like Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage to address the queries of the local traders and businessmen.

Dr. Ajai Prakash, Member, Executive Committee, UP State Council, FICCI, gave the welcome address. The other key note addresses were delivered by Satish Reddy (IRS) of Asian Development Bank; Manvendra Singh, Joint Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Kanpur; Dr. I. A. Siddiqui, Assistant Commissioner (Fisheries), Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries among others.

Manmohan Agarwal, Secretary, IIA, Lucknow, gave the vote of thanks and the concluding remarks were given by Manish Goel, National President, IIA. (KNN Bureau)