New Delhi, Sep 15 (KNN) To protect the domestic manufacturers from cheap imports, the Revenue Department is holding a public heading later this month to take a final call on safeguard duty on import of unwrought aluminium.

The Director General of Safeguards (DGS) is holding a Public Hearing in Safeguard investigation concerning increased imports of “Unwrought Aluminium (Aluminium not alloyed and Aluminium alloys)” into India on September 29, 2016, said an official notification.

In this regard DGS has invited the industry bodies including IEEMA to seek views of the stakeholders on this.

The imports of unwrought aluminium increased from 2,42,533 MT in 2011-12 to 4,32,370 MT till 2015-16 (annualised) recording an increase of 78 per cent.

DGS had initiated the investigation earlier this year in alleged increased imports of unwrought aluminium for causing injury to the domestic aluminium industry.

The period of investigation is 2011-12 onwards till 2015-16.

This investigation came on the application filed by aluminium makers asking the government to “immediately impose a safeguard duty on the imports of unwrought aluminium for a period of four years.”

The application was filed by Vedanta Limited, Bharat Aluminium Company (Balco) and Hindalco who have sought safeguard duty imposition on alloyed as well as non-alloyed wrought aluminium products.

The domestic Aluminium industry has asked for increase to 10 per cent from current 7.5 per cent. It was 5 per cent earlier, when it was revised in this year’s Union Budget. (KNN Bureau)