New Delhi Jan 8 (KNN) Minister of Industry and Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman held first meeting of the Council for Trade Development and Promotion. “We have managed to contain our trade deficit due to controls on imports, there is an immediate need to synergize our efforts and jointly take appropriate steps to boost India’s exports”, she said.

While addressing the representatives of states and Union Territories, Sitharaman said that we have taken a number of pro-active steps in this Ministry to make India a hub for economic activities, but we will be successful in our efforts only with the active involvement of the States.

This Council would help in developing a framework for making the States active partners of this Ministry in boosting India’s exports, she added

She hoped that this platform will ensure a continuous dialogue with the State Governments and UTs regarding measures for creating and augmenting an enabling environment in the States which is conducive to International trade.

Speaking on fall down in exports, she said, there is a slowdown in world economy which has resulted in decrease in some of India’s traditional exports.

She urged to the states for suggestions on steps required to improve the export competitiveness of our products and on how can we partner in the adoption of such measures to create an environment conducive for exports. (KNN Bureau)