AIFMP meets Finance Ministry officials to discuss SSI denial

This material which has been printed with trade and brand names for customers and their products is causing confusion due to the interpretation by government officials.

According to Uday Dhote of Dhote Offset and a noted chartered accountant, "the problem is: the actual wording of this clause is tricky - in the sense that it would have made for greater clarity had it spelled out also the specified goods, ‘Paper and paperboard labels of all kinds' along side the heading 4821 - the intention of the Government to exclude these articles can hardly be doubted. Moreover, when ‘metal labels' have been specifically excluded under clause (e) of the same paragraph, there could be no reason why paper board tags and labels should not be excluded from the mischief of the brand-name restriction."

The AIFMP delegation submit the items of printing and packaging materials - other than those already excluded in clauses (d) and (e) under Para 4 of the Notification No.8/2003.

The main aim is to notify the CBEC to exclude these items from the brand and trade name restriction, as early as possible.

According to Vinod Jain, CEO for government relations, AIFMP, there is confusion about the description in Explanatory Memorandum to the Finance Bill which reads: "Corrugated boxes or cartons manufactured by stand-alone manufacturers.

Jain adds: "The AIFMP took up the matter with the Finance Ministry. We met senior officials on 22 March, 2010. We have been successful in explaining our point of view and convincing the authorities."

According to AIFMP officials,  the Finance Ministry to is expected should issue a clarification and notification about the matter, soon.