Piyush Goyal Hosts Crucial Board of Trade Meeting, Unveils New Digital Portals

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal chaired the third meeting of the Board of Trade, launching the Jan Sunwai Portal and ECGC's service portal, aiming to boost India's trade ecosystem. Key discussions focused on employment, state-level economic growth, and shared best practices for export promotion.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal chaired the third meeting of the reconstituted Board of Trade in Mumbai on Friday. The Board serves as a strategic platform for collaboration, discussion, and policy recommendations aimed at boosting India's international trade. It brings together representatives from the Industry Ministry, state governments, industry stakeholders, and trade organizations to foster a thriving trade ecosystem.

Goyal reiterated the government's commitment to driving economic growth through strong partnerships with state governments. He emphasized that government initiatives are crucial in creating a transparent, efficient, and sustainable trade environment, which benefits India's broader economic landscape.

During the meeting, Goyal launched the Department of Commerce's Jan Sunwai Portal, designed to streamline communication between stakeholders and authorities, providing a direct and transparent channel for addressing trade and industry-related issues. The portal offers on-demand video conferencing services, as well as fixed video conference links for regular, scheduled interactions. Its accessibility extends across various offices and autonomous bodies under the Department of Commerce.

Goyal also inaugurated ECGC's new online service portal, along with a revamped in-house SMILE-ERP system. 'These innovations signify a major step towards paperless processing and faceless service delivery, benefiting exporters and banks,' said the Commerce Ministry. The transformation promises full automation of processes, quicker claim disposals, and enhanced operational efficiency, all while reducing the carbon footprint to support sustainability goals.

Key discussions at the meeting focused on fostering employment across states and enhancing the role of the Department of Commerce in promoting state-level economic growth. State governments such as Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh showcased their achievements in export promotion and ease of doing business. Representatives shared best practices, providing valuable insights for peer states. Contributions from Assam, Tripura, and Sikkim are expected to elevate export potential from the North East region.

Ministers from 10 state governments attended the important session along with Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Sunil Barthwal, and Additional Secretary and Director General, DGFT, Santosh Sarangi, among other senior officials.

(With inputs from agencies.)