Indians take to SUVs

New Delhi, Mar 7 (UNI) More and more Indians now want to drive in swanky SUVs on the congested roads in the country.

According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the number of luxury cars imported this year under the Export Promotion of Capital Goods (EPCG) Scheme has nearly double compared to last year.

As many as 236 cars were brought from abroad in 2004-05 as against 127 in 2003-04 availing the concessional rate of customs duty under the scheme, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jairam Ramesh told the Lok Sabha today.

The number of cars imported in 2002-03 was 111. The EPCG Scheme is intended for the hotel, travel and tourism and golf tourism sectors.

Faced with violations of the scheme, the government has now issued an order that the customs duty saved on import of Sports Utility Vehicles should not exceed 50 per cent of the average foreign exchange earning from the hotel and travel and tourism sectors.

Imports of auto parts for SUVs are prohibited under the EPCG Scheme.

The imported luxury cars of Bollywood actors Sunil Shetty and Sanjay Dutt had been seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) last year.

Last month DRI impounded another 28 luxury cars from the golf course club of a prominent business group in Noida for evasion of customs duty.

UNI FZ MSJ DS1306