Parliamentary panel reviews India-US trade ties, export opportunities in Raipur

Raipur: A Parliamentary standing committee on commerce, headed by Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen, held a series of meetings in Raipur on Thursday to assess India-US trade relations, with discussions focusing on boosting exports of agricultural and processed food products and interactions with senior state officials.The committee spoke to senior Chhattisgarh govt officials, representatives of banks, insurance institutions, export promotion agencies and industry bodies as part of its study tour covering Ahmedabad, Raipur and Bhubaneswar.Discussions centred on export promotion measures, investment opportunities, value addition in agriculture, and ways to improve the competitiveness of Indian products in global markets. Representatives from NABARD, Punjab National Bank, Bank of India and the Agriculture Insurance Company of India also shared inputs on credit, insurance and risk-management support available to exporters.Officials from the Chhattisgarh govt briefed the committee on steps being taken to promote exports, attract investments and strengthen the state’s food processing sector.The committee is expected to incorporate the findings of its consultations into a report on strengthening India-US trade and economic cooperation.