Registration with the government has been made mandatory for imports of an array of paper materials, starting from October 1, the Ministry of Commerce announced on May 26.
The move is aimed at addressing the dumping concerns of the domestic paper industry, the ministry said.
"This order shall be applicable on a range of paper products, such as newsprint, handmade paper, wallpaper base, duplicating paper, coated paper, uncoated paper, Litho and offset paper, tissue paper, parchment paper, carbon paper, wall paper, envelops, toilet paper, cartons, account books, labels, bobbins, etc," stated an official release.
However, import of currency paper, bank bond, cheque and security printing papers have been excluded from this policy, it added.
The government said that a user-friendly interface has been created for the implementation of the new policy - Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS). Any importer will be able to obtain an automatic registration number online by paying a registration fee of Rs 500, starting from July 15.
"The importer can apply for registration not earlier than 75th day and not later than 5th day before the expected date of arrival of import consignment. The automatic registration Number thus granted shall remain valid for a period of 75 days," the statement noted.
Multiple bill of entries will be allowed in the same registration number within the validity period of registration for the permitted quantity, it said.
According to the commerce ministry, the new policy was necessitated as the domestic paper industry has been raising issues of "dumping of paper products in the domestic market by way of under-invoicing, entry of prohibited goods by mis-declaration, re-routing goods through other countries in lieu of trade agreements". A large proportion of paper products are also imported under "others" category tariff tines, it added.
The change in policy "will also go a long way in promoting Make In India and Atmanirbhar in this category", the ministry claimed.
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