World Trade Organization Organisation Mondiale du Commerce Organización Mundial del Comercio

Could India please indicate which states use these GFRs to govern procurement?

Reply: Financial powers are decentralised and it is for each State government to establish its own rules and regulations keeping in mind the requirements of transparency, non discrimination and accountability. Some of the states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have passed laws to regulate public procurement, on the lines of provisions of GFR.

59. 
    Can India please clarify which government sectors fall under the authority of the state level of government?
    

Reply: Powers of Central Government and state Governments have been stated in the Article 246 of the Indian Constitution. List I is the Union list, List II is the state list and List III is the concurrent list.

Canada 60, 61:

Report by the Secretariat (WT/TPR/S/249): Part IV. Trade Policies by Selected Sector: (2) Agriculture; (i) General Overview: paragraph 8, page 127:

The Secretariat's Report states that "India places high priority on raising agricultural productivity as a means of reducing poverty. However, raising productivity would require a policy shift away from the existing subsidy based protected regime that no longer appears to be sustainable".

60. 
    Could India please provide more information on the types of policies or programs that would be used to achieve the referenced policy shift aimed at increasing agricultural productivity in the years to come?
    

Also, according to the Secretariat's Report, to meet production, as well as other agricultural policy objectives, India plans to increase public expenditure, while also encouraging private investment.

61. 
    Can India please elaborate on the types of programs or policies it intends to use to encourage private investment, and which sectors would be targeted by that policy?
    

Reply: India's agriculture policy is articulated in the Five Year Plan documents; and the policies and programmes taken up by concerned Departments and States. The Twelfth Five Year Plan of India, to be applicable for the period 2012 2017 is under formulation.

The entire inputs manufacturing and outputs processing and marketing industry for agricultural produce in India is in the private sector. India also permits 100% FDI in seed production, horticulture, animal husbandry and certain other sectors of protected agriculture.

Canada 62:

Report by the Secretariat (WT/TPR/S/249): Part IV. Trade Policies by Selected Sector: (2) Agriculture; (ii) Agricultural policy objectives: (a) Measures affecting imports: paragraph 17, page 129:

As noted by the Secretariat's Report, India's applied tariff variability as well as the complex process for the notification of tariff rate changes, creates uncertainty and acts as an impediment to trade.

62. 
    Can India please elaborate further on how it is intending to improve transparency and predictability in its tariff management system?