Industry body Solar Power Developers Association (SPDA) on Friday pitched for postponement of imposition of basic customs duty on solar cells and modules.
The body is of the view that the imposition of basic customs duty (BCD) can severely slow down the plan of having 100 GW solar energy by 2022. In June, Power Minister R K Singh had indicated about imposition of BCD on solar cells, modules and invertors from August to discourage dumping and encourage the domestic industry.
SPDA, a national association representing India’s upcoming solar power generators and developers, said in a statement that the government must reconsider its decision of imposing BCD on solar cells and modules.
The implementation of safeguard duty on cells and modules has been extended by a year recently, hence setting additional tariff barriers at this stage is not appropriate as it will damage the sector’s prospects, it noted.
SPDA recommends that the imposition of BCD be postponed by 18 months so that financial burden on the already bid out projects of capacity around 50 GWs can be avoided, it stated.
