MARKETING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE SCHEME (MDA) 
(REVISED GUIDELINES W.E.F. 01.04.2006)

1. Exporting companies with an f.o.b value of exports upto Rs.15 crore in the preceding year will be eligible for MDA assistance for participation in Export Promotion Council (EPC) led trade delegations / BSMs / Fairs / Exhibitions abroad to explore new markets for export of their specific product(s) and commodities from India in the initial phase. This will be subject to the conditions that exporter is having complete 12 months Membership with the concerned EPC etc. and filing of returns (Monthly Export Data) with concerned EPC / organization regularly.
   
   

2. Assistance would be permissible on travel expenses by air, in economy excursion class fare and / or charges of the built up furnished stall in Overseas Trade Fairs / Exhibitions where national participation is organized by the Council. This would however, be subject to an upper ceiling per financial year, as mentioned in the table below:

The participation of individual companies in the above activities shall be subject to the following conditions:

1. Maximum number of permissible participations in General and Focus Areas shall be Five in a financial year as indicted in above table. No travel grant is permissible for visit to General Areas.
   
   

2. For Export Promotion Council (EPC) led Trade Delegations / BSMs only air fare by Economy Excursion class upto maximum of Rs.70,000/- for Focus areas (a, b, c as per table above) and Rs.1,00,000/- in case of Focus LAC shall be permissible. For participation in Trade Fairs / Exhibitions reimbursement shall be permissible subject to ceilings mentioned in the above table.
   
   

3. Assistance shall be permissible to one regular employee/director/partner/proprietor of the company. Assistance would not be available to exporter of foreign nationality or holding foreign passport.
   
   

4. Intimation application must be received in the Council with a minimum of 14 days clear advance notice excluding the date of receipt of application in the Council and the date of departure from the country.
   
   

5. The Company shall not be under investigation / charged / prosecuted / debarred / black listed under the Foreign Trade Policy of India or any other law relating to export and import business.
   
   

6. Member Exporters of EPCs would also be eligible for MDA assistance for participation in the events organized by ITPO abroad. Their applications / claims would by routed / reimbursed through concerned EPC etc.
   
   

7. Maximum MDA assistance shall be inclusive of MDA assistance received from all Government bodies / FIEO / EPCs / Commodity Boards / Export Development Authorities / ITPO etc.
   
   

8. A maximum of three participations in a particular trade fair / exhibition abroad would be eligible for MDA assistance and exporting companies after availing assistance three times including past cases for a particular fair / exhibition, have to participate in that fair, if any, on self-financing basis.
   
   

9. Accommodation, hotel charges etc. would not be permissible for reimbursement from MDA funds to exporters.
   
   

Documentation for Reimbursement of Assistance to Exporters

1. Intimation application form duly completed and signed shall be submitted by the exporter to the Council giving clear 14 days advance notice excluding the date of submission of application in the Council and the date of departure from the country. Intimation and the application must be sent electronically by email also.
   
   

2. The Council on receipt of intimation shall immediately issue an acknowledgement receipt. Thereafter the Council will examine and issue approval letter to the exporter preferable within 5 working days of the receipt of the intimation, in the prescribed format.
   
   

3. Claim form along with the declaration duly completed and the Certificate (as per Annexure) duly signed by a Chartered Accountant shall be submitted by the exporter to the Council along with under mentioned papers immediately on return to India after completion of the activity but positively within 45 days of their return to India (Claim form and other enclosures will be sent by the Council to the Exporter along with approval letter):

• Details of activity undertaken earlier with MDA assistance to the same country/countries
  
  

• Legible photocopy of passport highlighting the entries about departure from and arrival into India and also the countries visited. In case, passport does not have arrival/departure dates regarding visits to various countries, some documentary evidence such as Hotel Bills, Boarding pass, lodging pass etc. be submitted.
  
  

• Original air ticket /jacket used during the journey. If original air ticket / jacket is lost, a legible photocopy of the same along with a certificate from the concerned airline indicating following may be sent:

1. Name of the traveler
   
   

2. Ticket number
   
   

3. Flight No
   
   

4. Date of departure from India
   
   

5. Sectors / countries visited
   
   

6. Class in which traveled
   
   

7. Economy excursion class fare for sectors/countries visited
   

• Self certified f.o.b value of export figures during the last three financial years, year wise.
  
  

• Brief report about the activity participated and achievements made.
  
  

• Self-certified copy of valid SSI registration certificate issued by the concerned Directorate of Industries, if applicable
  
  

• Self-certified copy of the export house/trading house certificate, if applicable.

4. Claim forms duly filled in and complete in all respects must be submitted to the Council within 90 days of return to India. However, claims submitted within 30 days from the expiry of the 90 days period may be entertained by or wherein the deficiencies in the claim as intimated by the Council with 10% deduction. The claims which are submitted after 120 days of return to India shall not be entertained under any circumstances. Any deficiencies in the claim as intimated by the Council must be completed within 30 days of the date of directions given in this regard, failing which the claim shall stand rejected without any further intimation or reminder in this regard by the Council.
   
   

5. No entry should be kept blank in the Claim Form. If a column is not applicable then to mention clearly “not applicable” or “Nil”.
   
   

6. Individual exporters participating in events organized by the Council under Market Access Initiative Scheme (MAIS) are not eligible to avail MDA grant as such events are already subsidized under MAIS.
   

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Note: The MDA Guidelines mentioned above are subject to change, as notified by the 
Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India from time to time.

Application Form