Govt may soon lift ban on cotton exports: Sources

NEW DELHI: The government may soon lift the ban on cotton exports in the wake of widespread resentment against the move, Congress sources said today.

Party sources said an announcement on lifting the ban may be made after by-polls in states like Maharashtra are completed.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today met UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and it is believed that the issue of cotton export ban too may have figured during the deliberations.

He had earlier met Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who had opposed the move saying he was not consulted before the prohibition was imposed by the Commerce Ministry.

Following protests, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had asked a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to review the decision.

The first meeting of the GoM on Friday was inconclusive even though Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar had indicated that the government was moving towards lifting of the ban.

Khullar yesterday told that the government is "contemplating lifting the ban on cotton exports".

The GoM meeting, which was also attended by Pawar and Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, failed to come to a conclusion.

The Commerce Ministry on March 5 banned cotton exports to boost domestic availability.