The export growth target had been pegged at 16 per cent for 2004-05, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

This would be achieved by sector specific incentives, further procedural simplifications and new initiatives to be announced in the foreign trade policy in August, Minister of State for Commerce E V K S Elangovan said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

To another question, the minister said the government had decided not to increase the chrome ore export quota for the year.

Under the Exim Policy for 2002-07, friable and lumpy chrome core is regulated under the state trading regime and exported through MMTC with a quantitative cap.

To another query, he said the government had issued a notification on April 21, 2004 prohibiting the possession, sale and use of Nitro-Glycerine based explosives throughout the country under Section 6.1(a) of the Explosives Act, 1884.

Nitro-Glycerine based explosives are reportedly the preferred choice of extremists and anti-social groups.