New Delhi, Oct. 21 -- The government is looking to overhaul two flagship schemes that refund domestic taxes and levies paid by exporters, seeking to make payouts more targeted and funds better spent at a time when global uncertainties are weighing on Indian shipments. Two panels have been set up to review and reframe these schemes that help Indian goods stay competitive overseas, three people close to the development told Mint. The move follows a recommendation by the expenditure finance committee (EFC) late last month for better targeting after the commerce and textiles ministries sought a total of about Rs.2 lakh crore for next five years for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) and Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) schemes. The schemes were rolled out with the aim of keeping exports zero-rated, in sync with global best practices, where exports are not to carry domestic taxes. The refunds cover embedded central and state levies outside the goods and services tax (GST) regime-including those on fuel and electricity, stamp duty and mandi tax-which are paid on inputs consumed in the production of exported goods. While the RoDTEP scheme covers a range of sectors, including exporters in special economic zones and bonded warehouses, RoSCTL is largely focused on garments. The panel on RoDTEP has been set up under Director General of Foreign Trade Lav Agarwal, while the RoSCTL one is headed by additional secretary in the textiles ministry Arti Kanwar. Both panels have senior government officials and industry executives. Their recommendations are likely to be discussed during the Union budget deliberations and could form basis of the revamped frameworks for the two critical programmes. The proposed overhaul of these marquee schemes comes when exporters, grappling with the West Asia and Ukraine wars and other external headwinds, seek timely and adequate refunds of taxes and levies paid on inputs. Currently, a committee set up by the revenue department recommends refund rates under the schemes after examining official and industry data on levies and taxes paid by exporters. It also assesses representations by export bodies and consults government officials and other stakeholders. Following the EFC's recommendations, this system may be revamped to move towards a more precise, evidence-based system to reflect the embedded taxes and duties actually paid. Mint had last month reported that the commerce ministry has sought over Rs.1.3 lakh crore under RoDTEP for the next five years, up 70% from the previous five years, while the textiles ministry wanted the RoSCTL outlay to go up by a half to about Rs.65,000 crore. The EFC, an interministerial body under the expenditure secretary, evaluates major central schemes and projects before they are placed before the Cabinet for clearance. Eligible exporters receive refunds ranging from 0.3% to about 4.7% of the free-on-board value of consignments under RoDTEP, and 1.7-8.2% under RoSCTL. The commerce and textile ministries maintain that the schemes are compliant with the World Trade Organization rules. Timely reimbursements unlock liquidity blocked in taxes and help Indian exporters compete better against counterparts from countries where such embedded taxes are lower or fully refunded....