In a step that will benefit the exports sector, the Government has extended the tax incentive scheme for exporters, Duty Entitlement Pass Book (DEPB), till September 30. The Directorate-General of Foreign Trade in a statement said the scheme gets an extension of three months from June 30 to September 30th 2011. Under the 14-year-old DEPB scheme, the Government spends annually about Rs 8,500 crore for re-reimbursing exporters on the taxes paid on import equivalent content of export products. AIR correspondent reports a lion's share of about 60 per cent of the funds under the DEPB goes to exporters in the chemical and engineering sectors. During April-May 2011-12, India's exports increased by 45.3 per cent to $49.8 billion in value terms.