Customs procedures to be improved for better trade

SHILLONG: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), New Delhi, organised the third conference on Land Customs Stations (LCSs) here on Monday.
The conference, chaired by P.K. Das, Member (Customs), CBIC, New Delhi, discussed issues relating to functioning of LCSs including improvement in infrastructure and customs procedures, enhancing cross border cooperation with the administrations of the neighbouring countries and consultation mechanism with trade. The conference discussed ways and means to further enhance trade facilitation to realise the untapped potential for greater trade within the region.
CBIC interacted with trade bodies such as Meghalaya International Exporters Chamber of Commerce, Tripura Chamber of Commerce, FICCI, Federation of Indian Export Organisations and Indo-Bhutan Trade Chamber of Commerce and outlined the trade facilitation initiatives implemented for the benefit of the trade.
The initiatives include providing automation at 32 LCSs for enhanced operational efficiency, use of risk management system under which over 85% of goods are allowed clearance without any intervention and creation of a national single window under which multiple agencies operate on a single electronic platform to give clearances.
CBIC has also worked with the trade partners to synchronise working hours and days, extending pass system to enable movement of trucks up to the LCS of the importing country for unloading cargo and improved institutional linkages for better co-ordination.
To facilitate exports, CBIC has promoted the use of off-border clearances, where exporters can conduct all formalities at ICDs close to their doorstep, and then move the cargo to LCSs without any formalities at the LCSs.
A key reform introduced recently is to boost exports by providing a duty free and hassle-free scheme to import inputs and capital goods and carry out processing in customs bonded warehouses for export or sale in the domestic market.
These initiatives, together with compliance management programs such as post clearance audit and authorized economic operator program have served to create an enabling environment for trade to flourish and resulted in India’s rank going up from 146 to 80 in trading across borders in Ease of Doing Business index.
During the interactive session with trade, senior officials of CBIC answered queries of the trade bodies and noted the feedback for further policy reforms.