In-house training for Customs staff
Board has recently come to certain hard conclusions:-
• There is a need to train the officers engaged in the work of assessment, examination etc. so that they can efficiently deal with the situations arising in the day today work relating to clearance of goods;
• The concerned officers at implementation level need to know about the various legal provisions as amended from time to time;
• instructions/circulars/notifications issued by the Board reach the concerned officers after a considerable period of time ( may be they should be asked to log on to www.taxindiaonline.com)
• The training sessions would reduce the time gap between the changes that are notified and the changes when they are implemented.
• It will help in faster clearance of goods and reduce grievances from the trade.
So the Board wants informal in-house training.
• a mandatory one hour informal interactive training session in a week will be held at each Customs House;
• the participants would be informed of all the legal/procedural changes brought about by any instructions/circulars/notifications;
• Local issues such as issues arising from public notices or other technical issues would also form the part of the discussion;
• These sessions may also discuss the points sponsored for tariff conferences, suggestions for changes in law and procedure, topics of general interest having contemporaneous value etc;
• The Sessions would be addressed by experienced Appraisers/Supdts./ACs and other senior officers ( assuming they have access to fast changing opinions of the Board)
It is a great idea to have such weekly training sessions, if they are taken seriously and conducted seriously. After some time they will become an empty formality and may be a must do compliance for a monthly report. But why no such training programme on the Central Excise side? Or will separate instructions be issued? And then another set of instructions can be issued for Service Tax! - Board Circular No.17/2005/Cus dated 11-3-2005.
No permission needed for Palletisation
After the Let Export Order (LEO) and before the goods are loaded into the aircraft, Airlines seek permission from the customs twice, - Once for Palletisation, and then for actual loading. Now Board clarifies that there is no need for separate Permission for Palletisation. But permission for loading into the aircraft will still be required. Board Circular No.18/2005/Cus dated 11-3-2005.
Date of filing e-com application will be the date of application.
The DGFT clarifies that in case of E Commerce application, the date on which E-Commerce application is submitted and E-Commerce file number is generated would be considered as the date of filing of application. However the hard copy of the application must be submitted to the concerned RLA within 15 days of filing E-commerce application - POLICY CIRCULAR NO , DT. 11/03/2005