'Rs1,50,ooo crore Customs Duty Collected in 2012-13'

The Indian Customs has collected over `1,50,000 crore as Customs duty during the financial year 2012-13, said S Ramesh, Chief Commissioner of Customs here recently.

Delivering the keynote address at the International Customs Day Celebrations here, he said that the Indian Customs handled over 3 million trade declarations involving a merchandise of over 800 million US dollars and collected over `1,50,000 crore as Customs duty.

“Under its citizen’s charter, the Indian Customs is committed to provide efficient, judicious and responsive tax administration,” he added. The department believed that communication with trade was the key to managing change and achieving higher levels of facilitation, he said.

Ramesh appreciated the officers and staff for their commendable work of manning over 330 Customs formations like airports, seaports, CFS/ICD, and land-border stations.  Sports personalities, who are also part of the Customs Department like athlete Anju Bobby George, volleyball player S Kanakaraj and basketball player R Ramakrishnan, were felicitated for their meritorious performances in the international arena.

Vice-chairman of the Settlement Commission, G V Naik, inaugurated the proceedings and released a brochure on ‘Communication: Sharing information for better co-operation’, which is the theme of the year 2014 as dictated by World Customs Organisation.

R Shakuntala, Chief Commissioner of Central Excise, Customs commissioners Sanjay Kumar Agarwal and Jane K Nathaniel and Deputy Commissioner of Customs P Manikkavel, also participated in the event.