ANANTAPUR: Elaborate arrangements have been made for the inauguration of the new campus of National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN) at Palasamudram in Sri Sathya Sai district by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16.
The academy was sanctioned for the State in 2014 as part of the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. The then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley laid the foundation stone for the academy on April 11, 2015. The new campus of NACIN is the second one in the country. It has been constructed at a cost of Rs 730 crore in 35-acre site on the northern bund of Palasamudram tank.
On March 5, 2022, when the construction works commenced, Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman participated in Bhumi Puja. The national-level world-class training institute will facilitate training of 80 Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers, more than 1,000 Group A or Group I officers of Andhra Pradesh and other States to work in the Goods and Services Tax Section of the government.
The academy will be used in the future as a Maritime Training Centre for scanning smuggling of contraband items and narcotics through ships and containers. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials will be trained here in addition to providing them with a mock airport and sea container landing place for real time scanning for narcotics.
According to the tentative schedule of the Prime Minister, he will visit the antiques smuggling study centre on the first floor, besides Narcotics Study Centre and Wildlife Study Centre, after inaugurating the new campus. He will also visit X-ray and baggage scanning centres and plant Rudraksha saplings before interacting with the workers engaged in construction of NACIN building and officials undergoing training. He will release a book titled ‘Flora of Palasamudram’ and present an accreditation certificate to NACIN.
Modi is likely to visit Lepakshi temple during his visit to the district and officials are making elaborate security arrangements for the same. Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy took stock of the arrangements being made for the PM’s visit on Saturday.
Governor S Abdul Nazeer and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy are scheduled to visit Sri Sathya Sai district to receive Prime Minister.