AIRPORT ADMIN RTI DISCLOSURE

Section

Information to be published under the Act

4(1)(b)

(i)

The particulars of the Organization, Functions and Duties :

Name and address of the Organization:

Office of the Principal Commissioner of Customs (AP & ACC)

Custom House, 15/1 Strand Road

Kolkata, West Bengal

Pin: 700001

Email: prcommr-apkolcus@gov.in

Head of the Organization:

Smt Aarti Saxena

Principal Commissioner of Customs (AP & ACC)

Vision, Mission and Key Objectives

VISION

Our Vision is to provide an efficient and transparent mechanism for collection of indirect taxes and enforcement of cross border controls with a view to encourage voluntary compliance.

MISSION

Our Mission is to achieve excellence in the formulation and implementation of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax laws and procedures aimed at:

• realizing the revenues in a fair, equitable, transparent and efficient manner

• administering the Government’s economic, taxation and trade policies in a pragmatic manner

• facilitating trade and industry by streamlining and simplifying Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax processes and helping Indian business to enhance its competitiveness

• ensuring control on cross border movement of goods, services and intellectual property

• creating a climate for voluntary compliance by providing information and guidance

• combating revenue evasion, commercial frauds and social menace

• supplementing the efforts to ensure national security

KEY OBJECTIVES

To carry out the mission of CBIC to administer Customs laws aimed at: -

 realizing the revenues in a fair, equitable & efficient manner;

 simplification of procedures, streamlining its online application and taking forward the benefits to the trade & industry by enhancing compliance;

 Setting up of institutional framework for identification of Best Practices in Customs, for pan India application and extending online application of such initiatives at National level;

 administering the Government’s economic, tariff and trade policies with a practical and pragmatic approach;

 facilitating trade and industry by streamlining & simplifying Customs processes and helping Indian businesses to enhance their competitiveness; creating a climate for voluntary compliance by providing guidance and building mutual trust;

 Combating duty evasion and frauds in an effective manner.

Functions and Duties

REGULATORY FUNCTIONS

• Levy and collection of Customs Duty

• Receipt and scrutiny of declarations filed with the department

• Prevention of smuggling and combating evasion of Customs duty

• Assessment, examination and clearance of imported goods and export goods

• Implementation of export promotion measures

• Clearance of international passengers and their baggage

• Resolution of disputes through administrative and legal measures

• Sanction of refund, rebate and drawback

• Realization of arrears of revenue

• Audit of assessments for ensuring tax compliance.

SERVICE FUNCTIONS

• Dissemination of information on law and procedures through electronic and print media

• Enabling filing of declarations and claims through online services

• Providing information on the status of processing of declarations and claims

• Assisting the right holders in protecting their intellectual property rights

• Responding to public enquiries relating to Customs matters

• Providing Customs services such as examination of goods and factory stuffing of export goods at clients’ sites, as per policy

Organization Chart

Genesis, inception and formation of the department

The Commissioner of Customs (Airport & Administration), Kolkata has been formed in July 1997 consequent to the re-organisation of the Commissionerate of Customs & Central Excise vide order no. A.11013/34/96-Ad.IV dtd. 15/07/1997. The Commissionerate of Customs (Airport & Administration), Custom House, Kolkata has jurisdiction over Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata Air Cargo Complex and general administration of customs employees of all cadres.

The International Airport, Kolkata was originally named as Dum Dum Airport and was commissioned in 1924 with the arrival of DAKOTA-3 as the first Aircraft. From 1960 to 1969 this Airport continued to be the number one port in India in terms of Traffic and Passengers. It was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in January 1995 and now it is one of the most important International Airports in the country in terms of passenger traffic. The Kolkata Air Cargo Complex was commissioned as the first cargo terminal in the country in the year 1975.

The Airport & Administration Commissionerate is one of the Commissionerate under the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Kolkata. It is an independent Commissionerate. This Commissionerate is responsible to facilitate Importer/Exporters and to enforce customs laws as well as other associated Act and provisions related to the clearance of Imported and Exported goods. Clearance of Import/Export goods are being processed through on-line ICES (Indian Custom EDI System) which provides door step facility to the Importers/Exporters. We have introduced “Sevottam”, i.e. “Public Service Delivery Excellence Model” under which we have endeavored to raise the bar of our excellence and to meet expectation of trade and Industry.

There are various Sections/Units under this Commissionerate which are as follows :-

ORGANIZATION SETUP AND DUTIES:-

The Kolkata Customs (port) is headed by the Chief Commissioner of Customs and assisted by the officers of different ranks. The hierarchy of the officers are as under:-

a. Chief Commissioner
b. Principal Commissioner
c. Commissioner
d. Additional/Joint Commissioner
e. Deputy/Asstt. Commissioner
f. Appraiser
g. Superintendent
h. Private Secretary
i. Administrative Officer
j. Examiner/Preventive Officer (Inspector)
k. DOS/ Senior Tax Assistant /Tax Assistant/LDC
l. Drivers
m. Havaldars (redesignated as Gr.C Non-Ministerial)
n. Sepoy (redesignated as Gr.C Non-Ministerial)

Overall supervision of this Custom House is looked after by Chief Commissioner Office (CCO). The CCO is headed by the Chief Commissioner of Customs and assisted by Commissioner, Addl/Jt. Commissioner, Dy./Assistant Commissioner, Appraisers, Superintendents, Inspectors (PO/EO) and other supporting staffs. The overall affairs of the AP & ACC Commissionerate are supervised by respective Commissioner with the help of other officers/staff. The working of AP & ACC Commissionerate is regulated through Dy./Assistant Commissioner and assisted by Appraisers and Superintendents who are entrusted to look after the daily working of this Zone. The basic executive functions are performed by Examiners/Preventive Officers (Inspector). The other works are supported by AO/EA/TA/LDC. The Sepoys/Hawaldars (re-designated as Gr.C Non-Ministerial staff) are responsible for ensuring safety & security of office premise alongwith works related to dispatch of daily correspondence, movement of files and records, opening and closing of office etc.

The Department of Revenue administers the following Acts:

i. Customs Act, 1962 and related matters;
ii. Central Excise Act, 1944 and related matters;
iii. Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992
iv. Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
v. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
vi. Central Sales Tax Act, 1956;
vii. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985;
viii. Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988;
ix. Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976;
x. Indian Stamp Act, 1899 (to the extent falling within jurisdiction of the Union);
xi. Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974;
xii. Foreign Exchange Management Act,1999
xiii. Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002
xiv. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
and other allied Acts.

(ii)

The powers and Duties of its officers and employees :

Powers and duties of officers (administrative, financial and judicial)

The Powers of officers of Customs have been elaborated in Section 5 of the Customs Act, 1962 and are laid as under –

Subject to such conditions and limitations as the Board may impose, an officer of Customs may exercise the powers and discharge the duties conferred or imposed on him under this Act.

An officer of Customs may exercise the powers and discharge the duties conferred or imposed under this Act on any other officer of Customs, who is subordinate to him. The work is delegated to various categories of officers within the framework of the law.

Further, NOTIFICATION No. 26/2022-Customs (N.T.), F. No. 450/72/2021-Cus IV, Dated, 31st March, 2022 and Notification No. 105/2022-Customs (N.T.) dated December 9, 2022 designates the proper officers who are empowered under various Sections under the Customs Act.

Officers and employees perform their duties as assigned by the Commissioner (AP & ACC). Overall supervision of this Custom House is looked after by Chief Commissioner Office (CCO). The CCO is headed by the Chief Commissioner of Customs and assisted by the Commissioner, Addl/Jt. Commissioner, Dy./Assistant Commissioner, Appraisers, Superintendents, Inspectors (PO/EO) and other supporting staffs. The overall affairs of the Kolkata Customs (AP&ACC) are supervised by respective Pr. Commissioner with the help of other officers/staff. The working of this AP&ACC Commissionerate is regulated through Dy./Assistant Commissioner and assisted by Appraisers and Superintendents who are entrusted to look after the daily working of this Zone. The basic executive functions are performed by Examiners/Preventive Officers (Inspector).

Powers and duties of other employees

Subordinate employees like E.A.,/ T.A./ L.D.C. etc. below the rank of Inspector usually perform supportive role. They perform other administrative works. The Sepoys/Havaldars (re-designated as Gr.C Non-Ministerial) are responsible for ensuring safety & security of office premise alongwith works related to dispatch of daily correspondence, movement of files and records, opening and closing of office etc.

Rules/ orders under which powers and duty are derived and exercised

Customs Act, 1962
Customs Tariff Act, 1975
Various Notifications, Circulars, Public Notices
Other allied Acts which are:
• Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992
• Foreign Exchange Management Act, 2000.
• The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
• Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• The Arms Act, 1959
• The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
• The Indian Explosives Act, 1884
• The Dangerous Drugs Act, 1930
• Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914.
• Intellectual Property Rights (Imported Goods) Enforcement Rules, 2007
• The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
• The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
• The Plant Quarantine (Regulation of import into India)
• Insecticides Act, 1968
• Hazardous and. Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016
• Wireless planning and coordination wing (WPC) License and equipment type approval

Work allocation

Posting & Transfer Orders of officers under this Commissionerate are available at the official website of Kolkata Customs (link: https://www.kolkatacustoms.gov.in/notices-orders/airport/transfer-posting )

The procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability :

Process of decision making Identify key decision making points

The Pr. Commissioner monitors the working and functioning of the Commissionerate. Since the Policy formulations are exclusively in the domain of the Board, policy implementation in spirit of the laws so formulated forms the major functions of field formations. The Chief Commissioner’s office with help of all Commissionerates collates and compiles various trade representations. Since this Commissionerate is entrusted with the main work of implementation of the Customs Act, Rules, allied Acts and Board’s orders etc., all aspects of Revenue are monitored and status are forwarded to Board in the form of weekly, monthly and quarterly reports. Problems faced by the Trade and Industry are forwarded to the Board which become ingredients for policy formulation.

Decision making in the organization is based on decentralization that is to say that there is a definite delegation of authority and responsibility to different levels of the organization. Such delegation is laid out either in the Customs Act, 1962 or the Rules made thereunder or vide various circulars issued by the department from time to time. All references received from the Trade, different stakeholders and Field formations are submitted by concerned Sections to the AC/DC in-charge in the Commissionerates. The file noting are prepared by EO /PO (Inspector). The relevant notification / circulars etc. are explained by Suptd. / AO. The main recommendations are made by AC /DC /ADC and finally the important decisions are approved by the Chief Commissioner/Pr. Commissioners/Commissioners. In case of any clarification required the same is referred to the Board to take final decision.

Final Decision making Authority : Principal Commissioner of Customs (AP & ACC)

Related Provisions, Acts, Rules etc.: As mentioned in (ii) above.

Time Limit for taking actions:

Channel of Supervision and Accountability: Hierarchy as shown in the Organization Chart

The norms set by it for the discharge of its functions:

The mission of the organization is to achieve excellence in the implementation of Customs Acts, Allied Acts and Rules thereunder aimed at;

• Facilitating trade and industry by streamlining and simplifying Customs Rules & Regulations in light of the guidelines prescribed and facilitating the Trade and Industry

• Administering the Government's economic, tariff and trade policies with a practical and pragmatic approach

• Creating a climate for voluntary compliance by providing guidance and building mutual trust

• Realizing the revenues in a fair, equitable and efficient manner

• Combating revenue evasion, commercial frauds and social menace in and effective manner.

Norms/ standards for functions/ service delivery

Sevottam is a generic framework for achieving excellence in public service delivery. It comprises of 3 modules namely, Citizen’s Charter, Grievance Redressal Mechanism and Capability Building for Service Delivery. This department follows the Sevottam model, details of which can be found on https://www.darpg.gov.in/relatedlinks/sevottam

Process by which these services can be accessed

Through Sevottam section and as detailed vide various Notices published by the department which are available at public domain like the official website of Kolkata Customs

Time Limit for achieving the targets: as detailed vide Point (iii)

The rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions :

All Rules, Regulations, Instructions, Manuals etc. issued by the Govt. of India in respect of government servants are followed for discharged of duties by the officers. All these particulars are available at www.cbec.gov.in and www.kolkatacustoms.gov.in.

A statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control :

The office documents are generally processed and stored in the form of files and folders. Files and documents related to work assigned to concerned Sections of this office are duly catalogued, indexed and entered in Registers and these are kept in the custody of respective Sections. Almost entire database is available in EDI system.

The particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or representation by the Member of public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof :

The members of Public can write to this office on any such issue or seek appointment for meeting, if required. Further e-helpline is available on at http://www.kolkatacustoms.gov.in

A statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public :

List of Boards, Councils, Committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public: The Kolkata Customs Commissionerate maintains its website http://www.kolkatacustoms.gov.in wherein salient information pertaining to various field formations is given for general information of the masses at large. In addition, website also contains copy of the Public Notices/Tenders/Standing Orders etc. /Trade facilitation issued by this Commissionerate.

Public Grievances redressal : As a part of implementation of Sevottam, Public Grievances are taken care of immediately after the Complaint/Grievance appears on the portal (http://www.pgportal.gov.in or http://darpg.nic.in ). Commissioner of Customs is the Public Grievance Officer and the replies/reports are posted on the website after approval of Commissioner of Customs.

Trade Felicitation meeting: A trade felicitation committee exists in this Custom House and members of the committee includes Calcutta Customs House Agents Association, Steamers Agent Association, various custodians etc. The main object of the meeting is to discuss problems related to the clearance of import and export goods and to find solution thereto. The meeting is held on 3rd week of every Tuesday of a month. Trade Facilitation Committee Meeting (TFC) and Customs Clearance Facilitation Committee Meeting (CCFC) are held on each month. Moreover there is a CP-GRAMS (e-grievance redressal) system exists wherein some grievances are redressed through CP-GRAMS. The meeting is converted into Zonal Trade Felicitation meetings under the chairmanship of Chief Commissioner of Customs as per requirement or if the issues pertain to all the Customs Commissionerate of the Kolkata Zone. All the concerned Assistant Commissioner of Customs/Deputy Commissioner of Customs/Joint Commissioner /Additional Commissioners participates in the meeting. The agenda of the meeting is set up in advance and the detailed minutes of the meeting is posted in the website. Particulars are available at http://www.kolkatacustoms.gov.in

A directory of its officers and employees:

The monthly remuneration received by each of its officer and employee including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations:

Updated as on date

The budget allocated to each of its agency indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made (For F.Y. 2025-26):

The manner of execution of subsidy programs including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programs: N/A

Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorization granted by it: N/A

Details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form:

All the relevant details are made available on the website of Kolkata Customs at https://www.kolkatacustoms.gov.in.

The particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public use:

All the relevant details are made available on the website of Kolkata Customs at https://www.kolkatacustoms.gov.in.

Name, designation and other particulars of public information officers: CPIO List

LIST OF FIRST APPELLATE AUTHORITY (FAA) AND THEIR JURISDICTION

LIST OF CPIOs AND THEIR JURISDICTION

Such other information as may be prescribed : NA

Replies to questions asked in the parliament:

No. of employees against whom Disciplinary action has been proposed : 10

No. of employees against whom Disciplinary action has been taken : 01

When was the information Manual/Handbook last updated?[F No. 1/6/2011-IR dt 15.4.2013]: NA

Receipt & Disposal of RTI applications & appeals [F.No 1/6/2011-IR dt. 15.04.2013]: