Simplified Transit procedure for relief supplies destined to Nepal - Customs - 16/2015

Circular No. 16/2015-Customs F. No. 552/15/2015-LC Government of India Ministry of Finance Department of Revenue Central Board of Excise Customs New Delhi, dated the 19 th May 2015 To The Chief Commissioner of Customs, Delhi/ Lucknow/ Patna/ Kolkata, The Chief Commissioner of Central Excise, Kolkata/ Lucknow. Sir, Subject: Simplified Transit procedure for relief supplies destined to Nepal Requests have been received from the UN World Food Program (UNWFP), Government of Bangladesh and Government of Sri Lanka for facilitating transit movement of relief supplies to Nepal for the people affected by the earthquake. Relief supplies are also expected from other countries and international relief organizations. Keeping in view the requests from various governments and multilateral organizations to send relief supplies to Nepal, the Government of Nepal has been consulted for evolving a simplified procedure for facilitating transit of such relief cargo to Nepal. 2. Accordingly, the Board has approved a simplified procedure for transit of relief cargo to Nepal, supplied by foreign governments and multi-lateral relief agencies such as UNWFP, Red Cross etc. 3. Goods as are duly certified by Government of Nepal and/or their Embassy/ Consulate General as relief materials shall be entitled to avail of the simplified procedure for transit, which is as follows: a. The procedure would apply to transit cargo donated by Foreign Governments or Multilateral organizations or international relief agencies such as Red Cross to the Government of Nepal or its agencies as are duly authorized by the Government of Nepal to receive relief materials. b. The Manifest/Bill of lading should indicate that the goods are destined to Nepal. c. The simplified process shall be availed w.r.t. relief supplies as are certified by the Government of Nepal/Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi or their Consulate General in the format at Annex A. d. As a measure of facilitation, the donor Govt. / agency may file or authorize a Customs Broker to file the Simplified Declaration of Transit (Annex B) before the Customs House where the goods are imported for the purpose of transit to Nepal. e. The Declaration of Transit (as per Annex B), shall be filed accompanied by a letter issued by the Government of Nepal/Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi/Consulate General of Nepal (Annex A), along with an authorization issued by the Donor in favour of the Customs Broker (if applicable), and copies of Bill of Lading, Invoice Packing List. f. As a measure of facilitation, no Bond, security, or bank guarantee would be obtained from the transporter/ donor/ importing agency of Nepal for the purposes of transit. g. The simplified procedure would be applicable to goods destined to Nepal via the land Customs stations of Nepalgunj (Rupaidiha), Raxaul, Jogbani, Sanauli and Panitanki. h. The simplified procedure for transit is being extended to a limited number of Ports/ Airports/ ICD s in India, which shall be the Airports at Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna, Kolkata Bagdogra. Similarly, cargo in containers from the ICD at Delhi and Kanpur can be transshipped to Nepal under this procedure. Also, the Ports of Kolkata and Haldia shall follow this simplified procedure for the special relief cargoes referred here in above. i. Advance filing of CTD shall be permitted. j. The Commissioner of Customs at the Port/ Airport/ ICD shall permit the transit of the goods by Truck. The cargo loaded into the truck shall be sealed with customs seal and the seal no./truck number shall be indicated on all copies of the CTD. k. At the Land Customs Stations, the Customs shall tally the truck no. and inspect the seal and permit transit of the Cargo into Nepal. Three copies of the CTD shall be handed over to the driver in sealed cover for delivery at the LCS at Nepal. Two of the CTDs shall be endorsed by Nepal Customs and returned to the driver, who shall deposit the same at the LCS of transit. One copy shall be retained by Nepal Customs. l. The field formations are advised to depute officers for clearance beyond designated hours of business. m. The Commissioner of Customs of the LCS shall transmit the CTD duly endorsed by Nepal Customs to Port/ Airport/ ICD of import by Fax for reconciliation. n. The Commissioner of Customs at the Port/ Airport/ ICD of import and the Commissioner of Customs at Lucknow, Patna and Siliguri will maintain close liaison for reconciliation of CTDs. The CTDs would be reconciled by fax on weekly basis till the currency of this simplified process. o. In the event of any failure to reconcile any CTD, the Commissioner of Customs at the Port/ Airport/ ICD of import shall bring the matter to the notice of the Board for taking up the issue with Nepal Customs/Foreign agency concerned. p. The Commissioner of Customs at the Port/Airport shall evolve a procedure for manual processing preservations of CTDs. q. Nothing contained in these guidelines shall preclude the customs from examining the goods where there is reason to believe that the goods are not as per CTD or are in violation of any law for the time being in force. However, any such instance will require the express approval of the Commissioner. 4. The aforesaid simplified procedure for transit of cargo of relief supplies shall be applicable for a period of six months from the issue of this circular and may be extended for a further period as bilaterally agreed between Government of India and Government of Nepal. 5. Difficulties in implementation, if any, should be brought to the notice of the Board. 6. Hindi version follows. Yours faithfully, (Satyajit Mohanty) Director (ICD) Annex-A To The Commissioner of Customs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Subject: Transit of Goods landed at _______________________________ (Port/Airport/ICD) to Nepal. Sir/Madam The _____________________ (name of the organization/ Govt.) has consigned relief supplies to ________ (name of the organization of the Govt. of Nepal) vide Airway Bill No./Bill of Loading No. _______ Which have arrived / are to arrive at _______ (name of port/airport) on _______ (date) by flight No./Ship MV ________. These goods are supplies meant for relief operations/ for distribution among disaster affected persons in Nepal and are eligible for the simplified transit procedure under circular no. __________ dated ____________. (Signature) Name __________________ Designation _________________ Tel: __________________ Embassy of Nepal, New Delhi ________________ Or Consulate General of Nepal __________________ Or Government of Nepal ____________________ Annex B Simplified Customs Transit Declaration for Transit of Goods to Nepal (To be filled in sextuplicate) Please attach: Invoice/Packing list / Bill of Lading (House Master) or Airway Bill / Letter from Government of Nepal or Embassy of Nepal, New Delhi or Consulate General of Nepal / Letter from Donor Agency addressed to Government of Nepal. Authorization for filing SCTD issued by the Donor agency to be attached, if services of Customs Broker are to be availed. SCTD filed at__________ Customs House Flight No./Name of ship___________ Rotation No.___________ Line No.__________ Name and address of Consignor____________ Name and Address of Donor Agency____________ Name Address of Importer (Nepal)_____________ Airport / Port / ICD from where goods are to transit to Nepal_____________ Land Customs Station for Transit to Nepal__________ (Raxaul, Jogbani, Panitanki, Sonauli, Nepalgunj) Name of Customs Broker filing the CTD________________ Customs Broker's Licence No._______ (N.A, if consignor directly files the CTD through its mission in India) Number, description, marks and serial nos. of packages_______________ Container No./Seal No. (if applicable)__________/__________ Simplified Customs Transit Declaration for Transit of Good to Nepal Country of Origin_______________ Description of Goods________________ Sl No. Description Quantity (in pcs) or weight of nos, as relevant Value in US$ / INR Total value Gross / net weight of consignment_______ Route of Transit______________ Truck Number(s) on which goods will transit__________ Name address of transporter_______________ I / We declare that the goods entered herein are for transit to Nepal through India and shall not be diverted en-route to India or retained in India. I / We declare that the goods are relief supplies meant for Nepal. I / We further declare that all the entries made herein above are true and correct to the best of my / our knowledge. Signature of consignor or donor agency / Authorized Customs Broker For Customs House SCTD Number_________________ Seal No. affixed by Customs_____________ Sign/Date/Stamp