Quick disposal of Drawback Claims - Reg. - Customs - 18/2013

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS P.B. NO. 5400: CENTRAL REVENUE BUILDING QUEEN'S ROAD: BANGALORE - 560 001 C.No. VIII/48/69/ 2012 Cus Tech PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 18/2013 DATED 09.05.2013 Sub: Quick disposal of Drawback Claims - Reg. Quick disposal of drawback claims has been a constant endeavour of this department. In this regard, a number of steps have been taken in the recent past. The Board has also directed to undertake a drive to clear the pending drawback claims on priority. However, it is observed that in a large number of cases the claims are pending as the replies to the queries raised by the departmental officers are not submitted in time. In many cases, the queries remain un-replied for periods extending beyond three years or more. This creates avoidable backlog, even impacting the early disposal of the claims, which are in order. 2. In order to rectify the situation, as a proactive step, this Commissionerate had, vide Public Notice No.50/2012 dated 21.12.2012, notified a list of 10332 drawback claims, which were pending for want of reply to the queries raised. The trade was requested to furnish replies by 07.01.2013, failing which the claims would be decided by the Proper Officer, on the basis of available records, without any further reference to the exporters concerned. Pursuant to the said Public Notice, a large number of claims could be disposed off during January - March 2013. However, it is observed that a backlog has again been created, inter-alia, for want of replies to the queries raised. 3. The matter has been reviewed. With a view to ensure that the drawback claims are disposed off expeditiously and specifically to ensure that the interests of the exporters, whose claims are in order, are not impacted due to delay caused by others, it has been decided that henceforth, in all cases, where the queries raised by the Department remain un-replied for 14 days or more, the Proper Officer shall process / decide such claims on the basis of available records without any further reference to the exporters concerned. All claims pending, as on date, shall also be decided accordingly, in case the exporters do not furnish the requisite reply within 14 days from today. 4. All exporters, CHAs etc., are requested to take note of the above for due compliance and co-operate in this endeavour to improve the services. (Sandeep Prakash) Commissioner