Implementation of Indian Customs EDI System 1.5 (ICES 1.5) at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad -regarding - Customs - 23/2010

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS CUSTOM HOUSE, NAVRANGPURA, AHMEDABAD-380009 F.No. VIII/48-06/Cus./Sys/09 Dated: 27.04.10 PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 23/2010 Subject : Implementation of Indian Customs EDI System 1.5 (ICES 1.5) at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad -regarding Attention of the Importers, Exporters, CHAs, trade and all other agencies concerned is invited to the following Public Notices issued by the Commissioner of Customs, Ahmedabad regarding computerised processing of Export/ Import documents under Indian Customs EDI system, and subsequent public notices issued from time to time, including: (i) Public Notice No. 35/2004 Dated 21.06.2004, Subject:- Procedure for computerized processing of shipping Bills under the Indian Customs EDI Systems (ICES) Export- at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad. (ii) Public Notice No. 03/2006 Dated 13.01.2006, Subject:- Filing of Import and Export documents on the ICEGATE at Air cargo Complex, Ahmedabad. (iii) Public Notice No. 13/2007 Dated 14.03.2007, Subject:- Implementation of Risk Management System (RMS) in Imports at ICD-Sabarmati, Ahmedabad Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad. (iv) Public Notice No. 57/2007 Dated 04.10.2007, Subject:- Procedure for e-payment of Customs Duties under the Indian Customs EDI System-ICES at ICD-Sabarmati, Ahmedabad Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad. (v) Public Notice No. 03/2008 Dated 10.01.2008, Subject:- Procedure for e-payment of Customs Duties under the Indian Customs EDI System-ICES at ICD-Sabarmati, Ahmedabad Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad 2. Currently, ICES operations at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad are being implemented on a standalone system on which LAN based connectivity has been provided to concerned Customs officers, Service Centres and designated Bank. The system is being managed by officials from the National Informatics Centre. 3. As part of the implementation of CBEC s IT Consolidation Project, the EDI operations at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad, would be shifted to ICES 1.5, an enhanced/ modified version of the application software currently operational. This software, developed by NIC, would be implemented at CBEC s National Data Centre at New Delhi. The System Integrator for the project is M/s TCS. The application would cater to the needs of Customs officials at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad, as also the Service Centre operators, who would be working on CBEC s new Local Area Network infrastructure implemented by M/s HP Sales India Private Ltd. Connectivity to the Central servers at the National Data Centre has been provided through CBEC s MPLS network, as part of the Wide Area Networking project implemented by a consortium led by M/s BSNL Ltd. 4. The designated Bank s Branch at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad would be connected to Central Server of designated Bank through Internet and the bank system would interact with CBEC s Central server through EDI messages. The Service Centres at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad would continue to be managed by M/s CMC, under arrangement with CBEC and there would be no change in the existing charges. Until implementation of EDI message exchange at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad Airlines/Consol agents would now file IGM/EGM/Consol IGMs through the Service Centre operators. An authorized representative of the Airline/Consol Agent would sign the checklist and this copy shall be kept in records at the Service Centre to complete the above submission process. 5. The implementation of the new application would entail certain changes in the existing Customs systems and procedures at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad. These are being listed below for ease of reference: a) The enquiry (document status) facility to users of Service Centre would include document submission status (fresh and amendment) and query status. ICEGATE Document Tracking System (DTS) would also continue to be available. b) It may be noted that print out of processed Bills of Entry and Duty payment challans would continue to be obtained by users from Service Centre. However, printout of Out of Charge Bills of Entry and Let Export and EP copies of Shipping Bills would now be provided by the customs officer(s) designated for the purpose, instead of by the Service Centre operator. c) It may be noted that since the document numbers are to be assigned by the Central Server at a national level, once other ICES 1.5 sites are operational, all document numbers e.g. for Bills of Entry, Shipping Bills, IGMs, EGMs, challans, would not be in a continuous series for each location. d) The duty payment challans would now be provided to the designated Bank through electronic messaging and the bank in turn would electronically confirm payment details to ICES 1.5 system. e) Designated bank is advised that the Desk Manager handling challans pertaining to the above locations should ensure that the challans accepted on 27.04.2010 by the cash officer are either accepted or rejected. There should not be any document pending in the Cash Manager s queue at end of day on 27.04.2010 since data from this queue will not be migrated as part of the migration of ICES operations to data centre. f) The Airlines/Consol Agents should note that all IGM/EGM/Consol IGMs which have been filed through Service Centre should be submitted in the system failing which these details will have to be re-entered after migration to data centre. g) For Service Centre operations it may be noted that all documents entered in the Service Centre and pending for submission must be submitted prior to 27.04.2010 failing which these would have to be re-entered after migration of ICES operations to Data Centre. For instance, if for a shipping bill, a job has been entered and not submitted prior to 27.04.2010 it would have to be entered after migration of operations to data centre. h) As in the case of Import documents, CHAs filing Export documents would be required to use their PAN based registration numbers, provided by the Policy Section of Import and General Commissionerate, New Custom House, New Delhi. i) It may be noted that now in ICES 1.5 generation of temp scroll will be mandatory for dbk scroll generation. j) The specifications for EDI messages for Bill of Entry and Shipping Bills for users filing documents through internet are available on the ICEGATE website: http://www.icegate.gov.in/ICES1.5htm. Details of the implementation have also been shared on 10.12.2009 in a meeting of ICEGATE users with Directorate General of Systems. k) Release advice against various licences will be issued manually. 6. Regarding Helpdesk facilities the following may be noted: a) ICEGATE users would continue to interact with the Helpdesk at 011-23379020 and 011-23370133. This Helpdesk is managed by M/s Wipro. b) Users requiring any other clarifications regarding the new application may interact with the Helpdesk TCS on Toll Free 1800-266-2232 Users may also directly contact System Manager Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad Shri A.S.Mall, Asst.Commr., Tel No.079-2286 5299, Mob.- 95378 94866 or the following designated Customs officer in case of any difficulty: (i) Sh. Maneesh Kumar, JC (Customs,HQ) : Tel: 079 2754 1342 7. It is proposed to commence live operation of the new application from the National Data Centre at the earliest. Consequently all Customs operations on the existing Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad server would cease with effect from end of day of 27.04.2010. All clearances from end of day of 27.04.2010 till date of launch of application from Data Centre would be handled manually. The date of commencement of ICES 1.5 will be informed to all concerned in due course. 8. It may be mentioned that the scheduled implementation at Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad is the implementation for ICES 1.5. After successful implementation of this project, the new application will be rolled out at other locations across the country. It is expected that this will greatly facilitate clearance of cargo, reduce time taken for clearance, and improve the efficiency of Customs officers. As this would be a launch of ICES 1.5, users may like to provide feedback for improvement in the working of the system. CBEC would also be making further modifications in the system to enhance functionality of the system and these changes would be notified from time to time. 9. Difficulties, if any, faced by the trade may be brought to the notice of the Systems Manager Air Cargo Complex, Ahmedabad. (Shashi Bhushan Singh) Commissioner