Customs facilities to experts assigned to India under the various Aid Schemes viz. U.N. and its Specialised Agencies (Regular) Programme, UNDP, Colombo Plan, Indo-French Programme and other bilateral co-operation agreements with foreign countries - Customs - F. No. 428/15/85-Cus. IV

Customs facilities to experts assigned to India under the various Aid Schemes viz. U.N. and its Specialised Agencies (Regular) Programme, UNDP, Colombo Plan, Indo-French Programme and other bilateral co-operation agreements with foreign countries F. No. 428/15/85-Cus. IV Dated 13-1-1988 Government of India Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) New Delhi Subject : Customs Facilities to Experts assigned to India under the various Aid Schemes viz. U.N. and its specialised Agencies (Regular) Programme, UNDP, Colombo Plan, Indo-French Programme and other bilateral Technical co-operation Agreements with Foreign countries. In continuation of Ministry of Finance's letter No. 428/14/74-Cus. IV, dated 5-9-1975 on the above subject, a copy of Department of Economic Affairs office Memorandum No. F.12/1/85 U.N., dated 17-12-1987 is forwarded herewith for information and guidance. 2. Monetary ceilings for duty free imports/purchase of consumable articles mentioned in para 1(B) of the Office Memorandum No. 12/22/65 U.N., dated 28-5-1965 will be raised as under:- (i) Rs. 10,000/- per year, if single and (ii) Rs. 17,000/- per year in case of those with families (irrespective of the number of children). In terms of this Department letter F. No. 7/33/67-Cus. IV dated 30-4-1969 the revised annual monetory ceilings will be applicable to the Internationally recruited officials of U.N. and its specialised agencies in India also. OFFICE MEMORANDUM Subject : Customs and import facilities to experts assigned to India under the various Aid Schemes viz. UNEPTA, UN and its Specialised Agencies (Regular) Programme, UN Special Fund Programme, Colombo Plan, Indo-French Programme and other bilateral Technical Cooperation Agreements with Foreign Countries. The undersigned is directed to state that the question of granting customs facilities uniformly and on a more liberalised scale to the experts assigned to India under the various Aid schemes viz. UNEPTA, UN and its Specialised Agencies (Regular) Programmes, UN special Fund Programme, Colombo Plan, Indo-French Technical Cooperation Agreement and other Bilateral Technical Co-operation Agreements with Foreign Countries, has been under the active consideration of this Department for sometime past. After a careful review of the position, it has been decided that in supersession of all existing instructions on the subject, the following revised facilities be granted to these experts; (A) Duty free import of the following articles subject to the execution of the usual certificate of undertaking by the experts. (i) one personal automobile or motor-cycle; (ii) One radio or radio gramophone; (iii) One refrigerator and/or home freezer; (iv) two air-conditioners; (v) Professional equipment and gadgets; and (vi) Miner electrical accessories and appliances. (The experts who are already in India may be allowed to import a second air conditioner, which is being permitted now, if they so desire provided that they are likely to spend the current summer in India, i.e. are likely to stay here beyond September, 1965 or so). (vii) T.V. Set. (B) Duty free Import of certain consumer articles (foods, drugs, medicines, liqour, toilet articles, books and periodicals, tobacco etc.) upto the following monetary ceilings: (i) Rs. 3,000 per year, if single; and (ii) Rs. 5,000 per year, in the case of these with families (irrespective of the number of children). These facilities will be admissible to experts already in India with effect from 1st May, 1965. In the case of experts whose stay in India is less than one year these ceilings may be adjusted proportionately on monthly basis. (C) Instructions are also being issued separately by the Department of Revenue to the Collectors of Customs for the grant of the following additional facilities under the Baggage Rules: (i) The limit of Rs. 75/- (Seventy-five) for individual articles mentioned on page 5 of the Passengers (non-tourist) Baggage Rules, will not be applied in these cases. In other words, this would mean that whatever goods the exports bring in, within the total monetary allowance permissible under the Passengers (non-tourist) Baggage Rules, would be admitted free of duty and without any ITC restrictions, irrespective of the value and individual article; (ii) In some cases an export may bring in some articles which are relatively minor in value (compared to expensive articles like an automobile or a refrigerator which are allowed without payment of duty to the expert but one which duty is borne by the sponsoring body) but which may not be strictly covered by the normal interpretation of Baggage Rules. Over and above the concessions already available to these experts, duty on such other minor items may also be waived provided the amount of duty thus waived does not exceed Rs. 1000*. These would also be exempt from the usual ITC restrictions. These concession will be admissible only at the time of first arrival of expert. (iii) The articles consisting of the unaccompanies baggage of these experts are, at present, required to be imported within the time limit prescribed under the Baggage Rules which is 4 months. The Customs authorities are being authorised in their discretion, to waive that time-limit in cases of delayed arrival of the unaccompanied baggage of the experts, provided there is no reason to believe that the concession is being abused. 2. The Ministries/Departments, State Governments and other organisations who are present hearing the customs duty in respect of these experts will bear the duty on the additional articles also now being allowed to be imported by them. 3. It would be appreciated if the Ministry of Food and Agriculture etc. could devise suitable procedure to ensure that: (a) The annual monetary limit for the import of consumer articles is not exceeded; (b) not more than the prescribed number of articles allowed are imported; and (c) an affective check is exercised with regard to the disposal of the articles listed in para 1(A) above and in cases where the articles expecting a motor car or motor cycle are sold to a non-previleged person, customs duty paid by the Ministry etc. is recovered from the expert. The procedure regarding the sale of motor car or motor cycle through the State Trading Corporation of India is already known to all the Ministries. 4. With the issue of these orders liberalising the duty-free concessions, it is hoped that there will be no occasion for Ministries/Departments to consider or recommend any further relaxation in this respect. 5. The Local Missions of concerned foreign Governments and Agencies have been informed about these changes. Sd/- (R.A. Naik) Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India. To All Ministries/Departments of the Government of India. Since revised to Rs. 1,500/- vide Deptt. of Economic Affairs O.M. No. 12/22/65-UN, dated 27-9-1966 w.e.f. 1-8-1966. ANNEXURE- II F.No. 12/22/65 -UN GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS New Delhi , the 27th September, 1966 OFFICE MEMORANDUM Subject : Customs and import facilities to experts assigned to India under the various Aid Schemes viz. UNEPTA, UN and its Specialised Agencies (Regular) Programme, UN Special Fund Programme, Colombo Plan, Indo-French Programme and other Bilateral Technical Cooperation Agreements with Foreign countries. The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department's O.M. of even number dated the 28th May, 1965 on the subject mentioned above and to say that it has been decided that with effect from the 1st August, 1966, the monetary ceilings indicated in para 1(B) of this O.M. will be raised as under :- (i) Rs. 4,500/- per year, if single and (ii) Rs. 7,500/- per year, in the case of those with families (irrespective of the number of their children) 2. It has also been decided that with effect from 1st August, 1966, the limit of Rs. 1000 mentioned in para 1(C) (ii) of this Department's O.M. of even dated 28 May, 1965 should be raised to Rs. 1,500/-. Sd/- (G.V. Ramakrishana) Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India . To All Ministries/Departments of the Govt. of India. ANNEXURE - III No. F 12/22/65 -UN GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS NORTH BLOCK New Delhi , the 13th August, 75 OFFICE MEMORANDUM Subject : Customs and import facilities to experts assigned to India under the various Aid Scheme viz. UN and its Specialised Agencies (Regular) Programme, UNDP, Colombo Plan, Indo-French Programme and other Bilateral Technical Cooperation Agreements with foreign countries. The undersigned is directed to refer to this 27.9.66. Department's O.M. of even number dated 28 May, 1965 on the sub. noted above and to say that it has been decided that with effect from 1st August, 1975 the monetary ceiling indicated in para 1(B) of the O.M. dated 28th May, 1965 will be raised as under : (i) Rs. 6,000/- per year if single; and (ii) Rs. 10,000/- per year in case of those with families (irrespective of the number of children). Sd/- (N. Natrajan) Under Secretary to the Govt. of India . To All Ministries/Departments of the Govt. of India. Copy to Deptt. of Revenue Insurance (Shri H. Narayana Rao, Under Secretary) (50 copies) with reference to their U.O. No. 428/14/74-Cus. IV dated 28th July, 1975. It is requested that the above orders may be communicated to all Collectors of Customs under intimation to us. Sd/- (N. Natrajan) Under Secretary to the Govt. of India. COPY (with 5 spare copies) to CP/TCM/FV/IA Section. No. F.12/1/85-UN GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS NORTH BLOCK New Delhi , the 17th December, 87 OFFICE MEMORANDUM Subject : Customs Import facilities to Experts assigned to India under the various Aid Schemes viz UN and its specialised Agencies (Regular) Programme, UNDP, Colombo Plan, Indo-French Programme and other bilateral Technical Cooperation Agreements with Foreign countries. The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department's O.M. No. 12/22/65-UN dated 28th May 65 (Annex-I) amendment of even number 27 Sept 1966 (Annex-II) and further amendment of even number dated 13 Aug., 1975 (Annex-III) (copies enclosed) on the above subject mentioned above and to say that it has been decided that with effect from the date of this office memorandum, the monetary ceiling indicated in para I(B) of the O.M. dated 28th May 1965 will be raised as under: (i) Rs. 10,000/- per year if single and (ii) Rs. 17,000/- per year in case of those with families (irrespective of the number of children). (Dilip Rath) Under Secretary to the Government of India Tele: 3013505 To All Ministries/Department of the Govt. of India. Copies to : 1. Deptt. of Revenue (Shri D.S. Solanki, Director (Customs), North Block, New Delhi with reference to their U.O. No. 4510-Cus. IV dated 18th Nov., 1987. It is requested that the above order may be communicated to all Collectors of Customs under intimation to this Department. 2. Ministry of External Affairs (Shri Rajat Saha, Dy. Chief of Protocol (P), Akbar Bhavan, New Delhi with reference to their O.M. No. D-11/451/8216/9 dt. 22 July, 87. 3. All Divisions in the Deptt. of Economic Affairs. (Dilip Rath) Under Secretary to Govt. of India .