To facilitate trade and expedite clearances from customs to shipments, the tax department has extended the facility of single window clearance to several ports and air cargo complexes.
Earlier, the facility, Indian Custom Single Window project, was operational at JNPT (Nhava Sheva), ICD Tughlakabad and ICD Patparganj on a pilot basis.
The project, announced in the budget for 2014-15, allows importers and exporters to submit their clearance documents at a single point only. Required permissions, if any, from other regulatory agencies are obtained online without the trader having to approach these agencies.
The system is now extended to imports at Air Cargo Complex, Sahar and Delhi Air Cargo and to all other locations where the systems of FSSAI and DPPQ&S are operational, the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) said in a circular today.
The system allows online message exchange between Customs and the Department of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (DPPQ&S) and Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The aim of this project is to provide a common platform to traders to meet the requirements of all regulatory agencies (including Animal Quarantine, Plant Quarantine, Drug Controller, Textile Committee etc) involved in Exim trade through message exchange.
The circular further said the board has decided to implement a system of online granting of 'No-Objection Certificate' under ICES for the imported goods coming under the purview agencies namely drug controller, animal quarantine, wild life crime control bureau.
"Under this system of granting NoC for importing goods, the offices of these agencies will be connected to ICES," it said.
The single window 'no objection certificate' module will be introduced on a pilot basis with effect from February 5, 2016 at JNCH, ACC Sahar, Air Cargo Delhi, ICD Tughlakabad and ICD Patparganj for drug controller office, wildlife crime control bureau and animal quarantine.
"This project envisages that the importers and exporters would electronically lodge their Customs clearance documents at a single point only with the Customs," the CBEC said.
