Turant Customs: A Contactless Process By CBIC

Turant Customs: A Contactless Process By CBIC

Executive Summary

• To smoothen and ease the operations of imports and exports in India, CBIC launched a flagship programme called “Turant Customs”.
• Faceless Assessment Pan India, electronic communication of Shipping Bills and e-Gatepass for Exporters and setting up of Turant Suvidha Kendra (TSKs) in all Customs stations by 15th July, 2020 are the initiatives taken under this programme.
• In the first roll out under the flagship programme, Faceless Assessment has begun in phases at Bengaluru and Chennai, wherein importers can get the Customs clearance done without being physically present and is to be completed by 31st December, 2020.
• In continuance to the Contactless Customs, CBIC also notified electronic transmission of digital copy of the Shipping Bill to the exporters.
• CBIC has further planned to set up Turant Suvidha Kendra (TSKs) to all the customs formations from 15 July 2020.
• Turant Customs is cost effective, saves time by 6-7 hours and eliminates the contact between Custom Officer and Exporter or Importer.
• Contactless Customs is also beneficial for all, considering the current ongoing circumstances of COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction

Recently, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) launched its flagship programme- Turant Customs in an effort to smoothen the process of imports and exports in India. This programme aims at providing imports and exports speedy clearance, transparency in decision making, and ease of doing business in India. Few of the initiatives undertaken under Turant Customs are Faceless Assessment Pan India, electronic communication of Shipping Bills and e-Gatepass for Exporters and setting up of Turant Suvidha Kendra (TSKs) in all Customs stations by 15th July, 2020.

It’s Significance

Turant Customs will benefit the importers by eliminating routine interface with the Customs officers and providing uniformity in assessment across the country.

This will reduce transaction costs and eliminate the practice of port shopping for favourable assessments.

Turant Customs will save the time, cost of compliance for the trade, thereby enhancing the ease of doing business.

Faceless Assessment Pan India

The CBIC vide Circular no. 28/2020-Customs dated 5th June, 2020, began Faceless Assessment in phases beginning with Customs stations which already have the experience of the pilot programmes. The first phase of all India rollout began from 8th June, 2020 at Bengaluru and Chennai, which will get completed by 31st December, 2020, for import of Mechanical, Electrical and Electronics machineries at the ports and airports.

The importers can now get their goods cleared from Customs after a faceless assessment remotely done by the Customs officers located outside the port of import. Also, that goods imported at Chennai may be assessed by the Customs officers located at Bengaluru and vice versa, as assigned by the Customs automated system.

CBIC also provided to set up Turant Suvidha Kendras (TSK) for the purpose of implementation of 1st Phase of Faceless Assessment at Bengaluru and Chennai.

Paperless Customs- E-Communication of Shipping Bill & E-Gatepass for Exporters

Vide Circular no. 30/2020-Customs dated 22nd June, 2020, the CBIC has now directed that there shall only be electronic transmission of digital copy of the Shipping Bill bearing the Final Let Export Order (LEO), to the exporters and discontinued the present procedure of printing copies of the shipping bill for the exporters & maintaining a docket in the Customs House.

E-Gatepass of Shipping Bill: The Directorate General of Systems would communicate through email, the E-Gatepass PDF copy of the Shipping Bill to the Customs Broker and the Exporter, if registered.

(i) for entire E-Gatepass document, and

(ii) for each container/package covered under the E-Gatepass.

Final Let Export Order (LEO) Copy of Shipping Bill: Board has decided to enable communicating by email, the PDF version of the Final LEO copy of Shipping Bill to the Customs Broker and exporter, if registered.

• Electronic Final LEO copy can serve multiple purposes such as being shared with DGFT, Banks etc.
• The PDF version will bear a digitally signed and encrypted QR code which can be scanned to verify the authenticity of the document.

Formation of Turant Seva Kendra (TSKs) in all Customs Stations

Earlier, the CBIC had provided for setting up Turant Suvidha Kendras (TSK) for the purpose of implementation of 1st Phase of Faceless Assessment at Bengaluru and Chennai. But now, it has notified to extend setting up of TSKs in all Customs Stations by 15th July, 2020. It has now directed that there shall only be electronic transmission of digital copy of the Shipping Bill bearing the Final Let Export Order (LEO), to the exporters.

Conclusion

With the contactless procedures, not only the process of imports and exports will fasten, but the social distancing will also be respected amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Regards,

Legal Team

Proind Business Solutions Private Limited
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