Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Excise and Customs
*****
229-B, North Block,
New Delhi, the 19th September, 2014
Instruction
To
All Chief Commissioners of Customs/Central Excise & Customs
All Commissioners of Customs/Central Excise & Customs
All Directors General of CBEC
Director General of Inspection (Customs & Central Excise)
Sir/Madam,
Subject: Passengers Facilitation at International Airports – Reg.
The Board attaches great importance to facilitation of passengers at
international airports. It is also well known that international passengers form
an opinion of our country from the way they are treated by the Customs officers.
Therefore, there needs to be a renewed emphasis on improving the efficiency of
our Customs officers as well as their behavior towards international passengers
Considering all these aspects, the following instructions are issued:-
(i) Training and exposure to modern methods of developing soft skills would
certainly improve the manner in which a Customs officer interacts with
international passengers. This would ensure a higher level of passenger
facilitation as well as create a good image of the Department and of our
country. Therefore, besides close monitoring by the supervisory officers,
training of the Customs officers posted at international airports has to be
given importance. Hence, the Board has decided that the Chief Commissioners of
Customs with international airports in their charge shall ensure that every
Customs officer newly posted at the international airports mandatorily undergoes
a training in the relevant rules and regulations as well as in the manner of
dealing with international passengers. The emphasis should be on sensitizing the
Customs officers to deal with all arriving passengers and especially
international passengers in a polite, professional and pro-active facilitative
manner. These training programmes should be repeated on 6-monthly intervals.
Since multiple agencies function at international airports, it would also be
useful to coordinate interactive sessions involving officials of other agencies
so that collectively a good impression is made on international passengers. The
Chief Commissioner of Customs should coordinate these training programmes with
NACEN, but should also take initiative to organize in-house programmes.
(ii) Another measure that would assist international passengers and in turn
create a good image of the Department and our country would be through “Help
Desks”. Admittedly, PROs perform this function today, but it is important to
publicize this facility. Since the public is largely attuned to “Help Desks” we
need to use this term. Thus, the Board desires that the Customs should set up a
“Help Desk” in a prominent place immediately after immigration in the arrival
hall and similarly in the departure hall of international airports. There should
also be a signboard to guide the international passengers to the “Help Desk”.
Needless to state, the Customs officers(s) manning the “Help Desk” should be
properly selected and must have in his/her possession required forms and
information to guide international passengers.
2. The Board desires that immediate action may be taken on institutionalizing
the aforementioned training programmes as well as establishing the “Help Desk”.
The Board expected that these steps would enhance passenger facilitation as well
as create a good image of the Department and our country. A compliance report
would be appreciated. Difficulty in this regard, if any, may be informed though
Board expects the Chief Commissioners of Customs would smoothly implement these
instructions.
F. No.450/148/2014-Cus.IV
Yours faithfully,
(P. K. Khetan)
OSD Customs (PAC)