Circular No. 91 dated 17^th December 1998

Please refer to Board's Circular Nos. 10/ 97-Cus. dated 17. 4. 97, 28/ 97-Cus, dated 30. 7. 97, 5/98-Cus. dated 23. 1. 98, 19/98-Cus. dated and 33/98-Cus. dated 13. 5. 98 regarding DEPB Scheme & TRA facility thereunder.

2.      Para 6 of Circular No. 10/97-Cus. provided that, under DEPB Scheme, imports and exports can be undertaken only from the port or registration of the DEPB scrip. This condition was relaxed by issue of Circular No. 28/97-Cus. to permit imports from Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai, for DEPB Scrips registered at any of these ports further relaxations ware provided by later circulars mentioned in the preceding para.

3.           References from various other Ministries, as well as representations from various exporters organisation have been received for general relaxation of TRA facility, under DEPB Scheme, to permit imports at all ports etc.

4.      The issue has been examined in the Board in regard to the expertise and facility of assessment available at various Ports/ Airports/ ICDS and it has been decided that the DEPB holders whose DEPB scrips are registered at any of the following sea-Ports/ airports/ ICDs may be allowed to import goods at any of the following Sea- ports/ Airports/ ICDs:

I)       Sea-pots at Mumbai, Calcutta, Cochin, Kandla, Mangalore, Mormugao Chennai, Nhava Sheva, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Haldia and Tuticorin.

II)   Airports at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi Hyderabad and Chennai; and

III)     ICDs at Bangalore, Delhi, Moradabad, Ludhiana, Hyderabad, Agra, Faridabad, Guntur, Surat, Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Pitampur, Malanpur & Nagpur.

5.      In addition to the facility provided in Para 4 above, it has also been decided that DEPB holders whose DEPB scrips are registered at any of the following customs stations may be allowed to import goods at any of these customs stations.

I)         Air Cargo Complex Coimbatore,

II)         ICDS at Coimbatore, Tirupur, Salem and Singanalur.

6.      To further clarify the distinction between Para 4 & 5 above as an example, for a EEPB scrip registered at ICD, Coimbatore, import can be made at any of the port mentioned in Para 5 above but not at ports mentioned in Para 4 & Vice - versa.

7.      This facility in only applicable to imports and not to exports. In respect of other ports, the DEPB holders must import at the same port there the DEPB book is registered.

8.      This Circular supersedes all earlier circulars issued on this subject.

9.      The aforesaid facility will be operated by issue of Telegraphic Release Advice (TRA) from the port of registration to the Custom House, which the goods are being imported, indicating the details of description, value and quantity of the goods. The DEPB serial number, date of issue and the extent of duty entitlement in the DEPB book/ scrip also must be indicated in the TRA, to facilitate imports against relevant DEPB scrips. The Customs House receiving the TRA will send details of imports of the Customs House issuing the TRA who will keep these details in the register.