Visakhapatnam: The customs department has increased surveillance at the Vizag international airport to check gold smuggling and also started profiling the frequent international travellers, said principal commissioner of Customs C. Rajendiran.
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, on the occasion of International Customs Day, Mr Rajendiran said in the last financial year, Visakha-patnam customs zone, consisting of Visakhapat-nam, Gangavaram, Kakin-ada and Krishnapatnam ports, contributed a revenue of Rs 6,847 crore to the nation’s exchequer.
This financial year, up to Dec., 2015, the customs zone revenue collection was Rs 5,394 crore, registering a year-on-year growth of 12.3 pc in the first three quarters of the current financial year 2015-16.
In the last financial year, Visakhapatnam customs contributed a revenue of Rs 4,516 crores to the exchequer. This year up to Dec. 2015, customs revenue collection is Rs 3,659 crore, registering a year-on-year growth of 5.5 pc in the first three quarters of the current financial year.
He added that customs department had introduced many new initiatives for the benefit of the duty payers.
Earlier in the day, Custom House, Visakhapatnam, celebrated the International Customs Day in which staff and officers of the department, importers, exporters, Custom House agents, custodians of cargo and representatives of several public sector enterprises participated.
Pr. Commissioner of IT-I, Visakhapatnam, B.G. Reddy, attended the function as the chief guest.
Speaking on “Digital Customs: Progressive Engagement”, Mr Reddy suggested that the procedures of customs department can be further fine-tuned taking the industry needs into account.
He advised for more data analysis so that technological advancement could be achieved. Mr Rajendiran suggested that the gap between industry and education be bridged.
