Weigh-bridge installation required at ICDs, CFSs and docks; calibrated equipment and weighment in presence of Customs officer.
Installation of weigh-bridges is mandated at ICDs, CFSs and docks, preferably near entry/exit gates, and must be annually calibrated by the Metrological Department. Separate weighing equipment must be provided for lower-mass consignments, and all import and export weighments are to be conducted in the presence of a Customs officer.

Risk Management System in exports now applied at ICD Tumb; shipping bills screened for verification and future post clearance audit selection.
RMS is operational at ICD Tumb from 18.10.2016. Phase one applies RMS to shipping bills to select them for verification of assessment and physical examination. A subsequent phase will process shipping bills after EGM filing to select bills for PCA and sanction of drawback. The procedure applicable to other ICDs under Public Notice No. 17/2013 applies mutatis mutandis to ICD Tumb. Exporters are informed of the merged three tier AEO Programme and advised to apply; a Local Risk Manager is designated for implementation assistance.

Risk Management System enables self assessment import clearance with selective examination and post clearance audit enforcement.
Activation of the Risk Management System (RMS) at ICD Tumb enables automated, risk based clearance of electronically filed Bills of Entry under ICES: compliant consignments may be cleared on importer self assessment with ICES generated challans and out of charge without officer assessment or examination, while RMS selects certain B/Es for assessment, examination or Post Clearance Audit. Authorised Economic Operators receive assured facilitation subject to random checks and fulfilment of Compulsory Compliance Requirements; bond details, SVB disclosures and requisite certificates must be furnished at filing to permit system driven processing.

Direct entry of factory-stuffed export containers allowed before LEO, subject to manufacturing certification and gate documentation.
Factory stuffed containers, including self-sealed units of manufacturing entities, may enter port terminals prior to issuance of the Loading Export Order. Eligible manufacturing entities must obtain the Annexure A certificate from the jurisdictional Central Excise authority and present that certificate, the container invoice, and the prescribed checklist to the gate officer for direct port entry. Entities not registered with Central Excise must produce the Annexure A certificate confirming registration with a central or state government organisation. Other procedures and conditions in Public Notice No.52/2009 remain applicable.

Pre-Budget tax consultation invites industry proposals for duty and tax changes, requiring data-backed justification and submissions.
Request for industry submissions proposing changes to direct and indirect taxes for Budget 2017 18, requiring economic justification, supporting statistics, and, for Customs and Central Excise, detailed annexure data (HS code, import quantities and CIF values, domestic production and values, unit price, existing and proposed duty, revenue and industry impact). Proposals must consider corporate tax rationalization plans, be sent as Word attachments to designated email addresses (separate for indirect and direct taxes), with hard copies to named officials, and arrive by the specified deadline; vague or unsupported suggestions may not be examined.

Import data reporting: AD Category I banks must use IDPMS to report, match and settle import remittances and BoE records.
AD Category I banks must use the Import Data Processing and Monitoring System (IDPMS) to report and monitor import payment transactions, create Outward Remittance Messages for undocumented import payments, download or upload Bill of Entry data, and settle ORMs against BoEs using prescribed message formats; banks must follow up for evidence of import, record extensions and may record limited write offs or close BoEs for specific operational or quality related reasons subject to extant guidelines.

Designated sea ports must install radiation portal monitors and container scanners to permit import clearance of un shredded scrap.
Only DGFT designated entry sea ports may import un shredded metallic scrap; designation requires installation and operation of Radiation Portal Monitors and Container Scanners and AERB certification with Customs clearance. Inland Container Depots may handle clearance only for consignments routed through such designated ports and subjected to risk based scanning under Customs protocol. Imports also require pre inspection certification from the country of origin, with the PSIC requirement to be reviewed after operationalisation and risk assessment.

Simultaneous export incentives: option to return either EPCG or SHIS benefit under Public Notice resolving prior overlap.
Concurrent issuance and availing of zero duty EPCG and SHIS under FTP 2009-14 was found inconsistent with FTP/HBP provisions; inter-departmental review led to a Public Notice prescribing resolution of pending simultaneous-issuance cases and allowing flexibility to return either benefit, and Customs amended notifications to remove a related bar for FTP 2015-20.

Electronic debit verification: manual endorsements on physical Advance Authorizations discontinued; officers must ensure EDI debits and issue advice letters.
The practice of manually endorsing physical Advance Authorizations with usage debits is discontinued for future authorizations electronically registered at Customs EDI locations; examining officers must confirm the proper debit in the EDI system. For domestic sourcing ARO/Invalidation requests, holders must obtain a same-day Advice Letter from the Group DC/AC, who will update records and email the Advice to the Regional Authority; monitoring and coordination arrangements are designated and safeguards for EDI breakdowns are required.

Bank Rate reduction announced; penal interest rates linked to it revised for reserve requirement shortfalls, effective immediately.
Bank Rate adjusted downward by 25 basis points to 6.75%, effective October 04, 2016, and penal interest rates linked to shortfalls in reserve requirements revised accordingly, with revised penal charges specified in the annex and applicable depending on the duration of shortfalls.

Prosecution timing: offences involving gold and other specified high-risk items may be prosecuted immediately after show cause notice.
The guidance amends prosecution timing under the Customs Act to provide that, while prosecution is normally launched after adjudication, offences involving specified high-risk items-Gold, FICN, arms, ammunitions and explosives, antiques, art treasures, wildlife items and endangered species-may preferably be prosecuted immediately after issuance of a show cause notice; senior customs and CBEC officers are directed to circulate the amendment and report implementation difficulties to the Board.

Nominated Agency Certificate eligibility revised: exclude Gems & Jewellery SEZ/EOU exports from status calculations and renewals.
Eligibility for grant or renewal of the Nominated Agency Certificate is amended so that export performance of Gems & Jewellery items from SEZ/EOU units is excluded when calculating status-holder export turnover; applicants must upload a valid Status Holder Certificate and submit revised ANF-4I with CA/ICWA/CS certification confirming exclusion and verifying exports and realizations before the Regional Authority issues or renews the certificate.

Withdrawal of circular declared void ab initio, removing its operative effect and treating it as never issued.
Circular No. 15 of 2016-17 is formally withdrawn and declared void ab initio, removing any operative or legal effect it might have had and treating it as never having been issued.

Bonded trucking transhipment enables Customs-supervised export, foreign-to-foreign and inter-station import cargo movement through sealed vehicles and custodian bonds.
Bonded trucking transhipment is permitted for export cargo between the Air Cargo Complex, Kolkata and other Customs stations, subject to manifested cargo, approved TP Custodians, running bonds, bank guarantees, sealed containerised vehicles and Customs supervision. The arrangement covers export cargo routed through another station, foreign-to-foreign cargo, and import cargo transferred between Indian Customs stations. Cargo Transfer Manifests and destination acknowledgements control bond debit and re-credit. Export goods are processed at the originating station, while seal discrepancies require full examination and missing endorsed manifests may lead to recovery action.

FPI investment limits in government securities increased, with enhanced caps for long term investors and SDL allocations.
SEBI increases category-wise and aggregate upper limits for FPI investments in Central Government securities and State Development Loans, with higher caps for Long Term FPIs. Incremental limits and SDL allocations are available on tap from the stated dates. A separate note will address transfer of unutilized long-term limits to the general government debt category. Existing terms continue to apply, including security-wise limits, coupons permitted outside limits, and a minimum residual maturity requirement of three years. The circular is effective immediately under SEBI's statutory powers.

Transhipment of export cargo allowed from Kolkata ACC under bonded custodian regime with CTM, security and acknowledgement within ten days.
Transhipment by air from Kolkata ACC to other airports is permitted under a procedure requiring appointment of a TP custodian who must execute a running bond and bank guarantee and present a TP application or CTM with specified shipment details. Cargo must be segregated, stored under a double locking arrangement, escorted when moved, and transhipped under Customs supervision. CTM acknowledgements must be returned to re credit the Transhipment Bond within ten days; failure to account for non unloading or shortages attracts penal action and financial demand.

Speedy disposal of VAT refund claims required; graded time bound processing targets and weekly reporting mandated.
Mandate for speedy disposal of VAT refund claims requires ward and zonal incharges to process refunds within graded, time-bound targets by claim size, and to submit weekly reports to the Commissioner detailing cleared refunds, with non-compliance to be viewed seriously.

Courier clearance procedures standardise filing, scanning, assessment and out of charge delivery of international parcels under customs regulations.
Framework prescribes detailed procedures for courier import/export clearance at Bengaluru ACC under the Customs Act and Courier Regulations. It mandates flight wise filing and serialisation of CBE I/II and parcel level CBE III/IV/V, sets sorting and prohibition on parcel opening, requires scanning and prescribed examination regimes (including 100% X ray for samples/gifts), staged appraisal and duty assessment procedures, out of charge endorsement prior to custodian delivery, and specifies when regular Bills of Entry must be filed; it also allocates responsibilities to Authorised Couriers, Custodians and Airlines and requires maintenance of registers, KYC and PLA arrangements.

Rebate for cooperative purchase of confiscated consumer goods now offered on a uniform basis, subject to eligibility and auction rules.
Consumer goods below the specified value threshold may be offered to NCCF, Kendriya Bhandar and authorised consumer cooperatives at a uniform rebate, subject to conditions including ten years' functional activity, filing of Income Tax and VAT/ST returns, annual verification of genuineness by an AC/DC rank officer, appropriate registration, obligation to sell directly to bonafide consumers, no selective purchases, and first come first served allotment; goods above the threshold must be sold by e auction or auction cum tender with no rebate available.

Import/export and domestic control of hazardous waste limited to recycling, with SPCB authorisations and manifest requirements.
The rules create a permit-based regime requiring occupiers, recyclers, transporters and disposal operators to obtain SPCB authorisation, maintain records and annual returns, implement emergency response plans, and follow labelling, packaging and a manifest system. Imports are allowed only for recycling, recovery, reuse or utilisation: hazardous wastes in Schedule III Part A require prior informed consent and Ministry permission; certain wastes are prohibited from import. The Ministry is the nodal authority for transboundary movement, Customs must verify movement documents and illegal traffic must be re-exported or managed per the rules.