The Union Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the Presidential Awards to the officers of the Customs & Central Excise and Directorate of Enforcement, here today. The officers of the Customs & Central Excise Department are considered for grant of Presidential Award of Appreciation Certificate for exceptionally meritorious service rendered at the risk of life and specially distinguished record of service on their achieving and maintaining excellence in the discharge of their duties.  These awards are announced on the eve of Republic Day. This year, one officer has been selected for Presidential Award Appreciation Certificate for ‘Exceptionally meritorious service rendered at the risk of life’ and 34 officers have been selected for grant of Presidential Award of Appreciation Certificate for ‘Specially distinguished record of service’.  These officers have exhibited exceptional commitment and devotion to duty on a sustained basis, while achieving the goals set for their organisations. ShriPalanimanickam, Minister of State for Revenue, Shri Sunil Mitra, Revenue Secretary, Shri Sumit Dutt Majumder, Chairman, CBEC, and Members of the Board were also present on the occasion, among others.

Following is the text of Finance Minister’s speech delivered on the occasion of Investiture Ceremony:

            “It gives me great pleasure to be here on this momentous occasion when we recognize the sterling contribution of officers who have upheld the ideals of dedication to work and excellence in their respective fields. I congratulate the officers who are being conferred with the certificates of the Presidential Award 2010. I also greet the family members and friends of the awardees who have gathered here with pride to witness the conferment of this prestigious award. Your presence is undoubtedly a source of motivation for the awardees.

            The Customs and Excise Department today bears little resemblance to what it was in the days gone by. The Department should justly take pride in the fact that it has adapted quickly and successfully to the changes and challenges that it has encountered. In fact, the Department has shown the way to others in the field of IT initiatives for facilitating tax compliance. The introduction of ACES and the migration to ICES 1.5 have demonstrated that the Customs and Central Excise Department is in the forefront of e-governance.

            However, the Department cannot afford to be complacent as even greater challenges, for example in the nature of GST, await in future. The introduction of GST would bring about a paradigm shift in the administration of indirect taxes. This will call for dynamic and quick adjustment to meet any challenge that comes its way. On the Customs front, the Department will have to review its priorities and challenges. The focus for the Customs authoritiesworld over is shifting rapidly from tariff to non tariff enforcement issues. However, the motivation of the non-compliant economic operators continues to be largely illicit economic gains. Earlier, if evasion of duties was the principal modus operandi, now there is a noticeable shift towards smuggling of environmentally sensitive items, such as hazardous wastes and CITES items. In this regard, I am glad to note that agencies like the DRI are doing an admirable job in combating this trend.

We must recognize that the arduous task of tax enforcement has become even more challenging in view of the legitimate expectations of trade facilitations. As our country strives to become a global economic power in a constantly changing world, the guardians of economic frontiers and revenue officials would need to be efficient and friendly with those who comply with the law. They would need to be equally vigilant and swift in dealing with those who hoodwink the system for their personal gains.

            Customs will continue to play a vital role in combating the menace of fake Indian currency notes, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. All this means that the Customs operational units have to be equipped with the latest technology and resources for combating such offences.  A strong and collaborative intelligence network is the cornerstone of a proactive Customs administration. Equally important is the role of international cooperation. I am informed that the CBEC is playing an active role in international cooperation through Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAAs) with several countries. I am also informed that there are nine Customs Overseas Intelligence Network (COIN) posts located outside India.  This existing network should be effectively utilized to monitor the cross border transactions relating to customs.  The CMAAs may be used to develop capacity building and skill up gradation for the officers of the Department to bring the trade facilitation and enforcement in line with the best international practices.

            To conclude, I once again congratulate all the awardees and exhort them to maintain their performance. I urge the officers of the Department to excel in their work and remain committed to the principles enshrined in the Citizens Charter.”

Presidential Award of Appreciation recognises exceptional meritorious service and distinguished public service in customs and enforcement. Announcement of conferment of the Presidential Award of Appreciation Certificate to Customs & Central Excise and Enforcement officers for exceptionally meritorious service and specially distinguished records, with one recognised for risking life and others for sustained exemplary service. The Finance Minister emphasised departmental modernisation via IT initiatives, preparedness for GST, a shift to non tariff enforcement challenges including smuggling of hazardous and protected items, and the need for technology, intelligence networks, international cooperation under Customs Mutual Assistance Agreements and capacity building to balance trade facilitation with vigilant enforcement.