Engineering sector inclusion in EPCG scheme expands covered capital goods and components eligible for import relief.
Amendment adds the engineering sector to two provisos in the EPCG notification and adds a definitional clause specifying that, for the engineering sector, "product" comprises machine tools and accessories; automotive and bicycle components and accessories; hand, cutting and small tools; ferrous and non-ferrous castings and forgings; pumps, electric motors and parts; fasteners; bright bars and shafting; and scientific and surgical instruments, thereby identifying the capital goods, components and spares eligible under the scheme.

Safeguard duty on carbon black imposed, with exemptions for specified advance licences and limited duration.
Imposition of a safeguard duty on carbon black (heading 2803.00) is authorised under section 8B of the Customs Tariff Act and relevant safeguard rules, following findings of threat of serious injury to the domestic rubber and tyre industry; a 10% ad valorem duty applies on imports until 28 February 1999. Imports under specified quantity-based Advance Licence schemes are exempted provided the goods are used only to discharge export obligations or to replenish such goods and are non-transferable.

Tariff exemption for sports track materials enabled for imports, subject to Sports Authority certification and customs verification.
Notification amends the customs exemption schedule to add entry 256A exempting specific materials for laying synthetic tracks and artificial surfaces (Asphalt resurfacer, Acrylic resurfacer, Cushion coat, Acrylic colour concentrate, Acrylic marking paint) at Nil duty. It inserts condition 68A requiring imports by a National Sports Federation or the Sports Authority of India under an SAI-issued certificate for use in national or international championships, and production at clearance of a Director level SAI certificate to the Assistant Commissioner of Customs certifying importer details, goods description, quantity, value and intended championship use.

Anti-dumping duty on calcium carbide imports from specified countries imposed, applying set per-tonne rates for a limited period.
Imposition of anti-dumping duty on Calcium Carbide imports from the Peoples Republic of China and Romania under section 9A(2) of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 and rules 13 and 20 of the Anti-dumping Rules, 1995, following preliminary findings of the Designated Authority; duties specified per metric tonne for each listed country and made effective until the notification's stated expiry date.

Exchange rate adjustment revises rupee equivalence for specified currencies for export goods under Stamp and Customs Acts, effective October
Amendment to Notification No. 76/98-NT-Cus. substitutes Schedule I and II entries to revise rupee equivalences for specified currencies, listing new rates for the Australian Dollar, Deutsche Mark and Singapore Dollar (per one unit) and for Belgian Francs (per 100 units), and is effective from 8th October, 1998 for export valuation and related customs processes.

Exchange rate amendment updates official conversion rates for specified foreign currencies, effective from early October, affecting import valuation.
Amendment to Notification No. 75/98-Cus. (N.T.) substitutes specified rate of exchange entries in Schedule I and Schedule II for certain foreign currencies, including Australian Dollar, Deutsche Mark, Singapore Dollar and Belgian Francs, under powers conferred by the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 and the Customs Act, 1962; the substituted rates apply for customs valuation of imported goods from the stated effective date.

Customs exemption for educational CD ROMs confirms duty free import treatment for electronic educational and periodical publications.
Substitutes serial No. 203 in Notification No. 23/98 Customs to list CD ROMs containing books of educational nature, journals, periodicals or newspapers (heading 85.24) with Nil basic customs duty and Nil additional duties, providing a specific tariff exemption under the Miscellaneous Exemption Notifications.

Exchange rate determination for export goods prescribes official currency conversion rates, superseding prior notification for customs purposes.
Determination of official exchange rates for conversion of specified foreign currencies into Indian rupees for export goods under section 14(3)(a)(i) of the Customs Act, 1962, superseding Notification No. 53/98-NT-Customs. The rates prescribed by the Central Government take effect from 1st October 1998 and are set out in Schedule I (per unit rates for major currencies) and Schedule II (rates per 100 units for certain currencies).

Exchange rate conversion prescribed for calculating stamp duty and customs valuation, effective for specified imported goods.
The Central Government prescribes exchange rate conversion for specified foreign currencies to be used in calculating stamp duty under the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 and for section 14 of the Customs Act, 1962 insofar as they relate to imported goods, superseding an earlier notification and fixing the applicable rates via two appended schedules.

Exchange rate amendment updates foreign currency conversion rates for export goods, substituting specified schedule entries effective immediately.
Amendment updates prescribed foreign currency conversion rates for export goods by substituting specified entries in Schedule I and Schedule II of the prior customs notification, prescribing new rupee equivalences for identified currencies and directing that the revised rates are effective from 18th September, 1998.

Exchange rate notification updates specified foreign currency conversion rates for imported goods, replacing prior prescribed exchange values.
Amendment to Notification No. 52/98-N.T.-Cus. substitutes specified Schedule I and Schedule II exchange rate entries for certain foreign currencies (Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Deutsche Mark, Dutch Guilder, French Franc, Swiss Franc, Singapore Dollar, Belgian Francs and Japanese Yen) to establish revised rupee equivalents for customs valuation, effective from 18th September, 1998.

Port appointment permits unloading of imports and loading of exports under customs authority, clarifying permitted cargo operations.
The Central Government, exercising powers under the Customs Act, amended the earlier notification to replace the entry for Dahej Port with an authorization expressly permitting the unloading of imported goods and the loading of export goods, or any class of such goods, thereby defining the scope of appointments for specified customs purposes at that port.

Customs tariff coverage expanded to include platinum and silver for jewellery inputs, extending exemption scope for export manufacture.
The amendment inserts the words "platinum and silver falling under Chapter 71 of the Customs Tariff Act" into Notification No. 49/97-Cus, thereby extending that notification's application to platinum and silver when imported for manufacture of plain and studded jewellery for export.

Exchange rate amendment updates prescribed foreign currency conversion rates for export goods and substitutes specified schedule entries.
The Central Government amends the earlier customs notification by substituting revised entries in Schedule I and Schedule II to prescribe new rupee equivalents for specified foreign currencies, to be used for export goods valuation; the substituted schedule entries take effect from the stated effective date.

Exchange rate update for imported goods: revised foreign currency conversion rates apply from early September, affecting customs valuation.
The Central Government amends Notification No. 52/98-N.T.-Cus. by substituting entries in Schedule I (Serial Nos. 5, 6, 11, 13) and Schedule II (Serial Nos. 1, 3) with revised conversion rates for specified foreign currencies to be used for customs valuation, effective 9th September, 1998.

Tariff amendment: N Paraffin imports for manufacture of linear alkyl benzene added to customs notification with specified duty treatment.
Amendment to Notification No. 23/98 Cus inserts a new serial entry after S. No. 28 identifying N Paraffin imported for use in the manufacture of Linear Alkyl Benzene and specifying the tariff/treatment entries applicable to such imports under the Customs Act, 1962, effected as a miscellaneous exemption/tariff notification in the public interest.

Customs exemption for kerosene used in N Paraffin extraction: initial partial duty payment, monthly certification, and duty adjustments.
Kerosene imported by Linear Alkyl Benzene manufacturers for extraction of N Paraffin is exempt from customs duty limited to kerosene consumed in extraction and remnant kerosene sold to the Indian Oil Corporation Limited. Manufacturer importers must initially pay duty on a specified portion at import, maintain prescribed accounts, and submit monthly certified consumption and sale statements to the Assistant Commissioner of Central Excise. The ACCE will determine quantities consumed and sold, adjust the initial duty, order additional duty payable or refunds, and the manufacturer must pay any additional duty within three days, with interest for delay.

Customs service fees: hourly charges, minimum billing blocks, and defined overtime conditions govern officer services on request.
Fees are prescribed for rendering customs services by customs officers on request, with defined categories of customs work, rendering of services, and working hours. The regulations fix hourly rates by officer category and by working day or holiday, with liability on the person requesting the service or on whose account it is requested. The levy is subject to a minimum charge of three hours, special treatment for the midnight-to-6 A.M. period, and block charging for work performed during working hours.

Exemption of maintenance spares prevents recovery of differential customs duty for the retrospective disputed period.
The Central Government directed that customs duty and auxiliary duty in excess of the concessional rate under Notification No. 315/83-Cus shall not be required to be paid in respect of maintenance spares imported with goods for initial setting up or substantial expansion of electronic manufacturing units, for the period commencing 27th November, 1983 and ending 1st July, 1992, thereby waiving recovery of differential duty in light of prevailing assessment practice and a subsequent amendment clarifying applicability.

Drawback on imported materials amended; specified materials removed from drawback entitlement list for exported goods.
Drawback entitlement for certain imported inputs used in exported goods is narrowed by deletion of specified materials from the schedule annexed to Notification No. 44/91-Cus.(N.T.), removing the named items from the list of materials eligible for drawback under the principal notification, effective from the notified commencement date.