Drawback rate amendments revise export drawback allocations for specified textile tariff headings and modify eligibility and allocation rules.
The Central Government amends Notification No. 22/97 Customs (N.T.) by substituting annexed table entries for specified Serial/Sub Serial numbers, revising drawback rates on an F.O.B. value basis and the allocation between Customs and Central Excise for designated textile and made up articles. The substitutions, effective from 1 January 1998, specify category wise drawback percentages, per piece maximums for certain garments, and treatment distinctions where Quantity Based Advance Licences or Modvat facility are involved.

Exchange rate determination for export goods sets prescribed currency conversion rates to govern customs valuation and compliance.
Determines the rate of exchange for conversion between specific foreign currencies and Indian currency for export goods, superseding an earlier notification and prescribing operative conversion figures in two schedules (per-unit and per-hundred-unit) to be applied for customs valuation and export compliance from the stated effective date.

Exchange rate determination prescribed for stamp duty and customs valuation for specified foreign currencies in import transactions.
Prescribes exchange rate determination for specified foreign currencies to be used in calculating stamp duty under the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 and for purposes of section 14 of the Customs Act, 1962 in relation to imported goods, superseding the earlier notification and declaring the conversion rates set out in Schedule I and Schedule II as the official rates for those purposes.

Rescission of anti dumping duty on polyvinyl chloride resin based on designated authority review and public interest.
Rescission of an anti dumping notification concerning polyvinyl chloride resin: the Central Government, invoking powers under the Customs Tariff Act and anti dumping rules, rescinds the earlier notification imposing anti dumping measures on polyvinyl chloride resin following a review by the designated authority and on grounds of public interest.

Disposal of seized valuables: amendment expands listed precious items permitted for disposal including gold, silver, and gemstones.
Amendment updates the Schedule to the customs notification to substitute entries expressly listing gold in all forms and silver in all forms, including bullion, ingot, coin, ornament and crude jewellery, and adds a new Schedule item covering diamonds, precious and semi-precious stones, thereby expanding the categories of valuable seized goods authorised for disposal under the notification.

Anti-dumping investigation into lovastatin imports for alleged dumping and injury; interested parties invited to submit information.
Initiation of an anti-dumping investigation into imports of lovastatin from China PR following a petition by the sole domestic producer asserting standing; prima facie evidence shows normal value in China PR exceeds export price to India, indicating dumping, and domestic injury is alleged via increased imports, lower import prices and adverse domestic indicators. The Authority initiates investigation for 1 July 1996-30 June 1997, requests prescribed submissions from interested parties within the time limit, provides a public file of non-confidential evidence, and warns it may rely on facts available if cooperation is withheld.

Permissible ports and airports routing rules for advance licence imports amended to specify designated entry and exit points.
Condition (iv) of Notification No. 31/97-Customs is substituted to provide that "the imports and exports are undertaken through" specified sea ports, airports and Inland Container Depots, thereby prescribing the named maritime ports, civil airports and ICDs as the permissible points for import and export movements under the exemption for Advance Licences issued after 1-4-1997.

Authorized ports for Advance licence imports: specified sea ports, airports or inland container depots mandated by the amendment.
The Central Government amends condition (iv) of Notification No. 30/97 Cus to require that imports and exports under Advance Licence with Actual User Condition be undertaken only through the specified sea ports, listed airports or listed Inland Container Depots, naming the authorized locations for compliance with the notification.

Amendment to permitted ports clarifies eligible sea ports, airports and ICDs for advance licence exemptions.
Amendment to condition (iv) of Notification No. 149/95 Customs replaces the earlier proviso with a new, specific list of authorised sea ports, airports and Inland Container Depots through which imports and exports must be undertaken to qualify for the advance licence exemption, thereby defining the exclusive gateways applicable to that exemption regime under the statutory authority.

Exemption against VBAL clarified to specify eligible seaports, airports and inland container depots for import-export routing.
Amendment under section 25(1) of the Customs Act substitutes the condition in Notification No.148/95-Cus to specify eligible points for the VBAL exemption: listed seaports (Bombay, Calcutta, Cochin, Kakinada, Kandla, Mangalore, Marmagao, Madras, Nhava Sheva, Paradeep, Tuticorin, Visakhapathnam), airports (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bombay, Calcutta, Coimbatore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Madras, Srinagar, Trivandrum, Varanasi) and Inland Container Depots (Agra, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Delhi, Faridabad, Gauhati, Guntur, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kanpur, Ludhiana, Moradabad, Nagpur, Pimpri (Pune), Pitampur (Indore), Tirupur, Varanasi).

Advance Licence port authorisation restricts permitted sea ports, airports and ICDs for imports and exports under the licence.
The amendment replaces condition (iv) to specify the authorised points for imports and exports under advance licences: particular sea ports, particular airports and particular Inland Container Depots are designated as the permitted routes through which goods under such licences must be imported or exported, thereby clarifying and restricting the points of entry and exit for the exemption under the notification.

Exemption under VBAL Scheme: permitted ports, airports and ICDs for imports and exports amended to specified locations.
Amendment revises condition (iv) of Notification No. 79/95-Customs under section 25(1) of the Customs Act, substituting the provision to require that imports and exports under the VBAL Scheme be undertaken only through the specified sea ports, airports and Inland Container Depots listed in the substituted text.

Authorization to sit for licensing examinations: regular licence holders may nominate an employee, partner or director to appear additionally.
The amendment substitutes regulation 9(5) to allow holders of a regular licence under regulation 10 to authorise one employee, partner or director to appear for the examination referred to in sub regulation (1) on their behalf, in addition to the agency person who has passed that examination.

Exchange rate declaration fixes official foreign currency rate for customs valuation, affecting import valuation from the effective date.
Amendment to Notification No. 62/97-NT-Cus. substitutes the Schedule I entry for the U.S. dollar, setting the official rate of exchange for one unit of that foreign currency at the substituted figure and specifying the effective date from which that rate applies for customs valuation of imported goods pursuant to the cited statutory provisions.

Port unloading authorisation: Ranpar Port authorised to unload specified petrochemicals including Liquefied Petroleum Gas and monomers.
The Central Government amends Notification No. 62/94 (NT)-Customs to substitute the Ranpar Port entry, authorising unloading at Ranpar Port of ethylene, ethylene dichloride, vinyl chloride monomer and Liquefied Petroleum Gas.

EPCG scheme exemption broadened to include poultry, extending concessional import benefits to horticulture and floriculture products.
Amendment to the EPCG scheme import exemption expands the list of exempted goods by substituting the proviso to include poultry alongside horticulture and floriculture products, effected by executive action under the Customs Act to modify the prior notification without altering other scheme terms.

EPCG Scheme exemption expanded to expressly include poultry alongside horticulture and floriculture imports.
The Central Government amended Notification No. 111/95-Customs to substitute wording in the proviso of its first paragraph so that the list of goods eligible for import exemption under the EPCG Scheme now expressly includes poultry in addition to products of horticulture and floriculture.

Delegation of Adjudicatory Authority: Commissioner reassigned to adjudicate customs proceedings involving Titan Industries under the Customs Act.
The Central Government, under sub section (1) of section 4 of the Customs Act, 1962, appoints the Commissioner of Customs, Bangalore to be Commissioner of Customs, Chennai for the purpose of adjudicating cases concerning M/s. Titan Industries Limited arising from show cause notice No. SB/178/95 dated 21st March, 1995, effectuated by Notification No. 68/97 Cus. (N.T.).

Attachment of Property: authorised officers may detain and sell defaulters' assets after notice, with inventory required.
Amendments define Proper Officer as an officer subordinate to the Commissioner and not below Assistant Commissioner rank authorised to attach, sell and realise amounts in recovery certificates. If the amount in the prior notice is not paid within the prescribed notice period, the Proper Officer may detain the defaulter's property and proceed to attachment and sale to realise the certificate amount together with detention costs. After attachment, the Proper Officer must prepare an inventory specifying the place the property is kept and supply a copy to the defaulter or the person from whose charge the property was distrained.

Exchange rate notification substitutes customs conversion rates for listed foreign currencies, affecting import valuation rules.
Amendment of customs exchange-rate notification substitutes specified foreign currency conversion rates in Schedule I and Schedule II of the earlier notification, invoking statutory authority under the Indian Stamp Act and the Customs Act, and fixes the rupee equivalents for the listed currencies for customs valuation purposes with effect from the stated effective date.