Tariff value fixation: notification substitutes updated tariff values for palm oil, soybean oil and brass scrap imports.
Amendment substitutes a revised tariff value table in Notification No.36/2001-Cus (N.T.), fixing per-metric-tonne tariff values in US dollars for specified palm oil and palmolein grades, crude soyabean oil, and brass scrap (all grades), with several palm oil entries noted as unchanged; the Board acts under powers conferred by the Customs Act to replace the prior Table with the new operative Table.

Service tax on international in bound roaming: government directs non collection for prior period due to prevailing practice.
The Central Government directed that service tax payable on roaming services provided by a telegraph authority to an international in bound roaming subscriber, which was not being levied in accordance with a generally prevalent practice, shall not be required to be paid in respect of such roaming service provided during the aforesaid period, exercising powers under section 11C of the Central Excise Act, 1944 read with section 83 of the Finance Act.

Effective rate of duty amended: new Nil-duty entries and a tariff-code substitution alter classifications and rates.
Notification amends three Central Excise notifications by inserting tariff item 2202 90 30 for flavoured milk of animal origin at Nil duty; inserting tariff heading 5607 90 for goods of jute or other textile bast fibres of heading 5303 at Nil duty; and substituting the description at S. No. 17 to add tariff code 8523 51 00 alongside 8471 70 and 8473 30, under the power conferred by section 5A(1) of the Central Excise Act, 1944.

Exemption extension for cement and steel in tsunami-affected housing extends statutory relief period under Central Excise notification amendment.
The notification amends Notification No. 32/2005-Central Excise by substituting the figures, letters and word in paragraph 5 to extend the period during which cement and steel used in construction of houses in specified tsunami-affected areas are exempt from central excise. The amendment is made under sub-section (1) of section 5A of the Central Excise Act, 1944, read with section 91 and section 93 of the Finance (No.2) Act, 2004, and records prior publication and earlier amendment details.

Special Economic Zone designation for pharmaceuticals enables development and operation under SEZ Act following central approval.
The Central Government, satisfied that statutory and regulatory prerequisites were met, notifies specified survey parcels at Pollepally Village as a Special Economic Zone for pharmaceuticals formulation under the SEZ legislative framework; the notification lists the constituent survey numbers and demarcates a total area of 101.17 hectares, enabling development and operation of the sector specific SEZ following prior approval obtained by the State Industrial Promotion Organization.

Special Economic Zone designation formalizes Bachupally area as an IT/ITES SEZ under transferred approval to a special purpose vehicle.
Notification designates specified land parcels in Bachupally Village, Ranga Reddy District as a sector-specific Special Economic Zone for Information Technology and IT Enabled Services, records transfer of the original approval to Maytas Hill County SEZ Private Limited (a wholly owned special purpose vehicle), and lists the survey numbers and areas totaling 29.87 hectares, issued under the powers conferred by SEZ statute and rules.

Special Economic Zone designation for IT and ITES notifies specified land parcels and confirms approval transfer to the developer.
Notification designates a sector specific Special Economic Zone for Information Technology and Information Technology Enabled Services at Gundla Pochampalli Village, specifying individual survey parcels that together total 14.15 hectares, and records the transfer of the earlier project approval to a wholly owned special purpose vehicle; the Central Government issues the area notification pursuant to its statutory powers and applicable SEZ Rules.

Special Economic Zone designation for apparel sector enabled development under the SEZ Act; designation was later rescinded.
Notification designates a sector specific Special Economic Zone for the apparel sector proposed by M/s. Neogen Properties Private Limited at Thumkunta and Gollapuram Villages, Andhra Pradesh, following grant of a letter of approval under the SEZ Act and the exercise of notification powers. It specifies land parcels by survey numbers and areas, aggregating to a total notified area of 141.65 hectares, and records that the notification was subsequently rescinded.

Special Economic Zone designation for IT and ITES at Raheja Infocity I notified to enable development and operation.
Notification designates a Special Economic Zone for Information Technology and Information Technology Enabled Services at Raheja Infocity I, Villages Kukshet and Shirvane, Navi Mumbai, and, having recorded formal approval, notifies the specified survey numbers and land parcels for development and operation as a sector specific SEZ under the Act and the Special Economic Zones Rules, aggregating to a total area of 20.654 hectares.

Special Economic Zone designation for Kokapet confirms approval transfer to the developer enabling IT/ITES zone establishment.
Notification designates a Special Economic Zone at Kokapet Village for Information Technology and IT Enabled Services, records prior Central Government approval for development and maintenance of the SEZ, and confirms transfer and amendment of that approval in favour of Hyderabad Urban Development Authority as developer; the Central Government, invoking section 4(1) of the Act and rule 8 of the SEZ Rules, formally notifies the Kokapet land parcel (survey 239/240(P), 47.6 hectares) as the SEZ.

Special Economic Zone notification: central government designates an electronics SEZ at Thrikkakara following statutory approval.
Notification designates a sector-specific Special Economic Zone for electronics at Thrikkakara Village, Kanayannur Taluk, Ernakulam District, Kerala (part of Survey No. 321, 12.141 hectares). The designation follows KINFRA's proposal and the Central Government's satisfaction that statutory prerequisites were met, culminating in approval for development, operation and maintenance and formal notification under the SEZ statutory framework and rules.

Special Economic Zone designation: land at Chelembra notified for a sector specific food processing SEZ under statutory approval.
Notification designates specified land at Chelembra Village as a Special Economic Zone for sector specific food processing, relying on prior Board of Approval in principle approval, possession of land taken before the SEZ Rules, and the Central Government's grant of formal approval to develop, maintain and operate the SEZ under the Act and SEZ Rules.

Regulatory directions: loans and facilities under deposit regulations now expressly subject to central bank directions.
The 2007 amendment inserts a new sub paragraph into Schedule 1, paragraph 6 of the Deposit Regulations providing that loans and facilities granted under that paragraph shall be subject to such directions as may be issued by the central banking authority from time to time.

Corrigendum to customs notification updates tariff serial references in prior notification to correct numbering errors.
Corrigendum to Notification No.73-Customs (21 May 2007) directs that "Sr.No.565" be read as "Sr.No.568", "566" be read as "569", and "567" be read as "570", specifying the line references in the originally published Gazette entry so the tariff-item numbering in the notification is corrected.

Import prohibition on rough diamonds from Cote d'Ivoire enforces compliance with UN sanctions under the FTP amendment.
The policy amends the Foreign Trade Policy, 2004-2009 to impose an import prohibition on rough diamonds from Cote d'Ivoire in compliance with Paragraph 6 of UN Security Council Resolution 1643(2005), issued under Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 read with paragraph 1.3 of the FTP.

Exim code classification amendment removes policy condition for Exim Code 847330, modifying export import regulatory requirements.
The Central Government has deleted the policy condition applicable to Exim Code 847330 in the ITC (HS) Classification, exercising authority under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 and paragraph 2.1 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-09; the change was issued in the public interest by the Director General of Foreign Trade.

Special Economic Zone designation authorises development and operation by the designated developer under the SEZ Act.
Notification under Section 4 of the SEZ Act and rule 8 of the SEZ Rules declaring a sector specific Special Economic Zone for information technology and IT enabled services at Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjawadi, Phase III, Pune, authorising M/s. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation Limited, previously granted approval under section 3 of the Act, to develop, operate and maintain the SEZ and specifying constituent land parcels and the aggregate area.

Acquisition of immovable property abroad permitted for Indian companies with overseas offices subject to central bank directions.
Indian companies that have overseas offices may acquire immovable property outside India for business purposes and for residential accommodation of their staff, subject to directions issued by the Reserve Bank of India; the amendment substitutes Regulation 5(3) of the principal Regulations and is given retrospective effect, with clarification that no person will be adversely affected by that retrospectivity.

EEFC Account: residents may credit full foreign exchange earnings; revised remittance limits introduced for branch expenses.
Residents may credit 100 per cent of specified foreign exchange earnings to an EEFC Account with an Authorised Dealer (effective 30 November 2006). Regulation 7(4A) proviso, clause (b) revises remittance limits to overseas branches/offices: initial expenses permitted up to 15 per cent of average annual sales/income or turnover (last two years) or up to 25 per cent of net worth, whichever is higher; recurring expenses permitted up to 10 per cent of average annual sales/income or turnover (last financial year). Certain amendments have retrospective effect.

Special Economic Zone designation for a sector-specific IT/ITES park enables development and operation under SEZ Act approval.
Notification designates land at Chevella Village, Ranga Reddy District, Andhra Pradesh, as a sector specific Special Economic Zone for Information Technology and IT enabled services proposed by M/s. Mahaveer Skyscrapers Limited. Issued under section 4(1) of the SEZ Act, 2005 and rule 8 of the SEZ Rules, 2006, it follows a letter of approval under section 3(10) of the Act and specifies survey numbers aggregating to 22 78 hectares; subsequent de notification is recorded by a later notification.