CBEC app for Baggage Rules marks Customs Day

CBEC app for Baggage Rules marks Customs Day

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 28, 2016 :  A move by CBEC - Central Board of Excise and Customs under ministry of finance, passengers may use the app developed by Bengaluru zone of commissionerate of customs. Incidentally, this app is gift to the generation hooked to their smart phones and apps as part of International Customs Day celebrated on Jan 27, Wednesday.  Passengers arriving in India now will have the Baggage rules as prescribed by Indian Customs literally at the tip of their fingers.

Passengers had to go through reams of material on Baggage Rules published by CBEC on its www.portal cbec.gov.in and reading it on the smart phones was not a very smart option. It is the very rules that more often than not lands air passenger in confrontation with customs officials resulting in arguments and counter arguments, and ending in complaints of harassment and high handedness. The App is the departments answer to these very ills.

M Subramanyam, commissioner of customs, central excise and service tax told  media on sidelines of International Customs Day celebration organized by Mangaluru Customs Commissionerate that the Baggage Rules more often than not is the bone of contention. Many passengers, especially those flying in from the Middle East are misled on their baggage allowance and this ends up in an ugly sight when the customs officials question them on arrival at airports, he said.

With this App, which CBEC will constantly update as and when rules are changed or modified, will keep passengers abreast of their entitlements and allow them to bring in goods more wisely and within limits, if one is keen to avoid paying duty on it. Noting that the App was launched at the International Customs Day celebration in New Delhi and simultaneously in Bengaluru, Subramanyam said this App will benefit the passengers a lot.