Disclosures under Section 4 (1) (b) of the Right to Information Act, 2005
(i) The particulars of its organization, functions and duties :
The Kolkata Customs Zone is headed by Chief Commissioner of Customs. There are four
Commissionerates, namely, Commissionerate of Customs (Port), Commissionerate of
Customs (Airport & ACC), Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive), West Bengal and
Commissionerate of Customs (Appeals) each having it's own jurisdiction headed by a
Commissioner.
The subordinate cadres consist of the Appraising wing which is chiefly entrusted with the
assessment and collection of revenue and the Preventive wing, which is engaged in antismuggling activities. The Ministerial staff help in administration and accounts related
matters.
Commissionerate of Customs (Port) and Commissionerate of Customs (Airport & ACC)
have units named Special Investigation Branch (SIB) which is engaged in countering
commercial frauds. Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive) has anti-smuggling wings
like Dock Intelligence Unit (DIU), SRI and P&I and also tasked with operating Land
Customs Stations and responsible for Customs border controls.
FUNCTIONS:-
1. The Chief Commissioner is the head of Kolkata Customs Zone. The Chief Commissioner
exercises administrative control and supervision over entire Customs Kolkata Zone. The Chief
Commissioner monitors proper implementation of Customs laws and border control regulations
including instructions/guidelines issued by the Central Government from time to time on
administrative, technical and vigilance matters. The Chief Commissioner also discharges certain
statutory functions bestowed on him under the Customs statute. The Chief Commissioner is also
a member of the committee that reviews the adjudication orders passed by the Commissioners in
the Zone/s for their legality and propriety.
The Chief Commissioner reports directly to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs,
Ministry of Finance, New Delhi.
2. Kolkata Customs Zone is divided into four Commissionerates namely Airport & Air Cargo
Complex, Port, Preventive and Appeals. Each Commissionerate is headed by a Pr.
Commissioner/Commissioner of Customs. They supervise revenue collection, audit, formulation
of the trade facilitation measures, preventive and anti-smuggling checks, recovery of arrears,
disposal of pendencies, redressal of the grievances and complaints of the trade/public. They
supervise coordination among the Commissionerates within the Zone and effective interaction
with the trade to facilitate the import and export operations. Offices under Commissionerates
keep the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs posted of the progress in revenue
collection and other Customs related work achieved by the Zone through periodic statements and
reports. They also analyze the trend of imports and exports for making revenue estimates and
plan trade facilitation measures to reduce dwell time and for ease of doing business.
3. The functions of Commissionerates mainly include levy and collection of custom duties,
prevention of smuggling and evasion of duties and all administrative matters relating to customs
formations under the zone.
ORGANIZATION SETUP AND DUTIES:-
The Kolkata Customs Zone is headed by the Chief Commissioner of Customs and
assisted by the officers of different ranks. The hierarchy of the officers are is as under:-
a. Chief Commissioner
b. Pr. Commissioner/Commissioner
c. Additional/Joint Commissioner
d. Deputy/Asstt. Commissioner
e. Superintendent/Air Customs Supdt.
f. Appraiser
g. Personal Secretary
h. Inspector/Air Customs Officer
i. Senior Tax Assistant /Tax Assistant/LDC
j. Drivers
k. Havaldars
l. Sepoy
Overall supervision of this Custom House is looked after by Chief Commissioner Office
(CCO). The CCO is headed by the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Kolkata Zone and assisted
by Addl/Jt. Commissioner, Dy./Assistant Commissioner, Superintendents, Inspectors and other
supporting staff. This Zone is divided into four Commissionerate. Each Commissionerate is
headed by a Pr. Commissioner/Commissioner. The overall affairs of this Custom Zone are
supervised by respective Commissioners with help of other officers/staff. The working of the
Custom Zone is regulated through Dy./Assistant Commissioner and assisted by Appraisers and
Superintendents who are entrusted to look after the daily working of this Zone. The basic
executive functions are performed by Supdts./Appraisers/Inspectors. The other works are
supported by STA/TA/LDC. The Sepoys/Hawaldars are responsible for ensuring safety &
security of office premise along with works related to dispatch of daily correspondence,
movement of files and records, opening and closing of office etc.
Sections under the four Commissionerates and the duties/functions assigned
to them
The list of sections in each of the four Commissionerates and the nature of
duties/functions assigned to them have been disclosed by the respective Commissionerates in the
Kolkata Customs website.
(ii) The powers and duties of its officers and employees:-
The officers and staff of Kolkata Custom Zone are committed to its Citizen Charter, to
provide to trade & industry time bound and speedy cargo clearance facility, quick redress of
grievance, and inculcating in its officers’ sense of service with stress on-
(i) Integrity and judiciousness
(ii) Courtesy and understanding
(iii) Objectivity and transparency
(iv) Promptness and efficiency
Steps are afoot to further professionalize Customs staff to be able to render efficient and
prompt service to the clients almost at par with those rendered by other Customs services in
developed countries/WCO/WTO norms.
The Powers of officers of Customs have been elaborated in Section 5 of the Customs Act,
1962 and are laid as under –
a). Subject to such conditions and limitations as the Board may impose, an officer of Customs
may exercise the powers and discharge the duties conferred or imposed on him under this Act.
b). An officer of Customs may exercise the powers and discharge the duties conferred or
imposed under this Act on any other officer of Customs, who is subordinate to him.
The work is delegated to various categories of officers within the framework of the law.
(iii) The procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability
a) The Chief Commissioner and Pr. Commissioner/Commissioners monitor the working and
functioning of all the Commissionerates in the Zone. Since the Policy formulations are
exclusively in the domain of the Board, policy implementation in spirit of the laws so formulated
forms the major functions of field formations. The Chief Commissioner’s office with help of all
Commissionerates collates and compiles various trade representations; problems faced by the
Trade and Industry and forward them to the Board which become ingredients for policy
formulation.
b) Decision making in the organization is based on decentralization that is to say that there is a
definite delegation of authority and responsibility to different levels of the organization. Such
delegation is laid out either in the Customs Act, 1962 or the Rules and Regulations made there
under or vide various circulars issued by the department from time to time.
c) Since this Custom Zone is entrusted with the main work of implementation of the Customs
Act, Rules, allied Acts and Board’s orders etc., all aspects of Revenue are monitored and status
are forwarded to Board in the form of weekly, monthly and quarterly reports.
d) All references received from the Trade, different stakeholders and Field formations are
submitted by concerned Sections to the AC/DC in-charge in the Commissionerates. The file
noting are prepared by Inspector. The relevant notification / circulars etc. are explained by
Suptd/AO. The main recommendations are made by AC /DC /ADC and finally the important
decisions are approved by the Chief Commissioner/Pr. Commissioners/Commissioners. In case
of requirement of any clarification the same is referred to the Board for taking final decision.
(iv) The norms set by it for the discharge of its functions
The mission of the organization is to achieve excellence in the implementation of
Customs Acts, Allied Acts and Rules there under aimed at:
Realizing the revenues in a fair, equitable and efficient manner
Administering the Government's economic, tariff and trade policies with a practical and
pragmatic approach
Facilitating trade and industry by streamlining and simplifying Customs and Excise processes
in light of the guidelines prescribed and facilitating the Trade and Industry
Creating a climate for voluntary compliance by providing guidance and building mutual trust
Combating revenue evasion, commercial frauds and social menace in an effective manner
To achieve its mission, the Zonal Office has taken on priority to utilize both the man and
material resources at its disposal in
1. Enhancing the use of Information Technology
2. Streamlining Customs and Excise Procedures
3. Encouraging voluntary compliance
4. Evolving cooperative initiatives
5. Assisting in the formulation of Tariff policies
6. Combating Revenue evasion, commercial frauds and social menace effectively
7. Measuring conformance to service delivery standards
8. Developing professionalism and responsibility
(v) The rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions
Available on CBEC Website i.e. www.cbec.gov.in &
Kolkata Custom Zone website -https://www.kolkatacustoms.gov.in/
(vi) A statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control
The office documents are generally processed and stored in the form of files and folders. Files and documents related to work assigned to concerned Sections of this office are duly catalogued, indexed and entered in Registers and these are kept in the custody of respective Sections. Almost entire database is available in EDI system.
(vii)The particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or representation by, the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof
The members of Public can write to this office on any such issue or seek appointment for meeting, if required.
(viii) A statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public.
TFC (Trade Facilitation Committee) meetings are held in this Zone on regular monthly
basis. CCFC meetings are held on regular basis. Also, Open House Meetings with Trade
Representatives / Importers/Exporters and other stake holders are held at regular intervals by the
Customs Commissionerates. The minutes of the meeting are uploaded on website/displayed on
notice board. The Citizen’s Charter of the Department envisions that the Customs officers shall
carry out their assigned tasks with integrity and judiciousness; courtesy and understanding;
objectivity and transparency; promptness and efficiency. The officers are also committed to
providing every possible assistance to the public and trade in implementation of the Customs
policies and procedures. The Customs department has also initiated a number of measures to
ensure that complaint(s)/grievance(s) are minimized and where received these are attended to
promptly.
In order to take care of the grievance(s)/complaint(s) the department has put in place a
grievance redressal mechanism in the field formations of Customs. The grievance redressal
mechanism can broadly be categorized as:
Facilitation for receipt and guidance of complaints/representation in CC
Office/Commissioner’s office.
Redressal of vigilance complaints
Prompt handling of the complaints / grievances received through CPGRAMS
(Central Public Grievances Monitoring System)
(ix) A directory of its officers and employees-
https://www.kolkatacustoms.gov.in/
(x) The monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees,
including the system of compensation as provided in its
regulations
Designation Level as per Pay Matrix (7th Pay Commission)
Group ‘A’
1. Chief Commissioner L-16
2. Pr. Commissioner L-15
3. Commissioner L-14
4. Additional Commissioner L-13
5. Joint Commissioner L-12
6. Deputy Commissioner L-11
7. Assistant Commissioner L-10
8. Chief Accounts Officer L-10
9. Assistant Director (Comm.) L-10
Group ‘B(G)'
1. Sr. P.S. L-8
2. Appraiser L-8
3. Superintendent L-8
4. ACAO/AO L-7
Group ‘B(NG)' /Group 'C'
1. Preventive Officer L-7
2. Examiner/Inspector L-7
3. DOS L-6
4. Senior Hindi Translator L-6
5. Junior Hindi Translator L-6
6. Senior Tax Assistant L-6
7. Tax Assistant L-4
8. Lower Division Clerk L-2
9. Motor Driver ( Grade - I ) L-5
10. Motor Driver ( Grade - II ) L-4
11. Motor Driver ( Grade - III ) L-2
12. Head Havaldar L-2
13. Havaldar L-1
14. Sepoy L-1
(xi) Particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on
disbursements made
The proposed expenditures and disbursements are reflected in respective
Commissionerate.
(xii) The manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts
allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes
Not applicable
(xiii) Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorizations
granted by it
Not applicable.
(xiv). Details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced
in an electronic form.
Reflected in respective Commissionerates.
(xv) The particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining
information, including the working hours of a library or reading room, if
maintained for public use
The details of the minutes of the TFC/CCFC Meetings are uploaded on website/displayed on
Notice Board. Library room is maintained at Custom House at first floor.
(xvi) The names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information
Officers
CPIO for office of the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Kolkata Zone:
Refer to the latest public notice.
(xvii) Such other information as may be prescribed; and thereafter
Not applicable
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