Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
North Block, New Delhi-110 001
Tel. : +91-11-23092849, Fax : +91-11-23092890
E-mail : vivekjohri.irs@gov.in
Vivek Johri, Chairman
DO No. 54/CH(IC)/2022 Dated: 12th December, 2022
Dear Colleague,
You are not a drop in the ocean; instead you are the entire ocean in a drop
These evocative words from a poem by Rumi were part of the closing remarks made at the end of a brilliant performance put together by the 73rd batch of IRS (C86IT) Probationers last week. The words stayed with me long after the evening was over.
An organization is only as good as the quality of the individuals who comprise it. We all have our roles, and when we strive to excel in our assigned roles, the entire organization benefits. As we find ourselves at the milestone of 60 years of the Customs Act, perhaps our greatest asset is the women and men who have worked tirelessly to administer the Act, with a sense of fairness, justice and equanimity.
Field formations across the country have been celebrating the 60 years of the Customs Act. Right from cultural programmes, panel discussions, community engagement events to the launch of trade facilitation initiatives, it has been heartening to note the fervor and gusto with which everyone has participated.
Such occasions are an opportunity to look back on our journey thus far as well as an occasion to look forward and to take stock of the challenges and opportunities we will face in the future.
Last week, marked the 65th Foundation Day of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. In the course of her speech at an event organized to mark the occasion, Hon’ble Union Minister for Finance 86 Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman expressed her appreciation for the exemplary work done by the organization and noted that there is a need to bring cases to their logical conclusion in a time bound manner. Further, the need to enhance adoption of technology and to utilize data analysis for targeted interventions was emphasized.
On the occasion, the Smuggling in India Report 2021-22 analyzing trends in Smuggling of Gold, Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances, Wildlife etc. was released. The celebrations were followed by 8th Regional Customs Enforcement Meeting (RCEM) for effectively engaging with partner Customs organizations and International agencies like World Customs Organization (WCO) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The week gone by also saw the launch of the Customs Broker License Management System (CBLMS), an application which which will act as a centralized platform for management of Customs Brokers’ licensing processes with end-to-end integration and smart automation. The project aims to minimize physical interface, bring uniformity in procedures, enhance the speed of processing of applications or permissions and to usher in greater transparency and accountability. Heartiest Congratulations to Mumbai Customs Zone I for taking the lead in piloting the project.
Before I sign off for the week, I would like to convey my heartiest Congratulations to Sh. N. Aravind, from the Chennai GST Zone for winning Gold Medals in the 50m and 100m Butterfly Stroke as well in 50m and 100m Backstroke events at the 18th National Masters Swimming Championships held at Ambala, Haryana. Many Congratulations Aravind!
Till next week!
Yours Sincerely,
(Vivek Johri)
All Officers and Staff of Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
