e-filing facility underutilised

The Electronic filing mechanism made available by the Customs department has met with very poor response with large majority of exporters and importers still preferring to take the black and white method while filing their papers to the department.

Addressing an interactive session with the Customs department, organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce, Chief Commissioners of Customs, Subrata Basu, said that the filing mechanism through floppy had also met with similar poor response.

Basu however said that there was enough scope for improvement of the human-factor at the department if appropriately taken care of and sensitised.

"Indian business houses should be more professional, and they should increase their skill as well as creativity if they had to compete in the international market, rather than just blame the customs department," explained Basu.

Basu also hinted on the fact that if Indian traders wanted to experience a hassle free process at customs they should also strive to improve their credibility, integrity and quality assurance, for a lot of traders try to take the department for a ride.

"Customs department do not come into the picture if business houses have credibility, integrity and ethics," Basu added.

A K Das, commissioner of customs, ports who was also present at the session said that the department had set a vision of changing the mind set of officers at the department.

"We want to be known as trade facilitators, and as a department that comes in the way of traders," he added.

Das however said that the customs department's functioning capability cannot be considered in isolation.

"Functioning of other departments like port, shipping lines should also have to be improved if traders are to be benefited", he added.

He also said that all the other departments and entities should work together to find out loop holes and delays in the system to evolve a better and faster working environment.