Gujarat customs confident of achieving target of Rs17,920

The state customs department, which has collected Rs16,518 crore till January 2012, is confident of achieving its target of Rs17,920 crore by end of this fiscal year, said HK Jain, chief commissioner - customs, Gujarat zone on Thursday. He was speaking at a function held in the city to celebrate International Customs Day.

The event, which also marked 50 years of Indian Customs Act, 1962, saw who's who of the department in attendance.

Jain, talking about achievements of state customs, said that revenue collected by the department has increased from Rs9,000 in 1992-2000 to Rs12,000 by 2010-11. He also informed that Alang Shipyard and Surat Hira Bourses are important in customs' scheme of things.

Gujarat, with longest coastline in the country, is a significant sector for customs department. Deepak Kumar, chief commissioner central excise, customs and service tax, Vadodara Zone talked of new challenges faced by the department and its efforts in promoting trade.