The Visakhapatnam Customs and CGST Zone has collected a total revenue of Rs. 79,410.59 Crores for the recently ended fiscal FY23.
The Zone which has jurisdiction over the entire state of Andhra Pradesh comprises three CGST & Central Excise Commissionerates, two Customs Commissionerates, one Audit Commissionerate, and one Appeals Commissionerate.
Visakhapatnam Zone is responsible for the collection of Central GST, Customs, and Central Excise Revenues apart from carrying out Customs preventive functions over the entire coast of Andhra Pradesh.
Out of the total revenue collected Rs. 23,116.39 Crores was collected towards GST while an amount of Rs. 41,850 Crores was collected towards Customs duties and Rs. 14,444.20 Crores was collected towards Central Excise.
The zone saw an overall growth of 2.12% in total revenue collection for the Financial Year 2022-23 compared to FY22.
‘GST Revenue
GST revenues grew by 22% in FY23 when compared to the corresponding period last year.
‘There is a strong emphasis on sustaining revenue growth, and trade facilitation yet keeping a vigilant check on anti-evasion said Mr Sanjay Pant, IRS, Chief Commissioner of Central Excise and Customs, Visakhapatnam Zone speaking to Vizag Industrial Scan.
He further informed that the department through additional revenue mobilization measures like AntiEvasion, Audit, Scrutiny of Returns and recoveries from defaulters, etc. realized an amount of Rs. 728 Crores in additional revenue for FY 23.
Top Sector-wise GST Contributors
In respect of the Top GST sectors in the Vizag Zone (FY23) Motor Vehicles, contributed Rs. 3,721.42 Crores which is 63% more than the previous F.Y 2021-22, Iron and Steel contributed Rs. 2,512.99 Crores which is 25% more than the previous F.Y., Petroleum products (other than MS/HSD) contributed Rs. 1,860.93 Crores which is 38% more than the previous F.Y., Cement contributed Rs. 904 Crores which is 9% more than the previous F.Y. and Batteries contributed Rs. 474.34 Crores which is 54% more than the previous F.Y.
Seizure of Gold
On the Customs front, it was reported that during the last fiscal, 44.66 Kgs. of Gold valued at Rs.23.69 Crores was seized by Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Vijayawada, which included a major seizure of Gold weighing 10.77 Kgs. valued at Rs. 5.80 Crores on Vijayawada – Chennai National Highway.
Further, 1.55 Crores Sticks of Cigarettes of foreign origin valued at Rs.14.56 Crores were also seized by Vijayawada Preventive.
Ganja Menace
During the FY 2022-23, a quantity of 6872.41 Kgs. of seized Ganja was destroyed by the Customs Commissionerates in the Zone.
Similarly in a major operation to contain illicit trafficking of drugs officers of the Kakinada Customs Division of Vijayawada Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate on June 19 2023 seized 428.675 Kgs. of Ganja valued at Rs. 85.73 Lakhs.
As per the authorities, the said consignment was packed in gunny bags and secreted in specially built cavities of a Vehicle. This is the highest quantity of Ganja seized in the last decade by the Officers of Vijayawada Preventive.
In another major operation, on June 25, 2023, the officers of Vijayawada Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate seized a consignment of Ganja weighing 405.229 Kgs. valued at Rs.81.045 Lakhs. The said consignment was packed in PP gunny bags and transported under the guise of Onions in a vehicle.
In total, 8 persons were arrested in the said cases under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Customs Trade Facilitation
In respect of trade facilitation measures under Customs, the Department has initiated some new generation reforms in the Customs process under the “TURANT CUSTOMS “program with the objective of speedy clearance, transparency in decision making, and Ease of Doing Business, all of which help in realizing the primary goal of trade facilitation.
“The key elements of the ‘Turant Customs’ program are Faceless, Contactless, and Paperless Customs clearance processes,” said the Chief Commissioner.
This includes faceless or anonymized assessment, self-registration of goods by importers, automated clearances of bills of entry, and digitization of Customs documents.
