The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has decided to issue new rules for auctioning confiscated goods through a computerised system ensuring their speedy clearance.
Sources told Business Recorder on Tuesday that the slow auction process by the collectorates of customs has been a matter of serious concern. Different plans for the auction of confiscated goods, including vehicles, POL products, cloth, arms/ammunition, betel-nuts and other items were chalked out from time to time, but these could not be implemented due to manual processing and lack of co-ordination among different departments.
The outdated rules and regulations of auction are also creating problems. This requires amendment in the Customs Act, 1969. The rules would also clarify the depreciation/discount on damaged/deteriorated goods.
They said that the CBR is working on a new plan to introduce the concept of E-auction, which envisages computerisation of all stages of auction. Under the ongoing reforms, the CBR has finalised an information technology (IT) plan while computerisation of the auction would also be made part of the strategy.
Secondly, amendment would bring the new rules in line with the ongoing reforms.
Officials said that the new auction rules would focus on three areas: First, to generate maximum revenue from goods of high duties and taxes. Second, it would also save time. Third, the computerisation would bring transparency.
It is important to mention that the collectors of customs have repeatedly received directives from the Board to auction the confiscated goods. In every collectors' conference, CBR has asked the field formations to expedite auction. But these instructions were not followed.
It was also decided that petroleum products, vehicles and other goods, which cannot be put on auction for want of any decision by the Board, should be disposed of by way of sale to government departments/ autonomous bodies, and educational institutions for their exclusive use.
There are a large number of goods and vehicles lying in state warehouses and ports etc which could not be disposed of by the deadline, sources added.
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