PUBLIC NOTICE No. 43/2006 Date: 07.09.2006

Implementation of the Risk Management System Creation of a Centralized CHA Directory-Reg.
Attention of the Custom House Agents (CHA’s) their Association and all concerned is invited to Public Notice No. 54/2005 dated 15.09.2005 and Public Notice No. 77/2005 dated 31.12.2005 on the above subject wherein in was notified that a centralized PAN based CHA Directory is being created for which all the CHA’s were required to submit certain documents along with their PAN issued by the Income Tax Department by the 15th of October 2005.

2. The software for the centralized maintenance of CHA registrations has been developed and is ready for use. The 18 Policy Sections/ CHA sections that are concerned with the 35 ICES locations will have access for updating this directory. The CHAs who wish to register or update their registration must approach these offices. Please refer to Annex A where the list of these 19 customs stations given in Column A. Column B of this Annex gives the list of associated ICES locations where there are no CHA sections in operation. Registration of Form C under Rule 9(2) of CHA LR 2004 in the ICES location in column A will imply automatic permission to operate the corresponding ICES locations in column B.

3. The two user IDs and default password for this location haven been provided to 1) Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Customs House Agent 2) Appraising Officer of Customs, CHA Before the launch of the CHA directory, the list of CHA registered must be audited by the CHA/Policy section from the point of view of existence of records not backed by proper documentation on file.

4. During the period starting from October 2005 to June 2006, CHAs were required to submit their PAN details for the generation of the PAN based registrations. Data collated in this regard suggests that there are CHAs that have not registered with any policy section while some have registered themselves with multiple policy sections. In order to provide the status on to the CHAs in regard to their PAN based registration, a website has been developed. It can be accessed on http://www.icegate.gov.in/CHAReport/index.html . On this site, the CHA’s new PAN based IDs can be accessed by entering the PAN number. This site has also contains the list of unregistered and registered CHAs sorted on the basis of the CHA name as well on the basis of ICES locations. It may be observed that while submitting their PAN based details, some CHAs have not provided their registration information, while some others have not submitted their PAN based registration particulars at all. All CHAs are advised to proceed with their concerned CHA section and get their registrations completed. CHAs may contact ICEGATE helpdesk at 011-23379020 for clarifications, if any required.

5. All CHAs are required to obtain their new registrations from the CHA/policy sections where their original license was issued. CHAs who have been registered with more than one Policy section will have to decide on retaining one of their registrations. CHAs are advised to retain their original registration and continue to update their information in that policy section only. The list of such CHAs is also provided on the website.

6. The new PAN based directory will come into operation with effect from 11th September 2006. With effect from this date, old CHA numbers will not be used for the purpose of filing. CHAs will henceforth use their 15 digit PANs for filing their document at the service centre or through ICEGATE. The new PAN based CHA registrations have been issued branch-wise. A CHA can file his documents (Bills of Entry/Shipping Bills) from any branch to any ICES location. In these documents, the CHA must quote the PAN-based registration number with branch extension that is concerned with the particular document. For example, if the Chennai branch of the CHA is filing the document, the CHA registration number with corresponding branch extension number should be used. This will help the department identify the physical address from where the CHA is filing the document. Likewise, in the service centres, the CHA must quote, the relevant PAN based registration number.

7. The CHA Association are requested to give wide publicity to this Notice and work towards the timely completion of the above exercise.

8. The Gist of the above detail also communicated to CHA Association at the Trade Facilitation Meeting on 31.08.2006 held at Custom House.

(A K PRASAD)
COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (IMP)

F. No. S/1-61-2005 EDI

Issued from File No. S/1-61/2005 EDI (Import)

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