National Committee on Trade Facilitation Reorganizes Working Groups

New Delhi, Jan 16 (KNN) Working Groups under National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) have been reorganized by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.

NCTF is outcome of multilateral Trade Facilitation Agreement  under World Tarde Organization (WTO) which has been ratified by India in 2016.

The reorganization follows the meeting of the Steering Committee Chaired by the Cabinet Secretary recently. 

There were five Working groups operating earlier under the NCTF which have now been merged into four. 

The reconstituted groups are: Working Group on Compliance and Regulations to be headed jointly by Member (Customs), CBIC and DG (DGFT); Working Group on Infrastructure Up-gradation to be headed jointly by Special Secretary (Logistics), DPIIT and Special Secretary & Member (Customs), CBIC; Working Group on Time Release Study and Enhancing Efficiency to be headed jointly by Joint Secretary (Customs) and Joint Secretary (Ports)

Members: Joint Secretary (Commerce), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Railway Board, Department of Posts, DGTS, FSSAI, Drug Controller and Working Group on Digitalisation and Technology to be headed jointly by Member (IT & Technology) and DG (NIC).

Most of the concerning Ministries such as Home,  Health and Family Welfare, Agriculture, Port Shipping and Waterways, Civil Aviation, Road Transport and Highways and departments such as Department of Commerce, Railway Board, Posts, DGEP, CBIC, Land Ports Authority of India among others are member of the working groups.

From trade and industry, apex bodies such as FIEO, CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, FISME  and FFFAI are also members of the various working groups.

(KNN Bureau)