The Union Minister of Communication & Information Technology Shri Kapil Sibal will release tomorrow a commemorative Postage Stamp on Indian Customs to commemorate 50 years of achievements under the Customs Act, 1962. Shri S.S. Palanimanickam, Minister of State for Finance (Revenue and Disinvestment) will be the Guest of Honour and release a Coffee Table Book on Indian Customs on this occasion. This is for the first time in the history of Indian Customs that a Postage Stamp and a Coffee Table book on Indian Customs are going to be released. The function will be held at Vigyan Bhawan on 26th July, 2012. The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) is celebrating 2012 as the Golden Jubilee year to commemorate 50 years of the Customs Act, 1962. The Postage Stamp and the Coffee Table book have to be released as a part of these celebrations and to recognize the all round contribution of the Customs Department to nation building.
The origins of the present day Customs Act, 1962 can be traced back to the Sea Customs Act, 1878, the Inland Bonded Warehouses Act, 1896, the Land Customs Act, 1924 and the Aircraft Act, 1934. Post independence, the need was felt to consolidate the provisions of the Sea Customs Act and the Land Customs Act in a common customs statute. This consolidation took place in 1962 in the form of the present day Customs Act, 1962 which was notified on 23rd January, 1963. It came into force on 1st February, 1963, 50 years ago. Indian Customs is the guardian of the nation`s economic frontiers. It has the challenging task of guarding over 22000 kms of country™s land borders and coast line.
