International Customs Day 2018
MUMBAI (INDIA): Mumbai Customs celebrated International Customs Day ‘2018 with great zeal and enthusiasm on January 27. The formal function was organised at Y.B Chavan Centre, Nariman Point, Mumbai at 10.00 AM.
Shri Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, Honourable Governor of Maharashtra was the chief guest on the occasion. Maharashtra Minister for Housing Shri Prakash Mehta, Flag officer Commanding in chief Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Girish Luthra and Ms. Zia Mody, Founder & Managing Partner ABZ & Partners were the other guest who graced the occasion.
Senior officers of the department Shri Rajeev Tandon, Chief Commissioner of Customs Zone-I, Shri Vivek Johri, Chief Commissioner of Customs, zone-II and Shri Amrit Pal Suri, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai Zone-III were also present on the Dias along with the guests.
This year the World Customs Organization (WCO) theme was “Security of the Business Environment”. Shri Rajeev Tandon, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone-I, Mumbai, welcomed the Chief Guest and the other Guests present on the dais and also gave introductory speech on the subject.
Thereafter Vice Admiral Shri Girish Luthra and Zia Mody gave his speech on the topic “Security of the Business Environment”. Shri Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, Honourable Governor of Maharashtra lauds the Customs department for its role in preventing smuggling, contraband goods and fake currency entering the country.
He also hailed the department in generating revenue, in nation building and making Indian economy safe and secure. He also laid emphasis in improving infrastructure and simplification of procedure by the customs department. Serving and retired officers and staff were also facilitated by the Honourable Governor.
Among the special awardees Shri Bharat Gade, Superintendent of Customs, New Custom House, Mumbai who have been conferred the President’s award for the year ‘2018 for his outstanding contribution to the Customs Department was felicitated by Honourable Governor of Maharashtra on the occasion. Mumbai Customs Coffee Table Book was also released by Honourable Governor of Maharashtra on this occasion.
Further, the cultural programme was organised in the evening at Shanmukhanand Hall, Sion, Mumbai. In this event, several prominent personalities including Bollywood stars “Shahrukh Khan, Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar, Ranveer Kapoor, Ritesh Deshmukh, Alia Bhatt, Anushaka Sharma, Sushmita Sen, Annu Malik, Annu Kapoor, Bappi Lahari were present and enthralled the crowd.
GST song which was sung by Smt. Amruta Devendra Fadnavis was also launched on the occasion. Music CD for the same was inaugurated by Smt. Amruta Devendra Fadnavis, Shahrukh Khan, Shri Rajeev Tandon, Chief Commissioner of Customs Zone-I, Mumbai, Shri Vivek Johri, Chief Commissioner of Customs, zone-II, Mumbai and Shri Amrit Pal Suri, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Zone-III , Mumbai on the occasion.