Revenue collection by Calcutta Customs may touch Rs 30,000 crore in this fiscal, registering a 29 per cent growth over the previous year.

In 2021-22, Calcutta Customs, which has jurisdiction over Bengal, Sikkim and the Andamans, had collected Rs 22,900 crore revenue, chief commissioner Anil Gupta said.

“There has been an all round buoyancy in tax collection this year, mostly from imports,” Gupta said at the sidelines of an event to commemorate the 60th year of the enactment of the Customs Act, 1962 in Calcutta on Friday.

Calcutta Customs jurisdiction manages border trade with four countries, most notably Bangladesh and Nepal, apart from China. Its areas also include the international airport at Dum Dum in Calcutta, shipping ports at Haldia and Calcutta and land port at Petrapole border with Bangladesh, the largest land port in Asia.

While collection from this zone is going up significantly, there is unlikely to be a large spike in overall collection from customs duty projected by the government. The Union budget had set a target of collecting Rs 2.13 lakh crore from customs duty in 2022-23.

India’s overall tax collection is, however, expected to go up by Rs 4 lakh crore, mainly aided by collection from direct tax. In fact, the Centre is expecting a moderation in overall indirect tax (GST, Customs and excise) collection.

Gupta lauded the effort of Calcutta Customs for the effort in revenue collection. The role of the department, he argued,has transformed from regulator to facilitator over the years. About 80 per cent of trade and99 per cent of passengers now go through green channels(without verification).