Flyers can now buy duty-free goods worth Rs 25,000

New Delhi: Flyers coming in from abroad can buy goods
upto Rs 25,000 from duty-free shops in international airports across the
country, a five-time jump from the current limit.

The move follows complaints from the travellers
that the limit was low and needed to be revised. They had cited instructions
issued late last year by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that permitted export from
and import into India of Indian currency up to an amount not exceeding Rs
25,000.

Passengers can now purchase goods at duty-free
shops in Indian rupees up Rs 25,000 as against the earlier ceiling of Rs 5,000,
a senior customs official said citing a recent order by Central Board of Excise
and Customs (CBEC) in this regard.

He said that the duty-free shops operators
have also been suggested to display the rate of exchange published by the commercial
banks for conversion of foreign currency or the rate of exchange notified by
the CBEC on a fortnightly basis for import and export of goods.

The senior customs officials in-charge of the
airports has been asked to ensure that information relating to the use of
Indian currency should be displayed at all the duty-free shops.

Similarly, the websites of duty-free shops or
the airports must be kept accurately updated with regard to the facility and
limit in use of Indian currency for making purchases, as per the CBEC’s order.

The duty-free shops operators have been asked
that they display the prices of goods in Indian Rupees at the earliest, it
said.

PTI